ok so this morning I start the car and it sounds like I threw a rod, knocking and skipping, the skipping goes away very quickly like within 15 seconds and the knock goes to a heavy tick till it warms up. From what I've read here it's the cam chain tensioner/s. Car is at 68k so out of warranty so anyone have a list of parts I would be replacing and a general idea of whats involved?

<rant>
Trying to decide if I should fix it or just trade it in. Car seems to have lots of problems for a car with such a good reputation. I love the the thing and am having trouble deciding if it's all 6th gen or just the one I got or just the early 04's but if you've seen the problem on these boards my car has had it

</rant>

 

Is there oil in the engine, enough oil.

 

yes, and changed about 1k ago with mobile 1

 

this

 

I bought mine new from the dealer in august 2003, meaning it is one of the earliest 04's out there.... I have had NO engine or tranny issues with mine, so I think it is your car, not ALL of them. However, Nmex seems to be suggesting that there might be a TSB out on your problem, which suggests that it might not be an uncommon problem, just not ubiquitous...

 

It's very common in the 02-03 Maximas as well. Mine, fortunately, does not have it either. But I do read about it quite a bit even in the 5th gen forum.

 

ya I read about them here often enough to have me recognize the sympoms when it started this AM, I am still hoping that somehow it will be one of those "it only happened the one time and then never again" things but thats just not the way it works is it lol

not looking forward to tomorrows startup

 

Check the oil for the hell of it.

 

Probably not oil, but I always check under the hood after getting home from an oil change (I've added many tools to my collection that way; service techs are forgetful folks), then I always check again the following day by both looking at the dipstick and looking underneath the car. Something as small as not tightening the crankcase plug tight enough, losing the sealing washer off the plug, or cross-threading the plug could allow oil to ooze through.

Almost thirty years ago, after getting the oil changed in my Datsun 200SX, I found oil on my garage floor next day. I took it back to the dealer, who replaced the cross-threaded plug, and it still leaked. He finally found the service tech had applied brute force trying to tighten the cross-threaded plug, and had actually put a crack in the crankcase pan, which had to be replaced.

One never knows.

 

I agree totally, one of the biggest reasons I do my own oil changes. Lots of little things that get overlooked when it's not your car being worked on.

 

Same problem here. The TSB says:
There is a buzzing / whining noise coming from one or both secondary timing chain / camshaft sprocket areas. The noise may increase with engine speed (RPM).
ACTION: Replace both secondary timing chains and both secondary timing chain tensioners with the ones from the Parts Information section of this bulletin. Change the engine oil and filter. See this bulletin for further detail., but i don't think that my VTC chains/tensioners are bad.

I'll try to replace the main timing chain tensioner... and let you guys know if the noise still persists...