Abzack

Just had the timming tensioners, and chains done 2 weeks ago at 72,250 because of the famous rattling sound and now that thats gone it sounds like it has developed lifter or valve noise that does'nt seem to be coming from the timing chain area. It hard to pin point the location , it sounds like the valvetrain area. It dos'nt seem to go away , does let up some after driving, but never goes away completly. I changed the oil this weekend with castrol gtx 5w30w and oil filter to the bosch 3323 , but it hasn't seemed to help anything. Any ideas?

Richlee

iTrader: (1)

Did you replace the fuel dampers?

L36

iTrader: (4)

Clicking from the valvetrain is normal on VQ engines.

Abzack

No as far as I know they did not replace the fuel dampers. This was repaired under the dealers warrenty so I think they only did what they felt they had to. AS far as normal sounding for the VQ engine that may be ,but the tapping seems a bit excessive to me , but then again this is my first nissan.

Lovemycar

Is It ticking or is it a tapping noise because from my experience with the VQ motors they tick and they tick so you may want to upload a sound clip I have 2007 M35 and I've had a 2004 maxima they both tick I've driven a 2011 M37 they tick so upload that sound clip and we can give you a better answer

Abzack

Here is a youtube video I just did of car running and making the noise I'm talking about. Maybe this will help with diagnosing the noise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFR8Q...ature=youtu.be

Brudface

That sounds a little louder than normal. Have the spark plugs been changed? and where did you have the engine serviced? Good video too btw

L36

iTrader: (4)

Well my motor ticks in a similarly like yours at idle but it does not tick that hard while rewing. Weird, id bring it to the dealer and let them hook up consult to check the timing.

rohanmax14

Wow that's louder then normal noise.

Abzack

No the spark plugs have not been changed as far as I know. The dealer I bought it from had a local ASE mechanic shop do the work.

Richlee

iTrader: (1)

Dude trust me it's the damper fuel. They are located under the engine cover on the fuel line. There are 2 of them easy to DIY. I had the same issue. The holes on the original were too small so they made it bigger on the new ones so less noise

Abzack

Richlee I take it you watched my youtube video and heard the noise. And the fuel dampers can make that much noise? I am very mechanical so I'm fine with doing them myself. SO if I remove the large shroud covering the intake I will be able to see the fuel and both dampers. Is there a diagram showing them? I have Alldata , but did'nt see anything on the fuel dampers.

03blk6mt

iTrader: (4)

I've got an '03 and my gf has an '04. I just did the tensioner and guides in her car as well. But what I've found in both cars is that if I run an aftermarket oil filter they seem to be noisier at the top end. Not saying that that is your issue but ours have sounded similar in the past and that has seemingly solved the issues. Just my .02. Good luck

Richlee

iTrader: (1)

Yes I have watched your video. Oil filter as nothing to do with a car making that noise. Check your oil level from time to time due to vq engines consuming some over a period if time. Yes it under the engine over located on the fuel rail. You find 2 round objects each held by 2 nuts. When removing make sure your engine is not hot because some fuel is going to come out when nuts are removed. One of them might be a little hard due to its location be careful not to bend the rail Keep me posted on your results.

T_Behr904

I've used CD-2 in several older cars, and it has worked every time.

You can pick this up at almost any auto parts store, Wal Mart, etc.

po8pimp

use thicker oil. This topic has been discussed many times before. Not bashing the OP. I use 20w50 for summer and 15w50 for winter and the ticking pretty much disappears. I also only use mobile 1 oil. If it is not available then Penzoil would be my next best. I have used Castrol Edge and Royal Purple and Lucus and they all wear way to fast. Edge is horrible oil in my opinion, steer clear of it for this car anyway. Good luck hope this helps. Your manual will say 10w40 is the thickest oil you are recommended to use, however this engine runs extremely hot. 15w50 is pretty standard for European cars so that is what drove me to trying that. Works great.

Lovemycar

That does sound A bit loud as stated above I would start by having the fuel danpers checked and switch to thicker oil

Abzack

Richlee, I AM going to replace the 2 fuel dampers this weekend as you suggested. It seems like thats where the noise is coming from. Will I need to relieve the fuel pressure first or will that take care of itself when I unbolt the dampers from the fuel rail. Thanks

Richlee

iTrader: (1)

No need to relieve fuel pressure. Put a rag under dampers to catch the little fuel that's going to leak out. Try not to get it on the engine you may smell fuel while driving until burn off. Good luck

pitmax31

I am having the same issue the dealership told me its the fuel dampers. They tell me 183 bucks for each damper is that right? I checked courtesy Nissan's website they said 21 bucks, how the hell is that possible? Where did you get them and how much?

Richlee

iTrader: (1)

Didn't pay that much. Should be about $25 each at the dealer. Maybe they ment $50 + labor

EC1989

Abzack,

How did it go replacing the fuel dampers?
Did the noise go away?
I very curious cuz I have the exact same problem on my 04 as well.

Abzack

It went ok replaceing the dampers. To install the new damper in front of the engine I had to remove the coil packs and valve cover to give me the extra room so that I could properly seat the new damper in the fuel rail and give the wrenches more room. That one came out without have to remove anything, but new install was a differant ball game. No noise did not change. However I changed the rear damper first and the first new damper i pulled from the box was differant than the original which i expected. It was a tad shorter, but holes in it were oblong and larger which I expected. But when I went to install the new one in the front and took it out of the box it was exactlly like the original I'd just taken out which I found odd. Both dampers wre new from napa with same part # on the boxes. So i installed it anyway because the part store had closed and I needed the car. My guess is I may have gotten one upgraded part and one original replacement part. The engine still makes ticking noise,but the sound sounds like it could be still coming from the front damper and does'nt seem like its coming from the rear one ,but hard to say. If I can find one like the rear one I put in then I will replace the front one again and see if things change. This ticking sound seemed to start about a week after the mechinic changed the timing chains and tensioners. I'm thinking I should have done that job myself.

MadMax2004

Keep us posted... Hope that is the problem, b/c I am experiencing the same ticking displayed in the video.

L36

iTrader: (4)

You should of. Missed out on a lot of fun.

Richlee

iTrader: (1)

How many hrs did it take to do timing chain tensioner?

Abzack

Richlee ,actually The dealer had a local mechanic shop do it . They had it for 2 weeks ,one excuse after another. He said it took about 13 hrs. but they had to do it twice, they said first time they had the timing off by 1 tooth. That why I said I should have done it myself. Got the p0011 code as soon as I drove it off mechanics shop the first time . Then after he did it the 2nd time I got the p0011 code 5 days later. car ran fine though. so I just cleared the code and the p0011 has not come back since and has been 2 months now. car runs great just that dam tapping sound.

L36

iTrader: (4)

Check the resistance on the bank 1 VTC solenoid. Should be between 7-7.5 ohms at 20C. If its off, might be the cause for P0011. Another is oil sludge.
As for how many hours, i swapped the engine in the car so did it while the engine was out of the car.

Abzack

Does anyone have a picture of the upgraded fuel dampers that show the difference from the original factory ones. All the ones I'm seeing look the same.

taz394

iTrader: (2)

Check your Oil and put thicker oil

i usually put around 5 gl

MadMax2004

bump

L36

iTrader: (4)

Funny how i think my dampers are making noise. They're most noticeable in cabin while engine is warmed up and idling. Il try to post a video of it soon, but my noise does not increase with RPM like OPs. Id say, perform a compression test to see maybe something wrong with the valves?

Also, when you replaced your dampers, did you take off the intake manifold or even remove the fuel rail?

po8pimp

you have to at least remove the fuel rail to get them off. Unless you want to spend hours replacing them.

rohanmax14

What kind of sound does damper make? Any video?

L36

iTrader: (4)

Tried getting it on video, you cant hear the noise. Its sounds more like a clank noise and should occur at same rate your fuel rail pulses.

Radtoo

I'm told rattling were lifters. What is cost and damage if don't fix?

Radtoo

Oh, I have an '05 Max.

ACee

I too have the same noise in my 03 SE. Seems to be most prevalent between 1,500 - 2,300 rpms when engine is warm and driving slightly up hill while barely pressing the gas pedal.

ACee

Not yet. I did an oil and filter change and the noise went away for a few days but it is back again.

I am contemplating trying running the heavier oil.

Les7311

My 05 Max has 222,000 miles.

2500 miles after a Castrol Syntic Blend 5W30 (5 qrts oil) + filter change, that lifter noise appears. By adding another 1/2 to 1 qrt of oil, and the noise disappears immediately.

This has been going on for the last 50K+ miles. Burning oil, but am used to it, until the next (DIY) oil change.

Check the oil level!!!