Well my husband was attempting to replace my water pump in my 05 maxima 3.5l v6. Got the the water pump out. But when trying to reinstall it he couldn't get the timing chain to go over the water pump to get the water pump back in place. So he tried to give it more slack at which point i heard a pop and all the slack left the chain and the chain became tight on both sides. Water pump side and tentioner side. Does that mean it jumped time if so what is the next step. I am lost at this point. Just trying to get my car back on the road. Its my only vehicle to get my kid to and from Dr appointment. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you

 

Yup.

 

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He missed step 10 and 11.

 

Changing a water pump is a major PITA. I changed mine proactively when I had to do timing chain work and had the timing chain cover off. So trying to replace the pump through little openings is more than what most DIY people want to deal with.

As previous respondent mentioned, steps 10 and 11 (from pictures 1 and 2 not from picture 4), are the proper way to loosen the timing chain to give enough slack to take the water pump out. Did your husband follow the steps?

Putting the timing chain back on the new pump can be challenging. But if there is enough slack in the chain to take the old pump out, there should be enough slack to put the new pump in. Trying to create more slack is not the solution. I was also stuck at the same step when I did my replacement. I finally got it back in by sliding in the new pump at a different angle. My learning is that you cannot put the new pump in by the exact same way that you took the old pump out. The pump slid out around the chain at one angle but it went back in at a totally different angle. If I recall, I also moved the slack in the chain around the pump at a different way to get the pump in. He needs to experiment.

 

One final thought. If your husband indeed followed steps 10 and 11 to create slack in the timing chain, and you heard a pop causing the slack to be lost, it is possible that the main tensioner piston popped out. This would create tension on both sides as it is supposed to. Hopefully this is the cause and you can push back on the main tensioner piston to create some timing chain slack again. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

Easiest option? Replace the engine. That's a serious response. Sorry.

 

She's skipped on cam sprockets. Engine is toast.

Edit: Or crank sprocket. Or both. Not worth trying to time the motor in the car. Just drop in a new one.

 

Although it is a pain, it is possible to reset the timing chain with the engine in the car. You need to remove the timing chain cover. I have done it when I replaced my timing chain tensioner.

I have never replaced an engine or taken an engine out of a car. So I can’t comment that it is easier one way or another.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marym0345

Well my husband was attempting to replace my water pump in my 05 maxima 3.5l v6. Got the the water pump out. But when trying to reinstall it he couldn't get the timing chain to go Nox Vidmate VLC over the water pump to get the water pump back in place. So he tried to give it more slack at which point i heard a pop and all the slack left the chain and the chain became tight on both sides. Water pump side and tentioner side. Does that mean it jumped time if so what is the next step. I am lost at this point. Just trying to get my car back on the road. Its my only vehicle to get my kid to and from Dr appointment. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you

This would create tension on both sides as it is supposed to.

 

OP never came back. Must not have been to important.