Video included...

Hey all, happy owner with a new problem. Went on a 1000 mile or so round trip, and about halfway through, my Max started making this knocking/ticking sound. Started two days ago. Doesn’t matter whether the engine is hot or cold. The knock only happens at low rpms or at idle. Nothing seems to stop it except higher revs, then it makes this rattling/ticking noise. Accessory belt seems to be turning smoothly, no jumps that correspond to the noise. No knocks under power and none of this can be heard from inside with the door shut. No warning lights.

Some background history on it...

I bought it in 2015 with 27k on it. Seemed to be well maintained, but no records. Has 103k now. Had 87 octane when I bought it but nothing but a pure diet of 93 since I bought it. Oil changes regularly with full synthetic, Penzoil Platinum or Mobil 1 every 5k, except for 2017-2018 when some idiot convinced me it could go 7500. Back to 5k after that. Most recent change 4.2k ago with Supertech full synthetic. Doesn’t burn any oil, and when I checked it today it was still right halfway in the cross hatched area. What was on the dipstick looked clean enough for 4K.

CVT has been drained and filled twice with Amsoil, most recent about 1k ago. Power steering and radiator flushed 1.5 years ago. Serpentine belt changed every two years, most recent six months ago. Gates or Dayco. I use fuel injector cleaner 3x a year.

Just changed the torque strut mount about 1.5k ago, the one up at the top passenger side of the engine.

I don’t baby it, but don’t go past 3500 rpm much. Past that a few times a week, never when cold though.

I was just on the verge of changing all six spark plugs, ignition coils, PCV valve, and upstream O2 sensors for maintenance, but haven’t done that yet.

Thinking it may be timing chain related, but wanted to ask.

if there’s anything else that would help to know, just ask...thanks in advance!

 

Thats not engine specific. It did not change speed with engine speed. I had my active motor mounts replaced and I now hear that noise on my 2012.

 

It’s hard to hear but it actually does change with engine speed... the knock becomes more rapid as does the ticking. I’ll try changing the oil, I’ve never used anything other than 5W-30 in it. Noise seems to be louder this morning and getting worse.

 

My wife's 2012 Maxima was doing that and it turned out to be a bad A/C compressor, got a new one and the noise is gone!

 

Update on this...it got bad enough that I had to drop it off at the shop after work. A lot of things I can fix on my own, but I don’t think this is one of them. Guy said it sounded “very unhealthy”, but they’d have to get the stethoscope to it to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. I’ll update once I know. Still hopeful that it’s a timing chain or lesser evil, and not a spun bearing.

Still no warning lights. Noticed some power loss over the last few days.

 

Good luck. Hopefully the shop are honest and knowledgeable enough for the correct diagnosis.

 

Agreed. Compressor appeared to be turning/engaged. OP needs to invest in one of these:

 

Turned out to be a little bit of everything mentioned so far, no wonder it wasn’t easy to trace...

Belt tensioner is bad, for sure. As are my front two (lower) motor mounts. Going to replace those. They also heard some noise from my timing chain area, and my AC compressor, but they’re going to change the tensioner as well as the engine oil to see what effect that has, first. I’ll update once that’s done.

After that, I’m changing the spark plugs, O2 sensors, and all the ignition coils. Assuming it can split the atom after all this work, I’m dropping my OCI to 4,000 miles and running nothing but Penzoil Platinum from now on.

 

Ouch. Time for a cost-benefit analysis. 5k mi intervals are fine, and in fact are what the 7th gen User's Manual calls for. Depending on the environmental variables, contemporary engines and oil chemistries allow for much longer intervals, some vehicle in the 10k mi range. Generally speaking, anymore it doesn't really mater what oil you use, they all come from the same refineries and the tech is far beyond what it used to be. The most important thing is that it GETS changed, and routinely. I'm not sure plugs, O2 sensors and coils are going to accomplish anything relative to the mechanical issue at hand, but plugs are good for 100k and you're right there, with no history of replacement.

I replaced my tensioner on my 2015 motor at 47k mi. S.hit happens. I went OEM and that sucked (pricey) but was indeed the source of a rattle at idle I originally attributed to the power steering pump, which I ultimately definitively diagnosed by getting underneath the car and probing around with the thing I linked to above.

If you've got the cash and want to keep the car, by all means, drop a money bomb. It will thank you. But step back for a second and remember that you are in the shock phase and assuming the worst. I wouldn't put timing components anywhere near the top of the list. I would DC the compressor and the electronic motor mounts, replace the tensioner, then go from there.

 

Oh absolutely, that’s what I’m doing. Tensioner, mounts, and oil change which is more or less due, anyway. Then see how things sound. I swore long ago, after much cursing, I’d never change another lower motor mount myself.

The ignition components and O2 sensors I bought long ago and already have on hand for its 100k service. I swear earlier, there was a post about how these engines shear oil like crazy and not to run past 4K, but it seems to be gone now. I’ve more or less always run 5k intervals with full synthetic 5W-30, mostly PP or M1, but sometimes others if I’ve found a deal. Once I made a cross country trip in it, and ran 10K with M1 EP and the corresponding filter. 99% highway, and do I love the higher speed limits out west.

I do need a stethoscope, though. I do most of my own work but some things I’d just rather have someone else do.

 

I'd consider 0w40 or 5w40 from now on.

 

Why?

 

G35 and 37 owners on Bob is the oil guy are going that way, I am too.

 

Any links to the threads? I’m not an active poster but I’ve read up a lot on that forum. I’m honestly curious to read up on it.

 

I don't have a specific thread or link, this is something you read along the lines and inputs if you're on bobistheoilguy.com for some time, their rational (Infiniti and Nissan owners) is the thicker oil film around cams, pullies, tensioners, chains, etc..(especially at hot weathers and engine temps) beside the fast that a 40 weight oil would thin down (shear) to a high 30 in like 2k to 2.5k miles (opposed to a 30 weight shears to 20s) based on previous oil analyses. Beside the fact that owner manuals for same engines in other parts of the world would recommend thicker oils (Australia). They believe that 5w30 (and subsequent 0w20 in newer Maximas) was due to the push from CAFE and fuel mileage figures rather than better engine protection.
It is still a hot topic and a big debate between yay or nay sayers...

 

Interesting. I’ll give it a shot. 90+ degree temps are frequent where I live this time of year. They did a flush on it and filled it back up with conventional, so I’ll run it 2-3k or so and try a full synthetic 0W-40 then. I’ve noticed it seems to prefer thicker 30 weight oils.

Last update on the original issue, tensioner and an oil flush/change cured the noise, so all is good again. New motor mounts are going on, once I get it back I’ll do all that ignition stuff above and call it a day. I’m honestly surprised it was the tensioner, the belt had no erratic movement at all when the noise was happening, which set off all my alarms since the timing chain is right there. Oh well, live and learn.

Thanks for all the input!

 

Spoke too soon...

Apparently the oil change was just a temporary fix, it’s back. Definitely nothing coming from the accessory system now, so time to pop the cover off and see what’s going on with the chain.

 

Focus on that A/C Compressor first! My wife's 2012 had a vicious knock going on and it was the compressor gone bad, How's the A/C on that car is it cold? The A/C stopped working and the car had a constant knock, Once the compressor was replaced that knock vanished!

 

Ice cold...I tend to freeze most people out! After the tensioner and idler pulley changes, the belt system is good and quiet, turning the compressor on and off doesn’t seem to change it. Still have that knock and “rattle” at higher revs.

They definitely needed changing though, all had way too much play in the pulleys.

Before doing anything else, I’m going to take the belt off tomorrow and run it for a short bit just to confirm, but I think the accessories are clear.

 

Put a stethoscope to the compressor, alternator, even on the timing chain compartment area. See if you can hear that knocking loud and clear.

 

Just to update on this...did pull the belt off and it was still knocking away like a Bible salesman. Popped the cover and there was too much slack in the timing chain, and bits of the guides were missing. It’s back at the shop getting that done right now. Should be a brand new car when it gets back.

I’m also going to take the advice and throw some 40 weight oil in it, at least for the hot summer months. I’ll need my Max to last a long while after this trip!

So...apparently if anyone needs to know what a bad timing chain/guide system on these cars sounds like, well like that up there, apparently.

 

Not many timing chains reported on the 7th gen forum. Earlier gens had some issues but I really don't recall seeing many posts here on the timing chain...but thanks for the sound bite.

 

It’s odd, for sure...but the timing chain was stretched and the tensioner was at its max trying to take out the slack. Guides were shot, too.

Just got it back today, running stronger than it has in recent memory with the new chain and ignition components. Just glad to have my Max back, been through to much with it to let it go this soon.