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noise from timing chain

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Old Feb 2, 2005 | 09:27 PM
  #1  
scopium
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noise from timing chain

sup guys
i have this issue..
lately i've been getting a bit of "ratteling" sound evertime i press the gas around 3k-5k from the timing chain
the weird thing is that i only got 52k milage on my car
and the engine been acting very weak lately..

any ideas how this problem can be fixed.. and also i'm still under warranty
and have an intake. and some other air flow mods
Old Feb 2, 2005 | 10:49 PM
  #2  
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you know that rattling might be my problem also. i heard it when i was on the dyno tuning for 10psi and i had a severe drop in power. mine is a intermitant rattling noise and we couldnt figure were it came from?
Old Feb 16, 2005 | 08:46 PM
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Hey guys, i also have been getting a noise, sounds like the timing chain, i was told it could be just the engine and bad gas. but i dont know about that. I was also told that it could be that, its loosing tension...... i notice is when i WOT or when i accelerate pretty hard.
Old Feb 16, 2005 | 10:24 PM
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scopium
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you know what.. i feel that when i press the gas it revs a bit too much for the acceleration that i'm going
but then again i havent done a tune up for 25k .. so i'm gonna do that..to see if it does anything..
but if the timing chain is loosing tension.. is that a dyi? and if not.. is it covered under warranty cause i got it till 100k.
Old Feb 17, 2005 | 06:22 AM
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my brother is a mechanic and he brought the timing chain up to me last week. he was looking at the new FSTB i had installed and my car was idiling. you notice it the most when my car is idilig.... just a rattling sound from near the bottom of the engine...
Old Feb 17, 2005 | 07:26 AM
  #6  
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If it's the chain, bring the car into Nissan and have it fixed!
Old Feb 17, 2005 | 09:34 AM
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probably the tensioners and guide worn out
Old Feb 17, 2005 | 11:59 PM
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would that kill your power???
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 01:10 AM
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This is only my opinion, because it's just like when a doctor is trying to treat a patient with back pain and the x-rays and MRI show nothing.

The timing chain is not delicate, so I highly doubt it could be worn at 52k, short of people being drunk on the assy line in Japan or TN if it's a 2k4. When my car was brand-new, I noticed a clicking sound coming from the left side of the motor, at idle. As the motor revved up, it went away. When the motor was returning to idle, it came back.

At the time, we're talking 1998, people on the forum posted a TSB from Nissan. It had a procedure and stated if customer complains about a clicking noise, here's how to fix it and it was entitled "power brake check valve." I had the TSB performed and the car was exactly the same afterwards. I've lived with that sound for 7 years and 104k, so I guess it's harmless. imho that's what you guys are describing. Maybe if I weren't the original owner of my car I would think something is wrong based on the clicking I hear, dunno. When you have a Nissan, you have to get used to many things as being normal, even when with other brands it would not be. That's the nissan low-quality way.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 02:34 AM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Frank Fontaine
{snip}
When you have a Nissan, you have to get used to many things as being normal, even when with other brands it would not be. That's the nissan low-quality way.
I'm not trying to ignite one of those brand religion debates, but let me assure you that the grass is no greener on the other side of the fence. I've been a Nissan-Infiniti customer for about six months now, having owned both I-4 and V-6 Camrys before my G35 (and before that, cars from Pontiac, VW, Dodge, Honda, Buick, and Ford-Mercury). We still own, and are very happy with, my wife's 2001 Sequoia. My G is distinctly better bolted together than my Camry was. No, not perfect, but better.

The timing chain issues are interesting. I notice the TSB-ed "timing chain rattle" noise on start on cold mornings. Sounds awful. My 1MZ-FE never made any such crude noise. Of course, it has a timing belt, not a chain. Chains have come a long way over the years, but they're never going to be as smooth and silent as a timing belt is. Of course, they don't break or need replacement like a belt does. You should hear the Toyota guys howling about the expense and inconvenience of that job. And if you're one of the poor fools who's had a timing belt snap, you'll be longing for the noise and crudeness of a chain. Of course, you could completely solve the problem by buying a nice GM engine with one totally silent, gear driven camshaft and a nice set of pushrods and rockers. . . Alas, there is indeed no free lunch.
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 08:48 AM
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i did lose power...right along with my tensioners and guides going bad my knock sensor went bad too
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 11:42 AM
  #12  
scopium
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well i'm in the process of doing a good tune up on the car maybe that will help the power loss a bit.. we'll see
if not.. i'm not really worried about the engine since its under warranty till 100k
but thanks to everyone for the helpful info
Old Feb 18, 2005 | 12:03 PM
  #13  
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course, they don't break or need replacement like a belt does.
Yep, timing chains basically kick *** and that's all there is to it.
Old Feb 19, 2005 | 06:42 AM
  #14  
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i love chains but i was just trying to find out if that was my rattle prob at 4,500rpm killing my power
Old Feb 19, 2005 | 06:48 AM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by Torkaholic
I'm not trying to ignite one of those brand religion debates, but let me assure you that the grass is no greener on the other side of the fence. I've been a Nissan-Infiniti customer for about six months now, having owned both I-4 and V-6 Camrys before my G35 (and before that, cars from Pontiac, VW, Dodge, Honda, Buick, and Ford-Mercury). We still own, and are very happy with, my wife's 2001 Sequoia. My G is distinctly better bolted together than my Camry was. No, not perfect, but better.

The timing chain issues are interesting. I notice the TSB-ed "timing chain rattle" noise on start on cold mornings. Sounds awful. My 1MZ-FE never made any such crude noise. Of course, it has a timing belt, not a chain. Chains have come a long way over the years, but they're never going to be as smooth and silent as a timing belt is. Of course, they don't break or need replacement like a belt does. You should hear the Toyota guys howling about the expense and inconvenience of that job. And if you're one of the poor fools who's had a timing belt snap, you'll be longing for the noise and crudeness of a chain. Of course, you could completely solve the problem by buying a nice GM engine with one totally silent, gear driven camshaft and a nice set of pushrods and rockers. . . Alas, there is indeed no free lunch.
On interference motors, the timing belt breaks and there is a good chance the motor is done, because the valve cleareances are so tight. Mitsubishi and Volvo 16V (don't think that exists anymore) were two examples that come to mind.

Ahh....I can't wait, one day soon my car will have an I-6 and I will be done with V6's forever. The V6 simply cannot overcome physics--it lacks secondary balance which the I-6 and V8 have.....

The notion of a V6 in a 45k+ car makes no sense, like the M35 and RL......but I guess these car co's do not have an I6 so they evolve the V's
Old Feb 19, 2005 | 04:17 PM
  #16  
wsu's Avatar
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rattle, vibration with me too

Originally Posted by scopium
sup guys
i have this issue..
lately i've been getting a bit of "ratteling" sound evertime i press the gas around 3k-5k from the timing chain
the weird thing is that i only got 52k milage on my car
and the engine been acting very weak lately..

any ideas how this problem can be fixed.. and also i'm still under warranty
and have an intake. and some other air flow mods
I have a 2005 SL with about 5,500 miles on it. I notice a sound similar to what I think you are describing in that it it most pronounced when I accelerate through a certain rpm range. It is a high-pitched metallic rattle with a bit of a slight scraping/ringing sound. The vibration associated with the sound can clearly be felt through the accelerator too. I have not noticed any loss of power associated with the noise.

I took the car to the dealership and the saleman and the mechanic both acknowledged the sound. We agreed to let it go for the time being as there were no noticeble effects on the car's operation.

Your post makes me think the sound in my car is from a loose or vertically misaligned timing chain flopping or vibrating a bit as it moves onto/over a gear.

At least I have a plausible hypothesis with which to approach the dealership in pursuing the rattling noise further. Thanks for your post.

Does anyone else have any further insights to offer? I would be grateful.
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