What did you do to prevent the bolts from falling into the cover? I'll need to change mine when I get time and don't want any problems.

Thanks.

 

I used a strong magnet and held it near the opening to catch any falling metal parts, but I got lucky and nothing fell out of my hands. The tensioner just ejected out and I caught everything somehow...

Another piece of advice is to drain and remove the power steering resivor to make more room.

 

I may have to bother you for help when I get ready if you don't mind. I'm hearing the chan rattle. I don't now how long I should drive it like this but I'm going to order the tensioner soon.

 

Yeah replacing the tensioner gets rid of 80~90% of the chain rattles, my '96 still rattled after the repair but it's not that noticeable over the exhaust and intake noise.

You can go for a while with the noise, I think it annoys most people so they change it. Very rarely Ive heard of the timing chain skipping a tooth, but it has happened to people on here.

 

Deezo - there is no rush to replace the tensioner. There are 95s on the road even today that have had the rattle for the past 6-7 years. As long as the rattle goes away after a few seconds, don't worry about it (i.e. take your time to do the replacement, there is no urgency as such). If the rattle persists all the time, then you probably want to do it sooner rather than later.

Search for a thread by matty - he just did his tensioner and waterpump a month or 2 ago.

 

my chain rattles on really cold morning until the car warms up .. then goes away.

it has been like that for the past 2-3 years.

 

Ok, that's good info. It rattles but not all the time. As long as I know I can drive the car with no issue, I should be good for a while. It's cold out and I don't feel like doing it it now anyway.

 

mine rattles at startup(rarely) but rattles at 1500rpm under load all the time

 

How many miles do you have Luke?

 

210k miles and the noise came up at 200k

 

You can also stuff a rag under the tensioner so that if the plunger or spring falls out, it will land on top of the rag within easy reach. Don't forget to remove the rag when you're done!

 

I definately recommend everyone whose chain rattles do to this. You only realize how annoying it was when you replace it.

 

Ok so putting the rag under it to pull it out is a good idea. What about putting the new one in? Do you put the rag in place also?

 

I was told the new tensioners needed the guide replaced when i bought mine so i havent changed it..

 

No, you don't need to replace the guide at the same time. I have taken apart very high mileage VQ30's and the guides were fine.

 

You can if you want to. It is easily removed with some needle nose pliers when you're done and ready to put the access cover back on.

 

I changed my water pump and now the tensioner is causing the chain to rattle. They stopped producing the 95 tensioner so you have to buy the 96. Thats why I was told to also by the guide with it. I have not done it yet but when I do I plan on changing the guide and tensioner. Also when taking the tensioner out and putting it back in there is a spot to stick a small pin in that keeps it all from coming apart. although I didnt know where this hole was when I took it out the first time and parts fell. But I fished them out with a magnet!

 

Just as an FYI: I had this problem fixed under the powertrain warranty on my 96. I got my 96 with 40k on it (in 2000) and it already had the startup rattle. Nissan replaced the timing chain tensioner, and tensioner guide at that time. The tensioner was definitely an updated part - I am not sure if the guide was updated or not.

BTW, Nissan pulled the entire timing chain cover to do the job... I think you don't have a choice if you want to replace the guide...

 

Reason I said that was because they sold me a updated guide to go along with it, because for some reason "the angle of the new tensioner, wont work with your current guide" If I can find a brand new 95 tensioner, that would be awesome... I can sell my 96 version

 

You don't have a choice.

I'm not going to worry about the guide now that I'm going to be putting a significant reduction of miles on the car since I will be commuting by train again.

 

Same reason why I'm waiting till spring to do my tensioner.

 

The new updated tensioner is angled slightly more than the older design to prevent it from failing in the long term. As a coincidence the guide had to be designed differently to accomodate the new tensioner design. Nissan recomends you replace the tensioner and the guide with the updated part #s.

However Ive changed the tensioner and kept my old guide in place. The tensioner contacts about 70%~80% of the guide. Ive raced my car and brought it up to redline numerous times this summer and drove all the way to Texas and back, so IMO it's safe to keep the old guide in place.

 

interesting, thanks for the insight.. do you see any prolonged problems coming with it like that?

 

I don't see anything happening from it, several other org members have changed their old tensioners with the updated one and I have not heard of any problems.

In retrospect if I had to do it all over again I would of just gotten a low mileage '00~'01 DEK motor or have done a VQ35 swap. With the cost of a new water pump and tensioner kit (total was around $130) that's $200~$300 away from a newer DEK motor. Now this winter im looking to replace my engine cause there is severe ring wear on my old VQ and it burns about a quart of oil every 1000 miles or so, also there is a noticeable amount of power loss so its gonna go for something better.

 

It's 3.5 time

 

I went through this a few months ago when I changed out my water pump

I was on the phone with David B for like an hour as he searched for an old design tentioner. Nissan upgraded the tenstioner and requiers you to use different guides. If you do go with a new tensioner, youll have to pull the entire cover off cause you cant cheat through the hole any more cause the NEW tensioner is alot larger then then pre exsiting one IIRC by about an inch, and the new design tentioner will NOT fit onto the guides on your engine now.

Thanks NIssan for the change

-matt

 

Is this the new part number? 13070-31U03

This was a year ago that I got the updated tensioner but it now sounds there is a new one from Nissan...

 

Nope DEK time, VQ35 is gonna wait cause I have to do things differently than everyone else on the org.

 

Tensioner part # should be-#13070-31U00 or #13070-31U01...The one that doesnt fit from Nissan is the #13070-31U03 or the kit has a part number #13070-31U26. David B measured this one and told me it wont fit through the cheat door and will NOT mate up to the stock guides. ?? Dave B told me its 2 1/4" with the plunger in ??

-matt

 

ok so 13070-31u00 , 31u01, and 31u02 are the ones that will fit. But all these are old #s so they may not be in stock at dealerships.

 

No dealership I called had one. Its a special order part. Dave B. had a couple in stock but they were all the new part #'s

-matt

 

great info matty, im having my local dealer friends hunt one down for me, hopefully they will swap the upgraded unit I bought for it.

 

I think my tensioner is pretty bad, becaseu the sound never goes away, even on full warm, if you are close to the negine oyu can hear a noise.
so I shoudl definatly go to the dealer tomorrow and buy one of the old versions tensioner. (order one)????

 

You guys should check to see if Rockauto has the old one before you kick out $70 for one at the stealership.

 

hotness, found one at the dealer

 

NO Way !!! I couldnt find one for the life of me ...

did you by any chance find two ??

-matt

 

I'll ask if he has another one, and I will let you know

 

Are you sending the newer one back or selling it?

Stephen, are the 3.5's the same as the 3.0?

 

The 3.5 tensioners are not the same as the 3.0 tensioners that I have seen. Nevertheless, they have the same mounting hole pattern, and I believe they will work on a 3.0. I have some at home that I can check to be sure they line up with the oil feed hole in the timing case.

 

Please check for me. If things look promising, I'll give you money.