I and my father-in-law spent a good part of the day replacing the timing belt and water pump on my '91 Maxima. Everything went really well actually. The problem is now though that there is a pronounced whining coming from the timing belt area. Not good obviously so tomorrow (I KNEW it went too easily today!) I'll be taking this all apart again. The engine itself is running perfectly though, as I had to drive the car about 60 miles from his house.

I'm thinking we must have done something wrong with the tensioner, but I really don't know. The timing belt is the right design with the square notches that match the notches on the sprockets.

Any ideas on specific areas I should take a look at tomorrow?

PS, I'm SOOOOO glad my '02 has timing chains!

 

http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u..._1318_edit.flv
does it have a similar sound to how mine sounds when the engine is decelerating? I don't know if the "turkey" sound my car makes is bad... it's just annoying and makes the engine sound pitiful when revved, rather than strong.

 

Tension.

The tensioner spring, when loosened, produces right tension... 20lb force downwards between sprockets, half inch bend. Then just drive, noise doesnt kill. If it does, get another belt. Make a hole in the cover allowing tension recheck later.

 

Hmm. We spent about an hour today trying to get just the right tension. I'll take another look at it though. Do you think the whining comes from the tension being too tight or too loose?

 

Look at the toys: what changed? The sprockets are old (?), they cant produce it. So whats left? Belt, tensioner. Tensioner bearing you can listen in with a stethoscope.

Beside tensioner, its the belt (smtg wrong with it?) or its too tight. As said, the spring produces the right tension. Rip and burn this manual page: measure and verify the end result and youll find that the spring tension is perfect.

Some noise is 'normal', lasts the five years, until u get new whine... From swap experiences, 'every fifth' belt whines somewhat. Never had any problems but with chains.

 

There are round toothed and square toothed belts for these motors ................ fitting the wrong type of belt will definitely cause the whining.

Till you are sure that it is the correct type of belt I would neither start nor drive that motor - if something goes wrong and the belt slips, you will have introduced the valves to the pistons at huge cost

 

I definitely got the right belt for it, which is the square toothed one. It matched the old belt perfectly, not to mention fitting the sprockets like a glove as well. I should have also mentioned that we replaced the tensioner as well. The belt and tensioner came as a kit from NAPA.

http://www.napaonline.com/masterpage...+Component+Kit

I'll take Wiking's advice and re-check the tension tomorrow.

 

He says like this - so I think its not the issue. Some belts just do whine...

Kb, Can you give the belt type, manufacturer?
(Gates - no whine ... Bill Gates bIG WHINE)

 

well,you guys DID remove and replace the 3 outer DRIVE BELTS and set each
"belt adjuster side bolt" and the top tensioner pulley comes apart and may get mixed around ,maybe one of those outer belts and pulleys+pumps are doing it,try starting for a few seconds with no belts and with the motor
off spin and wiggle(after setting any "side bolts that effect wiggle") each pulley and pump and check for noise and wear

there is alot of info in the fsm about belts and pulleys torque etc.(sectionMA)

 

did you fix the whine? i have the same problem so i will be going back in next week. from what ive been reading online the timing belt is to tight

 

This thread is kinda old bro.... probably won't get an answer from this guy.