I have been inquiring about "valve noise" for the past few weeks
with this thread:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....5&pagenumber=1

After doing a bit more research with I think is REALLY
happening is that I have a loose timing chain.
Does anyone know if this is covered under the basic
60K mile warranty?, I will be calling the dealer today
to get their take. If it is NOT covered under warranty
anyone have a clue how much the dealer will charge to
tighten/replace it? Is it something I can do myself?
(I'm fairly comfortable turning a wrench), and answers
to this issue will be GREATLY appreciated. the car has
52K miles on it.

 

Hopefully your dealer will cover it. It's a big job!

 

Called the dealer, have appointment this Wednesday.
Good news, dealer said that IF it IS the timing chain,
then it IS covered in the 60K warranty.

 

well if that is what your problem is and it's not covered, look at it this way. you've got to get your timing chain REPLACED anyway at 60k...and i know that ain't covered.

 

The EXTERNAL drive belt should be changed at 60K. (belt that powers alt, AC, PS)
The INTERNAL timing chain should last the life of the car.

 

i'd double check that. i know belts and hoses need to be replaced but i don't know of any timing-chain-car that shouldn't have it replaced at 60k. it may be $1500 to have it replaced and twice as much to repair engine damage if it breaks on you.

 

Timing BELT = 60k replacement (VG30E 89-94 Maximas only)

Timing CHAIN = No replacement because repair will probably make things worse and/or the chain should outlast the useable life of the engine which is why Nissan switched to it on the VE30DE motors and the 4th/5th gen VQ30DE motors.

 

Also be careful. If by some strange reason your timing chain is going bad, the dealer may try to cover it up in hopes that you won't notice it again or worry about it until after 60k.

If they don't give you a good answer...get another opinion.

 

There is a TSB out on this subject

Make: NISSAN
Model: MAXIMA
Year: 1998
Service Bulletin Number: NTB00054
Bulletin Sequence Number: 139

Go to www.nhtsa.org and you can look it up. You might want to mention the TSB # in talking with your service provider. They'll have the full detail.

emoore924

 

Make: NISSAN Model: MAXIMA Year: 1999

Service Bulletin Number: NTB00054 Bulletin Sequence Number: 139 Date of Bulletin: 06/00

NHTSA Item Number: SB613977
Component: ENGINE:TIMING GEAR AND CHAIN
Summary:
VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE JN1CA31D1YT746029 MAY EXHIBIT A ENGINE TIMING CHAIN NOISE. *TT

 

I have requested the "research" from the NHTSA
on this TSB. If I have to pay 35 bucks to the NHTSA
so I can keep this Michael Jordan Nissan in Durham, NC
from cheating me out of my warranty service, that's ok
by me.

I will post the docs to the .org if the NHTSA actually
sends the info and if it looks useful.

 

The dealer will already have this information available. All you'll need is the TSB # and they look it up for free...(besides, if they're at all decent, they should know about it anyway)

 

hey, i'm from durham as well... michael jordan's rpm nissan is TERRIBLE...i had the service manager tell me i was crazy when i told him there was something wrong with my timing chain tensioner...i still haven't gotten the damn thing fixed...and im now out of warranty.

 

Did you actually take it to the dealer for him to check out and he have you a invoice stating they didn't find any problem? Provided it wasn't too long ago, you might be covered then.

Anyway, Maxima timing chains rattle like crazy. I usually notice it while in the drive-thru. Really though, they're such good engines that unless you're torturing them they usually don't break. I'm much happier with my noisy Maxima than I was with my Prelude I had a few years ago that snapped a timing belt (and took three exhaust valves with it).

 

yes, they checked it and said no problem...but they checked it before the weather turned cold, and the problem doesn't normally occur when it is warm.. im not sure what i can do about it now. i understand they are noisy, but im afraid mine is TOO noisy...if you know what i mean. once, i started it and it sounded like someone was in the engine hitting it with a sledge hammer, and the engine rocked like hell for a few seconds...scared the **** out of me, i thought the chain had slipped, im not sure what actually happened though, considering im still driving it...

 

Update.
Went to the dealer Wednesday Feb 20th.
Went for a test drive with their "senior" mechanic.
Had him floor it good in 3rd entering a freeway.
No rattle from timing chain. It was 52 degrees that day
and the problem only occurs at about 35 degrees or below.
We left the ticket open and when it gets cold we will
go for another drive, the guy believes me but wants to hear
oi before any work is done on the car, they pulled to APAR
which talks about the tesioner.
Update next week. Forcast is cold.

 

I have this weird rattling noise, and one mechanic told me that it could be the water pump bearing, and I hope this is it so that my Max could be quiet again. Anyone know what a dead bearing on a water pump sounds like? Compared to loose timing chain niose?

 

Update.
Went to the dealer Monday (March 4th), It was a cold morning
(20 degrees f) and had NO problem demonstrating the problem.
The mechanic immediately diagnosed a loose timing chain.
They have ordered the parts called for the previous APAR,
tesioner parts and gaskets, appointment will be sometime next week
after parts arrive. Just in time, warranty expires in 15 days!

 

Glad to hear they're taking care of it. However, I wonder, since you documented the complaint *before* the expriation of the warranty, if they would have covered it if the car hadn't manifested symptoms for their senior mechanic until *after* the warranty expired. I would think they would cover it since you complained before...Your thoughts? What would they have done?

 

Good dealers would still fix the issue. Technically, they are supposed to. But this is Nissan we are talking about.......


Good to hear the chain is being fixed!

 

no.. the timing chain (internal) does not last the life of the car if ur zipping around all the time in a 5 speed... maybe it would last if ur a grandma driving an autowuss...Id say it last just upwards of 100k and then it gets loose...

 

Umm, no. The timing chain should last the life of the car. Its a timing chain, not a timing belt. There's a big difference.

Man, somebody needs to grow up.

 

ummmmmmm... no timing chains have been know to become loose and/or break.. they do not last the life of the car....like i said maybe...if ur a grandma driving an autowuss it might last

 

Again, NO! They should last the life of the car. Not all do, but hell not all engines do.

Timing chains are a maintenance free item. Do you see anything about timing chain maintenance in your owners manual or FSM?

 

Do you believe everything u read in books... sounds gullible to me

Oh yeah... did nissan write a bible on da max?

oh.. no u say...

 

Gee, you're just to darn smart for me. That wonderful grammer is just too much for me too. I'm done with this thread. You are the first person on my ignore list, congrats!

Oh...yes Nissan did write a Bible on "da max" (I think you mean "the Maxima"). Its called the Factory Service Manual. Maybe you should get one.

 

csnow ... you are now banned from this thread. I don't feel like sitting here checking up on this thread every five minutes to see you spew your dumb-a$$ crap.

You post up in this thread again, I delete the post.

 

Update.
Dealer had the car for 2 days and replaced the timing chain tensioner and guides. Purrs like a kitten now.
Carged me $25 for a oil change (no covered under warranty) which kind of ****ed me off due to the fact that I run Mobile one.
In any event, problem fixed, total cost = $25.00.