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Car Forum / Nissan / Nissan Cars / January 20071997 NISSAN SENTRA 1.6 UPPER TIMING CHAIN
Suspected a timing chain problem on my 1997 Nissan Sentra with 128K and a 1.6 engine as it was making a “clacking noise”. Popped the valve cover and discovered a lot of slack in the upper timing chain. Gears, chain and cams look very good. Engine very clean and oil changed regularly. Questions: 1) Have these engines had a history with the upper tensioners going bad? 2) Is the timing chain cover one piece or two piece? 3) What is the procedure to keep engine timed? 4) Are the cam/idler gears marked? Also, looking for advise/directions/procedures from A to Z on how to replace the upper tensioner and/or timing chain and gears. Please advise. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, Bill Is the noise occuring at all times? Or is it present only during a cold start? I just bought a 1999 Sentra with the 1.6L that has a scraping/screeching sort of sound for a second or two on cold start-up only. Then it disappears. I'm told it might be the tensioners so I'm watching it carefully and have switched to full synthetic 5W30 oil. The factory service manual only describes changing both chains and both tensioners which requires head removal. It looks like one could change the upper tensioner alone without removing the head or the lower chain cover. But I haven't done it so I can't be certain. Al > Suspected a timing chain problem on my 1997 Nissan Sentra with 128K and a 1.6 > engine as it was making a "clacking noise". Popped the valve cover and [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, > Bill Its much more likely that your screech on cold start is a lose or glazed accessory belt, pulley or belt tensioner. Change the belts and check the pulleys before you start tearing into the timing chain. It could also be the starter failing to disengage immediately when the engine starts. Maximas are known for this problem when the starter gets old and tired. On 1/16/07 9:50 PM, in article 1169005838.475532.306610@11g2000cwr.googlegroups.com, "al" <abuonag@msn.com> wrote: > Is the noise occuring at all times? Or is it present only during a > cold start? I just bought a 1999 Sentra with the 1.6L that has a [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >> Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, >> Bill Thanks much. I intended to do the belts in order to eliminate that possibility. I have thought that it could be the starter too as it sounds somewhat like the starter. That's not so easy to test and I'd rather not just replace the starter with a rebuilt one as rebuilt starters are often a crapshoot. > Its much more likely that your screech on cold start is a lose or glazed > accessory belt, pulley or belt tensioner. Change the belts and check the [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > >> Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, > >> Bill If it does turn out to be the starter, spend the extra $$ and go OEM. In the long run its less hassle than replacing 3 or 4 rebuilts until you get one that actually works. On 1/17/07 8:35 PM, in article 1169087752.894550.76990@v45g2000cwv.googlegroups.com, "al" <abuonag@msn.com> wrote: > Thanks much. I intended to do the belts in order to eliminate that > possibility. I have thought that it could be the starter too as it [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] >>>> Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, >>>> Bill Yes, I'm not enthusiastic about rebuilds. Advance Auto now offers a line of brand name (e.g. Bosch, Beck Arnley) remanufactured starters offering strong warrenties. I've had very good luck with Advance Auto stuff but I've heard so many horror stories about bebuilds that I'm not sure I trust anybody. Thanks again. Al > Thanks much. I intended to do the belts in order to eliminate that > possibility. I have thought that it could be the starter too as it [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > > >> Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, > > >> Bill > Suspected a timing chain problem on my 1997 Nissan Sentra with 128K and a 1.6 > engine as it was making a "clacking noise". Popped the valve cover and [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thank you in advance for any help you can offer, > Bill You can download the factory service manual for the 96 here (the 95-99 Sentra 1.6s are 99% the same GA16DE with the expected differences in emissions related changes); http://www.nissanforums.com/b14-95-99-chassis/60760-b14-full-service-manual.html Take care of your 1.6. I wasn't so lucky. CD CD - Greatly appreciate the help! Bill >> Suspected a timing chain problem on my 1997 Nissan Sentra with 128K and a 1.6 >> engine as it was making a "clacking noise". Popped the valve cover and [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >CD > CD - Greatly appreciate the help! > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >> >>CD No problem. Let us know how it turns out. CD CD - It turned out to be the upper timing chain tensioner. Also, found out that the 1996 Nissan 1.6 engine only has one timing chain; not two. Mine is a 1997 (thank God). FYI . . . For future threads concerning the same problem, the upper tensioner, upper timing chain and both cam sprockets can be replaced by removing the valve cover and upper timing chain cover. The cylinder head does not have to be removed. To get at the timing chain cover, you do need to support the engine, remove the right upper motor mount and accompnying bracket. The windshield washer tank and accompanying hold down also has to be removed to get the bolt out of the upper motor mount. Not really a bad job. The Nissan enginneer used his head when he designed this engine so that you could easily get at the upper end of the engine without removing the whole timing chain cover or the cylinder head. Regards and thanks again, Bill >> CD - Greatly appreciate the help! >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >CD Thanks for the tip on replacing the upper tensioner without removing the head. It looked to me that with the upper mount disconnected it would be possible. Appreciate your confirmation. Was the power steering resevoir in the way? I seem to recall it could be. Did you replace both the upper chain and the upper tensioner? Thanks again. Al > CD - It turned out to be the upper timing chain tensioner. Also, found out > that the 1996 Nissan 1.6 engine only has one timing chain; not two. Mine is [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > Message posted via CarKB.com > http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/nissan/200701/1 AlI am only replacing the upper tensioner. The power steeing resevoir was not in my way and was not moved. The gears and the chain are in great shape. I did have to remove the coolant resivoir and the accompanying hold down out the way. Hope this helps. Bill >Thanks for the tip on replacing the upper tensioner without removing >the head. It looked to me that with the upper mount disconnected it [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> Message posted via CarKB.com >> http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/nissan/200701/1 my '99 sentra gxe w/ 104,000 miles also makes a "clacking noise" but not when its cold. It does it sometimes during acceleration. I suspect timing chain. Perhaps the same fix you found will work in this case. Assuming it's the same problem, what should it cost to repair in a shop? Don't think about taking your car to the shop right yet. Try using high octane gas (93 octane) for the next couple of tankfulls. If you only hear the noise during acceleration, chances are it's not the timing chain. It sounds like what you are hearing may be "pinging" as opposed to a problem related to the timing chain and running a high octane gas will cure this problem. Let us know how you make out. Happy motoring! Willy >my '99 sentra gxe w/ 104,000 miles also makes a "clacking noise" but >not when its cold. It does it sometimes during acceleration. I suspect >timing chain. Perhaps the same fix you found will work in this case. >Assuming it's the same problem, what should it cost to repair in a shop? |
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