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Car Forum / Nissan / Nissan Cars / February 20071999 Sentra 1.6 Died. DEAD DEAD DEAD
Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. My car's been idling like a deisel from the loose timing chain for a while. In the last week it seemed to grovel a bit louder. Then, 5 minutes from my house, cruising along at about 20 mph with engine at about 2000 rpms, the car just ever so gently died. The rpms went down and down and that was it. Several attempts to restart it completely failed. The battery and starter turned over the engine like a champ every single time. Nothing. I removed the oil fill cap and distirbutor cap to see if both overhead camshafts were still turning when I try to start the car. They were. Is it that the timing chain jumped sevral teeth, therefore killing the timing? With the cap removed I could also see spark flying out of the distributor. Is the GA16DE motor an interference engine? I'm trying to see if I should even attempt to rebuild the motor. Everything elase abut the car is in good shape. No body rust. All eletricals are fine. new tires. What to do? Junk it? Thanks CD >Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. My car's been idling like a >deisel from the loose timing chain for a while. In the last week it [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > >CD I'm not aware of any interference engine that has a timing chain. How many miles do you have on the car? It just sounds like the tensioner wore out. > >Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. My car's been idling like a > >deisel from the loose timing chain for a while. In the last week it [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > >CDI'm not aware of any interference engine that has a timing chain. My old 1850 Triumph Dolomite did, when the tensioner on that went it bent valves and holed a piston but I was doing about 85mph at the time. Trevor > Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. My car's been idling like a > deisel from the loose timing chain for a while. In the last week it [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > What to do? Junk it? If you didn't hear the engine being destroyed -- and I think you'd know it -- there's a good chance it's okay and just needs the timing chain replaced. Have hope and HTH, JM >>Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. My car's been idling like a >>deisel from the loose timing chain for a while. In the last week it [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > Have hope and HTH, > JM Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. I haven't had a chance to further diagnose the car until today. After after 2 weeks of my sentra sitting in cold 20 degree weather I obtained a compression testing kit and ran some tests. Good news: the compression is very even, within 10 psi for all cylinders. Bad news: The compression is low. 60 psi for 3 of the 4 cylinders, and the odd one reads 70. I understand that compression should test low on a cold engine, and that baby was frozen. On a warm engine my compression should be between 170 to 200 psi. So is this a good sign? Also, when the engine turns over, because it's so frozen it turns over quite slowly, so that should also contribute to a lower compression number. Lastly, after having not heard how my engine for a while, when I turned it over, it definitely sounded different. You know when you start a car there's this rhythmic chugging sound which you're normally used to? Well now it's like turbine smooth when it's turning over. There was mention of a possible tensioner wearing out. What could I do if that's the case? I guess what it comes down to is this: are there still signs that the timing chain is still good? if it is then my car's problem is more than likely my ignition, from which I would spend abround $300 to replace the entire distributor. The car is most certainly getting fuel. When doing the compression tests, on the cylinders that I wasn't testing I left the spark plugs loosely sitting in their sockets and the smell of gas was everywhere. Even saw a bit of spray. TIA CD > >>Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. My car's been idling like a > >>deisel from the loose timing chain for a while. In the last week it [quoted text clipped - 69 lines] > > CD Any suggestions? Should I throw in the towel on this one? CD >...IIs the GA16DE motor an interference engine?... Well according to my ’99 Nissan service manual, it sounds like it’s an interference engine as it mentions to NOT turn the camshaft or the crankshaft with the timing chain removed as the valves will strike the pistons. Compression should be at least 171 psi on a warm engine w/ no spark plugs installed (engine spins easier). Hopefully if the chain did jump, that the low compression readings are caused by the timing being really late, not from bent valves...I would say if the car is worth fixing to you, fix it. At the very least if you tear it down and find out it’s a basket case, you at least learned something from the experience...  SignaturePosted at author's request, using http://www.AutoBoardz.com interface Articles individually verified to usenet standards. Visit URL to contact author/report abuse Thread archive: http://www.AutoBoardz.com/1999-Sentra-Died-DEAD-DEAD-DEAD-Nissan-ftopict203923.html > >...IIs the GA16DE motor an interference engine?... > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Articles individually verified to usenet standards. Visit URL to contact author/report abuse > Thread archive:http://www.AutoBoardz.com/1999-Sentra-Died-DEAD-DEAD-DEAD-Nissan-ftop... Thanks for the input. I'm dumping the car. I don't have the time or space to work on any timing chain related activity, and sending it to the mechanic costs more than its worth. I found a 98 Sentra XE for a replacement. I wish there was an easy way to tranfser the power windows and doors from my car, but oh well. I'm transferring the other stuff, like wheels, tires, exhaust, radio. Hopefully I can transfer the instrument cluster as well. The 98 XE doesn't have a tach, but my car did. There is the issue of odometer fraud which I'm mildly concerend about, but I'm not going to be selling the car. CD |
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