How much work is involved in getting to this? I am assuming u have to pull the entire front of the engine apart?

 

Depends on which tensioner you're talking about.

If it's upper, no sweat - remove valve cover, remove distrib, remove front upper timing cover, tensioner is on the left. Don't forget liquid gasket when you reassemble everything.

If it's lower, you're talking about removing pulleys and such.

I've never actually done the lower before so I can't be 100%, but when I wanted to remove the noisy chain guides, I did the upper part in an afternoon. It's basic stuff really - all you need is a socket set.

 

I had it in at my local guy who I get to do all my repairs. This noise I'm hearing apparently is coming from the top end of the timing chain. But he says theres no wear on the cam gear teeth, the guides are all in working order. Does anyone else hear their timing chain stand out a bit?

 

It's the guides man. There's even a Nissan TSB telling Nissan dealers to remove the guides because they aren't necessary. If you're hearing the noise from the top, chances are you just have to remove the upper timing chain guide (the flat piece of metal sitting above the timing chain, between the two cam gears) and your engine will pur again. Some people have to (or eventually end up) remove both the guides for the upper chain, like I did. I figured it's easier and less time consuming to get rid of both during one job. About 30 minutes later, with everything bolted up and sealed, my engine is quiet again

 

OMGGGG i love you people!!!!! i'm having the same problem i have a this loud freaking sound and sounds like the motor is gonan blow. the noise is on top of my engine near the timing and cam gears..... but for me i think its more then that??? cuz when the noise starts sound i might smoke out oil every once in a little bit. would this bad upper timing chain that sits there holding the cams... would that make the engine burn oil too?

 

ok oil burning is a different story altogether, bro.

if it sounds like a "cling.... cling cling.... cling" tapping noise at idle, and it goes away when you step on the gas, and it sounds like it's coming from the front of thr valve cover, I'll bet it's the upper guide... and again, if you decide to remove the upper guide, you're better off doing the full job and removing the side guide too to save you work (access to both guides require removing the valve cover anyways)

 

yeah true it does go away when get on the gas... but what i dont know is why it's burning oil?

 

like I said - that's a different story, but if you do the timing guide removal you can check for leaks from the valve cover gasket... usually burning oil means bad rings or something, but for sure if you wanna get rid of the timing chain noise, do what I said above

 

wow i never herd of this! so just take off the guides for the chain?what other useless crap is on the KA? (sorta like the useless harmonic balancers in the qr25de?) =0P

 

the timing chain guide removal thing is a known fix... it's been around, I just decided to describe the fix again instead of the usual "search - it's been covered" comment

 

i hope you guys can help me i have a squelling at idle. and all the way through 3rd then it goes away, but comes back when i downshift.

 

tighten your belts?

 

Either your belts or pulleys

 

Sorry to bring this thread back, but i need to know somthin cuz im about to do this. is there another gasket on the upper front cover? or can i use liquid gasket???