q45 top end noise

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OwnerCS
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Does the ticking sound anything like the engine in this picture when at idle?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ripuVvmsA7M[/youtube]


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Q-ZILLA
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Not sure, but it does sound like this... [fbvideo]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10 ... =3&theater[/fbvideo]
Last edited by Q-ZILLA on Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Q-ZILLA
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Sounds real close to the one you put up. The more I listen to it, the more it sounds like it, just faster.

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Brew Q
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OwnerCS
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If you look at the video (1st frame) without playing it is gives a tell-tale sign for the ticking around (US driver side front). Mine sounded just like the video. Here's what I'm seeing from the video.

1) The upper (exposed) tensioner top is rust covered. This tensioner may not have been replaced when the engine received the enhancements shown in the video. Personally, if I had spent big bucks making all of the other enhancements to that engine, I would have replaced the tensioner as the seals inside it would be suspect.

2) It looks like a bit of RTV may have oozed out from where the gasket should be under the front if the tensioner cap. Using RTV to seal the tensioner cap is a huge mistake. Only a gasket should be used on the upper tensioner cap. RTV will ooze down beside the tensioner shaft and block oil from flowing through the tensioner oil passage.

So I had to learn that one the hard way. The chain would slap against the head mounted guide and make a ticking noise that sounded to me like a bad lifter. I had tried all types of lifter (snake oil) remedies without success.

Finally I took the Q to my neighbor and (Q45 master tech at G50 introduction) to get a lifter replacement. He pulled the (US driver side VC) and said there were no lifter issues. When he pulled the upper tensioner and found RTV blocking oil flow. The oil flow blockage allowed the chain to slap the upper head mounted guide. He cut a new gasket from gray gasket material and reinstalled the tensioner. The noise immediately disappered. Note: there are no oil leaks around the tensioner cap almost 2 years later.

I'm still kicking myself over that one.

Here's a pic of the(US passenger side) chain with slack. If the tensioner does not remove all of the slick (like it did in my case on the US driver side) the chain bouncing off of the head mounted guide made a tapping noise.


Image

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Q-ZILLA
Posts: 325
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So based on what I read, if I'm understanding you correctly; I need to remove the passenger side chain tensioner cover, clean off old rtv around CT and make a gasket for the cover. Thanks... The ticking is enough to drive me mad!

OwnerCS
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Q-ZILLA wrote:So based on what I read, if I'm understanding you correctly; I need to remove the passenger side chain tensioner cover, clean off old rtv around CT and make a gasket for the cover. Thanks... The ticking is enough to drive me mad!
Sorry that wasn't able to see your video from work to see the noise was coming from the passenger side. The RTV issue I had on the upper driver side tensioner should not factor into the noise you are hearing on the passenger side. RTV will not cause an issue for the passenger side tensioner like it does for the upper tensioner on the drivers side.

Though it could be the tensioner that is behind the noise pointed out in the video.

Here's a picture with the hex head tensioner bolts on the left -- just below the curved guide.

Image

The tensioner sits behind the (near trangular) steel cover with the three bolts on the left side. A few months back, a weak tensioner on my VQ30DE was causing a similar noise at low RPM after startup. The VQ30DE tensioner was accessed through a timing chain cover access door like the one in the picture below and replaced.

I would try accessing the tensioner by removing the door and checking the tensioner before removing the front chain cover. I don't know if you can tell if the chain has been slapping the upper head guide by just having the VC removed. I don't think the chain normally touches the upper head mounted guide -- that is unless slack from the chain allows it to make contact.

Image

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Q-ZILLA
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Yeah, thanks, but it's not the tensioner. Definitely an HLA or valve issue. I'm taking it apart tonight for the 3rd or 4th time, to install new O-rings on the HLA's to see if that might be the cause of them bleeding out.

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paranoidjack
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I changed my oil 5 times last week, with an engine flush in the middle.

Engine quieted down for 800 miles - 600 longer than previously, when I changed oil only once. Came back then after 200 miles.

Can't help but think I'm going to win this war by many frequent changes - if the engine is "capable" of sounding perfect with clean oil, then all I can surmise is that once filth is dislodged the lifters start ticking again?

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cientortas
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OwnerCS: does this sound like a bad chain tensioner to you? This is the passenger side on a 94 Q. The noise has been there for years...it has been gradually getting better. Sounds like it is coming from exactly where the chain would hit the top head mounted guide. Just bought a new chain tensioner and thought I would swap the old one out this weekend.

Sounds similar to the other videos in this thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD8bwv-7L3A

maxnix
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Infinitiguy19 wrote:I am not too sure I would trust a Envirolution engine flush. Seems sort of scary to run a engine like they do with that machine. Have you had one done that made any difference Brian?
Yep, done on all of mine. The engine does not run during the operation. Fluid is reversed pumped and highly filtered.

I have seen it run multiple times on abused machine and remove coke from the motor. I do mean coke like in "Fire up the grille, Mabel!"

OwnerCS
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cientortas wrote:OwnerCS: does this sound like a bad chain tensioner to you? This is the passenger side on a 94 Q. The noise has been there for years...it has been gradually getting better. Sounds like it is coming from exactly where the chain would hit the top head mounted guide. Just bought a new chain tensioner and thought I would swap the old one out this weekend.

Sounds similar to the other videos in this thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD8bwv-7L3A

The noise I had on the driver side sounded like John's in his video below coming from the same area.

[fbvideo]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10 ... =3&theater[/fbvideo]

I believe if you can hold your hand on the front part of the valve cover and feel a tapping underneath from the chain slapping the upper guide it indicates too much chain slack.

jshbackdr
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Hi;

I have a similar ticking noise, but it is not quite as frequent. If it is not chain slack and is the lifters, are they adjustable? I called the Infiniti dealership and they said they don't fix lifters, but replace the engine...What, sounds like BS to me especially at a cost of $8K.

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paranoidjack
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Well brought the car to my mechanic to drop in a new radiator. I told him not to worry about the tap since I just wanted to spend the $100 on the radiator and would look at the tap myself.

I guess he decided to poke around in there... Not sure what he did but it's different... Now, if any throttle is applied at all, the sound disappears... Gone... Even in reverse.... If car is revved in park, sound stays... If under load, sounds gone like magic... I really think the motor is clogged up somewhere.

While the car idles in park, the sound is very loud. Clack clack clack... Top end drivers side... But... If I Rev the motor and hold at 2k for a few seconds, when I release often the sound is gone for a few seconds at idle.

It really sounds like a stuck plunger or something... Very irritated. He says the motor sounds like it's junk but I don't buy it...

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Q-ZILLA
Posts: 325
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Car: 1995 Infiniti Q45t
Rear Mount Turbo

R.S. Enthalpy Tuned on
Dynojet-5000lb roller
453hp/453lbft

2008 Nissan Armada
2009 G37 Convertible - SOLD
2004 Cad. Escalade POS - RIP
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Contact:

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Possibly a bad HLA. Figure out which side is making the noise, remove the valve cover for that side, then push down on each HLA; the one that depresses is the culprit. Replace it.

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paranoidjack
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Good advice. I'll do that after I get a new vc gasket. Why is it that one that depresses, is the bad one?

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Q-ZILLA
Posts: 325
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Car: 1995 Infiniti Q45t
Rear Mount Turbo

R.S. Enthalpy Tuned on
Dynojet-5000lb roller
453hp/453lbft

2008 Nissan Armada
2009 G37 Convertible - SOLD
2004 Cad. Escalade POS - RIP
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Contact:

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Because if you can depress it as much as 1mm, it has air in it, it's not suppose to have any air in it. You can try to re-bleed it, but odds are it just went bad, replace it and be done with it. When you replace them, you have to bleed them prior to installing. Procedure is in the FSM.


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