96 Max, low oil pressure, recent water pump replace, removed chain tensioner

[craigvalk]

Hi gang.96 Maxima, 151K miles. Water pump seals failed and we replaced the pump last weekend. Removed and replaced chain tensioner during that job. Had a lot of chain noise when starting after replacing the water pump, that subsided and seemed normal per the service manual. There was just a slight ticking noise afterwards. Drove car several days, water pump is fine and car ran well. Today the car started making lots of valve train noise, and got an oil pressure light at idle, which went off when driving. Took no chances, shut it down and towed it home. It still runs

I am thinking that since that tensioner is oil pressure activated that perhaps it is the issue, i.e. oil pressure is leaking through the tensioner?

Just a theory but I do believe i am going to pull than tensioner out and recheck. It seems that tensioners do fail on these cars, but the low oil pressure / warning light is a serious concern. Anyone have input / similar experience? By the way, I DID check the oil, it's not low.

Thanks / Craig

[maxhopper]

Possibly the slack on the timing chain was not indexed on the slack tensioner side, and the chain jumped. Resetting the chain can be a biatch on these.

[craigvalk]

Thanks for the input Scott. I don't understand though... if it jumped time it would not run well and it does. And how would the timing affect oil pressure?

Craig

[maxhopper]

I can't, at this moment, figure out how replacing the water pump could cause the oil pressure light to come on other than a chain issue. The oil pump runs off the crank, which is affected by the timing chain. Mis-timing the chain would also expain the valve train noise.

[audtatious]

If the timing chain jumped a notch, can't you test by using a timing light to see if timing is "off"? It that ends up being the case (chain jumped), then the only solution would be to pull it apart again and try to adjust the chain properly while re-adjusting the tensioner. If timing is not off (which it should be if the chain jumped), then there is another problem all together.

[craigvalk]

Thanks.My logic / thought process is this.

I do not believe it jumped time. typically the car will run terribly in that event. It runs just fine, other than the fact that I now have a oil pressure issue and it's noisy.

I am going to remove the tensioner again and recheck that. I am also going to check the oil pressure sensor /switch, it's possible that it failed but it would be a heck of coincidence.

The timing chain tensioner is activated by oil pressure, so if it is really bad or if somehow it was not properly installed or damaged in the process it seems to me there could be a heck of an oil pressure impact, i.e. what if the oil is getting past the thing, maybe it isn't seated right, and so forth.

I think I can easily check and even replace the tensioner if needed as well as the switch for the oil light. If it doesn't work out then, it's time to visit the dealer, check oil pump?

About all I can think of. Will keep you posted. Probably be Sunday before I can touch it.

[maxhopper]

Good luck, I hope it turns out to be an easy fix for you.