Am I hallucinating or what??

[TRUEST]

At trade motion, below are the prices they say timing chains are? is this true?? i thought they were overly expensive

Description Year List Price Your Price TIMING CHAIN, Q45, Camshaft To Camshaft - 8 CYLINDER, VH41DE 97-01 $36.10 $27.08 TIMING CHAIN, Q45, Crankshaft To Idler Gear - 8 CYLINDER, VH41DE 97-01 $73.68 $55.26 TIMING CHAIN, Q45, Oil Pump Drive - 8 CYLINDER, VH41DE 97-01 $49.34 $37.01

[IvoryJ30t]

its not really the chain thats expensive, its the hundreds of $$ in labor thats expensive if you cant do it yourself.

if your doing a chain, do the chain guides, the chain, and the water pump.

[TRUEST]

in that case it makes absolutely no sense in taking it to the dealership then. if your gon do it youself because of dealership wallet rapings, it wouldn't hurt to take it to an around the block mechanic

[IvoryJ30t]

exactly. doing a timing chain/water pump is not difficult or require special knowledge.

your local garage that you trust would have no trouble doing it, probably for 100 or more dollars less than the dealer.

[IvoryJ30t]

see, i dont really have a good perspective on labor costs because im a mechanic myself. if somethings goes wrong with one of my cars its "oh great, now i gotta fix this", not "thats gonna be expensive"

but to answer your question, any competant mechanic can perform that work. its very time consuming, not really difficult.

[Q45tech]

An expert tech who does at least one set of guide replacements per month [say has done 30 or so on the Q] and has every possible tool and a few he designed and invented himself PLUS A LIFT can replace the guides/tensioners in 6 REAL hours......without taking more than bathroom breaks. Such rushing has a 10-20% chance that the timing will slip turning the 6 hour job into a REAL 13-15 hour job since then the valve covers and other covers will need to be pulled.

We compromise and charge for 10 hours labor and eat the possibility of a mistake [turning some jobs into losers].

The dealers go by the book and replace the chains making it a 25 hour job..........[a real 2 day job]. We quote $1,000-$1,200 parts and labor [on the simple duide replacement] and require the oil pan be dropped and cleaned IF we cannot find all the broken guide pieces [ this adds $500] [7 billable hours].......maybe 4.5-5.5 real hours to drop the pan with every thing already off!

A few hours are consummed in mandantory cleaning the covers of varnish and the car is tied up on the rack [or pushed somewhere] while the RTV dries before cranking.

We have 7 certified techs and only 2 are really qualified [ want to do this tricky job].

We get them towed in [from other States] all the time where someone has tried and given up when the timing slipped. Not knowing what to do next.

Our most experienced tech has done over 100 guide replacements and only had 3 slip in the last 3 years, the other experienced tech has done 10 and had 2 slip.

[PalmerWMD]

Also you quoted the numbers for VH41de.That a 97-01 engine.

The issues of guides to the timing chains ( not the chains themselves) exists for 90-93 model years.

Fred..

[elwesso]

Yes, since your car uses timing chains there is no need to replace them, EVER... Its not a maintenance item like a timing BELT, which other nissan cars use....

The timing chains should EASLIY outlast the engine....

[SOCAL91Q45a]

"Such rushing has a 10-20% chance that the timing will slip "

Being that Im sorta about to engage in such activities [replacing the heads ..... ] How does the timing SLIP? And what is the remedy of such a mistake?

[elwesso]

I assume that means that something will get off track or out of alignment.... IE the cams getting moved no in correspondance to the crank....

That would be hell to try and fix that!!!