Any difference between Ebay timing chain/gear kits?

[Vettedrmr]

A quick progress report:

This past weekend my son and I dug into the front end of his car. Brandon's instructions have been super-helpful; I've been taking a fair number of pictures and will be putting together a DIY page when everything is done.

When we pulled the tensioner and chain guides, they looked to have zero wear whatsoever, except for a small chain imprint on the bottom of the curved guide. So, I put a new front crank seal in, and we're in the process of putting everything back together. With luck we'll get done tonight.

Brandon, another question: do I the chain cover bolts penetrate the cooling jackets and need sealant on the threads, or are they dry?

Thanks again, and have a good one,Mike

[Brandon93240]

No sir, you can thread them in directly. I always use 721 locktite for waranty and save my job purposes, but its not needed.

[Vettedrmr]

Brandon,

Thanks for the info; just got home from work and headed out to the garage.

Have a good one,Mike

[lbrowne]

Well well well. Looks like I'll be doing my second timing chain job, on my second 240. (my first one was several years ago on my coupe) Both on a ka24e.

So if I'm reading this correct, if I get everything off and my chain looks really good - as in, no deep marks on the rollers... just change the guides and the tensioner? (I'll do the waterpump since I'm in there)

I would guess then that many times at dealerships this is what they do? The chain IS suppose to last according to the design of motors that use them.....

But what about slack in the chain... how can I check for that? How far the tensioner is depressed? Just doing the guides and tensioner would make this a MUCH quicker job.

edit: I only have chain noise when I first start the car and it goes away within seconds. Before with my old coupe you could hear the chain at several points of the rpm range. When I took it apart one guide was completely gone and the chain was after eating halfway through the guide stud! Needless to say I replaced THAT chain! lol

[Brandon93240]

Alot of times oil is able to bypass the tensioners letting it slack and thats why you hear the chains on the guides, it does it and start up and at low rpms because the oil pressure is at its lowest. I've measured a chain out of a 400k mile fronteir compared to a brand new one while I worked at Nissan and the difference was only a few hundreths. Also the chain that was on the 400k truck was the original, it was on a delivery truck so you know it had the balls driven off of it.

[lbrowne]

Alot of times oil is able to bypass the tensioners letting it slack and thats why you hear the chains on the guides, it does it and start up and at low rpms because the oil pressure is at its lowest. I've measured a chain out of a 400k mile fronteir compared to a brand new one while I worked at Nissan and the difference was only a few hundreths. Also the chain that was on the 400k truck was the original, it was on a delivery truck so you know it had the balls driven off of it.

Ok perfect, I never hear sound after the first few seconds. Even at low idle she purrs like a kitten, no rattle. I'll pull the valve cover tonight and check those guides.

[lbrowne]

Scratch all that. I pulled the valve cover and the guides were perfect, no scarring present and the chains had absolutely no marks on it. Must just be the first cold start of the day. Could also be coupled with the fact I used a cheaper oil this last recent oil change...

But literally, that timing set looks real good.

[Brandon93240]

The startup noise you hear can also be your lifters. Did you check the bucket to lobe clearance while your vc was off?

[lbrowne]

The startup noise you hear can also be your lifters. Did you check the bucket to lobe clearance while your vc was off?

the sound is very chain-like, but who knows. I'm not sure what you're asking to check... if you can enlighten me I will have a look

[Brandon93240]

If its a chain sounding noise I'd take an educated guess that oil is bypassing the piston in the tensioner until oil pressure is good. If its a slight tick, or a solid tick then usually valve adjustment. The camshaft lobe rides on top of a bucket that has a shim on top of it. The clearance should be .013-.016 I believe, I haven't done a valve adjustment on a ka in a while but your service manual will give you the specs. With what your telling me if I were in your shoes I'd replace the tensioners, tensioner guide and the chain guide. I would also do a valve adjustment, you'll see better gas mileage and the car will feel a little healthier. If you need any instruction on how to do any of this let me know.

[lbrowne]

Not sure I can get better mpg, I get 22-25 mpg all city now as it is. Also, this KA runs much stronger than my last one, depsite having 100k more on the clock lol. I really can't complain on the motor, she runs really good.

Its not a tick but I tell ya what, let me grab the camera this week and make a small video for ya?

/apologies to original poster for jackin the thread!

/end apology

[Brandon93240]

I don't think Mike minds the thread jack. You'd be surprised what a valve adjustment and timing components can do for mpg and emisions. Itsumishis(Mitsubishi, most mech.'s call them that because they really are piles)fail left and right from lack of valve adjustment and old timing belts. It changes your timing and lowers your comp.

[lbrowne]

Bringing this one back from the dead - I think I'll be getting timing kit soon. Valve adjustment, how is this done? I have another thread going but I think I have it in the wrong forum.... since there is a good discusion going here I'll place a quote of my other thread:

179k miles on the clock. When I start the car let it idle, it idles perfect, no fluctuation. Once you start driving faint bluish exhaust is emitted when the car is underload of acceleration only. But this only happens until the car gets to normal operating temps.Is this valve seats? Or do I need a valve adjustment? She pulls like a champ as far as a sohc KA goes.

Most people wouldn't bother to fix this but I'm picky so if its something I can do myself I will.

thnx,

lbrowne

edit: I hope to get my hands on a compression tester soon.

I know blue smoke is oil being burned, but it only happens until operating temps and I was wondering if valve adjustment can fix this?

[DroptopDrifting]

im just posting to keep this in my recent topics list dont mind me....

[lbrowne]

No worries, hopefully Brandon chimes in soon!

[DougRoost]

Great info in this thread. By the name of it I didn't realize it had so much good info on how to know whether to change the timing chain and gears or just remove the top 2 guides and check/clean/replace the tensioners. My son just bought a 1991 240SX LE with 183k miles on it, with the only drive line part ever changed being the water pump -- even has original clutch! Based on initial things I'd read I was planning to do the timing set but now know what to look for and base it on.

By the sounds of your oil burning it sounds like piston rings to me. Valve guides/seals are evident by blue smoke at initial startup (aka first thing in morning), which then goes away. This is due to residual oil in the top end that gets sucked down the valve at start-up. Oil smoke under load is the classic sign of worn rings.

[lbrowne]

I only get this when I first start the car, and is present for the first couple of minutes - literally. After that she never lets out any blue smoke at all, even when pushed to the limit.

[DougRoost]

Okay, if it's mostly start-up then valve adjustment won't fix it but valve stem seals likely will. This can be done in most engines without removing the head using the right sort of seals and a compressed air adapter for the spark plug. Of course after going through this you'll then have to check the valve clearances anyway....

[Brandon93240]

Valve seals are notirous for leaking on nissan engines. Toga makes some very nice ones that They say will last 300k miles. A good compression test dry and wet and a leak down test will reveal the mechanical condition of your engine. Also check the pcv valve. Have you ever seen a Itsumishi(mitsubishi)smoke under acceleration? Almost all of them do and its usually just a bad pcv valve. I've taken plenums off of Montero's and been like wtf there's half a qt of oil in here. Dodge 3.8s in Caravans and T/Cs do it alot also. I wouldn't go as far to say that you have ring damage, I've had alot of high mileage engines busted open and nissans usually still look good in the bores and rings but u never know how the previous owner treated the car. Like I said without testing its possible to be a few things, but all the troubleshooting is easy with the correct equipment and will reveal the problem. Also a vacuum gauge is a very handy tool and a low fluctiating(spelling?) reading at idle is a sign of poor ring seal. Also reading spark plugs can reveal alot of information. If its stained a shade of brown below the electrode then its oil mixing with gas(ie valve seals or pcv valve) If the stain is on the electrode above and on the ground strap its from oil leaking past the rings. There's alot more info about reading plugs this is just the info you need to determine where to look for oil consumption. Also don't confuse carbon for oil stains. Your plugs should be an off white ash color(do to higher sulfer content in newer fuels) if they are black and reak of gas you should consider the minimum a good fuel system flush or check the spray pattern on your injectors to determine if replacement is nec. Hope this helps some of you guys out.