HELL YEAH!! Fixed my timing chain.

[deathkeeper]

I replaced the upper tensioner, and cleaned the lower one really good.

After it was all back together, I primed the oil pump, and fired it up to hear an awesome silent idle. Now I am actually hearing other things vibrate, but then again it is a KA.

I think I am hearing my transmission mounts needing to be replaced. When I shift into neutral and let out the clutch, I get a little continuous vibration and a slight bearingish noise. Oh well... I can't expect to get no vibrations from a 13 year old car with mostly stock suspension.

[Ender_Zero]

im pretty sure the bearing noise you are hearing is the pilot bearing going out.... good job on the timing chain

[240convert]

HELP MEEEEEEE!!!

i have the same problem because i've already had several machanic friends look at it with a sethiscope and with the loss of power, we're 99.99% sure its the tensioners...

i have a few questions...(newbie)

WHAT did you all take out? did you need to just take out the valve cover and the front part of the engine with the water pump and all? all the belts right?

HOW long did it take you?

HOW do you know its the top or bottom one or both that is bad?

HOW did you clean it?

I can't seem to find the search botton so if someone could show me some threads on this topic, that would be great...

you guys are great...thanks!!! seems to be much better help then freshalloy sometimes...

[tryiian]

uh, don take this as an insult but th thing flippin *blinks*, in th top right, and yu dont see it?

ed: in my haste to blurt without thinking, iForgot: my kade sposedly has a tensioner issue also, so im as interested as (quite literally) th next guy in a simple testimonial from a recent hands-on-experience-enlightened person.

[BadMojo]

I had a tapping noise near the front of the valve cover. It was irregular in rhythym but constant at idle. It was a hollow tapping sound...much like something metal hitting something plastic.

So, I ordered an upper tensioner (and first received a lower tensioner...different story), and new inner/outer valve cover gaskets. I also replaced my distributor cap and rotor while I was in the area.

I was also getting an oil light at startup...it lasted for maybe a second at the most, but it happened constantly.

Before I removed *anything* I made sure to make match marks on EVERYTHING in sight.

So...

Disconnected negative battery terminal.

Relieved fuel pressure.

Pulled the plugs and wires.

Removed the valve cover bolts (in the correct order per the FSM) and took off the valve cover.

I unbolted the metal guide between the cam gears and got rid of it (Nissan no longer makes this part).

Removed the distributor.

Removed the upper cover (front of engine). Needed a bit of persuasion (ie. a rubber mallet and a block of wood) to break the seal made by the RTV.

Removed the guide on the driver side, near the distributor.

Inspected my chain for wear and then removed the tensioner. It was completely beat to hell and could barely hold oil pressure (hence my oil light at startup).

Took the new tensioner, submerged it in oil and pulled the little thumb tack thingy out. Tensioner sucks up the oil.

Bolt the tensioner in.

Replace everything removed above (except the two guides mentioned and the bad tensioner...duh) and used RTV on the front cover per the FSM. Primed the oil pump too, just in case.

Torqued everything to spec and in the correct order (again, see the FSM).

Forgive me if I'm forgetting something, but it's late. I highly recommend you get an FSM, even if only an online copy.

Replacing the upper tensioner took care of my tapping noise and fixed my oil pressure problem. Luckily, the lower tensioner appears to be fine. It runs as quiet as a KA can possibly run (meaning not particularly quiet), but the nasty tapping is gone.

NOTE: The above was done on a KA24DE.

[240convert]

ahhhhh... I see, i see...hehe, before they changed all this, it was all the way on the bottom and i guess i was just frustrated with my car that i can't see it...

well, thanks guys...i'm gonna SEAARCH!!

one last thing, what manual is a FSM? any chilton will do right?

[slipnfall]

Quick question: Are the guides the pieces that the tensioner puts pressure on? Or are these the ones in the middle, which just pivot with slack/tension? Fairly large?(like ~4-5")

Thanks, just want to be double sure.

Regards,-Jamie

[drftnassmofo]

nobdy here would happen to have one of those manuals would they...i tell ya, those bastads are impossible to find for my 91 fb..its gettin pretty annoying hearing that tapping sound andthat sounds easy to fix(better than payin some hillbilly goatphunkers 650$) to install and adjust a new timing chain!!

[BadMojo]

Check out the pics in that thread.

The top photo shows the upper chain. The tensioner is missing, but it would be bolted on the left where you see two large holes (bolt holes for the tensioner) and a small hole (oil passage to feed the tensioner). That keeps tension on the upper chain.

All of the guides on the upper chain may be removed. I took both mine off and everything is running well. Nissan no longer makes these parts.

There's a tensioner and two guides on the lower chain. One guide is straight and another is curved (on the left). The lower tensioner can be seen near the top of the curved guide. You *cannot* leave out any of the guides on the lower chain. I didn't replace my lower guides or tensioner since they were still working fine.

http://www.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=81817

[BadMojo]

ahhhhh... I see, i see...hehe, before they changed all this, it was all the way on the bottom and i guess i was just frustrated with my car that i can't see it...

well, thanks guys...i'm gonna SEAARCH!!

one last thing, what manual is a FSM? any chilton will do right?

The FSM is a Nissan Factory Service Manual. It's what the techs at a dealership would use. It's a good thing to have. Chiltons will often have errors or missing bits.

I can't attest to the accuracy or completeness of what's posted here >>http://www.zeroyon.com/TheSite/techservice.html, but I guess it's better than nothing.

I bought a FSM through my local dealership for $70 or $80 and it's been well worth it. Paid for itself on the first job. It's nice having an actual book in the garage with you while you work....don't want your laptop getting greasy.

[drftnassmofo]

baaaaaddazzzz..big help..thanx man, appeciate it.

sam