Timing Chain/ Guide Question

[240sxOwner]

I will be pulling my Ka soon to build it and i will be doing the timing chain while i am at it....A local Nissan Tech told me that all i need to replace were the guides, because the tensioners should never go bad. Is this true?

Thanks for the help

-Mark

[240sxOwner]

no one?

[ILikeMy240sx]

tensioners do go bad sometimes... dont really want to say this but if you search timing chain or timing rattle you will find ALOT of posts where peoples tensioners were bad and the chains just flopped around and left a big hole in the front cover hence flooding the engine with coolant.... you def dont want that to happen....

Even with new guides if tensioners are bad the chain will destroy the guides soon. I dont think you should touch your timing chain unless you get that loud rattle. If you get a slight one right by the front of the valve cover its just the upper timing chain guide which you can simply remove... You dont even need it. I believe Nissan's Bulletin even said you dont need it...

[240sxOwner]

well it has a little rattle now....but it is coming from the top chain....I guess i will find out when i take the motor out. How do i know when the tensioner is bad, not fully engaged?

[supra brit]

I'm about to replace my entire timing set, b/c it's been making noise (especially in the cold) and I don't want to risk killing the motor...I guess I can see if the guide has been removed, cuz it could just be that, but I will probably just replace it all