A few weeks ago, we took our 2004 Quest on a 300-mile round-trip to central Pennsylvania.
On the way out, all went well, but the next morning, some trouble started to loom. Over the course of the day, the engine began to make some tapping noises, usually when under deceleration. The situation progressively got worse until pulling into our home town in New Jersey it was really rattling. Then, coming up to a red light, which turned green before we stopped rolling, the engine quit. At that point, the starter would not turn the engine over completely. It partially turned it a couple times, then acted as if the starter had no torque. Battery and everything else electrical was fine; it was night now and we had to keep the lights on in order to prevent ourselves from becoming roadkill.
Towed the van home, and let it set. Once it cooled off, I could start it again, but it was not happy. Loud rattle, but not the same one caused by the tensioner/guide failure - which was repaired by the Nissan Dealer over a year and over 20K miles ago - long enough to be out of warranty for the repair.
The sound includes some periodic metallic screeching, like bolts are backing out of something and hitting something else... this kind of sound I've heard when bolts holding the flex plate to the torque converter partially backed out on our old Dodge Caravan.
The screeching is not rhythmic, and there is a loud rhythmic tap too... among noise that sounds more like a typical timing chain rattle.
Help? What should i look for, or just tow it back to the dealer and beg for mercy?
Thanks.
Timing chain repair, timing too advanced, failure
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frapjap
- Posts: 13175
- Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2004 2:46 pm
- Car: '99 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
'07 Subaru Legacy - Location: South Coast Massachusetts
Re: Timing chain repair, timing too advanced, failure
Welcome to NICO!
That sounds awful, man. Did you do the timing chain?
Your best bet might be to take off the timing cover and see what you're dealing with and take some photos to post if something is off.
That sounds awful, man. Did you do the timing chain?
Your best bet might be to take off the timing cover and see what you're dealing with and take some photos to post if something is off.
Re: Timing chain repair, timing too advanced, failure
I took the car finally to the dealer for a professional look. The prognosis is pretty grim. The van needs another motor, this one spun a bearing (I think), but the exact word was that it was a rod knock. Sounds a lot more screechy than any rod knock I'm familiar with, and I've had a few (three others I can recall) in my day. Not sure if I'm going to tackle an engine swap on this in the spring or not. I was hoping after the full timing chain, gear, etc. replacement by the dealer the engine would last longer. I was told that I didn't change the oil, which is true. I'm a very infrequent oil changer, and maybe that was a factor.
Re: Timing chain repair, timing too advanced, failure
Ummm..I hate to pile on here when you are down because I've been in your position, but.. You live in a northern state (I'm from northern Indiana), which means you reallllly need to change your oil maintenance patterns (I'm not ripping on you at all - I'm trying to help). I'll bet when they take the engine apart (or valve cover off), they will find sludge everywhere. You probably killed the engine or contributed to it's demise.
If I were up there, I would keep synthetic in it always (M1?) and change it every 5-6000 ritually and check it every 1-2 weeks - these engines can be quirky at times about using oil magically (no leaks and no smoke, but they sometimes will eat oil...no idea). What you described sounds exactly like an engine running with no or low oil - I've seen that a thousand times (I used to work in a shop). Obviously, I"m guessing, but it does fit.
I keep my 2004's engine (with 150K) looking spotless at all times and never put anything but synthetic in it. I had the timing chain and guides done 25K ago by a private shop (seals and gaskets at the same time) and the internals of the engine look like brand new. These engines are rock solid and will go a loooooong time. I plan on running mine up over 200K and have every confidence it'll make it.
Fixing is your call...you could almost get the same car (a spotless version) used in Atlanta for the price of a repair. Maybe a little more..these vans go very cheap on the used market, which is why I love them..
(..and no, I would NOT recommend getting that fixed at a dealer - it'll cost you double..but you already know that..)
If I were up there, I would keep synthetic in it always (M1?) and change it every 5-6000 ritually and check it every 1-2 weeks - these engines can be quirky at times about using oil magically (no leaks and no smoke, but they sometimes will eat oil...no idea). What you described sounds exactly like an engine running with no or low oil - I've seen that a thousand times (I used to work in a shop). Obviously, I"m guessing, but it does fit.
I keep my 2004's engine (with 150K) looking spotless at all times and never put anything but synthetic in it. I had the timing chain and guides done 25K ago by a private shop (seals and gaskets at the same time) and the internals of the engine look like brand new. These engines are rock solid and will go a loooooong time. I plan on running mine up over 200K and have every confidence it'll make it.
Fixing is your call...you could almost get the same car (a spotless version) used in Atlanta for the price of a repair. Maybe a little more..these vans go very cheap on the used market, which is why I love them..
(..and no, I would NOT recommend getting that fixed at a dealer - it'll cost you double..but you already know that..)