Timing chain replacement HELP

[RT22]

had timing chain done by a friend who is mechanic and it is still rattling, the hydraulic adjuster seems to not be pushing out and tensioning chain??????? Any ideas? does it need bleeding or priming, has he missed anything? All new parts from chain to sprockets tensioners hydraulic piece water pump thermostat all the things that came off are new. What could keep the chain from not getting tight? HELP

[Rev_D21]

There could be blockage in the small oil hole that feeds oil to the tensioner piston. Did he pull the shipping pin off the tensioner piston that looks like a long wall tack?

[mrecoolgar]

On mine, the chain wore the tensioner housing so that the piston would not extend.
Thereby no tension placed on the chain.

[RT22]

Not 100% sure, will know tomorrow, but got a new hydraulic tensioner, first new one seemed to have a good bit of slack between piston and housing, so it may have kept pressure from building up. new replacement is tighter fit and even the old one was tighter than the original new replacement. Maybe to much oil was passing by the piston and not able to push piston with enough force to tighten chain. Oil seemed to be flowing and pin that retains piston was removed. JEEZ I hope it was just a bad part but man what a pain to remove it all for a 25 buck part that was new. Should have left the original in LOL. Did find that water pump and all accessories are, or were, original nissan parts. Not one thing has been replaced, with 182k on the clock. Man these trucks are tough, all but the timing chain slides, one was broken other was okay.This truck had original HOSES and clamps from nissan, all looked really good but all are being replaced.Had they made a better guide this truck would still be factory sealed. Got to like that, just hope new hydraulic tensioner fixes the chain slack and i am good to go. Keep fingers crossed and thanks for the help guys.

[seang]

I wonder if there is a way to clean out the oil galley that feeds the tensioner, like spraying seafoam through it or something. Of course, you would have some in your oil afterwards....

And it sucks to read that your timing set does not sound better after ALL that work, many non-enthusiasts would lose all faith in a vehicle after being dealt a hand like that.

[RT22]

Lost faith in replacement parts not the truck LOL. My nephew is a mechanic doing the work so he is the suffering one doing it all over but yeah it sucks. Just hope it was part being bad, parts store will hear from me along with the manufacturer of the part if it is the culprit. May not do any good but will let them know that all the extra labor is thier fault and they will not get my business again.

[Rev_D21]

I take it you didn't go OEM for the chain parts? For some reason I lack trust in the aftermarket to get little things right when it comes to that. Nissan has engineers updating parts all day long while the aftermarket merely reverse engineers parts, much can be missed.

[RT22]

yes i went with NAPA have never had a problem with them and sorry but nissan is just way to damn high on parts, i mean it is a chain and sprockets and one mechanical spring loaded piston, how hard is it to engineer that? The fact that nissan ones fail on every d21 I have heard of tells me that their chains and guides are not the best. Fact is i have used napa parts for decades with no issues, and long life out of all the parts i have bought before for half the cost. I know the saying you get what you pay for but I have also seen and had the experience of PAYING for a name. When it comes to injectors or transmission type complicated engineering I can see the difference, but really is a chain and sprocket set that much different? I really think I finally just got a bad part, could and has happened to all manufacturers. I just could not see the difference in the price it was more more than double the cost to get from nissan. And to be honest in a 91 truck cost is a factor, I could not see paying half of the trucks value for this fix. I paid 2 grand for the truck and to put close to 800 in parts from nissan for all the parts needed to be done in this fix seemed too high an investment for a truck that could blow a motor or transmission and be scrap. price an engine or transmission and this truck is a write off if one of them goes. Cost benefit says if it cost 2 grand to fix a 2 grand truck, buy another one LOL

[seang]

I think it is safe to say that aside from these trucks being prone to corrosion, this timing chain issue is their biggest issue, if not equally as large of an issue as rust.

[RT22]

WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO bad tensioner new one fixed it. Jeez i feel good now. Yeah rust is a issue but not mine lived all 21 yrs in alabama and other than some surface rust around bed bolts(bed liner now gone) frame is rust free and now the engine is GOOD to go. I am going to scuff bed and do roll in bed liner, almost hate to cover it as the bed is dent free and only has some surface rust from factory bedliner. But my little truck is about to be back to almost perfect. Interior is almost perfect bed is also the same the timing chain clatter was only issue and now is fixed. My nephew the mechanic said the inside of the top end looked so clean he almost s*** his pants. 21 yrs old 180k plus miles and said it looked new inside the top end when he popped the valve cover. Said motor seemed fine he is going to set timing and run compression check just for grins and giggles tomorrow. I am loving my lil D21

[94 Gasfinder]

Where did you get the new hydraulic tensioner that fixed your problem? Did you order another from NAPA or did you go elsewhere?

[MilkMan]

yes i went with NAPA have never had a problem with them and sorry but nissan is just way to damn high on parts, i mean it is a chain and sprockets and one mechanical spring loaded piston, how hard is it to engineer that? The fact that nissan ones fail on every d21 I have heard of tells me that their chains and guides are not the best. Fact is i have used napa parts for decades with no issues, and long life out of all the parts i have bought before for half the cost. I know the saying you get what you pay for but I have also seen and had the experience of PAYING for a name. When it comes to injectors or transmission type complicated engineering I can see the difference, but really is a chain and sprocket set that much different? I really think I finally just got a bad part, could and has happened to all manufacturers. I just could not see the difference in the price it was more more than double the cost to get from nissan. And to be honest in a 91 truck cost is a factor, I could not see paying half of the trucks value for this fix. I paid 2 grand for the truck and to put close to 800 in parts from nissan for all the parts needed to be done in this fix seemed too high an investment for a truck that could blow a motor or transmission and be scrap. price an engine or transmission and this truck is a write off if one of them goes. Cost benefit says if it cost 2 grand to fix a 2 grand truck, buy another one LOL

Good to know you fixed er. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I'm getting ready to do mine before my road trip this summer. I too was torn between Dealer Vs Oem Napa or Similar. Never had and issues with Napa or Nissan. You make a valid point as to the Sting of the bill from the parts manger from Nissan. After reading this post I may source these parts from Nappy. I will be doing this job myself, sooo I only wanna do it once!! Nothing worse than hitting the key after 2 weekends of BACK BREAKING work, only to hear the same noise... I wont tell you my story.

[RT22]

yes got napa to get me new tension part and it worked fine, the only diffence in the 2 seems to be first one the piston that pushes out seem to have some slack in it and the second good one seemed to fit tighter, seems the pressure of oil could not build enough to extend the post my thinking is oil blew past piston and could not build the pressure to push it out fully.

[Macks96HB]

Hello, I'm wondering if this is my issue also. Please check my "Please help me" thread on here:

96-hardbody-won-t-stay-running-help-please-t537053.html

I'm taking all advice at this point.