Timing chain(?) rattle - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

Jonnyblaze · 09-06-2009, 02:56 PM

Hey guys, just finished my 5 speed swap and when I started the car I heard a terrible rattling from (seemingly) the front of the motor. Now, I've had this problem before and it wasn't as loud. The last time around I removed both timing chain guides and that fixed the problem. I pulled of the valve cover and chain cover and it looks like the right side of the upper chain is a little slack. The top and the left is fairly taught though.

KA24de, not terribly high in mileage. What I don't get is how it started making this noise over night. The only thing I did was swap the auto out. Thanks for the help.

Jonnyblaze · 09-06-2009, 03:02 PM

Damn, just checked the lower chain and it looks like theres a ton of slack on the upper right sight just above the tensioner... Is that normal?

JRas · 09-06-2009, 08:19 PM

usually it's just the chain rubbing on the guides

remove the upper guides

Jonnyblaze · 09-06-2009, 09:19 PM

Like I said, I did that about a year ago.

*Tom25666* · 09-06-2009, 09:33 PM

one of my pulleys had fucked bearings once and the "expert" thought it was the timing chain. i figured it out by accident

Jonnyblaze · 09-06-2009, 09:53 PM

Hmm, we did mess with a few of the pulleys during the five speed swap. I'll check that out, thanks. Any other suggestions?

KrazyS13 · 09-06-2009, 09:57 PM

Sometimes the tensioners can get stuck, caused by gunk buildup from dirty oil. You could try to clean the upper tensioner, you can do it on but I'd pull it off to do it(to get a better clean). When I pulled mine off it was stuck!!

How many miles does your motor have? If your motor has higher mileage it will need a timing kit eventually.

Jonnyblaze · 09-06-2009, 09:59 PM

Yeah, I actually pulled it off and cleaned it twice today. And the motor has 160k on it but it was an auto daily driven by a middle aged woman for most of it's life. The motor is pretty strong and pulls harder than most KA's I've seen.

KrazyS13 · 09-06-2009, 10:06 PM

That motor will still need a timing chain kit regardless of who was driving it. At that high of mileage, your tensioners are for sure out of spec and weak. It might not be your existing problem, but it will turn into one if neglected. Hell, I just did mine at 144K and it needed it bad!! lol

Get you a mechanics stethoscope if you can track it down. They're pretty cheap at Sears and work wonders!!

Jonnyblaze · 09-06-2009, 10:49 PM

I guess you're right but if it was the chain why would it occur overnight? One day it's perfectly fine, then I do the five speed swap, start it up and it's rattling like ass.

*89_240jdm* · 09-06-2009, 11:29 PM

i Had the same problem i install my new motor and clutch and started to rattling noise ,,,,, but the oil light turn on and off ,,,,i turn it off and change the oil pump and the noise went away....and also i change the timing chain guides because one was stock,,,,,,,

before i but the motor i turn it on and i dint make the rattling noise it was fine ......

sydewayz · 09-08-2009, 07:10 PM

im actually having this problem as well, did you find any solutions?

09-06-2009, 02:56 PM	#1
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 262 Trader Rating: (1)	Timing chain(?) rattle Hey guys, just finished my 5 speed swap and when I started the car I heard a terrible rattling from (seemingly) the front of the motor. Now, I've had this problem before and it wasn't as loud. The last time around I removed both timing chain guides and that fixed the problem. I pulled of the valve cover and chain cover and it looks like the right side of the upper chain is a little slack. The top and the left is fairly taught though. KA24de, not terribly high in mileage. What I don't get is how it started making this noise over night. The only thing I did was swap the auto out. Thanks for the help. __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 03:02 PM	#2
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 262 Trader Rating: (1)	Damn, just checked the lower chain and it looks like theres a ton of slack on the upper right sight just above the tensioner... Is that normal? __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 08:19 PM	#3
JRas Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 20 Posts: 1,476 Trader Rating: (2)	usually it's just the chain rubbing on the guides remove the upper guides __________________

09-06-2009, 09:19 PM	#4
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 262 Trader Rating: (1)	Like I said, I did that about a year ago. __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 09:33 PM	#5
Tom25666 Stupid Hippies!!! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Rocket City Age: 25 Posts: 221 Trader Rating: (4)	one of my pulleys had fucked bearings once and the "expert" thought it was the timing chain. i figured it out by accident __________________ -car idling funny? check the continuum transfunctioner

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09-06-2009, 09:53 PM	#6
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 262 Trader Rating: (1)	Hmm, we did mess with a few of the pulleys during the five speed swap. I'll check that out, thanks. Any other suggestions? __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 09:57 PM	#7
KrazyS13 Leaky Injector Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, Tn Age: 25 Posts: 112 Trader Rating: (4)	Sometimes the tensioners can get stuck, caused by gunk buildup from dirty oil. You could try to clean the upper tensioner, you can do it on but I'd pull it off to do it(to get a better clean). When I pulled mine off it was stuck!! How many miles does your motor have? If your motor has higher mileage it will need a timing kit eventually.

09-06-2009, 09:59 PM	#8
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 262 Trader Rating: (1)	Yeah, I actually pulled it off and cleaned it twice today. And the motor has 160k on it but it was an auto daily driven by a middle aged woman for most of it's life. The motor is pretty strong and pulls harder than most KA's I've seen. __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 10:06 PM	#9
KrazyS13 Leaky Injector Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, Tn Age: 25 Posts: 112 Trader Rating: (4)	That motor will still need a timing chain kit regardless of who was driving it. At that high of mileage, your tensioners are for sure out of spec and weak. It might not be your existing problem, but it will turn into one if neglected. Hell, I just did mine at 144K and it needed it bad!! lol Get you a mechanics stethoscope if you can track it down. They're pretty cheap at Sears and work wonders!!

09-06-2009, 10:49 PM	#10
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 262 Trader Rating: (1)	I guess you're right but if it was the chain why would it occur overnight? One day it's perfectly fine, then I do the five speed swap, start it up and it's rattling like ass. __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 11:29 PM	#11
89_240jdm Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: socal Posts: 850 Trader Rating: (60)	i Had the same problem i install my new motor and clutch and started to rattling noise ,,,,, but the oil light turn on and off ,,,,i turn it off and change the oil pump and the noise went away....and also i change the timing chain guides because one was stock,,,,,,, before i but the motor i turn it on and i dint make the rattling noise it was fine ......

09-08-2009, 07:10 PM	#12
sydewayz Leaky Injector Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cocoa Beach Posts: 64 Trader Rating: (2)	im actually having this problem as well, did you find any solutions?

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