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: 285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	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: 285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	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: 36 Posts: 1,503 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	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: 285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Like I said, I did that about a year ago. __________________ '91 Hatch - Work in Progress

09-06-2009, 09:53 PM	#6
Jonnyblaze Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	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 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, Tn Age: 40 Posts: 464 Trader Rating: (28) Feedback Score: 28 reviews	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: 285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	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 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, Tn Age: 40 Posts: 464 Trader Rating: (28) Feedback Score: 28 reviews	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: 285 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	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 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: socal Posts: 2,366 Trader Rating: (183) Feedback Score: 183 reviews	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: 65 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	im actually having this problem as well, did you find any solutions?