Would low oil cause chain to rattle???

[MrBreeze]

Ok so when i started hearing the rattle i pulled out the dip stick and saw the oil was pretty damn dark. But since the engine had been running i didn't get a good read on the oil level. I don't keep the car here i keep it at my mom's house i just had the thought cross my mind, if the oil level is low or oil is too dirty and well i looked at the filter and it didn't look like it had been changed anytime soon... could an oil change alone solve my rattle issues????

[gzer750]

try it out.

[Phlip]

If you even need to ask this question, your problems are deeper than low oil level or old oil.

Yes, change the oil and see if that helps.

Don't bother reporting back on it

[90white240]

Work for me :)

[MrBreeze]

I mean i just bought the car guys but thought maybe i should ask because if i change the oil and it doesn't work then i have to buy a timing chain kit and lose out on good oil because i'm anal and would want fresh oil again. But i think i shall just give it an oil change and see how it goes.

[supervenom]

Maybe the tensioner is bad or you have low oil pressure. Engines dont like old oil.

[Tokona-x]

Im guessing you have a Dohc if so you try this
HOW-TO: Fix Your Timing Chain Rattle : Nissan Articles (http://forums.nicoclub.com/how-to-fix-your-timing-chain-rattle-t105618.html)

And depending on how old the motor is I would trow in a bottle of this too
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wcsstore/CVWEB/staticproductimage//N2049/full/7080005_lco_10001_pri_detl.jpg

[MrBreeze]

I have a sohc, but i do plan on using the lucas oil stabilizer i used to even use it on my old s13 with a fresh sr black top. I have some marvel mystery oil too at the house so i might just toss that it.

Im guessing you have a Dohc if so you try this
HOW-TO: Fix Your Timing Chain Rattle : Nissan Articles (http://forums.nicoclub.com/how-to-fix-your-timing-chain-rattle-t105618.html)

And depending on how old the motor is I would trow in a bottle of this too
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wcsstore/CVWEB/staticproductimage//N2049/full/7080005_lco_10001_pri_detl.jpg

[Tokona-x]

I have a sohc, but i do plan on using the lucas oil stabilizer i used to even use it on my old s13 with a fresh sr black top. I have some marvel mystery oil too at the house so i might just toss that it.

when does it rattle on start up? or does it do it all the time?

[MrBreeze]

Sometime you'll hear it lightly at idle and sometimes you wont hear it at all. Never on start up, but you hear it for sure when the car revs or is accelerated.

when does it rattle on start up? or does it do it all the time?

[chiboy002]

when ever you buy a used car its advised to do an oil change. If its dirty/low, that means change it. It isn't good oil anymore. If its low, you're losing it somewhere. >.>

[Tokona-x]

when ever you buy a used car its advised to do an oil change. If its dirty/low, that means change it. It isn't good oil anymore. If its low, you're losing it somewhere. >.>

True ... you should consider a compression test or leak down test, just to see where your at. HF sells the testers for cheap if you dont have one.

[VG30Drift]

I'm in the middle of the same problem. If it's just at startup, you don't have anything to worry about as it is just oil not getting to the tensioner for a couple seconds.

If it's all the time on acceleration, you've got a bigger problem. I'm going to guess it's the tensioner that is stuck or broken and is rubbing against your chain; or your oil pump is weak and not getting oil to the tensioner. I just changed to 20w-50 when I heard the chain start rattling on acceleration and it didn't help at all.

I'm pulling my sohc apart on Wednesday and will post back with my findings.

[MrBreeze]

Well i bought it from some guys on zilvia who were pretty straight up about the car including switching out the water pump a night before i bought it because it went out the night i originally went out to pick up the car. They said it passed a compression test with flying colors. And we drove the car down from eagle rock to the whittier area and sounded quite nice, and still motor sounds quite nice at idle. And i guess after a couple miles of driving one day i just heard a noise and well, here i am now. But looking at the cars the guys i bought the car off of owned i doubt this car was ever mistreated. And it doesn't even have 100k miles yet.

[volkrps13]

put new oil in it anyways lmao.

[MrBreeze]

The thing is i don't wanna put new oil if it's not going to be what's causing the rattle, I'd rather just get a timing change kit if it's not going to make a difference so i don't have to buy oil twice.

[cotbu]

That's just crazy talk around here, partner!

[93nismo]

dude. its not like oils a shit ton of money... just do an oil change and go from there.

[abunai the drifter]

is it a ka or sr if ka take top guid off if sr replace chain and tentioner and yes low oil will cause chain to rattle you may need new oil pump worse case

[MrBreeze]

I know oil isn't expensive but I'm broke out of work and out of luck. If I take off the top guide do I risk damaging anything? How can I test if I have a bad oil pump

[VG30Drift]

I'm pretty sure the SOHC doesn't have a top guide. So that means it's going to need a new chain kit, or at least new side guides or tensioner. Might as well change the oil pump while it's easy.

When i changed my oil when this same problem came about, it did nothing and was a waste of money.

[I LUV MY S13]

Well i bought it from some guys on zilvia who were pretty straight up about the car including switching out the water pump a night before i bought it because it went out the night i originally went out to pick up the car. They said it passed a compression test with flying colors. And we drove the car down from eagle rock to the whittier area and sounded quite nice, and still motor sounds quite nice at idle. And i guess after a couple miles of driving one day i just heard a noise and well, here i am now. But looking at the cars the guys i bought the car off of owned i doubt this car was ever mistreated. And it doesn't even have 100k miles yet.


so you bought the car, didnt check the oil, if it had leaks, didnt do a compression test, didnt change the oil, and drove it for a bit?

Where to begin....:Ownedd:

[MrBreeze]

I've never bought an S13 that didn't have leaks, compression test was done by previous owner who worked as a mechanic at nissan dealership. I only drove the car home other than that it hasn't really been driven other than once to my girls house who lives like 5 miles from me. The motor sounds fine i wouldn't have bought it if the motor didn't sound healthy. The car just recently from me turning it on and letting it idle in my driveway developed the sound. Other than the timing chain the car runs super strong and runs really healthy.

so you bought the car, didnt check the oil, if it had leaks, didnt do a compression test, didnt change the oil, and drove it for a bit?

Where to begin....:Ownedd:

[LimeLite Racing]

Sounds to me like your timing chain tensioner. Although changing your oil most likely won't get rid of your rattle, it sure might quiet it down. Lucas oil stabilizer will definitely quiet it down. And it definitely won't hurt. Change your oil as soon as you get back to work and can afford it. I would recommend parking the car until you can do so. Timing chain tensioners don't get better and will only cause more damage and problems as the car is ran.

[MrBreeze]

I was thinking of throwing in a quart of marvel mystery oil in and and letting the car run for a good maybe 15-20 minutes in in my driveway then doing the oil change, or so any of you guys suggest maybe doing an oil change and just replacing maybe half a quart of oil and running the marvel in it? I just don't know if i should really trust running the car with marvel in it, i trust any lucas item that's for sure.

Sounds to me like your timing chain tensioner. Although changing your oil most likely won't get rid of your rattle, it sure might quiet it down. Lucas oil stabilizer will definitely quiet it down. And it definitely won't hurt. Change your oil as soon as you get back to work and can afford it. I would recommend parking the car until you can do so. Timing chain tensioners don't get better and will only cause more damage and problems as the car is ran.