Some Timing Chain Carnage - PICS

[s14unimog]

I occasionally pickup beaters to flip for profit and get myself into all sorts of fun problems. The most recent is a 1998 Altima I picked up with a timing chain rattle. Now I've built all sorts of motors and heard all sorts of bad sounds, but let me tell you, this puppy was LOUD. I knew it was going to be bad when I got in there but this is straight negligence. I'm thinking this kid figured he'd run it straight into the ground :down:. Either way, it'll be fixed, someone will get a solid car and I'll have more monies for the 240.

For comical display, here is what I found. Mind you this picture is just after I dropped the lower pan. Thank gawd Nissan put some screen mesh in the pickup tube; it was packed full of pieces. I can't believe it didn't starve the motor.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/s14unimog/TimingChainRepair-11-01-11006.jpg

Here are the new guides and tensioners next to the old.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/s14unimog/TimingChainRepair-11-01-11016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/s14unimog/TimingChainRepair-11-01-11018.jpg

And the tensioner doing what it could. I found the plunger and springs down in the pan.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/s14unimog/TimingChainRepair-11-01-11017.jpg

And the damage done to the inside of the front cover.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/s14unimog/TimingChainRepair-11-01-11015.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/s14unimog/TimingChainRepair-11-01-11014.jpg

[NoPistons!]

Carnage sums that up pretty well.

Awesome it still ran like that!

[s14unimog]

^I know right; it's amazing that its still alive. I wonder though if a RWD KA could have lasted as long. The FWD KA actually has two timing chains with an idler sprocket. Despite the damaged guides/tensioner, they can't really jump timing; luckily.

[yellowcr]

:faint::faint::faint: holy crap

[mxracerjason]

I have a single cam that had that same evidence in the pan. Make sure you check the back side of the water pump cover. With the guides destroyed in mine the chain cut through the back side of the water pump.

[s14unimog]

^Thanks but the water pump is over on the front end of the motor. The chain can't get to it. I was surprised in just how many differences there are with a FWD KA and a RWD one. They're really not that similar.