removed valve cover, what's this????

[bamaboy]

I just took Exitspeed's valve cover off to replace the gaskets and we found this. Anyone got an idea as to what this is?

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/byggbamaboy1626/100_2647.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/byggbamaboy1626/100_2642.jpg

The really shiny piece looks to me like what used to be a timing chain guide. There was a worn spot on the valve cover too. It looks to me like the timing chain was loose and wore a spot on the valve cover. Your help is appreciated.

[RazoE]

timing chain guide...

get rid of it, even Nissan recommends it...

my KA used to rattle because of it...

[w0nderbr3ad]

yea its from the chain guide. If the guide was there before then make sure its not in your engine anymore or just drop the oil pan and see if anything else has dropped in there.

[bamaboy]

cool. It was already out we just wanted to make sure because neither of us had taken our valve covers off before.+ rep to both of you guys from me and exitspeed.

[MURPHY]

^^ agreed. DEFIANTLY drop your oil pan to make sure it's in there. or well maybe someone removed it before. hard to tell but are they just like sitting there or stuck on?

[Gjohnson7]

My coupe looks exactly like that, except when I removed the valve cover the guide was sitting there, just laying on top of the chain broken in half.

[Tearlessj]

My coupe looks exactly like that, except when I removed the valve cover the guide was sitting there, just laying on top of the chain broken in half.
Same here. Just remove it, its a very common issue.

[Lith]

while you are removing the top chain guide, you could also check your upper tensioner (half the time they are seized and don't keep the chain nice and tight). I think it's about 70-80 bucks for a new one at Nissan.
However, you do need to remove the front cover that houses the distributer. To do that, you have to set your 1st cylinder on TDC.. mark where the distributer was and then remove it. Then you'll have enough room to get to the tensioner and also the side chain guide. The side chain guide some people also remove and/or replace.

Anyways, here's a pic of what I'm talking about:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~taesoo/pics/timingchain/IMG_2308_resize.JPG

And here's a full guide to how to do this:
http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=105618

[exitspeed]

I believe that it was removed in the past. i can tell the engine has had a lot of work maintenance wise in the past.

thanks for your responses and posi rep has been handed out accordingly.