Timing Chain

[stl240]

Hey there someone told me that that rattling that i was hearing at like 3000 rpm could be my timing chain. I was told that the timing chain guides on the older model s13(89-91) are plastic, and prone to breaking over time. i thought i saw on 240sx.org that  there was some kind of recall on the 240sx?? Anyone else read that??? Just curious. If so i am hopinng that i can go and get it fixed free!!! YEAH!!  lol

[ca18guy]

I'm not sure, but you can go check at a dealership if it's been done on yaur car. If there plastic I doubt they would make that metal to metal chatter your describing.

[stl240]

Its not so much a metal on metal sound, just a annoying rattle. ive heard that the guides, something for the tensioner, is platic, and over time will just chip away!!

Go check out the 240sx.org  FAQ  ( Startup Rattle  )  

[ca18guy]

I know about the chain guides. I thought from the way u described it, it was metal to metal. Call a dealer and see if the recalls have been done.

[my240likenoother]

that would be cool to get it done for free than you can just say wile you r there replace the timming chan and just pay the $$$ for the chan

[JeffNJ]

Replacing a timing chain and guards is #### 'spensive, but worth it.  Your car will feel smoother, and you won't run the risk of blowing a piston (as you are now).  Whatever it costs, do it.  Borrow the money if you have to.

Well, of course, find out if that's what you really need first.  But if it is, you might want to keep driving to a minimum until it's done.

[S13Grl]

Yeah it's a grand or so to have it done. I HAVE to service mine as well. This is not fun!

[jd90240sx]

I have a 90 240sx with the ka24e motor and I had to have my timing chain done and if it was not for my warranty it would of cost $1,100 from nissan to do it but my warranty did not pay for all of it because i still got stuck paying $350.  Just to let you know that if you are having it done you are not going to have your car for a few days because Nissan had mine for 4 days.  It is allot of work to do a timing chain and its about 8 to 10 hours of labor.  So if you hear that rattle you better get that done.  Also even though there was a recall in 1990 on the timing chain Nissan won't fix it for free like they would of in 1990, just to let you know because I asked.

there is a tsb for early s13 timing chains i bought an 89-90 i work @ nissan i missed it by 2000 #'s on the vin. but i did change it myself (being a tech) its not that hard but time consuming i took my time and had lifts n power tools a definate plus but well worth it my chain was wearing away my friont cover and almost had a coolant oil mix. yikes!

I'm in the same situation at 110K miles.  It's actually worrisome.  If my warranty covers it, it'll be $75.  If they don't (b/c they're upgraded parts), it'll be over $1k.  
I too could hit the lifts and impacts on base but I hear the job is 10-12 hours. &nbsp;After installing the ACT/Fidanza combo this week, I'm not volunteering <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('> &nbsp;

the job isnt that long i just took extra time and caution as to get it done right you can do it aloooooooottttt quicker the techs @ the nissan dealer i work @ could get em done in 2 hours i just like takin my time plus its most needed and a big improvement once done!

i would suggest doing it no matter how long it takes just make sure you have other means of transportation in case you need to order a front cover and other partsd like water pump etc

[msilvia]

I know these are long-lived engines, but if people are having to pay $1k for this repair, isn't it just more worthwhile to get a low mileage KA24DE for about the same amount of money and swap it in? &nbsp;Seems rediculous to pay so much money for these early 240s whose engines are on limited time anyway, ya know?

You can get a rebuilt KA24E for like $1800 I think, plus whatever the installation costs are.

Granted, the parts for the upgrade are ~$100 total for the DOHC. &nbsp;That means ~$1k goes to labor!!! &nbsp;That's at a Nissan dealer and you can get the job done for even $600-$700 at a smaller place <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> &nbsp;I'm going for the latter option just in case my warranty doesn't cover it <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('> &nbsp;

[transient]

Warranty... Hmm, I haven't ever had one of those, I wonder what it's like, lol

[confusion]

Hello,

I'm a newbie here...
but I have a rattle in my '89 S13 and it's just the heat shield over the exhaust headers.. I plan on just removing it (but haven't got around to it yet)

Also removed the shield over the catalitic (sp?) converter
after a similar rattle few years back.

-Confusion

[S13Grl]

Yeah, we're talking about the rattle at the engine head. I decided that I'd do the SR swap instead of paying a grand for the timing chain. It seems more sensible to me this way, a grand is a good part of an SR20DET. Don't you guys think?

[STL240SX]

So you guys think that if they had the recall an mine was recalled, that theyd still do it for free?? or am i gonna get raped on the 1000 ?

CAMPPAIN-- where you at man?? wanna do another timing chain?? Actually i dont mind doing it, but i dont have the benefit of the lifts!! no fun at all!

[transient]

Definately, go with the SR, or maybe a CA18. I'm starting to like that engine a lot more... It still bothers me that it's only 1.8 liters tho......

[S13Grl]

Yeah, that kind of bothers me too...

Anyway, I just called the dealership I used to work in and they told me that there were no recalls on the '91.

the recalls were for only early 89 models. its not hard to do it if you just have time its a good investment. the only reason i did it was because i wneed to save up for the silvia conversion w/ det. i got all my suspemsion parts first. if you have a timing chain problem the sooner its corrected the better when i bought mine it was pretty shot. i took off the front cover and it was just barely getting thru the water/coolant passage! &nbsp;i had to get a new front cover but it was a good 150 bucks (im roundin off) plus i get a disc since imma tech there.....wait 130 for dohc?) ohh well i also took out my ac since i never use it, i never even use it on my 99 sentra se (sr20de)

but i would again reinstate to get it done 240sx.org has a good article on it. and if you get stuck thats why you havve these forums.

btw i am in illinois. i woulndt mind helping but i dont think i can get anyone in the shop. i like to keep my job <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> i wouldnt mind helpin if needed @ anyones place though.

my car is &nbsp;an 89 240 and it has about 115000 miles on it as of now and i was wanderingz: how do i know if the owner before me did the fix already?? What do i look for that shows me that it has been fix...cause i was worried about that recall but so far my car hasn't had an rattles...only idle problems

well you would be able to tell a timing chain noise its pretty distinct. bad idle to a timing chain is way diff! my car is a 89-90 with 92k on it when i changed it it has about 94k now. your car should also run sluggish.the oise is like a pinging i guess when you advance your timing to much( the best way i can explain it) but i beleive the recomandation is every 60k (im not sure)

[reds13]

My car makes the &quot;chain rattle&quot; when it starts cold. It usually lasts 2-5 seconds. I've read some posts that it's the broken guide. I tried getting an answer from a Nissan shop. They tried to convince me that it's a hydraulic tensioner that causes the noise. When the engine is cold, there is no oil in the tensioner and the chain is loose. I couldn't find any description in the book that I have about a hydraulic tensioner so I just think they tried to get rid of me... Of course no recalls for my 90'. I could've done the chain replacement job myself but I don't have a place to work on the car except outside. This is a garage type of a job. I will price some local shops for it... As far as I read the posts, the noise that I got is not that critical and I will save up some money first.