# Is it safe to drive with a rattling timing chain?



## Orbital199 (Feb 7, 2005)

When I start my car in the morning I hear a loud rattle coming out of my engine but it goes away when I accelerate. I assume it's my timing chain hitting a guide. It's not getting worse but it's not getting better either. What I want to know is, is it safe to drive it in this condition? I've already had the misfortune of my master cylinder going out at a four way stop, i'd rather not run into the problem of my engine blowing up while driving on a main road. And if it is only hitting a guide, is there a simple solution to stop the rattling? Do I simply need to replace the guide or do i need to get a whole new timing chain?


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## Nismo240 (Jul 24, 2004)

its recommended by nissan that you remove the guide the chain is hitting. i had to remove mine when i first bought my car.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Depending on whether the motor is a SOHC or a DOHC, the components vary. 

The SOHC has only one chain and only one chain guide which must remain in place for proper operation. If it's worn, replace it.

The DOHC has two chains, a top and a bottom. The top chain may have up to two chain guides; the top and the left side guides for the top chain may be removed. The guide for the bottom chain must remain in place for proper operation. If it's worn, replace it.


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## BandS13lover (Sep 27, 2007)

its safe,,,,,but just take em out its so easy....... what a horribly annoying sound....


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## Orbital199 (Feb 7, 2005)

rogoman said:


> Depending on whether the motor is a SOHC or a DOHC, the components vary.
> 
> The SOHC has only one chain and only one chain guide which must remain in place for proper operation. If it's worn, replace it.
> 
> The DOHC has two chains, a top and a bottom. The top chain may have up to two chain guides; the top and the left side guides for the top chain may be removed. The guide for the bottom chain must remain in place for proper operation. If it's worn, replace it.


Thanks, i didn't know about the difference between the SOHC and DOHC timing chain components. Mine is a SOHC. I'll check it out this weekend. It's gotta be the most annoying sound my car has ever made.


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## BandS13lover (Sep 27, 2007)

What year is the car? if that picture is your car its a dohc.


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## Nismo240 (Jul 24, 2004)

BandS13lover said:


> What year is the car? if that picture is your car its a dohc.


you realize that she could've put a chuki bumper on it.....


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## Orbital199 (Feb 7, 2005)

BandS13lover said:


> What year is the car? if that picture is your car its a dohc.


Yes, that is my car. It's an 89 with a KA24E, SOHC. I replaced the bumper.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Orbital199 said:


> Thanks, i didn't know about the difference between the SOHC and DOHC timing chain components. Mine is a SOHC. I'll check it out this weekend. It's gotta be the most annoying sound my car has ever made.


If the noise is very loud at the timing cover, this indicates that the chain guide is severely worn. In this case, the guide should be replaced ASAP; when the guide finally disintegrates, the chain will skip several sprocket teeth which will cause several valves to get bent and there's a possibility of cracking a piston top.


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## AggieSpec (Feb 22, 2006)

Orbital199 said:


> Yes, that is my car. It's an 89 with a KA24E, SOHC. I replaced the bumper.


Ive got a '89 SOHC also, the timing chain has 6 components that really need replacing if you're gonna dive into it. The 2 sprokets, the chain itself, the 2 guides, and the oil pressure operated tensioner. Nissan came out with a new guide design thats supposedly better, with new allen bolts. They sell entire kits on Ebay for pretty cheap, just make sure you get the better quality, more complete kits. Which is what i shoud have done when i rebuilt my SOHC, but thats another story. its a pretty intensive job as it requires taking off the front timing cover and everything thats attached to it. but it can be done in a weekend, and by yourself, instead of getting ripped off my a shop. there are numerous write ups to how its done, so get yourself a repair manual and tear into it. This is a very common problem with KA's.


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## rbo1577186 (Jan 16, 2005)

We drove a DOHC that rattled so bad it sounded like a diesel at idle. We drove it for 20k or so like that before we got rid of it.


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## Orbital199 (Feb 7, 2005)

Is the timing chain something that needs to be replaced every so many years or just something that you have to replace once it starts to give? I've had the car for 5 years and i've never messed with the timing chain.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

It's not the chain itself that goes bad but the chain guide. However while you have everything apart, it pays to replace the entire chain assembly because of the large amount of labor involved.

The 89 - 90 SOHC motors had a design problem with the chain guide; for one thing, the guide backing was made of plastic which totally disintegrated once the guide material was severely worn. The new replacement guide is made of metal and a much improved guide material.

The chain assembly normally never needs to be replaced unless something wears out prematurely. You're thinking about timing belts as found on Honda motors that have to be replaced at certain intervals.


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## Orbital199 (Feb 7, 2005)

Honestly, I always told myself if it came down to having to do this I would just get a new car, but I've treated this car like it was my child for as long as iv'e had it. At this point, it's probably one of the only things left that i haven't replaced. I think I would have too much seperation anxiety if i got rid of it lol. I was looking at some of the older GTIs and Golfs, but I hear that labor and the cost of parts are rediculous on the VWs. 

After how many years is a car considered a 'classic' or an 'antique'? And can an import like the 240 fall into either category after so many years?


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