# Lower timing chain painted link question



## jrc2905 (Apr 24, 2005)

I am replacing the timing chains on my 2000 Altima due to a failure of the lower chain adjuster.
I have done Sentra timing chains before and I am familiar with the procedures. 
I have both the factory and after market manuals for the Altima.
When I was able to see the lower chain timing mark on the crankshaft, There was a yellow link and right after that the next link had a paint mark on it.
The painted link was on the crankshaft timing mark and it looked as if the crankshaft mark also had some paint applied to it. I could tell that this engine has never been apart and this is how it came from the factory.
I have not received my timing chain rebuild kit yet so I do not know if there is any information contained it that. 
I am thinking that the painted mark my be a result to the setting changing depending on the rotation of the engine. 
With all the work involved in taking this engine apart I will not put it back together until I know what is up with this painted link.
Any help is appreciated and if anyone has the number of links between chain marks that would help too.


----------



## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

The silver plated links on the chains are used for alignment of the chains on the gears. On the lower chain, the installation of the chain, aligning the silver marks to their corrresponding timing marks on the gears, will put the crank gear mark at a 5:00 position when looking at it and the idler sprocket gear at the 2:00 position. 
For the upper chain, I've seen either silver plated links or painted links (usually yellow) used for alignment. For the upper chain, the idler gear mark is at approximately 5:30 position, the intake cam gear mark will be at 11:30 position and the exhaust cam gear mark at 2:00 position.


----------



## jrc2905 (Apr 24, 2005)

*Thanks but.*

I appreciate the answer, but I need to clarify. I am familiar with the sliver links on timing chains. I have done them several times on Sentras.

But when I took the timing cover off the Altima, I looked at the lower timing chain and how it aligned up to the crankshaft gear timing mark. The yellow link was one link ahead off the gear mark and the link that was on the mark had a paint mark on it as did the gear mark itself. I have never seen this before and do not see it that way in any off the manuals.


----------



## jrc2905 (Apr 24, 2005)

Well I finally figured it out. The yellow link and paint mark were placed on the upper timing chain idler sprocket at the factory. It just so happened that this link was on the crankshaft mark when I set #1 at TDC and removed the timing chain cover. I reset the cams and chains so that all is correct and the silver link is on the crankshaft mark. 
Simply put the factory uses four yellow links for upper marks and one silver link for the crankshaft mark.


----------

