# Question about timing chain tensioner!



## cruark (May 21, 2007)

I changed guides, tensioner and chain about 45k miles ago and now its rattling bad again. Last time I changed it I waited to long and all the plastic had come off the one guide and went into the oil pan. My truck is 4x4 so taking the oil pan off was not fun. 

My question is could the tensioner already be out this soon. Can I just replace that instead of everything again. I want to do it soon so the plastic crap does not break off the guides. Its to the point now where its rattling at start up and then it stops but after a longer drive (30 min) it will rattle around 2-3k. Is there something I did wrong the first time that could have caused it to fail so soon. Thanks for any input.


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## tookey71 (Aug 17, 2007)

I'm in the same boat, but I only have about 800 miles since my rebuild!!


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## cruark (May 21, 2007)

Well I was just reading some more and it says the oil passage in the tensioner that comes from the oil pump gets clogged very easily. So I am going to take that apart and try and clean that oil passage out and hope thats it. I am praying the plastic piece on that guide is not broken into the pan.


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

if this is the 2.4 ..
the chain guide on the alt side needs to be pried over towards the chain as far as possible and then tightened down.

this step is often overlooked when the timing chain is replaced..

letting the chain deflect more than it should..

if you are taking it back apart, look at the left guide and the top bolt hole of that guide..
is the bolt centered or is it all the way to one side??


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## tookey71 (Aug 17, 2007)

I ran the motor last night without the valve cover and pryed on the moveable guide noise went away.Are you talking about the top bolt on the fixed guide? I'm going to try and pry over on the tensioner tonight.Has anyone ever tried to change out the tensioner without pulling the front cover off?


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

yes the fixed guide.
the tensioner is spring loaded ..
the guides have to at there maximum point in towards the chain.

ir u ran the engine with out the valve cover .. how was the oil flow.?

when i ran mine like that ,the oil flow was almost uncontrolable..


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## tookey71 (Aug 17, 2007)

Your right about the oil flow.I had oil all over me! .I had plastic hung all over , but that was the only way to know exactly what was making the noise. Has anyone ever tried to change the tensioner without removing the front cover?


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

superman maybe...


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## tookey71 (Aug 17, 2007)

so you don't think there is any chance . I put the chain on with the cover installed. I think i can get the bolts on the tensioner loose.The main problem i see is getting the bolts started back into the block,but i don't know why the tensioner would be bad after only 800 miles!! What is the oil pressure supposed to be? How were is the sending Unit on a ka24?


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

we are human beings and if some thing can be done we can do it.

the tensioner prolly went bad because of the guides not being in the proper position allowing the chain to slap more than it should..beating the tensioner

at this point i can only guess.

if something is worth doing it is worth doing correctly.

so short cuts in this matter are not my forte..


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## tookey71 (Aug 17, 2007)

I thought I was doing everything right. I replaced everything, hoses, belts, waterpump, thermostat,Guides,tensioner,sprockets,chain,and had a complete head job done.If the tensioner is bad ,then why does it tighten the chain on the initial start up,and has no rattling until its gets to about 2200 RPM. That why I was wondering about the oil pressure?


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

as i said ..at this point guessing is all i can do .

something is rattleing . u said so ur self.

i have told u a bout a common mistake and its reprecussion..


if the oil flow was close to uncontrollable then the pressue is fine.


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## cruark (May 21, 2007)

Damn I wish I would have read this sooner. I took it all back apart on sunday and cleaned out the tensioner and the little oil galley leading up to that and it seems better so far. I did not think of prying that other guide over as far as I could. How often do the oil pumps on these go bad or get weak. My truck has a 190k on it I also wonder if the pump could be getting weak. BTW the tensioner was def plugged up with gunk.


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## lumbee (Mar 20, 2005)

...I was talking to an old Nissan mechanic about this, and he talked like the tensioner is only part of the problem. The other is just that once the crank journals and bearings start to wear after high miles, that the over all oil pressure is weak, and that a rebuild is the only true fix. Of course he was trying to sell me a motor rebuild, so I take it with a grain of salt!


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