# 2005 Pathfinder 4.0 Engine Noise



## Geo05pathfinder (Mar 8, 2008)

I own a 2005 Pathfinder with 43,000 miles. Last week I began to notice a whirring noise coming from the engine during idle. At first I thought it was a belt issue, but it is not a squeak and sounds more like a jet engine.

I read a post on this site by another Pathfinder owner regarding the same noise, and a Nissan Tech responded that the noise was the result of plastic camshaft belt tensioners in the engine wearing out.

A co-worker of mine has an '05 Frontier and he has also noticed the noise in his engine for a couple of months. Unfortunately, his vehicle is over the 60,000 mile engine warranty limit.

Has anyone else in this forum with a 2005 vehicle with a 4.0 Litre engine experienced this noise? If so - was it indeed the plastic camshaft belt tensioners, and did Nissan honor the repair under the warranty?

I would really like to hear any experiences with this issue.

Please let me know. I feel like I bought a Ford again.
Thanks
George


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## Xeno (Oct 5, 2005)

Geo05pathfinder said:


> I read a post on this site by another Pathfinder owner regarding the same noise, and a Nissan Tech responded that the noise was the result of plastic camshaft belt tensioners in the engine wearing out.


The '05 has a chain, but I guess it could be a chain tensioner but I doubt it.

X


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## greybrick (Feb 11, 2008)

I've heard similar a few times on this 07 PF from new, it happens occasionally after the engine is hot and idling with the AC turned on. Somewhere I've read that the noise on the 05+ PF's is the radiator clutch fan kicking in or the separate AC fan noise which needs to run to keep the AC functioning if the car isn't moving. If it's happening a lot it could be that the fan clutch needs replacing, or that there is a problem with the coolant system, coolant pump, plugged radiator, etc, or it could be just the normal AC fan noise. Do you hear the noise when idling cold or only when the engine is at operating temperature and is your AC on or off when it happens.


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## greybrick (Feb 11, 2008)

Engine noises are difficult to diagnose sometimes though, it could even be a timing chain problem as described in this thread. 

 NTB07-042 VQ ENGINE; BUZZING / WHINING NOISE

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## NPath (Dec 12, 2004)

Geo05pathfinder said:


> I own a 2005 Pathfinder with 43,000 miles. Last week I began to notice a whirring noise coming from the engine during idle. At first I thought it was a belt issue, but it is not a squeak and sounds more like a jet engine.
> 
> A co-worker of mine has an '05 Frontier and he has also noticed the noise in his engine for a couple of months. Unfortunately, his vehicle is over the 60,000 mile engine warranty limit.
> 
> Has anyone else in this forum with a 2005 vehicle with a 4.0 Litre engine experienced this noise? If so - was it indeed the plastic camshaft belt tensioners, and did Nissan honor the repair under the warranty?


It's probably the plastic timing chain guide that's being rubbed. I've heard of this problem before and it's appearing on, not all, 4.0L engines. So, that affects the Frontiers, Pathfinders and X-terra's. 

Apparently, it's the type of plastic material used, AFAIK. Let whomever is repairing or looking at your engine know.


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## gotti17 (Jan 8, 2008)

*I know what you mean*

I have had the same noise since I had 20K miles. The dealer didn't know what it was, they "couldn't hear it". If it is the same noise, it only whistles at a perfect RPM and it seems only you are the one that hears it. It seems no one else can hear it. If it isn't idling, it's not making the noise. I have 65K miles and it still does it. I just drove to Florida and the pathfinder ran great. 3K miles in a week is alot of driving. The dealer changed the idler pulley, belt back when I took it in at 20K. I hope I will be able to complain if it is truly someting major. I have it documented that I took it in twice for this whistiling noise and they apparently couldn't hear it. We'll see.

They claim that they don't ever have problems with Pathfinders. Mine is the one that has the problems.


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## ChitownPathfinder (Jan 17, 2009)

I thought I had this same problem. It turned out to be a faulty oil filter.


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