# 93 nissan altima...gone too long?



## actaeon (Oct 5, 2005)

Hey Ya'll...
I have a 1993 Nissan Altima with around 191k on it...It has been hands down the best car I have ever owned. I bought it with about 150k on it, and it had a slight timing chain scrape to it. At the time I researched around about it, and had my mechanic pull off the valve cover and look around. (He is a friend and trusted). He told me it would go forever and to run the car and not worry about it. Anyways I have sinced moved across country and no longer can take it to him. I started the car this afternoon and it starting immediatly making the scraping noise. Normally it would wait until warm up, but this is like constant and louder than before. It does get a little better above 2k rpms or so. Anyways, anyone have any thoughts as to wether I can drive it for a coupla more months or is it an emergency? It has never gotten worse until today...
Thanks for any help in advance..


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## Agoudine (Feb 19, 2005)

I,am thinking, drive belts, but it's hard to tell. Give us some more information. Try to find out where exactly the sound is coming from.


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## actaeon (Oct 5, 2005)

*scraping sound*

Oh the sound is definatly coming from the timing chain area....I have always assumed it had a little bit of a worn guide, but ive never heard of "all of a sudden" the noise getting twice as bad? I really can't afford to have the entire thing torn down right now, which is why i was wondering if someone that knows the behaviors of the chains thought i could push a coupla months of easy driving even though its pretty loud and constant at this point..


Thanks again


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## LONDONDERRY (May 19, 2004)

actaeon said:


> Oh the sound is definatly coming from the timing chain area....I have always assumed it had a little bit of a worn guide, but ive never heard of "all of a sudden" the noise getting twice as bad? I really can't afford to have the entire thing torn down right now, which is why i was wondering if someone that knows the behaviors of the chains thought i could push a coupla months of easy driving even though its pretty loud and constant at this point..
> 
> 
> Thanks again



If it is coming from the timing chain aea then the chain guides are worn. Its a common problem with the Altima's and unless its broken you can either live with the noise, as most people do or you can remove them.


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## mrnoname (Feb 24, 2005)

from what it sounds like i had the same problem on my 93, it was just a slight noise at first then 1 day it got horrible, so i took my vavle cover off and it was the metal plate that is mount next to the timing chain and goes over it. well to make this short. it broke and was riding on the chain. i took it off and had a welder fix it and worked fine after that.


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## actaeon (Oct 5, 2005)

*Problem Solved*

Welp I found the problem this morning...I happened to check the oil this morning (go figure ...it was around 2 quarts low...The car sat for about 5 months and i just put the key in it and started driving it about 6k ago hehe...never even checked the oil..(I know Im an idiot) but hey, god bless nissan's man I swear this car is invincable...anyways, i some oil in and like magic the sound went right back to normal...I love my nissan..


Thanks Yall


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## LONDONDERRY (May 19, 2004)

actaeon said:


> Welp I found the problem this morning...I happened to check the oil this morning (go figure ...it was around 2 quarts low...The car sat for about 5 months and i just put the key in it and started driving it about 6k ago hehe...never even checked the oil..(I know Im an idiot) but hey, god bless nissan's man I swear this car is invincable...anyways, i some oil in and like magic the sound went right back to normal...I love my nissan..
> 
> 
> Thanks Yall



I suggest doing an oil change. The hydrocarbons break down over time.


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