# Engine Noise asking for Help/Feedback Sentra Owners 2015 to 2019 with 1.8 Liter Engine



## Echo (Mar 3, 2021)

I’m asking for help from anyone with a Nissan Sentra (Years 2015 to 2019) with the 1.8 Liter Engine prefer those with Manual Transmission but also Automatic Transmissions. I have a 2019 Nissan Sentra S 6 speed manual transmission with the 1.8 Liter Engine I purchased new in 2020 and it now has approx 8060 miles on it. I have engine noise after my car has reached full operating temperature. I think the noise might be normal but I don't know anyone else in my town that has the same car to compare it to so I'm not sure. Please help me by checking your car and responding back to me with the results on this forum? To test your car let the engine reach full operating temperature then let it warm up at least an additional 10 minutes. Put the parking brake on and turn off the AC, Fan and Radio and put transmission in neutral (or Park or Neutral if it’s an Automatic Transmission) then take foot off of the clutch if it’s a manual transmission. In neutral bring engine to 2000 to 2400 RPM and hold it steady at a constant RPM and you can hear the noise a definite moderate to lite knocking or tapping or chatter and you can vary the RPM up and down within 2000 to 2400 RPM and also hear it. I do not hear the noise much when driving the car except a little between shifting gears when road noise is low. I also do not hear the noise until at least 10 minutes after the engine has reached full operating temperature. If other 1.8 Liter Sentras have the same noise then I will likely conclude that the noise is normal. If not, I might need to take my car to my Nissan Dealership for possible warranty work. It sounds to me like timing chain slack noise but I'm not sure. Please let me know your outcome on this post, after you check your car. Also, can you let me know what Oil and Filter you are using...I changed my oil DIY at 4000 miles with Quaker State Ultimate Durability Full Synthetic 0W20 with an OEM Nissan Oil Filter and at 8000 miles with Nissan OEM Full Synthetic 0W20 Motor Oil with an OEM Nissan Oil Filter. Thanks to all for your help!


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Echo said:


> It sounds to me like timing chain slack noise but I'm not sure.


That's very, very unlikely, the MR18 and MRA8 both have hydraulic tensioners. We see chain problems with them less than once in a blue moon, and I've never seen one bad from the factory. You should probably put a stethoscope on it and at least narrow down where you're hearing it.


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## Echo (Mar 3, 2021)

I'm looking for my mechanics stethoscope...If I can't find it Harbor Freight is 5 minutes away and for $5 I can walk out with one. I knew the timing chain tensioner was hydraulic and timing chain slack was just a guess. If the hydraulic tensioner is defective 5W30 might provide a bit additional pressure to tension at full operating temperature but I will not put 5W30 in my car because it will void the warranty (the 2019 Nissan Owners manual clearing states 0W20 Full Synthetic SN GF-5 oil with no alternative oils) so that's what I used on oil changes, and that's what I will stick with. I was going to put a stethescope on it the other day but was not sure where mine was. Thanks for your response...I'll post again after I put a stethoscope on it. I did see another post or two, on another forum, where someone else had some engine chatter noise between 2000 and 3000 RPM on the Sentra 1.8 Liter MRA8DE engine and they thought it was likely normal so that's why I was asking folks on the forum to post since the audience here whould be the largest for the Sentra 1.8 Liter MRA8DE engine since that's the standard Sentra engine from 2013 to 2019 I think. I'm off to find a stethoscope and will post back. Again thanks for posting your feedback...


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Get a sound recording and post it on Youtube so we can hear it, then we may be able to better help you.
Several things that might be the cause:
* - Low oil pressure. You can check the pressure very easily by installing a temporary mechanical oil pressure gauge. You would remove the oil sensor which is located next to the oil filter and install the mechanical oil pressure gauge in it's place; you may need to get an 1/8 BSPT to 1/8 NPT adapter to hook up the gauge. With the engine fully warmed up, the pressure should be as follows:
idle - 10 psi
2000 RPM - 29 psi

- Out of spec valve lifter clearance.
- defective chain tensioner.


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## Echo (Mar 3, 2021)

Sorry for Taking so long to post back...

I bought a new $5 Mechanics Stethoscope from Harbor Freight because I could not find my old one. I was unable to discern if the engine noise was block or head or front or back of engine. I could definitely hear the noise with the stethoscope just could not define where it was the loudest as I moved it to different parts of the engine. If I were to guess I would say front of engine, but I'm still not sure about this. I was pressed for time so probably could have come up with a better result if I more time to spend on this yesterday.

I made an appointment to take my Sentra into the Nissan dealership tomorrow morning at 0800 HRS so they can diagnose the engine noise, as well as look at another issue. It has under 9000 miles on it so it's still under warranty. I will try and post back on the forum the findings the dealership comes up with.

Thanks to all for the feedback posts received....


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## Keego4g63 (Sep 17, 2021)

Echo said:


> I’m asking for help from anyone with a Nissan Sentra (Years 2015 to 2019) with the 1.8 Liter Engine prefer those with Manual Transmission but also Automatic Transmissions. I have a 2019 Nissan Sentra S 6 speed manual transmission with the 1.8 Liter Engine I purchased new in 2020 and it now has approx 8060 miles on it. I have engine noise after my car has reached full operating temperature. I think the noise might be normal but I don't know anyone else in my town that has the same car to compare it to so I'm not sure. Please help me by checking your car and responding back to me with the results on this forum? To test your car let the engine reach full operating temperature then let it warm up at least an additional 10 minutes. Put the parking brake on and turn off the AC, Fan and Radio and put transmission in neutral (or Park or Neutral if it’s an Automatic Transmission) then take foot off of the clutch if it’s a manual transmission. In neutral bring engine to 2000 to 2400 RPM and hold it steady at a constant RPM and you can hear the noise a definite moderate to lite knocking or tapping or chatter and you can vary the RPM up and down within 2000 to 2400 RPM and also hear it. I do not hear the noise much when driving the car except a little between shifting gears when road noise is low. I also do not hear the noise until at least 10 minutes after the engine has reached full operating temperature. If other 1.8 Liter Sentras have the same noise then I will likely conclude that the noise is normal. If not, I might need to take my car to my Nissan Dealership for possible warranty work. It sounds to me like timing chain slack noise but I'm not sure. Please let me know your outcome on this post, after you check your car. Also, can you let me know what Oil and Filter you are using...I changed my oil DIY at 4000 miles with Quaker State Ultimate Durability Full Synthetic 0W20 with an OEM Nissan Oil Filter and at 8000 miles with Nissan OEM Full Synthetic 0W20 Motor Oil with an OEM Nissan Oil Filter. Thanks to all for your help!


It’s the cam lifters


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## Keego4g63 (Sep 17, 2021)

Keego4g63 said:


> It’s the cam lifters


Quite normal


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