Change Timing Belt, Nissan Nv - How Often?

[PeaceBlondie]

I bought a 1997 Nissan NV with the 1.6 liter DOHC engine and 170,000 km on the clock. It's been checked out beforehand and runs well, but we have no idea when the timing belt was last changed. Or, if the belt needs to be changed (maybe it's a metal chain).

If it's the replaceable kind like my old Mazda and VW Jetta, should I replace it now to be safe? How much will it cost? Is a Nissan dealer more expensive but more reliable, or is this an easy job for Somchai and Nataphon?

Whilst I'm asking, what about the front ball joints? They don't make noise when I crank the steering wheel all the way over, but is that reasonably cheap and easy for Chai and Nat, also?

[mosquitoman]

Whilst I'm asking, what about the front ball joints? They don't make noise when I crank the steering wheel all the way over, but is that reasonably cheap and easy for Chai and Nat, also?

I was always taught.

"If it aint broken dont fix it"

Good luck

MM

[Jamie]

If it's a chain it should be ok. It's a good idea to have the belt serviced after 50,000 miles. If you don't know when it has been checked last, it's a good idea to have it checked out.

Are the ball joints serviceable as in do they have a grease fitting on them? You usually don't hear noise from ball joints. Any odd wearing on the tires? Usually the way they tell if the ball joints are bad is by jacking the front of the vehicle up so the tires are off the ground. They then hold the tire at 12 o'clock and 6 o' clock and push/pull on the tire...if there is much give then the ball joints are bad.

[h90]

I bought a 1997 Nissan NV with the 1.6 liter DOHC engine and 170,000 km on the clock. It's been checked out beforehand and runs well, but we have no idea when the timing belt was last changed. Or, if the belt needs to be changed (maybe it's a metal chain).

If it's the replaceable kind like my old Mazda and VW Jetta, should I replace it now to be safe? How much will it cost? Is a Nissan dealer more expensive but more reliable, or is this an easy job for Somchai and Nataphon?

Whilst I'm asking, what about the front ball joints? They don't make noise when I crank the steering wheel all the way over, but is that reasonably cheap and easy for Chai and Nat, also?

It should be easy to see on the front side of the engine. A "rubber" timing belt runs "outside" of the engine and just a plastic cover protect Somchai from thouching it while running. To change it can't be wrong. It is really easy to do so Somchai can do it, but important is that you get an Original timing belt. Not sure if they get copied, but if copied it might be worse than the old one.

A metal chain timing belt always (at least I didn't see different till now) is running inside the engine and does not need to be changed (usually).

It should also possible to hear which belt you have.

In generell on some cars if the timing belt is broken the valves can not thouch the piston, on some they can thouch the piston.

Specialy broken timing belt on a direct injection Diesel is always fatal.

(my knowlege might be a bit outdated, since years I didn't screw arround on engines).

Else of course the first thing to do, is inspecting the other belts, changing the oil AND oilfilter.

If the oil looks very dirty, than put in some oil (say 2 liter) start the car for a short time (attention if the oil pressure light, lights more than say3 seconds after starting, there is not enough oil inside and you must stop the engine, else it is broken).

Also change the spark plugs or at least have a look at them.

[Thumchok]

Whilst I'm asking, what about the front ball joints? They don't make noise when I crank the steering wheel all the way over, but is that reasonably cheap and easy for Chai and Nat, also?

I was always taught.

"If it aint broken dont fix it"

Good luck

MM

Got to disagree with this . I have had the experience of a idler bearing failing causing the timing belt to disintergrate .

Pistons hitting valves is not going to be a cheap repair .

Fortunately mine only broke a cam bearing cap and bent the rocker shaft . This requires a new bearing cap and line boring , new rocker shaft , and timing belt and accessories and four days broken down in the middle of nowhere getting parts flown in to get me home .

If in doubt of the timing belt , replace it and the associated bearings . Any half decent mechanic should be able to do the job .

I think with ball joints you are referrring to CV joints that will knock when they are getting worn . These are rebuilt back home and I am sure that it's the same here . I would be more concerned about the timing belt at this stage .

I don't know this car . So if it is front wheel drive it will have CV joints , A timing belt can be Identified by the plastic cover on the front of the engine as it does not require an oil bath and is seperate to the internals of the engine .

Ball joints can be tested as the other post states .

Cheers ,

Jim .

[h90]

Whilst I'm asking, what about the front ball joints? They don't make noise when I crank the steering wheel all the way over, but is that reasonably cheap and easy for Chai and Nat, also?

I was always taught.

"If it aint broken dont fix it"

Good luck

MM

Got to disagree with this . I have had the experience of a idler bearing failing causing the timing belt to disintergrate .

Pistons hitting valves is not going to be a cheap repair .

Fortunately mine only broke a cam bearing cap and bent the rocker shaft . This requires a new bearing cap and line boring , new rocker shaft , and timing belt and accessories and four days broken down in the middle of nowhere getting parts flown in to get me home .

If in doubt of the timing belt , replace it and the associated bearings . Any half decent mechanic should be able to do the job .

I think with ball joints you are referrring to CV joints that will knock when they are getting worn . These are rebuilt back home and I am sure that it's the same here . I would be more concerned about the timing belt at this stage .

I don't know this car . So if it is front wheel drive it will have CV joints , A timing belt can be Identified by the plastic cover on the front of the engine as it does not require an oil bath and is seperate to the internals of the engine .

Ball joints can be tested as the other post states .

Cheers ,

Jim .

piston hitting the valve can at high rpm mean to complete destroy the complete engine.

No repair possible......

[Limbo]

I am not sure if I am talking about the same thing, but I had these hmmmm .... front things changed for 8.500 (both sides) in a Somchai & Brothers shop. Nissan asked 38.000 for the same job.

I mean these things which make such a strange sound when you go through a sharp curve.

Something like tokketoktokketok, but then different

Limbo

The NV I drove for six years. Nice thing actually!

[PeaceBlondie]

I did mean CV joints, and I don't replace them until they start making noise on sharp turns. Not happening yet.

Thanks to all for the replies.

I'll check the front of the engine. My partner said the (non-Nissan) dealership mechanic checked everything, but I don't know if Somchai can see if the belt needs replacement yet. Is it frayed or something if it's about to go? Or, does it make a bad noise meaning it's about to blow up?

I had a Toyota diesel 1.8 liter engine that broke its timing belt and the valves hit the pistons. But I understand most other engines don't do that when the timing belt snaps.

[lopburi3]

The only time I had a timing belt break was on an Interstate in Colorado after driving 2,000 miles and made the remainder of the 100 plus miles on the back of a tow truck. No damage but car dead as dead can be. Suggested replacement mileage was 70k I believe and I was only about 5k over.

[uwe_rayong]

The NV has a timing chain,no need to replace it. Usually last a lifetime of an engine.

Signs that the timing chain may need a replacement can include loss of power and noise from the timing cover at the front of your engine. That could be a worn out timing chain.

[svenivan]

I got the timingbelt changed in my Toyota Corona.

Cost for timingbelt, 4 new sparkplugs, new oil and filter: 2400 bath.

And that was NOT at Toyota.

[taxexile]

have nissan or a competent mechanic with nissan experience check the belt and especially the tensioners that hold and guide the belt.

Find More Results for: "nissan timing chain tensioners "

Trouble shooter

Dan switches gears and looks at some of the more common, yet elusive, mechanical problems that can plague late-'80s and early-to-mid-'90s Nissans.

In the last two issues, we warned about elusive electrical conditions you might encounter on Nissan vehicles. This time, we'll cover mechanical problems that can be equally frustrating, such as timing chain and guide troubles, and receding intake valves.

Chain Gang

If you're a Nissan specialist, dealing with timing chain guide problems is old hat. But if you're not, an explanation is headline news. Typically, a vehicle will roll into your shop with a rapping, rattling or knocking sound under the hood. A quick check with a stethoscope confirms that the noise is coming from inside the timing cover. The intensity of the noise varies with the condition of the chain, chain tensioner and chain guide. The greater the slack in the chain, the louder the noise and the worse the engine runs. Don't be surprised if the engines that make the most noise have a shattered chain guide.

This rapping/rattling/knocking sound usually occurs on three engine families:

The GA16i, a 1.6-liter with TBI used in 1989-90 Sentras and Pulsars;

The GA16, a 1.6-liter with multiport EFI used in 1991 and newer Sentras; and

The KA24E, a 2.4-liter with multiport EFI used in a variety of Nissans. Among the KAs, the most likely candidates for tensioner trouble are the 1989-90 240SX, 1990-94 truck, 199092 Stanza and 1990 Axxess van.

Note that all of these engines began life with a plastic chain guide on the tension side of the chain. When an epidemic of broken guides occurred, Nissan gradually converted them to a steel-reinforced guide and told its technicians to service all engines with the improved part. Today, the steel-reinforced unit is the only one available.

Obviously, the amount of chain damage and noise you encounter on these engines will vary according to the condition of the engine and how long the driver pushed the vehicle before deciding to have the noise diagnosed. The Nissan specialists we interviewed said the smartest way to prevent comebacks is to replace everything at the same time-, chain, sprockets, tensioner and guides. Considering the labor involved, it's foolhardy not to, they said.

Some MOTOR readers may remember cleaning plastic fragments out of Pontiac oil pans during timing chain jobs. Debris from a worn or broken Nissan chain guide ends up in the oil pan, too. But it's no big deal cleaning out the pan on these engines because you have to drop the pan anyway to remove the chain cover.

The chain tensioner assembly, which is located on the end of the engine, contains an oil-fed spring and plunger. Some Nissan techs routinely service the unit instead of replacing it. To do this, remove the tensioner from the engine, disassemble it and thoroughly clean its parts with solvent. Lubricate everything with fresh motor oil and be sure the plunger slides freely in its bore. Then reassemble the tensioner, hold it submerged in a container of oil and stroke the plunger several times. If you feel resistance when you stroke the plunger, the tensioner should work fine.

Regardless of whether you replace or simply service the tensioner, always check its oil supply hole and replace the tensioner gasket. If the engine is badly sludged up, slide a slim wire in and out of the feed hole to loosen the crud. Then backflush the hole with solvent and air pressure. When you're satisfied the passage is clean, reinstall the tensioner assembly.

Don't get careless with gasket sealers here and don't use liquid gasket material in place of the tensioner gasket. If any of that goo finds its way into the oil feed hole, it will restrict oil flow into the tensioner. The result will be a sloppy chain and another failure.

After you complete a chain and tensioner job on one of these Nissans, always reemphasize the importance of regular oil changes. Sure, the original plastic guides were so frail that it didn't take much chain slack to crack them. But any chain stretches to some extent after it's been in service for a while, causing some slack. If inadequate maintenance prevents the tensioner from tensioning the chain properly, the additional slack can create noise-not to mention beat the daylights out of the later-design chain guide! Last but not least, a sloppy chain can also destroy the front cover of the engine.

Recessed Intake Valves

[h90]

I did mean CV joints, and I don't replace them until they start making noise on sharp turns. Not happening yet.

Thanks to all for the replies.

I'll check the front of the engine. My partner said the (non-Nissan) dealership mechanic checked everything, but I don't know if Somchai can see if the belt needs replacement yet. Is it frayed or something if it's about to go? Or, does it make a bad noise meaning it's about to blow up?

I had a Toyota diesel 1.8 liter engine that broke its timing belt and the valves hit the pistons. But I understand most other engines don't do that when the timing belt snaps.

If it is a "rubber" timing belt, noone can tell when it brakes, simply change it. If it is a metal chain, it will hold forever, no need to change.

[Thumchok]

I did mean CV joints, and I don't replace them until they start making noise on sharp turns. Not happening yet.

Thanks to all for the replies.

I'll check the front of the engine. My partner said the (non-Nissan) dealership mechanic checked everything, but I don't know if Somchai can see if the belt needs replacement yet. Is it frayed or something if it's about to go? Or, does it make a bad noise meaning it's about to blow up?

I had a Toyota diesel 1.8 liter engine that broke its timing belt and the valves hit the pistons. But I understand most other engines don't do that when the timing belt snaps.

If it is a "rubber" timing belt, noone can tell when it brakes, simply change it. If it is a metal chain, it will hold forever, no need to change.

Given the information from the previous poster , it wouldn't be a bad idea to inspect the chain tensioner .

Timing chains have been known to fail on high performance engines , but usually will last the life of an engine and should be replaced when the engine is rebuilt .

Older engines will have streatched or worn a little requiring the timing to be retarded to suit .

Different vehicles require timing belts changed at different kms . eg The 86 Toyota Hilux has an indicator light that comes on after 100,000 klms , not sure on the newer toyotas , but I believe my Vigo D4D has it .

1998 Hyundai Excel required the change at 60,000klms .

Aftermarket parts are available , and I generally don't mind using them if they are a known brand . Most bearing shops in Australia sell timing belts and tension pulleys and idlers .

Cheers ,

Jim .

[mraitchison]

PB

I replaced a CV joint four gators, 8 wheel studs, all the belts including timing.

Labour 1k for a days work (was through a mates shop)

Parts less than 6k can't remember how much but I know it was way under 7grand for everyting.

Toyota quoted her 30k just for the CV joints