ok i need some help

[lynchfourtwenty]

im getting my ex girlfriends sentra se-r, i need to do the timing chain in it, i am going to get all the parts soon an am wondering if someone would be willing to help me, i dont know what im doing but im willing to try

[tiltnose510]

I may sound a little combative and creepy here but honestly do not intend too. I have done a ton of SR engines and have yet to see a bad chain save of one that broke due to an oiler going through it. You'll need to pull all the pulleys, drop the engine crossmember, drop the pans, and be extremely careful about re-installing the timing cover if you don't pull the head. It is almost easier to do this job by pulling the engine.

All this to ask, what is leading you to believe the chain is bad? Quite often the noise of a chain in these engines is the chain slapping the gaurd at the top of the head because of a chain tensioner that isn't tensioning all the way. Even more often you are hearing lifter noise because the car has had a jack placed under the oil pan and let me just say that if these pans are squeezed even an 1/8th of an inch, the pan will hit the oil pickup and restrict the oil flow so much that it will sound like the engine is coming apart. If this is the case then the lower oil pan needs pulled and hammered down so as to put space between the pickup and the pan again...problem solved. (twice in the last two months at my shop) This is where I would start. In both of the recent cases, the pans looked perfectly flat and when I pulled them, there was an imprint in the paint of the oil pickup on the bottom of the pan. This causes the chain tesioner to relax and the lifters to be noisy when the chain is fine.

These are very tough chains and they are subject to relaxing a bit but the tensioner is made to come out farther for that and has the little clicker on it to keep it tight. The other thing that SR engines are very sesitive about is keeping clean oil in them. The oil squirters above the cams have tiny little holes in them for oiling the cams and I have seen no less than ten of these that have had dirty oil which clogged the oil squirters and lead to premature cam wear and put a lot of metal in the pan which caused engine failure. (also loosened the rocker clearance which was undoubtedly noisy) Clean oil and regular changes are a must in the SR. Anyway, I would just check that out first before changing a chain that will remain noisy because of the oil pickup or some other problem.

Hopefully it will save you some work

 

Before any flaming begins, I'm going by what I've seen over and over in my shop and have built a number of SR engines and ROM tuned them to 544 HP.

The last 200sx ser I did is sitting somewhere between 380 and 400 HP (only know this because we have leaned out the 550cc injectors which are good to 380)

I hope this doesn't sound boastful or arrogant, It is just one of the things I can actually do.

Mark

[lynchfourtwenty]

hey man thanks for the info... i dont know a whole lot about these engines but i'd like to save it.. i will check the pan and change the oil .. the sound i heard was very clanky like a chain slapping.. and when she took it to a mechanic he said it was the timing chain.. but you know how mechanics are..

 

the story is the car was stolen.. when recovered it looked like it had been 4x4'd so maybe the pan got damaged.. also my ex neglected the oil after we broke up.. altho i continued to do her oil changes they got spaced further and further apart... this things got 223+k miles on it.. it has alot of sentamental value to me.. i would like to get it going again.. i also read that the tensioner's go out.. which is like 49$ at the local part store so maybe if checkin the oil pan and changing to oil doesnt fix it i will pull the valve cover and check the chain and cams and all that..

 

we do not flame on the ratsun site.. we all try to get along as best we can

 

your help is very appriciated thanks for taking the time to responde

[tiltnose510]

I have noticed that nobody really flames anyone else here. I really enjoy how "humble" everyone is on this site. It's a welcomed change. I have left many a forum from over interneted experts barfing their comments out. That being said, If the engine has 223k on it and has been braffed badly (beat on in the non paved areas-haha) Then there may well be pan damage and as far as a tensioner going out, they are a cylinder that goes inside an oil pressurized tube. (how would it "go out") It is more likely that the feed is plugged or the oil is so crudded in it that it needs taken apart and cleaned. Removing the valve cover will tell you the most. See if there is heavy cam wear and if there is, let me hook you up with the ser stuff I have in my shop and you can rebuild it quite inexpensively and have a decent engine to put in it. (don't know where you're at so it may be silly talk) Anyway, if it is too far gone, I have block that could be bored for about a hundred, good crank, rods, and most everything else which the owner would probably not want more than a couple hundred for if that. It would only need oversize pistons, (about $250.00) bearings and seals, (probably $170.00 since the rear seal is $40.00 alone) a head gasket, and then if the cams are shot (rockers will be too) You could just replace those. I may have them also. Trust me, a good running SR does not cost a lot too build especially when you consider how they run. This is a quick and dirty overhaul but if the machining is done well it will run great and last a long time. I am always amazed at the performance that can be had from these engines with relatively little upgrading. Most of what keeps the SR together is maintenance and good tuning. If it is stock then there is little to worry about. Ask Iceman what a mis adjusted TPS and bad plug gap will do to it. Acts like it will need rebuilt, make a couple adjustments and it runs like the wind.

Thanks for putting up with the long winded drivvle.

Mark

[lynchfourtwenty]

im really short on cash, any help is greatly welcomed.. let me tinker with it when i get it tuesday and i will let you know what i come up with.. im in vancouver washington, if you want to call me my # is five zero three five six zero one two nine nine, names josh

[tiltnose510]

Understand all too well, Let me know what it looks like and I will help where I can.

[makya]

this is why I like coming here.:)

[0.C.]

Good luck with that. I hate to work on FWD vehicles. If you need more info, I could check my repair books and scan or write down the info.

[SHADY280]

may also want to do a hot oil flush to get rid of the crap, they work really well. i am also a mechanic, and agree with tilt. i dont get to deal with lots of nissans other than my own. lucky guy!!!! the oil flush can make a really bad looking engine look new on the inside again. some ppl do them once a year. its kinda like washing from the inside.

[lynchfourtwenty]

ok so a oil flush ?? what brand?? i used a napa brand on it a while ago .. like over a year ago.. i will try that again then.. aswell as checkin the oil pan for damage and takin the valve cover off and checking in there also

[banzai510(hainz)]

If it was stolen?

 

Ok IM going to flame ya!!!!!!

 

They redlined this motor!!!!!!!! How much you wanna pay to fix it

Maybe best to see if they still have crate motors for these?

 

PS Jap timming chains are indesctructable!!!!!!!!!! but tensioners should get changed when ever the front cover open.

[lynchfourtwenty]

hainz, im assuming they drove it like they stole it... but also when she got it back there was mud and grass all over.. plus tree branches sticking out the trunk.. im super duper broke so fixing it will have to be cheap theres a guy sellin a whole car for $350 but the cars been abused interior and body.. said it runs good tho so i might just use the engine.. if i can fix the current engine it would be nice.. like i said tho im going to take a good look at it when i pick it up tomorrow.. i will let you guys know what i find.. i may bring it to the tuesday night meeting.. if any of ya wanna show up.. i think icehouse is comming .. and pumkn .. so come on down!

[hang_510]

Jap timming chains are indesctructable!!!!

 

:thumbup:

i can testify to that!

my L20b tensioner was in 4 pcs in the pan, along with the spring and parts of the guide. both guides were broken and wore a hole through the oiler. the cover was almost worn through too.

not sure how long it was like that, but it was NOISY for >20,000 mi and still ran great.

[lynchfourtwenty]

ok so you guys think i should even try drivin the thing?? i was going to try to use my boss's truck an trailor if we can get the wiring working right.. but its not lookin so good

[tiltnose510]

Just to clarify, the SR tensioner isn't the same as the L series tensioner. Since it doesn't have the little rub rail thingy on it, it doesn't wear the same or go to pieces like the L series.

 

Just trying to save face here. (please don't flame me...**whimpering in the corner**)

 

Don't know about driving it. The worst it can do is...Catch on fire and explode!!!!

[banzai510(hainz)]

Be honest with YOURSELF!!!!!!!

 

Is it worth speding money on it??????? if your that broke then just dump it. But most 510 guys will say that about a Sentra.(Notice alot of mexicans drving them with 4 people in the car) with a broken tail light or side mirrow!

 

Do you want the hassle of another car in the yard,kiss someone ass for a engine hoist ,then the swap doesnt work out,its cold outside ect......

 

I hear ya I dont want to work on front wheel drive vehicles either(never have and dont plan on it either) so dont feel bad.

 

 

when I sell my Datsuns one day I wont miss them either

[lynchfourtwenty]

its an SE-R not a regular sentra an it has sentamental value .. i dont want to sell it i want to fix it up, i know im broke but its just the time of year.. i really want to fix this car, the body and suspension are fine.. few dings.. nothin major.. interior needs a cleaning no big deal.. not payin a whole lot for the car.. an i got time to pay it off..

[bluemeanie]

Don't you have a KA 620 to work on? :)

[nismopu]

dont mess with the SE-R!!!! Just get it drive it and dont worry about it, I know a few things about thrashing a car within inches of its life. If its still running then leave it alone. peace!

[tiltnose510]

BABOOOM! Lynch falls out the door as the car continues to roll down the road in a ball of flames...:eek:

[lynchfourtwenty]

hey now thats my baby... i dont know what it is.. all other se-r's dont even phaze me.. that one makes me feel all warm an gooey inside... i love it.. and will do what it takes to make it go vroom vroom

[datzenmike]

its an SE-R not a regular sentra an it has sentamental value ..

 

hey now thats my baby... i dont know what it is.. all other se-r's dont even phaze me.. that one makes me feel all warm an gooey inside... i love it.. and will do what it takes to make it go vroom vroom

 

Let me guess... you were laying in the back seat having a smoke after losing your cherry and thinking what a great car it is,... and formed an unnatural attachment to it. Right? Well I'm here to tell you that we are polygamists, serial monogamists at best, and one won't do. I say get out there and ride as many Datsuns as you can, don't stop till you're blind, love them all. So many Datsuns, so little time!

[lynchfourtwenty]

nah mike i've just done alot of work to it.. tried to keep it as tip top as i could for her.. it was a faithful car.. i grow attatched to things.. its a bad habbit.. i will taste as many flavors as i can.. but theres 2 vehicles in my life i cant go with out.. one is my truck.. the second is that car.. im sure there will be more.. but until then.. i do with what i've got ;)

[]2eDeYe]

Thanks for the sig quote mike :D

[hang_510]

So many Datsuns, so little time!

do it in a datsun (wagon :P )

:love: :w00t: :drool:

 

ive had a few that didnt make it back...