I think I'm losing the Timing Chain Tensioner

[Ron1200]

On the way to work today, I get a loud noise from under the hood. Kinda sounds like an endless string of marbles in a tin can. It happens as I hit 2000 RPM and higher. It will stop when the RPMs drop to 1500. It mostly does it when I start from a stop. It happened much more on the way home.

 

Is it hard to change the tensioner?

 

Geez, I've had a lot of questions lately. :(

[DAT510]

um... Yeah.

Get ready, shits gonna get serious up in here.

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

funky sound isnt it..

the first time I heard it was in the 80s :blink:

Was in a 610 2dr

dont want to know what happened to it :blink: :lol: :o

Datsuns were a plentiful :blink:

[izzo]

haha. Yeah, get ready for some work. you need to pull the timing cover off. It will be a lot easier outside the truck, than inside the engine bay.

 

When/if you pull the motor, just replace the rear main seal, front crank seal, and of course the oil pan seal while your at it.. Then you won't have to worry about those later.

[datzenmike]

Take the valve cover off and take a look with a flash light. Sheesh. :lol:

[crackerjack69]

Order tensioner, guides, a jap chain so you get the two bright links (unless you like counting), front crank seal, oil pan gasket, and timing cover gasket. I went with Beck Arnley, worked good. Pull the radiator, you'll gain plenty of work space. Wedge the ratchet against the frame and bump starter to get the crank pully bolt loose. Be sure to find TDC before anything. #1 cam lobes at 10 and 2 'oclock. Guess how I know all this? Yah, dropped the tensioner like a dummy while swapping cams. Of course, Bonzai510 made an excellent video on this, I'd watch it and it will be an easy job.

[bananahamuck]

Seems like every time my chain tensioner has went out it makes noise till you are at 2000 RPMs.

 

but yeah take the cam cover off and make sure it isn`t something else less intensive. Do you know how to look through hole to see if your chains stretched to much??

[Radiant-Designer]

Seems like every time my chain tensioner has went out it makes noise till you are at 2000 RPMs.

 

but yeah take the cam cover off and make sure it isn`t something else less intensive. Do you know how to look through hole to see if your chains stretched to much??

 

 

well how about explaining this for others who may not.... or at least point to a resource on how to... think about all those ratsuners years later who may actually use the search function ;p

[banzai510(hainz)]

ck for loose alternator bolts first, or anything that might be loose. trans bolts ect.

 

then open up the valve cover and ck there.

 

if a lower water housing bolt is too long soemtimes they can hit the right side(tight) of the timming chain guide. it catches the end.

 

olddatsuns.com has my vid if you need to change a tensioner(really do a whole kit)

 

You have a late model L20 and theys alot of crap to take off so youll be down for awhile and key is good tools . Esp on the later L20s the lower intake bolts and emission shit gets in the way

[Ron1200]

Thanks for the replies. I'll check and report back.

For the record.... I have Skib's old truck. It has a L16 with a 260 cam. And no emission crap. :)

[datzenmike]

Take the valve cover off and take a look with a flash light. Sheesh. :lol:

 

 

Additionally: Does it do this when you are stopped and rev it up?

 

If so have someone rev it while you look under the hood to locate where the sound is from.

Check the fan and fan belt/pulley area. Is the alternator adjusting strap tight?Has a timing cover bolt loosened and rubbing the fan blade?

Do you have an air pump? is the adjustment tight, belt loose, bolt loose?

Has anything shifted or moved in contact with the exhaust pipe.

Is the starter loose.

Is the air filter on tight

[datsunaholic]

Heck, make sure the water pump isn't wobbling all over the place. Grab the fan and rock it side to side. It shouldn't move. When mine have gone bad, the ones that failed GRADUALLY sounded like a rock grinder.

[Ron1200]

All good advice.. Reading between the lines... Check the simple things first.

 

I took off the fan belt to isolate the water pump and alternator. When loosening the alternator I noticed that it was moving more than it should. Closer inspection reveled no bolt on the bottom bracket. I was able to lift it out once I got the top bolt removed. The only thing holding the alternator in place was the adjusting bracket, and it had a crack in it. :blink:

 

 

I removed the alternator engine mount and drilled out the broken bolt. Decided to drill the hole completely through to the other side. I figured that a thru-bolt would be stronger. Also welded up the crack in the adjusting bracket. It's very solid now. Just need to hook-up the wires and go for a test drive.

[Ron1200]

Yup all is well... The solution was to repair the alternator supports. No more noise. I suspect the V-belt I had (the kind with the cut-out sections on the pulley side of the belt) was making the 'lets sound like a timing chain' racket.

[Z-train]

Take all the belts off & start it.I just brought another 810 back to life and would have bet serious $$ that the chain was spent.So i ordered chain & the works.Turns out it was the water pump.Stupid shit FIRST!!!!

[Skib]

you do realize no one has posted in this thread in almost a year.......

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Sunday morning eh? Bill. Go on.... have a coffee.

[Z-train]

It showed up on my "New un-read" topics.I didn't go searching for this.And no- i didn't and won't read the date on everyone.

[Skib]

please... think of the kittens.

[Z-train]

I pick my cat up by the tail.......

[Skib]

thats...... well thats just fuckin cruel.

 

 

I hope he claws the shit out of you.

[Z-train]

 

He knows his place.

[datzenmike]

I had a cat and did that too! He was used to it and would stretch when I did. Naturally I held it straight and didn't tug on it. He seemed to like it now and then.

[Z-train]

Of course ,Mike.I grab the fleabag always at the base of the tail.He likes it also.He's strong enough to swing himself up and latch onto my arm and the battle is really on.

[datzenmike]

He seemed to like it now and then.

 

Now and then that is. Sometimes he thought we were playing and naturally, I brought fingernails to a cat claws fight.