timing chain

I've scanned through all the threads and only found one reference to a timing chain problem. On other forums I'm reading that this is a consistent problem (and around a $14,000 fix in the worst scenario).

Does anyone have any better information about the incidence of this trouble?

I'm just contemplating an offer from Nissan to extend my factory warranty for an additional 3 years and up to 150,000ks (mine is 3 yo in March with$70,000ks now). The 3 year option is $1114 and it isn't mandatory to have it serviced at a Nissan Dealership either before or during this extended period. Seems like a pretty good bit of insurance to me.

Any thoughts...
Cheers
Knighty

What timing chain problem do you refer to?

With regard to warranties, they won't cover "wear and tear". They also won't generally cover manufacturing fault or design fault.

Now while I'm not debating what you read - I would consider that any mechanical item can suffer from mechanical failure.

What I would encourage you to investigate is what is covered by the extended warranty. Please post your investigations for the advice of other members. I have found that it is often the case that extended warranties are so limiting in their clauses as to be virtually worthless. Even circumstances where there are known faults with a design (consider the case of what is colloquially known as the ZD30 "hand grenades"), many people with extended warranties received no assistance from their extended warranty provider - genuine nissan warranty or after market.

Anyway, food for thought. Not saying it's not worth it, just saying that it might be worth some deeper research.

knighty said:

I've scanned through all the threads and only found one reference to a timing chain problem. On other forums I'm reading that this is a consistent problem (and around a $14,000 fix in the worst scenario).

Does anyone have any better information about the incidence of this trouble?

I'm just contemplating an offer from Nissan to extend my factory warranty for an additional 3 years and up to 150,000ks (mine is 3 yo in March with$70,000ks now). The 3 year option is $1114 and it isn't mandatory to have it serviced at a Nissan Dealership either before or during this extended period. Seems like a pretty good bit of insurance to me.

Any thoughts...
Cheers
Knighty

Click to expand...

I haven't read anything about the D40 timing chains, can you be more specific about what's going wrong.

Hi,

I have heard of some issues with the timing chain tensioners, but it was an unusual occurance and I think nissan fixed it. I got told by my service manager that they dont change the timing chain even though its in the service book.

John

Thanks for the comments. My source is 2009 Nissan D40 Navara Dual-Cab ST-X Diesel Review | The Motor Report: Auto News And Reviews

If you scroll down past the review you'll find a bunch of posts. The one that started this line is quoted below:

"To all owner of Nissan Navara D40 Diesels, please be aware that Nissan have faults with the timing chain and failure could occur at any moment, it like a ticking time bomb, Nissan know of the fault, the refuse to acknowledge the fault. I have just had one of our Nissan Navara’s fail a timing chain and know of another 3 within the same period of time.
Nissan need to recall all Nissan Navara’s to rectify the timing chain fault as soon as possible. Book your Nissan in to have the timing chain inspected otherwise this be an expensive repair cost to you."

And there are more posts after that.

I can't really answer Anthony's questions about what exactly the problem with the timing chains is. You'll have to draw your own conclusions from the posts in the above web site.

As to what the extended warranty covers, it seems from Nissan's literature it is simply an extension of the existing new car manufacturers warranty. Therefore, anything that was covered in the first 3 years, continues to be covered - with all the usual exceptions - keep a complete service history, drive as per owners manual, no way out modifications etc. I note that it is not a pre-condition that the vehicle be serviced by Nissan. Rather, they only recommend that it is. In fact, to insist on Nissan dealer only servicing would be a restraint of trade breach.

Having just had my fuel sender replaced under warranty (apparently a 4-5 hour job), and knowing the hourly labour rates, I'm concluding that $1125 for 3 years warranty isn't a bad deal. That's barely $400 per year for some peace of mind. And that also includes extending the mileage to 150,000.

cheers
Knighty

Think I'd need more than one article too convince me it's an issue, not suggesting this one is wrong but one report isnt that convincing. If I had a dollar for every time I read an article that said something like "(insert car manufacture) know this is a fault and refuse to admit it." then I'd be very rich. There is even quite a few examples of that statement on this forum alone, once again I'm not disagreeing but one person having an issue doesn't it an issue common to all cars.

If anyone finds more proof it would be worth posting.

As far as the extended warranty goes it's pretty much just like insurance, if you want to and can afford to pay for what you consider to be piece of mind then no one can really change your mind. There will no doubt be horror stories of people who have taken the extra warranty just like there will be good stories but at the end of the day it's your piece of mind that has to be satisfied.

On any items I've every taken out extended warranty on I've only ever used it once, and as a result these days I don't bother. Any manufacturer offering such warranty is hoping you don't need it or hoping they can get out of it if you try because lets face it it's all about the dollars to them, so be sure to read everything before payment. But it's still got to make you happy at the end of the day.

My str had a 5 year warranty. The only thing that needed changing were the rear slave cylinders for the brakes because i stuffed them up one night 4wding in deep heavy mud for hours. Nissan replaced the part but i had to pay for new brake pads. Initially when they checked out the car they said it will cost about $1200 to fix the problem, i said no way its under warranty, they said 3 years is up and its now my problem, i said hold your horses i got extended warranty for another 2 years, nissan then had to call me back after that. When they called back they said yeah its covered but you have to pay for brake pads as thats a wear and tear product, i could have pushed it further if i was a prick so they pay for brake pads because there first call to me they said the fluid from the leaking cylinders went all over the pads and you cant use them once it does that. I though getting something fixed from warranty is better than nothing and better not push my luck.

It is not a common problem so far but it is a problem that happens regularly from what I have seen lately.

Due to the price of parts for the D40 and soem regular problems like timing chain, diffs etc. which cost a bomb to repair I would urge anyone with a D40 diesel to get the extended factory warranty and keep good service history.

Speaking of that if you want to get the genuine extended warranty I have a contact that will save you at least $100 off RRP.

not to sure about the timing chain thing. what i did hear was one of nissan plants is very rough at building the engines. some bolts stripped, others loose. wouldn't be to surprised if the chain problem wasn't caused by loose cogs or tensioner etc.

G'day all, first post. Great site.

How did the timing chain issue pan out? I have 155,000km on my D40 Nav and the dealer is telling me mine has stretched and needs replacing. Can chains stretch? If anyone has anything to offer as far as timing chain issues with their dealer I would love to know. They have my Navara at the moment as it won't even run.

Thanks,

Jase.

thirdbounce said:

I have 155,000km on my D40 Nav and the dealer is telling me mine has stretched and needs replacing. Can chains stretch?

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They can stretch. Have they said it's just a case of replacing the chain and off you go?

Dion said:

They can stretch. Have they said it's just a case of replacing the chain and off you go?

Click to expand...

I wish......

I have R51 2.5 auto pathy, just had major rattle in front of engine-mech pulled the timing case off to see what is going on, what a mess....

To replace the main timing chain(there are two...) needs the front diff out, sump off and about 20hrs of labour, which at $100/hr or there abouts gets pretty dear.

So far I have spent $1800 on parts(genuine and at trade prices too-retail would be oh my god IMO) without any spockets, only the two chains, and a myriad of tensioners and guides. Seems that the drive sprocket on the vaccum pump is stuffed, so thats another $700 as I have to buy the whole assembly. And it could get worse as the chain flogs out the primary timing case sometimes, as well as damaging the chain sprockets. Will know more tomorrow once it is fully apart, but not expecting much change from $5000. Could be more if the primary case is damaged.

Car is 5 months out of warranty, fully serviced and Nissan will not cover repair. Wish I purchased extended warranty now, seems at $1000 would be piece of mind if it did happen.

BTW some people are doubting this is an issue, my mechanic was speaking to the forman at the Nissan dealership I purchased off and they have done 6 timing chains this week, and had all of the parts I needed in stock, ready to go which is a pretty good indicator that they use the parts regularly as dealers generally keep stock levels as low as possible unless they churn though parts. I would suggest it is a bit of a problem...

I will go and take some pics tomorrow so you can see what I am talking about, seems this part of the motor is overly complex and not very well thought out, which is a shame as it is really comfortable, goes like the clappers and is comfortable to travel in. Loved it right up until about a week ago....

COMPLAINTS CORNER - ONLINE CAR MARKET AUSTRALIA - MotorSM.com

Plenty on here about it. I have the same rattle noise and it concerns me too.

I took it to nissan while in warranty. Dealer : "they all make that noise, it's a D40 thing, they all sing at a different RPM. nothing out of the ordinary"

Now it's out of warranty i could be fucked.

I went to the Nissan dealer yesterday as they said my car was ready. After getting it towed there they diagnosed the problem the timing chain was stretched. Blew me away as both the NRMA tech and myself thought it fuel related.
They ended up replacing the main timing chain plus a few of the sprockets. It is out of warrenty and Nissan came to the party as my full service history is with them (155,000km).
As I went to get in the car the bloke there said that it is still running a bit rough. Then the car just stopped. As it turns out the problem is something else. Now they are thinking fuel system, possibly pump ($$$).
I don't know if the timing chain being replaced has improved the rattle/slapping I was getting because the car doesn't run long enough to find out.
Thankfully they have now loaned me a car. It's coming up to two weeks without the Nav.

Jase.

I still get the scared feelings in my pants when the rattle and slap starts.

Biscuits said:

COMPLAINTS CORNER - ONLINE CAR MARKET AUSTRALIA - MotorSM.com

Plenty on here about it. I have the same rattle noise and it concerns me too.

I took it to nissan while in warranty. Dealer : "they all make that noise, it's a D40 thing, they all sing at a different RPM. nothing out of the ordinary"

Now it's out of warranty i could be fucked.

Click to expand...

Get it checked out..... longer it goes the more $ it will be....

If they get too loose, it will take out the bearing/sprocket on you vaccum pump as well as the bottom hydraulic adjuster will force the chain into the primary timing case and wear a hole in it, and snowball from there. As the guy from nissan said to my mechanic;"you can open the cupboard on this one" as far as parts go.

Now looking at 2nd hand engine and trading it asap...

Took the truck in to Nissan this morning, book in my 110k service, told them i would drop it off the night before so that they can hear the SHIT noise it makes every cold start.

Also told them that i want the timing chain inspected and changed if needed. He said "yeah it is a know problem that they stretch, but i have never heard of one letting go, it could be the injectors". Nope sorry had them cleaned by you lot last service, can't be that, unless you stuffed it up. At least they are aware that it stretches.

So when i get it back on Friday, i will let you all know what they say,

Went in tonight. Fingers crossed.

Otherwise it is off to the bank for a loan.

is it a requirement in any of the services to have to timing chain replaced? i thought 150,000km service also the chain was required to be replaced.

Wankers just rang me and said, they can hear a noise, but is probably just the injectors. They all sound like that. wouldn't inspect the timing belt, just used a tethoscope.