Upper tensioner fail

Hi guys & gals my first post. I replaced my timing chains, gears & tensioners @ 218000 km, from my searches this is the first timing kit replacement on my NAV. Reason for replacement hot or cold death rattle on startup. Before disassembly I checked all tolerances on the chains, & gears, all were in exceptional condition considering the kms. The tensioners were a different story, bottom tensioner was fine but top tensioner had bleed out & not retaining the oil. After completing the task & 10,000 km later the noise has started again only on cold startup & not every time. I have been in touch with the supplier a yd25 specialist in the UK & after a bit of tooing & froing they agreed to send me a new top tensioner. A genuine NISSAN part this time, they told me it was unusual for their upper tensioner to fail, I have read in other posts that this seems to be a common problem with the upper tensioner, not sure if it includes genuine or aftermarket ones only. The motor runs as quiet as a mouse so once again I will take on the task & do the checks I am now wondering whether I should have just replaced the tensioners as everything else was in very good condition. Love the NAV great ride.

Welcome to the forum.



My car has 320,000km on it now and I've not replaced either tensioners or chains, but I do get them checked at each service (it's more of a listen-to with a stethoscope, but that's a fair indicator). If my chains were in great nick but the tensioners were worn I'd probably just change the tensioners too.

Hi Tony

Thank you for your reply, in my post I forgot to mention I have used genuine & aftermarket oil filters whether this has contributed to the fault I'm not sure. I am now using genuine filters only just to make sure.

I use Ryco (exclusively). Had one mechanic use some Chinese thing for a little while, then I started buying Ryco and handing them to him (he couldn't get Ryco filters for some reason, and I don't see him any more anyway).


It is possible that a faulty anti-drain valve could allow the tensioner to run dry(ish) for a few momemts while the filter fills and then sends the oil onwards, but that's going to be finished while the engine is still unloaded and in the process of settling after start anyway, so I suspect it's not going to be a big influence.


I actually asked the question about what oil filter choices were made by people who had faults and it was all over the shop - so I'm thinking the tensioners themselves were the culprits.

I use Ryco filters too. But only because I have the spanners for them.

Does anyone know who makes the genuine Nissan ones?

I am on my third tensioner. First one was replaced when I had the dual row chain installed, 2nd one was faulty and Paul replaced at no charge. 225ks and all good.