The garage says "Timing Belt" but I think its the Cat...

Hi,

last July I bought a 55 plate 1.5 Almera, having previously owned a Tino, to be honest i think we've rescued it from a bad mechanic as since July I've had to replace the headlights, have his previous work to the gearbox rectified and I'm not even going to mention the terrible repeated bodge-it job on the back box of the exhaust.

when it was running fine we got over 500 miles from a full tank of petrol, but recently the engine has been noisy on acceleration, as if the exhaust is blowing (but it isn't) and our MPG has dropped through the floor, the oil is burning quickly but there are no leaks and now it is struggling to barely accelerate on inclines which is getting rapidly worse.

After a couple of visits to the local garage it went from being a possible MAF sensor issue (but this was dismissed with a disconnection test), to an intake sensor issue, and then the timing chain would need replaced. But we've had no warning lights other than when i disconnected the MAF sensor, and that was reset by the garage. there hasn't been any black or blue smoke, just lots, and then none, but it does smell like it is leaking exhaust fumes into the cabin, are there are no issues with starting up or idling.

If it is the timing chain I'm going to attempt to fix the timing chain myself as, what the hell, i'll only get scrap value for it as it stands, but I get the feeling i'm missing something.

please help, i don't want to scrap an otherwise good wee motor!
 
I would have said head problems could be as simple as leaking head gasket seal or plug seals which is easy to change. I doubt the timing chain. I would change head gasket seal along with plug seals x4 and new spark plugs. Before jumping in deep end get a compression test done you can buy a kit relatively cheap. Timing chains are noisy when faulty and also you will get engine management lights ?

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Hi Michael! I am sorry to hear about your problems i know how it is as i have exactly the same problem except that on top of all that you mentioned i have a very bad rattling noise on acceleration but only at certain speeds/revs so it is not a pattern. I want to ask you for help if you fixed the problem just tell me please as i am desperate to fix it. By now only guesses and different opinions from mechanics. I want to mention also that there is no check engine light on . Not at all.
If anyone can help please....
And also if someone can give me a repair manual for this car.....highly appreciate as i don.'t have money and i am repairing it myself as much as i can
My model is an Almera N16 hatchback with QG15DE engine 1.5 gasoline made in 2005
Thank you and greetings from Bucharest, Romania
 
I had my timing chain done recently, it was so badly stretched that it had jumped a tooth, possibly two, it struggled to start but once running, after a ten min warm up it ran faultlessly, no noises or rattles and it seemed to have plenty of power, as it got colder it struggled to start more and more until one day it just wouldn't...that was probably after it had skipped over on the sprocket, the fault code came up at P0340 from the very beginning which is supposed to be cam shaft sensor but i changed that to no avail.
Long story short, i took it to a mate who diagnosed that it was indeed the cam chain (as everyone on here said it would be but i hoped against hope that it was) and 2 days and 390 quid later it was sorted, the car only cost me 180 quid so it's till a bit of a bargain :)
Does the EML come on when you put the key in and then go off??
 
How do I download the September 2004 file version you have listed above? It just takes me to the filedropper page and ive no idea where to go from there? This looks like a place where you personally up load and I want to download? Help! I'm a Newbie!!
 
How do I download the September 2004 file version you have listed above? It just takes me to the filedropper page and ive no idea where to go from there? This looks like a place where you personally up load and I want to download? Help! I'm a Newbie!!
I see the link but where did I download it?
 
Hello, I have a problem with my 2006 nissan Almera it jerks quite a bit when driving and the rev needle jumps continuosly I have taken it to Nissan but they cant help, taken it to the Electrician he now says it is the coil pack. I change the crank and cam sensor and it still does that what do I do
 
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