Hello : help needed identifying engine type!

Hi
I don't have an Almera but my daughter does. I know her 2003 1.5S needs a timing chain. I now have a FSH manual courtesy of Andrew Michael so I am a bit more familiar with the car.
Problem is the pictures don't look like my engine! Perhaps someone could tell me what engine she has got.
The camshaft sensor in at the rear of the engine and not at the front (OS). It has what I thought was the intake valve timing control at the rear of the rocker cover by the oil filler yet the plate on the front of the engine is flat and neither it nor the rocker cover is shaped for a VVT sprocket. IMG_5434_ElectricalControlRockerCover1.jpg IMG_5435_FlatPlateCover1.jpg IMG_5436_CamshaftSensor1.jpg
Does that mean it is not VVT and if so what is the electrical part by the oil filler.
I have attached 3 pics to show what I mean:)
 
It has to be a QG15de. I'd have a guess that you have the wrong manual.
Looks like this?

5433_1077_qg15de.jpg
 
Hi Spook
Mine has an alloy rocker cover held on by 10mm bolts and doesn't have the bulge to the left which I guess covers the VVT sprocket. Yours doesn't seem to have the camshaft sensor on the right or the thing by the oil filler.
The manual says QG and the pictures look like yours:(
 
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That's just a stock photo I robbed from google. If you could get an engine bay pic that would be good. I'm an SR man really but there are plenty of QG warriors on here that may be able to help.

*Edit* Is it a petrol or Diesel engine? I've just looked and there was a 1.5 diesel option that I'd never heard of.
 
No problem. Petrol
I have at last got the alloy rocker cover off: what a pain. It was the dowels that were holding it. One stayed in the cover the other in the cylinder head.
Now I get confirmation that it is the VVT despite the flat side cover.
IMG_5437_Sprockets1.jpg IMG_5438_Dowels1.jpg

See pics attached
One problem I foresee is that you cant get a socket on the sprocket bolts because they are in line with the cylinderhead without room for a UV
 
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Received my Haynes manual today and everything looks the same as on my car. It looks like the end of the cylinder head is part of the side panel so giving access to the bolts and sprockets.
Anyone know of a stockist giving a discount on the VVT kit?
Anyone know any steps in the Haynes manual that can be avoided when fitting the kit?
 
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The FAI Timing Chain kit TCK32 can be got as TCK32WO without sprockets or as TCK32 with sprockets or TCK32VVT with VVT sprockets. The sprockets do not look worn. Has anyone used the TCK32WO kit on a VVT engine?
 
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Hi
Am making progress. Have been told by FAI that I can just replace the chain, tensioner and the guides if the gears are sound. They confirm that the chain in the TCK32 and the TCK32WO kits are the same as those in the TCK32VVT kit. I have opted for the TCK32 kit from ebay (premier-factors @ £87.08 delivered) which has everything including rtv sealant, except the VVT hub. It may not be best engineering practice but I shall replace all but the VVT. Couldn't have replaced that as I would need an air line for 3-bar to remove the original one)
One final problem I have is with the guides. The kits come with three guides but my engine only has 2: it doesn't have the flat top guide used on the earlier version with the camshaft sensor on the front of the engine. My camshaft rocker cover is alloy but there is no guide built into it. Any comments on this?

Almera2 (600 x 400).jpg
IMG_5447_Sprockets.JPG
 
Erm if it doesn't have one, leave it out. Yours has a dephaser pulley. You have to do some strange process of blowing compressed air down a hole next to it in order to insert the locking pin. Other than that it is a simple case of removing the sump pan and the side cover (again don't expect this to just drop off once the bolts are out), turning the engine over so it's on the timing marks and removing the guides so the chain comes free.
 
Hi
Will do.
Have got to the sump phase. Have removed all the external bolts on the timing cover. I am trying to miss out steps where possible. I am told I can avoid removing the exhaust, by wriggling the sump past it. Do I have to remove the central beam with front support? Do I have to remove the alloy castings at the front of the engine? Are there any bolts only accessible from the sump other than the oil strainer?
Help appreciated
 
It would be a lot easier taking the engine out and doing it to be honest. I heard from someone you had to take it out to so the chain anyway.


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Well I heard it would quicker and cheaper to swap the engine:)
Actually there is no real hassle (so far) just not as straightforward as others I have done because of the design. Changing the timing chain really shouldn't require the removal of the sump. Also it is only the software in the ecu which throws up the problem because the engine runs very well if the two sensors readings being out of tolerance hasn't thrown up an error. Why don't Nissan do a remap that allows a wider tolerance? The out of tolerance is caused by wear at the joins in the chain which some have put down to the quality of the renault chain used: it doesn't 'stretch'. Anyway the simple solution would have been to feed a new chain through (ala Mercedes) connected to the old one as most people report little wear in the gears and guides.
 
Erm if it doesn't have one, leave it out. Yours has a dephaser pulley. You have to do some strange process of blowing compressed air down a hole next to it in order to insert the locking pin. Other than that it is a simple case of removing the sump pan and the side cover (again don't expect this to just drop off once the bolts are out), turning the engine over so it's on the timing marks and removing the guides so the chain comes free.
Hi
I take your point! I got the sump off without removing the central support or exhaust by using a wide wood chisel at the front and then tapping a 2.5mm building angle down each side. Much easier than buying the special tool and trying to tap it round.
I have all the bolts out of the alloy timing cover but cannot see anywhere to get it started. I didn't like trying at the bottom by the oil pump and I don't want to break the cover or the head gasket. Any suggestions on where to start??
 
Success!
Counted the screws and screw holes in the pic and it was 2 short. Found two more very inaccessible and difficult to see even with a torch and mirror. With them out it was easy to lever the cover off from the bottom.
 
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