N16 1.8 rattle and low power

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almerasport

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Hi, I've recently bought an Almera N16 1.8 Sport (X-2001 reg). It has the QG18DE engine tmk.
Its done 102K miles, and has this rattle noise that sounds suspiciously like the timing chain or tensioner issue I've read so much about on various websites and of course here, but it appears that fault maybe more of an issue on the 1.5 Almera, from 2002 on? (im really hoping...and almost convincing myself its coils, plugs, pretty much anything except the timing chain)

The engine runs fine, untiil around 2500 - 3k rpm in 1st and second gear, when the rattle becomes really noisey, but when in 3rd and accelerating it will drive through, without issues, and 4th and 5th no probs up to 70 mph.
No engine management lights come on, no loss of power, just that rattle.

I phoned up my local Nissan dealership, who told me they had no issues with the QG18DE engines.... but then I know Nissan dealerships only too well; nuff said.

As yet I havent investigated further in terms of cam cover removal etc to inspect.
I dont have any service records either

Really dont want to get rid of it, its the first "in between" range of Nissan I've owned,

any help is appreciated, thanks in advance
:)
 
certainly doesnt sounds like the dreaded chain "stretch" that is common on the 1.5's anyway, for what its worth!

Would have said chain tensioner, but is it only happens in a small rev range and not on startup/idle, im moving away from that idea too!

I'm gonna go for a stone above a heatshield for now :)
 
Hi Hally cheers for the reply, yup it literaly only does it around 2.5K rpm, seems to be 1st 2nd and 3rd gear it does it, took the car out last night on the motorway, 4th and 5th dont make it do the rattle. It quite happily cruises along, I had to change down a gear (back into 4th) and i thought it would play up as was in the 4Krpm range, but nothing, she was fine with it.
Though if it is the tensioner, I may as well put a new chain kit on it anyway, for peace of mind.

On startup she's fine - no rattle, unless you take the throttle up to around the same rev range

The other questions i have regarding this, are; was / is there an upgraded chain / tensioner / pulley kit (like stronger / better quality) available? And wheres the best place to buy? - I can get a BGA (?) Timing chain kit for around £140. Can anyone else give some feedback on these, as I've not heard of BGA - All Jap cars I've owned I've alwys gone Blue Print - except the one time I fitted a DriveTech clutch to my Micra, which has let go after a year, hence I now have the Almera.

Thanks again
 
BGA is very good stuff, I've got a BGA head gasket on mine with raised compression and its fine.

I have heard that if you go to a Nissan dealer to order a HG, they give you BGA.

BUT, changing the chain regardless is a bit overkill if it isn't the issue, start with the cheapest thing first.

1. check for stones in the heatshields around the engine/exhaust
2. change the chain tensioner

only then would I even consider changing the chain. It isnt throwing up and of the normal codes a chain does when it is going and isnt giving you any of the usual problems.
 
Hally - thanks for the assurement on BGA stuff, I've not heard of them before thats all, and i feel after moving away from blue print parts, and being so let down by drivetech, that it should be blue print all the way, just my opinion tho.
As for the tensioner, any idea what its like to do? (ie how much of an pain) - ive had a brief look but not indulged cos, itl be me that does the job if it comes to it, and i want an easy life. I was under the impression by the pics of the chain kits, that id be taking most of it apart anyway, hence thought may as well do the chain while im there.

Much as Id like to think its a stone somewhere, its not :(
Cheers for the help so far, im just paranoid now that I've just bought someone's problem off them, and tbh, I cant afford to do much thats expensive, or going to be expensive.

shaggy-master; mate if money was no object I would... your talking sr20det, right?

Thanks again guys :)
 
Hi again peeps - just an update on this one, I've taken the car over to a friend who seems to think its the big end shells. I checked for the noise while disconnecting the coils from cylinders 1 to 4 (individually, so it would run on the remaining 3 cyls), and it only makes the noise on cylinder 1.
Just curious if theres any other owners out there with a similar issue, and if this was the issue?

*Edit - And wheres the best place to get parts from - ebay and google searches have worn me out, seems theres more parts available for the american version (sentra??), which of course isnt much use to me.

This car, much as I like it, I'm now looking at getting rid of it because I cant justify spending out possibly thousands all over again on another motor.... I've stuck with nissan most of my life and it seems anything between 1994 - 1998 are the only ones worth having?*

Again, many thanks for taking the time to read, and answering where applicable :)

Cheers guys
 
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