[PoManzPathy]

I’m going to be trading it in at the dealer that sold it to me. But going forward I’ll be doing oil changes no more then 5,000 mile intervals on the next one! I usually use Mobil 1.

Not a bad plan, other than all vehicles costing too much these days.

Even with M1 or other high end oils, I still wouldn't go beyond 3500 miles with the VQ35DD. This specific engine has problems.

 

[Streetstyle54]

Not a bad plan, other than all vehicles costing too much these days.

Even with M1 or other high end oils, I still wouldn't go beyond 3500 miles with the VQ35DD. This specific engine has problems.

Agreed! I can’t believe how clean his motor is and he still had a stretched chain. I compared my timing chain to the new one and it didn’t look stretched. I think my main issue was the cam sprockets being sludged up.

 

[PoManzPathy]

Agreed! I can’t believe how clean his motor is and he still had a stretched chain. I compared my timing chain to the new one and it didn’t look stretched. I think my main issue was the cam sprockets being sludged up.

Sorry if you mentioned it, but how did your original plastic chain guides look? I'm wondering if wear there causes too much slack in the chain.

 

[Streetstyle54]

Sorry if you mentioned it, but how did your original plastic chain guides look? I'm wondering if wear there causes too much slack in the chain.

The original chain guides had no wear marks at all surprisingly!

 

[Streetstyle54]

The original chain guides had no wear marks at all surprisingly!

I also had chain rattle on startup even after the new chain and tensioner, but that disappeared after new cam phasers.

 

[OMurchadh]

My left cam chain guide and upper main guide were a bit worn but not too bad. Quite a bit of slack in the main chain though.

 

[PoManzPathy]

My left cam chain guide and upper main guide were a bit worn but not too bad. Quite a bit of slack in the main chain though.

My old school thought process on using 5w30 as opposed to the recommended 0w20, is the 5w30 would offer more of a film thickness for the chains and guides. Who knows. It might be working against me. LOL Either way, I'm at 100K miles on my 2019 and have been using 5w30 since ~25K miles. Luckily she's still smooth and very quiet. I've been totally nuts about doing my oil changes every 3000-3500 miles.

 

[Streetstyle54]

My old school thought process on using 5w30 as opposed to the recommended 0w20, is the 5w30 would offer more of a film thickness for the chains and guides. Who knows. It might be working against me. LOL Either way, I'm at 100K miles on my 2019 and have been using 5w30 since ~25K miles. Luckily she's still smooth and very quiet. I've been totally nuts about doing my oil changes every 3000-3500 miles.

If it seems like it’s working then stick with it haha that’s awesome. I was able to get rid of the pathfinder yesterday and made 400$ it’s a win in my book!!

 

[PoManzPathy]

If it seems like it’s working then stick with it haha that’s awesome. I was able to get rid of the pathfinder yesterday and made 400$ it’s a win in my book!!

Good deal. What are you going to replace it with?

 

[Jerzen197]

Finished the job today. No check engine light yet. I’m saying yet because it was taking a while to come on previously 😂 I held the gas pedal and brake and started it up 4 times to get the oil flowing. She started right up, performed the intake control relearn and test drove it. She runs smooth and I’m seeing an increase in gas mpg which may be a good sign? Only time will tell and maybe I’ll be able to get the inspection done, that was due since July 😅 no oil leaks this time.

Exhaust cams are running at 0 degrees at idle and intakes are at -1.0 and -1.5. Prayers I got it this time!

Oh, and this was my THIRD and LAST time I will be opening that timing cover no matter what haha

Was there a video or procedures manual you used? I am think about tackling this project. Local shop wants $5k

 

[Streetstyle54]

Good deal. What are you going to replace it with?

I’m actually picking up a caravan today from a coworker, 600 bucks because it has 250k miles but runs great. At least this buys us time once tax returns come so we can decide what to do!

 

[Streetstyle54]

Was there a video or procedures manual you used? I am think about tackling this project. Local shop wants $5k

I’m an over analyzer so I watched a ton of videos, and paid the 20$ to access the Nissan technical manual that has all the procedures and removal and installation steps. I’ll link a video that helped me out the most even though it’s of the vq35de motor and mine is a vq35dd, pretty much identical.

 

[Dustydave]

I am currently doing this in the vehicle, 3 hours and I have to remove the crank pulley and then start removing the timing cover bolts. I may have to disconnect the AC lines but I’m going to try to sneak the cover passed. Will update this post or create a new one with everything that I’ve done!

Hey streetstyle54, where did you get your parts for your Pathfinder?

 

[Streetstyle54]

Hey streetstyle54, where did you get your parts for your Pathfinder?

I got most of the parts from z1offroad. They have a timing chain kit that includes everything you need. I didn’t get the one that has the water pump and stuff. The intake and exhaust cam phasers/sprockets I got from eBay, found each one for 300, they’re super expensive.

 

[Dustydave]

I got most of the parts from z1offroad. They have a timing chain kit that includes everything you need. I didn’t get the one that has the water pump and stuff. The intake and exhaust cam phasers/sprockets I got from eBay, found each one for 300, they’re super expensive.

Thanks 👍🏼

 

[ElGalloGringo]

I’m an over analyzer so I watched a ton of videos, and paid the 20$ to access the Nissan technical manual that has all the procedures and removal and installation steps. I’ll link a video that helped me out the most even though it’s of the vq35de motor and mine is a vq35dd, pretty much identical.

I am about to start this job a week from Thursday. Hoping I can finish it from a long day Thursday, Friday evening, and Saturday. We have a 2017 Pathfinder we bought from a rental company at about 35k miles. I have been really good about oil changes, but we had the sound start happening at about 115k miles and now at 128k it is much worse. I was able to cobble all the parts needed for a complete replace from Oreilly, Z1 Offroad, and the dealer for about $775 (taxes and shipping included). I was going to buy just the Z1 Offroad kit, but they are 1500 (with taxes and shipping). I had received a quote from a shop for $8k for a new engine, with a claim that I would get $3.5-4k back if/when they sold the old engine (after doing the timing chain on it).

These forums have been super helpful to give videos and photos to help me benefit from all the learned expertise of other who have done this. However, your comment about $20 access to the Nissan technical manual caught my eye. Where did you find access for this cheap? I can only see the options from Nissan at Nissan Publications, but that is $30 for a single day and $115 for a month.

One of the things I can't find online via videos and screenshots are the torque specs for all the bolts, and I definitely will need that to make sure I get everything put back together correctly.

The other thing I have seen is that some videos (usually when they take the engine out) don't look like they remove the intake manifold and the valve cover, but on a ton of other videos (usually when they do it without removing the engine) they seem to take off the intake manifold and the valve cover. Is this necessary? In particular, this video (

) looked like you needed to take that off so that you could get to the bolts to replace the camshaft timing chain tensioners.

 

[PoManzPathy]

Lake's videos are not the best, but that dude is really good. Fluffy's videos are all fluff IMO LOL. I've not done this job, but you generally remove the cam covers so you have access to rotate the cams to set the timing. You have to remove the intake plenum to gain access to the rear cam cover. You're going to want to remove the cam covers and oil pan anyway to check for and remove any sludge build up.

Hopefully your engine is OK overall. Driving it for ~13K miles with the chain slapping may have sent metal bits all throughout the engine at this point.

 

[ElGalloGringo]

Lake's videos are not the best, but that dude is really good. I've not done this job, but you generally remove the cam covers so you have access to rotate the cams to set the timing. You have to remove the intake plenum to gain access to the rear cam cover. You're going to want to remove the cam covers and oil pan anyway to remove any sludge build up.

Hopefully your engine is OK overall. Driving it for ~13K miles with the chain slapping may have sent metal bits all throughout the engine at this point.

It has only been about 500 miles where I hear it almost all the time. Prior to this last little while, I only heard it briefly on cold starts in our bitter cold winters. But as it has cooled down now this fall, I am hearing it at every single start, faintly hear it all the time, and it starts/runs rough at times.

I haven't seen any metal in my oil changes, though I assume there is a big magnet in the oil pan like every other vehicle and captures a lot of those. Hopefully I haven't waited too long.

 

[ElGalloGringo]

Lake's videos are not the best, but that dude is really good. Fluffy's videos are all fluff IMO LOL. I've not done this job, but you generally remove the cam covers so you have access to rotate the cams to set the timing. You have to remove the intake plenum to gain access to the rear cam cover. You're going to want to remove the cam covers and oil pan anyway to check for and remove any sludge build up.

Hopefully your engine is OK overall. Driving it for ~13K miles with the chain slapping may have sent metal bits all throughout the engine at this point.

I am about to start this tomorrow (I hope) and have one last question. I saw one video where the guy was doing it in-car (see

), he recommended removing the A/C high pressure line off. I don't have the equipment to evacuate my A/C, and it doesn't look like it is something readily available for rent/loan from the local autoparts stores.

Do you know if I need to do that or if I can work around that high pressure A/C line?

Edit: It looks like this guy did it without moving those lines (boy was this some nausea-inducing filmography)

 

[PoManzPathy]

I'd try everything I could to leave the a/c system charged. Maybe loosening the a/c compressor will give you enough hard line slack? Hopefully @Bravo64 will enter the chat as he's done this job himself. I just recently caught that video on the 2018 Pathfinder timing job. I'd imagine we'll see more as time goes on.