Rod Knock / Timing belt tensioner??? Knocks at around 2000 RPMS (HELP PLEASE!)

[Stanleybb50]

I am driving a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE with a v6... and honestly... I am having the same problem as stanlee!

It does not "rattle" when idling in position but when I am driving and the rpms switch between 1700-2200 RPMS (I think about the time I shift gears) ... it rattles... and if I am staying roughly between those RPMS when driving, it makes that noise. I dont know what it is and I have taken it to 2 mechanics now and they cant find anything wrong.

I just dont know what it is... It only happens when I am in motion and between 1700-2200 RPMS.

I'd be curious to hear if you found out whats goin on yet with yours... mines still doin it so it cant be that severe! I've put like 20k on it now! still makin the noise as loud as ever though... i might have the t belt changed and the valves adjusted and see if that fixes it...

i found this post that sounded so similar: http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=15602

[deevergote]

Feel your spark plug wires where they go into the head. See if you can feel a tapping on any of them.

I had a similar situation... only knocked under load. Turned out to be the #3 spark plug. The threads in the head were damaged, and the plug had been pushed up.

[Stanleybb50]

FYI - just did my own valve adjustment on it (which was a pain in the a**) - and it didnt change the noise I'm talkin about...

I've put 20k on it now with the noise... But it still sound pretty darn bad... I just don't know....

Might just say "f-it" and drive it til either my clutch goes or the t-belt breaks! (the way i figure, its better to just take my chances on not changing the belt if the engine is bad...) cause then i'd spend money on the belt... then the clutch could go, and i'd spend money on that.... AND the engine could give way at some point too after spendign all that money on this things...

the way i figure it, I'll prally just wait until the clutch and/or t-belt goes and then just swap a new (or used) motor in it and get it all done in one "pop" which would save a boatload of money in the end...?

[Stanleybb50]

Bump... Figured its worth a try that someone else may have been through this recently before I get the t-belt done in like a month or so... Don't wanna waste the $...

[Slowfinger]

Possible solution to knocking sound

Hi there Stanleybb50! I hope that this thread is not too old, but regarding your issue with the knocking sound, I may of found a possible solution. As far as everything you've said (symptoms wise), I have the exact same thing! It started very faintly right after I got my timing belt replaced last year in May (2013), so faint that it was so minor that I assumed it was just the trait of the big block 2.3L engine. The sound did get more noticeable as the months passed, enough that I slowly started to be concerned and started doing searches online for anything that resembled it. I was able to rule out a lot of things, including rod knock (my car only has 120,000kms - which is way too low for rod knock) (Car details: 2002 Accord Coupe with the 2.3L & 5spd). Well yesterday I noticed that annoying "helicopter/knocking" sound linger a bit longer than normal, even the more I drove the car, thinking it was thermal related and it might go away. I decided to invest in a mechanics stethoscope and I placed it all over the engine while revving it to the sweet spot where that annoying knocking would start. I ended up finding a weird "turkey/grindy" sound when I probed the bolt where the timing belt idler pulleys are located. When I revved the engine to 2000 RPM±, I can hear the fluttering sound plus the classic sound of a bad pulley hence the "turkey" Here is a perfect example of what I mean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi5BbsTT9v0

Now imagine a plastic housing over it and all the other engine noise too, it sure sounds like it to me. Of course today I tried it again (with the engine cold in the morning), and the noise wasn't really there, which to me kind of proves that the bearing in the pulley has to get hot enough to make that noise. I'm going to take it to Honda on Tuesday and get them to confirm this. I've read some forums stating similar problems which went away after they changed the water pump and idler pulleys. Again, I know it is not rod knock as I've had the car sitting in the drive way last week for 3 days with no use, and on the fourth day, I started it and it sounded normal, plus I pulled the plug wires for each cylinder while revving it to 2000 RPM ± and the noise stilled persisted. Plus this noise is softer than rod knock. We'll see what happens. Did you ever figure out the problem? Cheers!

[deevergote]

This thread was made almost exactly 6 years ago. Stanleybb50 hasn't even logged on since 2010.
It's kind of you to help, but digging up such an old thread for such a specific problem really isn't going to help anyone. It only serves to push current threads down, out of sight.

Helping is great. I encourage it. However, please try to help members that are actually active, posting in threads that are at least somewhat current!

[bobbycos]

more necroposting ??

i went through this thread and saw a few members who haven't posted in a long time

[illinois_erik]

[bobbycos]

screen shot from Vincent Price's version of "The Last Man On Earth" please




it's 2am and i started the dvr to record Bette Davis in "Dark Victory" (1939) for my wife

i love looking at the way they beat on some of those classic cars

late edit: Ronald Reagan with a raver haircut !