Hey Scotty! I have a 2011 Nissan Frontier SV 4x4 5spd auto w/od 147K miles. I have a strange knocking noise and need help from the experts. I will provide a YouTube link below with the noise. Is this sound detrimental to my engine? Will it destroy my engine? I just bought this truck for 14,000$ from a Nissan Dealership. I don’t know if it’s rod knock, piston slap, or could it be because my timing chain is worn out and the ignition timing is at -36 degrees. Please anyone help, I’m 17yrs old and just want a long lasting reliable transportation vehicle. Besides this knocking and the timing chain needing to be replaced. This engine runs smooth and has no hesitation accelerating and in Scotty’s terms it runs like a clock. Please help! Thank you! Please tell me also with if it’s detrimental or not and if you would keep the truck even with this noise present.
YOUTUBE LINK
Also to add MORE INFORMATION, this sound is not apparent on the passenger side of the engine, as you can hear in the video, once I go to the opposite side. I can’t hear a single bit of the knocking noise. It only happens on the drivers side. I don’t know if this noise is common in these engines. It is a PFI engine. I REPEAT THIS ENGINE IS A PFI ENGINE. Not a gdi. Thank you!
My Tar Heel Brother - check this out -
Thanks Doc, is there any effect if I don’t replace the lifters? Like would there be huge catastrophic failure, if I just ignore it? Cause I don’t know how expensive a job like that would be? Do you think it’s detrimental to not change them?
Hard to tell but it sounds to me like some valve clatter from worn or stuck hydraulic lifters. A slight exhaust manifold leak can also make noise like that. But $14,000 for an 11-year-old Nissan pickup with nearly 150K miles? The world has gone crazy.
So what would you do in order to fix that valve clatter or fixing the hydraulic lifters, and how much would it cost?
If it were me, I'd replace the lifters knowing that it's an issue on this vehicle. Soak them in a bucket of oil overnight before installing them. Apparently, it's a fairly easy job to replace them, thankfully. Maintain recommended factory clearances.
Alright thank you!
Hey doc, my mechanic back near home. Said the sound isn’t noticeable until you lift the hood. And it’s where the point you have to stick your head in the drivers side of the engine to hear it. He said it’s not urgent to replace them right now. He said if they start getting extremely loud, he would just leave them alone till then.
He said the noisy lifters won’t cause fatal problems to the engine. He says until it gets loud enough where you can start hearing it outside the engine without the hood up, or start to hear it in the cabin. He’s advise replacing them. He said if it got bad enough it would throw a code as well. So he said to wait till that happens, so I don’t waste unneeded money, for a problem that’s not harming anything.
It sounds like your timing chain is hitting the front cover on the driver's side and if not fixed, it will destroy your engine. How do you like the dealer now?
Yep doc you were right 😂, So I’m guessing that’s why, cause it’s loose. It’s hitting the drivers side and I hear that noise on that side, and is why I don’t hear that noise on the passenger side.
If it's that loose it really needs to be taken care of ASAP.
The ignition timing is @-36 degrees at idle. So if that signifies it being that loose than please tell me.
There are a number of things that can affect ignition timing. Note that one of the potential causes is the knock sensor picking up unusual engine noise that makes the ECU "think" there is preignition taking place:
https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/49334/why-would-a-pcm-ecu-retard-timing-at-idle
If the chain is slapping against the front engine cover then either the chain is worn or the tensioner is not working properly. (A friend of mine has a car whose engine started making a terrible racket that you'd swear meant it had a major problem. The racket went away when the timing chain tensioner was replaced.)
You’re amazing chuck thank you! I appreciate all your help!
So what would you do in order to fix that valve clatter or fixing the hydraulic lifters, and how much would it cost?
If it's just some valve clatter I would leave it alone for now. I'd be more concerned about the possibility of a worn timing chain. Although it's unusual for a chain to actually break it could happen if badly worn and that's an interference engine. Did you get any kind of warranty? The timing chain setup on the V6 looks pretty complex.
Both the timing chain being worn and valve clatter (if that's what you have) at that age and mileage are both common symptoms of lack of maintenance. That engine really needs to be examined by a good independent mechanic to evaluate its condition.
Okay Chuck! Thank you, i didn’t get any warranty. Though im planning on getting the timing chain and the tensioner replaced at the Nissan dealership, cause I can’t find any independent mechanic to do it. Do you think if I get that service done I should be okay? It rides extremely well, and smooth when driving. It shakes at idle a bit. But other than that, it sounds super good. If I get that replaced, do you think it’ll last me a long while. It’s a one owner vehicle and a old man owned it and from messaging him he took decent care of it. So do you think if I get that service done I should be okay?
It's really hard to say, we can't really determine the overall health of the engine and the rest of the truck from a distance. I'm used to timing chains lasting much longer than that so have to wonder how well it was really taken care of. I'm also suspicious of that dealer. Although I hate to judge before all the facts are in it sure seems on the face of it they took advantage of you and will probably continue to do so. (That's the way most of them operate.)
At least being a truck you don't have to worry about the lousy CVTs that Nissan uses in its cars. Hopefully it will be OK.
Yes I know, I made a poor choice. I should’ve listened. I just was in a quick jump to buy a truck. But I am glad I don’t own a horrible Nissan CVT. I looked up the Nissan Frontier and Scotty said it would be a good truck to buy, he said it would be his second pick for the midsize segment. His first was obliviously a Toyota Tacoma. But they are so expensive.
The Frontier is overall a decent truck but when dealing with any vehicle that age and mileage the way it's been maintained and treated is everything. A lot can happen in 11 years and nearly 150K miles. Hopefully it will work out OK once the timing chain problem is resolved. Let us know how you make out.
Thank you so much @chucktobias and @doc I appreciate of y’all’s help! As a 17 yr old who is strict in money availability. I appreciate of y’all’s help. And I’ll make sure I let y’all know how it ends up! And if it fixes it great! If it doesn’t fix it, I’ll let y’all know and ask for y’all’s advice next.
Hey one last question chuck if you don’t mind, what “certain” lack of maintence caused this time chain failure im having. Like when I say “what certain lack of maintence” I mean like did the previous owner skip oil changes, highly rev the engine a lot, skip normal maintence. What type of maintence skipping causes this timing chain failure?
Lack of regular oil changes is what usually does it. Dirty oil causes wear in chains and guides. There are some designs that are just bad though, like GM's 3.6 V6, or the old Triumph Stag V8 that needed timing chain replacement every 25K miles.
Okay yeah I figured lack of oil changes, thanks again Chuck! I’m sorry I won’t waste your time any longer! I’ll let y’all know how it goes!
Definitely still sounds like injectors and that’s normal you could replace them all and it’ll sound the same way at idle
I would strongly recommend against going to a dealer for this repair. It would be worth it to do some research to find and independent mechanic to work with you on this one. Good luck and all the best from us all.
Alright Doc! Will do, I’ll try to search around and find some independent mechanic!
Alright Doc! Will do, I’ll try to search around and find some independent mechanic! Doc I don’t know where you’re located, but do you happen to know any good mechanics in NC, or do you think it’s worth driving 6 hours 424 miles there and back to schedule an appointment with Scotty?
I would not try to drive that truck on any long trip until this problem is fixed! Best bet to find a good mechanic is probably to ask family and friends who have had good experiences.
Sounds ok to me. Hereafter, just refer to it as "Character."
Okay so you think I’ll be okay without replacing them? Atleast until it throws a code or gets louder?
That's injectors
-36 degrees on your timing at idle? My BluDriver shows 15 degrees on my 2014 Xterra at idle (which has the same engine of course).
If the timing chain is as loose as it seems to be by the description it may well have skipped a few teeth.
I wish I had that ignition timing
😂😂 and yeah my timing chain is probably all out of wack. And that’s why it probably making this horrendous noise we hear.
Although I was born in Chapel Hill, I haven't been back to my Tar Heel state in a long time. I am sure that with some leg work, internet searches and forum reading, you'll be able to find a qualified outfit closer than Scotty to get this job done right for you. Never give up. You will succeed.
Alright thank you Doc! Have a great night!
Just curious what state are you from? For finding a tech purpose?
Also just from my perspective the only ticking I hear is the injectors and they are normally loud and more noticeable on the drivers side because the injectors are exposed and not under the intake manifold
R4nier you’re probably right man. Thank you so much. Yeah and I was ignorant. The ignition advance is 15 degrees. So it’s perfect. Ignition advance is supposed to be in between 5-20 degrees. So the timing chain isn’t worn. So the injectors make that noise? Yeahhh also, my fathers brand new Audi makes that ticking noise just like mine. Just a little quieter. Also my step mothers Acura makes that ticking noise too, at 30K miles. So you are dang right. Cause there is no way a NEW Audi (even tho German cars are over engineered) would make that noise if it was bad. Cause it’s definitely the same noise between mine and his car.
Also I’m from Hickory, NC! I just really wish I could find a good mechanic around me. Cause I don’t know, any good mechanics near me atleast who are honest.
I have a 2011 Nissan Frontier 5spd w/od auto 4x4 147K miles. Here’s a link I posted on another post (2011 Nissan Frontier Negative Ignition Timing) though I appreciate all of your help! I figured out I was looking at the wrong data, for worn timing chain. My ignition advance is 15 degrees. Which normally is supposed to be between 5-20 degrees. So my timing chain is healthy, if it wasn’t the ignition advance would be off, which it isn’t. So now the real problem is, what is this noise now, if it’s not the timing chain hitting the side of the guard. I have been proposed one of two ideas. Noisy injectors or Valve Clatter. Though let me provide you this information, my fathers NEW Audi (even though they are over engineered) makes the same ticking noise. ALSO my step mothers Acura w/ 30K miles has the same noise too. The only difference between my truck and their cars is both of theirs are GDI’s and mine is old school PFI. And I know GDI’s are known for their noisy ticking engines. So I wanted to ask y’all what y’all think about with this link I will provide y’all.
Do you think my engine will be okay and last a long time, even if the lifters aren’t replaced until it throws a code or it gets louder? Is my mechanics information correct, that it’s not fatal? Or what do you think?
Probably depends on the engine design. I'm not familiar with yours. Mine's been clattering away on and off for the last 10 years with no noticeable engine problems. Some engines may not be able to tolerate it.
Okay Chuck! I just am curious whether not what my mechanic said sounds legit, and you all agree with his statements he provided me.
I've owned many cars over the years that had some valve clatter and it never seemed to hurt them but as I said I can't say for sure about your Nissan V6.
Where would I check for that information Chuck do you know? Like if it’s okay to leave it or not?
A forum devoted to the Frontier may have people experienced with this issue on that engine.
https://www.nissanforums.com/forums/general-frontier-navara-discussion.193/
Thanks Chuck!