Please advise…Timing belt tensioner go bang. (11 Viewers)

[nissanh]

I think whoever tighten those two bolts at the tensioner torqued too hard and was in severe strain and eventually both snapped. I don't think the belt can put that much pressure on the adjuster bearing arm to push the tensioner out of it place by snapping the two bolts. Your tensioner is still in one piece. Only broken parts are the two bolts. Do you see any markings on the tensioner?

 

[JungleMunkee]

I think whoever tighten those two bolts at the tensioner torqued too hard and was in severe strain and eventually both snapped. I don't think the belt can put that much pressure on the adjuster bearing arm to push the tensioner out of it place by snapping the two bolts. Your tensioner is still in one piece. Only broken parts are the two bolts. Do you see any markings on the tensioner?

 

[Moparsncruisers]

It snapped the bolts, something forced it out from where it was.

Which is why my guess is they weren't tight when installed. If those bolts were torqued down i highly doubt they both would just shear like that. Even if the tensioner pulley failed. Thats the "loose" side of the belt.

 

[JungleMunkee]

Well right/passenger (even cylinders) bank is out of time. Coincides with the codes I got. Belt is perfect. I bought a bore scope and leak down tester to check cylinder health after this but everything looks fine. That was my first big job so maybe I did forget to tighten or over tightened. Lasted 68k miles at whatever rate.

 

[Nardulli]

Is it in time? Put it Tdc and see if the marks line up.
What’s all that buildup on the old tensioner?
The amount of force it took to jettison that tensioner is your biggest problem.
As you take it apart the culprit will become obvious.
Borescope the cylinders to look for evidence of piston / valve contact.
Don’t try running the engine before you discern the root cause.

 

[JungleMunkee]

Is it in time? Put it Tdc and see if the marks line up.
What’s all that buildup on the old tensioner?
The amount of force it took to jettison that tensioner is your biggest problem.
As you take it apart the culprit will become obvious.
Borescope the cylinders to look for evidence of piston / valve contact.
Don’t try running the engine before you discern the root cause.

No the passenger cam is off time significantly. I have it at 50 degrees atdc and the drivers side is perfectly on in the pic I attached. Might be hard to see. Borescope is happening tomorrow. It was dirty all around the lower area. I’m not sure what it is yet.

 

[vipergrhd]

Were you able to extract the broken bolts? Are they cross threaded? The bolts must have had stress cracks to just snap clean, it doesn't look twisted due to over tightening. Could you compress the tensioner easily? Who did your last T/B job?

 

[JungleMunkee]

Were you able to extract the broken bolts? Are they cross threaded? The bolts must have had stress cracks to just snap clean, it doesn't look twisted due to over tightening. Could you compress the tensioner easily? Who did your last T/B job?

Yes they spun right out with lock grips after soaking them in penetrating oil. Couldn’t compress it on the floor. I did the last timing belt change 68k miles ago.

 

[JungleMunkee]

I scoped the right side cylinders and there was no contact made. It’s chunky in there though. They were all similar except no.6 spark plug was loose so I’m sure that’s part of it. It didn’t rip out threads though, luckily.

 

[JungleMunkee]

I have more but this is the general state of my 2001 with 287,500 miles. Indeed, does indicate it’s not an interference engine.

 

[JungleMunkee]

Is this too much oil and build up inside? It looks like a lot. Worn rings? Do I need a head gasket considering this and all the rest of the gunk on the engine lower?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Have you done a compression and/or leak down test?

 

[JungleMunkee]

Have you done a compression and/or leak down test?

No sir I’m working in that after lunch. The timing belt is off but it’s already out of time, so I guess it’s no big deal to move the crank. The left cam is in time right now though.

 

[JungleMunkee]

Here is cylinder 3 on left for comparison. Valve seals bad?

 

[nissanh]

Don't do a head gasket. Valve seals can leak with the age and there are ways to install valve stem seals without removing the head from the engine. It will burn oil at the first startup and that's it. this is another good thread to prove non-VVTi are non interference.

Add Gumout to your fuel tank to clean up the injectors and potentially the buildup inside the cylinders. It is about $3.60 at Walmart and the best cleaner I have seen in the market for less than $4.

That continental belt looks fine for 68K miles!