i just got a 92 SE-R and I have started to notice that my timing chain is making alot of noise and clatter. I have 128,000 on the clock. Should I repair just the tensioner, or replace the whole thing. About how much money am I talking to replace it. Is this a Nissan Stealership only thing or is it easy enuff that I can do?

Sounds like the tensioner. The chain, in most cases, is good for many many more miles. check out this site. It will give you some insight:
http://www.se-r.net/site_index.html
Look around. Somwhere in my bookmarks, I have a great site for your problem. I will add it on to this post when I find it. With those sort of miles on your car, here are other areas to watch for:

Water pump.
Hydraulic valve adjusters (common).
wheel bearings.
fuel pump (some times).
Baulk rings in trany (sycros).
Air flow meter grounding.
Engine mounts.
EGR system stuck.

Some of this stuff is easy to fix, but hopefully the last owner did most of it already. When it comes to timing chain, I would have a dealer do it unless you feel up for the challenge and have a FSM (factory shop manual). I'll get back with web site.

Cossie

See my post "Popcorn popping sr20" and let us know if it sounds similar. It almost sounds like there is something losse under the valve cover. I can mostly only hear it at low rpm. I have diagnosed my problem as the tensioner most likely. It cost me $56 buck for the tensioner and gasket from courtesy.

I think the site that cossieturbo is talking about is Rick Zotz's. Check it out: http://www.zotz.com/nissan/proc/default.htm

if you change the tensioner, be VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY careful how hard you torque the bolt! check the fsm for torque specs, although i doubt you can get a torque wrench in there. mine snapped off and i don't even want to tell you how friggin' much i paid to get that thing extracted/replaced.

well, i am sad to say i just heard the new today. I took my car to the local mechanic and he said that it is INTERNAL engine problems. Most Likely a rod or something. So my SE-R I bought 3 weeks ago is already broken. What are the chances of me finding a SR20DET for around a 1000 dollars?!?!?!?

I'd open up the valve cover just to see if it's anything easy. It might just be a rocker arm. It's worth a shot....Let us know

I hope you trust this mechanic. I know a lot of them are night time grave robbers when it comes to anyone who is not sure what is wrong with their ride. The bottom end of these engines are very tough. I have heard a rod on "one" SR20DE, but that engine had just been rebuilt by a blind man. Any doubts about your engine, just get an imported JDM DE or DET. I crunched numbers on it and i'm looking for an SR20DE 10:1 which usually goes for $600.00 to $650.00. Then cost of install comes to about $1,300. Now I don't think there are too many mechanics that will do a proper rebuild for that price. This is the age of the disposable engine and more power. Go for the DET bloke!!! ;)

Cossie

well this guy said he would get me a rebuilt engine and install it for 3500 dollars....i bought the car for 2600 dollars 2 weeks ago. I will try to drive it to another mechanic. Where can I find a JDM SR20DE or SR20DET for real cheap? I dont care if it is used.

you can get a JDM SR20DE for $600-$700 along and have jgycustoms (www.jgycustoms.com) install it for $500 and you are good to go for $1200.

check jgycustoms to see if Jason can get the motor for you too.

you probably have the dreaded spun rod bearing, a relatively common problem with the SR20, it is usally cheaper/easier to just throw a $500 JDM SR20 in there

My dad just recieved his Primera 10:1 engine from Watanabe in CA for $250.

The guy on the phone tried to sell it to him for $400, but I bugged him while he was on the phone that they have sold it for $250 before.

Shipping was $150.

As far as reliability, I can only offer anecdotal evidence...

I got mine from Watanabe, installed it myself, and have been driving it around for almost 3 years now.

They also have a 6-month warranty.

what is watanbe's phone number and do they sell sr20dets? how much more power does the jdm sr20de have than the us spec sr20de? is it that noticable? Also is they quality as good if not better??

Originally posted by NissanGuy01
what is watanbe's phone number and do they sell sr20dets? how much more power does the jdm sr20de have than the us spec sr20de? is it that noticable? Also is they quality as good if not better??

(310) 763-6420, That's the one in Lynwood. They have three other locations, but I called the one in Lynwood.

Its not so much the added power (allegedly ~10hp?), but its the increase throttle response and what feels like an eagerness to go.

Quality? Don't know, but I think Nissan made all the SR20's at the same plant in Japan, IIRC.

sounds like what happened to me-lost the #3 rod bearing,nursed it home but the damage was done.$70 for bearings from the dealer,crank got a little damaged,smoothed it out best i could,after 6hrs of work,still knocks,guess i didn't smooth the crank enough,so back to takin it apart and hopefully i didn't hurt the new bearings too bad to reuse.if that don't work its jdm sr20de or i'm gonna just say fuck it and go right for the det-
anyone ever seen any bad complaints about jgycustoms,they are only like an hour and a half from me.

i think i am just gonna go for the jdm engine from watanabe for now. then at the end of the summer take a drive to virginia and talk to jason g young about a dog and his sr20det. I hope to have enought money saved up from working this summer to get the det.