D40 timing chain tensioners - which part numbers?

[Pat]

Hi all,

New member and new owner of a 2009 D40 here.

I bought my D40 with a blown head/gasket (@ 130km) and will be rebuilding the engine soon with the help of a mechanic mate. I’ve spent the last week trawling the forum and am pretty confident in what needs to be done – thanks for all the info on the site

As part of the rebuild I’ll be using OEM Nissan timing chain parts (I can’t afford the YD25.com / Billcar / Yorkshire engines duplex conversion options) but have a question around the tensioners. The OEM part numbers for my Spanish assembled 2009 are 13070-BN300 & 13070-EC00A, but those for Thai assembled and/or 2010+ Spanish models are 13070-EB70A & 13070-EB71B.

I find it hard to believe that they’re different given:
- All the other timing components are the same,
- The chains must need the same pressure(?),
- Surely the mounting points are the same(?),
- All pictures of the YD25.com / Billcar kits show the later model tensioners

Is it the case that the ones recommended for 2010+ models are simply redesigned versions which might lead to less failures (which I think are more common on 07-09s) so I can use them?

Given the number of timing chain issues, I’m sure others have looked into this so I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who can confirm one way or the other. Cheers

 

[Czechmate]

The timing chain on my 07 spainbuilt STX snapped at 70,000 k's, so i feel a sense of duty to weigh in here

Im pretty sure the spanish built 05-09 STXs had a timing chain sourced from a company in France that was under spec for the job, hence the high (ahem) number of timing chain failures and following hideous reputation of the d40 navara in Australia

So i would be EXTREMELY cautious putting a genuine Nissan chain back in. I have heard that replacement genuine chains for the older spanish built models have now been updated, but gee whiz its a hell of a risk.

My d40 had no rattle, low ks and was treated like a queen (serviced every 5000 ks) and still snapped the chain very early on

After the snappage I put in the German made iwis chain duplex kit from yd25.com.au

I think it was worth every cent and more, it had literally twice the meat in it than the snapped, munched up Nissan chain we pulled out of the bottom of the timing case after the failure

Paul at YD25.com.au has put in a huge amount of work to perfect the kit, and has taken all of the risk out of a timing chain repair/upgrade by importing top quality chains and manufacturing their own sprockets here in Queensland.

I have no affiliation with yd25.com.au, just a really stoked customer

 

[Pat]

Cheers for the response Czech.

I'd read your previous posts on this and you had damn bad luck, others seem to have got away with a lot higher kms before going bang (mine for example is 130km and hasn't snapped - will be interested to measure its wear).

Given the kit that I'm looking at covers the Thai and 2010+ Spanish models, I agree that the replacement chain shouldn't be a dodgy french one. Also, seems a big co-incidence that the Spanish 07-09 tensioners are different, maybe they were/are the weak link (pun intended) rather than the chain itself?

I appreciate the advice, and believe me, if I could afford the YD25 kit I'd go down that route but to get one of those here in NZ is nearly $2k once you factor in duties & GST. I just don't have that sort of cash to spare.

I don't trust the aftermarket simplex kits, or the cheap duplex ones so the best option to me seems like the OEM route which I can do for $690 NZD - but the kit includes the 2010+ tensioners hence my question about compatibility.

I'll check the chain wear in 30000 or so kms just to be sure.

Any thoughts from anyone on the tensioner compatibility appreciated....

 

[Czechmate]

I didnt realise you're in NZ, i agree $2k is a lot.

by the looks of it the current genuine nissan timing chains are made in Japan
thats good news for sure


I had about $10k spare when my car went bang ( and i needed nearly $8k of it), as a near new STX d40 purchase price was about $10k less than a hilux SR5
I had prepared myself for a timing chain nightmare scenario

It still sucked though

 

[Chris Foreskin]

Hi all,

New member and new owner of a 2009 D40 here.

I bought my D40 with a blown head/gasket (@ 130km) and will be rebuilding the engine soon with the help of a mechanic mate. I’ve spent the last week trawling the forum and am pretty confident in what needs to be done – thanks for all the info on the site

As part of the rebuild I’ll be using OEM Nissan timing chain parts (I can’t afford the YD25.com / Billcar / Yorkshire engines duplex conversion options) but have a question around the tensioners. The OEM part numbers for my Spanish assembled 2009 are 13070-BN300 & 13070-EC00A, but those for Thai assembled and/or 2010+ Spanish models are 13070-EB70A & 13070-EB71B.

I find it hard to believe that they’re different given:
- All the other timing components are the same,
- The chains must need the same pressure(?),
- Surely the mounting points are the same(?),
- All pictures of the YD25.com / Billcar kits show the later model tensioners

Is it the case that the ones recommended for 2010+ models are simply redesigned versions which might lead to less failures (which I think are more common on 07-09s) so I can use them?

Given the number of timing chain issues, I’m sure others have looked into this so I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who can confirm one way or the other. Cheers

Hey mate

just a quick suggestion, there are a lot of people jumping in thinking the headgasket is blown.
Have you checked your EGR cooler? The EGR cooler is a problem. If it cracks internally, it will give the same problems as a head gasket.
It’s easy to pull of and pressure test it.

chris

 

[Pat]

Hey mate

just a quick suggestion, there are a lot of people jumping in thinking the headgasket is blown.
Have you checked your EGR cooler? The EGR cooler is a problem. If it cracks internally, it will give the same problems as a head gasket.
It’s easy to pull of and pressure test it.

chris

Hi Chris thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely have a look.

Just to check, I have white exhaust smoke plus water in the oil - would the EGR cooler cracking give both symptoms?

Cheers

 

[Chris Foreskin]

EGR will cause white smoke and yes there is a possibility the water can get into your sump. Because exhaust gas goes back into the inlet manifold and if water is leaking into the gas area it can send the water into the combustion chamber and can course water to pass your pistons into the sump.

 

[Chris Foreskin]

And if the egr is that bad, all you have to do is pull it off because you’ll have to pull it of anyway. Blow into the water side with your mouth and on the water outlet block with your thumb. If you can push through with your breath and hear Air coming out the gas area, you know it’s stuffed. And if you strapped for cash. Put a egr delete kit on it for now until you get cashed up. A delete kit you can buy online for about $130.

 

[Chris Foreskin]

And if it is that, you can spend your money and put a double row chain on it.

 

[Chris Foreskin]

Also depends on what you use it for

 

[Pat]

Thanks v much Chris,

I'll have a look at the EGR before going after the head. And yup, I might then be able to afford the duplex kit which would be a bonus!

 

[maddon]

yeah and the double row chain is brilliant

 

[Pat]

Hi again,

I now have a shiny new OEM timing chain kit in front of me (including revised tensioners & chains from those originally fitted to my car), all sealed in factory wrappers and a third of the price from the local stealers. A week to get from the UAE to NZ isn't bad either. Time will tell how well it lasts.

As people suggested I've checked the EGR cooler, and it doesn't seem to be leaking when I blow into it so guess its OK. I was going to remove the cooler completely, but the nuts on the exhaust side are rusted on so tight I recon I'd need to take the alternator etc out to get enough leverage (and reach the bottom nut) so put that in the too hard basket for now.

I also took the glow plugs out to do a compression check, but after taking them out (which for once was easy) I remembered that a joint on my compression gauge had exploded last time I used it to check the compression on a jeep (needless to say it had lots of compression!) so had to put that idea on hold too.

Anyway, when I pulled the glow plugs, 3 look normal, but the 4th (front one) is covered in white stuff as per the picture below. The plugs all measure the same resistance, so the plug's not faulty...

So whats the cause of the white stuff? Evaporated coolant (i.e. my head/gasket is blown on the front cylinder)?

Thoughts?

?

 

[Pat]

So just to close this one off. Turns out that the EGR cooler was the problem (thanks for the heads up Chris) despite it not appearing to leak when I blew into it - I guess leaks might only shows up with more pressure and/or when it heats up, or I just have puny lungs!

If I was doing this again I'd put compressed air into the EGR cooler to give it a real test (before taking the head off)

The cooler is now blanked at both ends and coolant hoses bypassed, a lot cheaper than replacing it. No codes thrown.

Thanks for the help.