mckennaiii

it's got 103k on it.
is it a must to have the timing belt changed at 105k?
should i have the water pump changed at the same time?
any help / advice will be appreciated.

jadcock

Yes, and yes. If you don't change it, you're really just running on borrowed time. It may never break. It might break in a few thousand miles. The only given is that it's not going to break sitting in your driveway -- it's going to be while you're driving somewhere, and you'll probably going to sustain quite a bit of damage to your engine if that belt breaks. Certainly, Nissan is going to build some buffer in there, but if they say change it at 105k miles, they mean change it at 105k miles.

The water pump is a no-brainer. It's got to come out anyway. Usually, a mechanic will purchase a "timing belt kit" which includes all the seals and gaskets and parts, and usually includes a new water pump.

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Jason Adcock
Always Tread Lightly!
1995 4x4 XE King Cab - 189,000 miles
1997 Cadillac Seville - 141,000 miles

mckennaiii

any idea what the cost is involved to do both the timing belt and water pump?
when the timing belt is changed is there any loss of engine oil?

jadcock

While I haven't done the job, and never have had one done, I'll offer my observations from this and other forums regarding the issue.

1) It seems that most Nissan dealers are charging in the neighborhood of $500-800 for the job. It's pretty labor-intensive.

2) The oil will be drained I believe, as the front cover has to be removed from the engine to get to the timing belt. The entire front engine basically has to be disassembled.

Don't ya just love engines with timing belts?

__________________
Jason Adcock
Always Tread Lightly!
1995 4x4 XE King Cab - 189,000 miles
1997 Cadillac Seville - 141,000 miles

lewisnc100

Recent discussion on this:

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=57176

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1997 Pathfinder XE
Air Lift Air Bags, Warn Hubs

mckennaiii

i sincerely appreciate all the info that has been posted. i called the local nissan dealer today and they quoted a price of $645.00 to replace the timing belt, tensioner and water pump. i have a local one mech. shop do all my work and i can trust him and he can fix anything so i'll have him do it. his charge will be between $300.00 - $400.00 parts and labor.

96R50

The timing belt, tensioner and the water pump should all come from Nissan. They have the best price that I have been able to find. Those parts will be roughly $200. You don’t need to drain the oil, but you will have to remove the radiator, or at least you should for the added clearance.

A few things to add. Give yourself a new thermostat and at least the upper, lower and intermediate radiator hoses. My hoses started to leak around 140,000 miles. And while you or your mechanic is in there, replace the camshaft oil seals. These too should come from Nissan and they cost about $6 each. The seals are a common cause of the oil leak most often found on the starter or the alternator. Contrary to Nissan’s manual the seals can be removed and replaced without removing the camshafts. Use a long #3 Phillips screwdriver to tighten your valve covers. I find that about once a year mine need to be tightened. The loose covers are another source of oil found in the engine bay.