deevel79

Hey Guys. I have an 02 I35, but since the maxima boards seem to get more views, i figured i post this here since its basically the same vehicle. For some reason, when im driving the car at low speeds, and the rpms are between 1800-1900 rpms, i get this annoying rattle from either under the car or engine bay. I was told that i could be the timing chain, but wouldnt it make noise all the time, and at any rpm? I was also told that i could be a heat shield, but i took it to a muffler shop and had it inspected. No loose heatshield. Everything was tight.

This noise ONLY happens in between the mentioned RPM's. Once i hit 2krpms, it completely goes away. WTF???

Double0Max

it is a weird rattle i had that on my 5th gen i never really found out what it was but when i had that rattle i had my o2 sensors changed at the dealership and after they where changed the rattle was gone..

deevel79

Changing o2 sensors took away a rattle? Interesting. What did the job run u at the dealership?

deevel79

I read somewhere that mysterious rattles are common on the 3.5's.

gotendbz1

iTrader: (1)

its proly pinging, does the rattle happen at 1700-2000rpm when u rrev the engine at park or neutral. if not the it is most likly pinging. what gas u use?

deevel79

I've tried to rev it in both park and neutral to see if the rattle occurs, but nothing. Only happens when im driving, and it comes on at right beneath the 2k rpm mark. I ONLY use 93 octane.

kcxd35

iTrader: (2)

It's pinging coming from the cat converter, it's normal and sounds nice, reminds me of an old mack truck...

deevel79

Positive on that? I cant stand it, and will go change the cat if that's the case. How can u like that sound? It sounds like a beat up grand marquis coming down the block.

kcxd35

iTrader: (2)

If you search you will find many threads on this, i'm positive on that but replacing cat won't help, Your just hearing the noise from there cause it's originating from the back side of the engine where your manifold connects to the y-pipe...I think it has something to do with the variable valve timing... It's normal, just make sure everything is good as far as plugs and oil and use 10w30 not 5w30 as this may help some...

deevel79

Ok. Thanks!

knight_yyz

iTrader: (40)

pinging isn't normal, but it is common on the vq engines. Try running higher octane and see if it goes away.

gotendbz1

iTrader: (1)

i doubt it coming for the cat. did it just start? or have you always had this ?

Try a different brand of gas and see if that helps, you can also try to run a bottle of chevron thru system. I have the pinging also and it is very annoying.

IF anyone has any other possible solution i would liek to know also.

Also for OP, if it sound waste when your going up hill or if the car is under more load. It is definitly pinging.

kcxd35

iTrader: (2)

Everyone i know on this board has pretty much tried everything from new y-pipe, spacers, higher octane, thicker oil, tune-up, seafoam, etc and the only way you are going to get that to stop is if you buy a different car, Don't waste your money trying different methods, just turn the music up and you won't hear nothing....

jeisai

Yeah, but me personally, I don't like sounding like some low rent Buick drivin' mother****er.

ZIPPIN

iTrader: (32)

I had similar at low rpm's. It was the cat heatshield.

Read this http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...ld-rattle.html

omartopsecret

i had the same problem like you, when the gas got ex$$$$$ my wife was putting the cheap gas, i dint no until the car started rattling. so i went to chevron and i put 91 octane or better. remember that you all ways have to put the gas that you owner manual tells you to put if not its going to make that sound if that doesn't work next time you do an oil change get an addictive like Lucas. and that will make your sound go away !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i jk i hope it does.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

I had the pinging issue when I was experimenting with 91oct Ethanol Blended fuel earlier this year, but when the the pinging became more prevalent - i went back to 93 only.

TODAY i began noticing the same rattling issue at low rpm's under load, and I've ONLY been using 93.

I'm going to read-up on the Cat-shield thing, and report back what I come-up with.

I HATE thinking my VVT is going to ****e.
I've had the VTC Rattle since I drove the car off the lot.

Oh - btw...I just rolled 69k. How about you guys???
Also - can anyone explain why this malody only occurs while you are underway/ engine under load?? --this is strange to me?!--

gr

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

I have that rattle too. It is very faint, the stereo has to be off to even hear it. Usually hear it going under 40 mph (in 4th gear) and very lightly accelerating. I guess I'll get under the car and look at the heat shield. The sound seems awfully quiet to be pinging and I only run Top Tier 93 octane gas. Of course, I guess some carbon build-up on the top of the pistons can up the compression just enough to cause pinging.

boris

My observations: I've made some maintenance work on the engine, including TB cleaning. After that I usually get somewhat higher idle around 750 RPM and hidden 0507code (idle speed). Driving in this condition, the engine runs surprisingly clean, no pinging at all. After the idle relearning procedure, the pinging immediately came back. I regret I did it can't get back to higher RPM, fooling ECU somehow. I prefer pay more due to the lower MPG (if it occurs) than destroy the engine by pinging

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Interesting. I had my TB cleaned (rather pay someone $40 than mess it up and have to buy a new DBW TB) and my idle went from around 600 to what appears to be around 725-750 or so. The FSM states that a 700 rpm idle +/- 50 rpm is normal. I haven't noticed that pinging sound since and that is with much quieter tires and doing the rear window wind noise fix so my car is quieter.

Maybe I am not listening hard enough but it has always been quite faint even when I do hear it.

djcallao

I had the pinging and I rolled like that for so long till one day i swapped out my MAF with a new one and it hasnt pinged since.

gtnumber1

I confirmed this today from a very experienced mechanic source from a Nissan dealership. The common engine ping heard between 1700-2000rpm under load will be imminent with the earlier 4th and 5th Gen. Maximas and 2002-2004 Altima 3.5 with the Multi-port fuel injection system(MPFI). This older style fuel injection causes some of the pinging under load because the injectors are fired in batches, instead of individually.That means that some extra gas is spurted onto some valves when they are closed, resulting in gas wastage, and when those flooded valves open on the next intake cycle, they let in that unwanted extra gas and there's pre-detonation in those cylinders. In the newer 6th Gen Maximas and 2005-up Altimas 3.5, they have the newer Sequential Fuel Injection(SFI) system, where each injector has it's own individual control circuit and each only injects the gas into the cylinder when the valves open, resulting in a balanced air/fuel ratio and zero pre-detonation. So the ping cure for the earlier Maximas and Altimas is to covert your MPFI systems to SFI.

inspiredbykev

iTrader: (35)

Is this just a matter of buying 04 max fuel injectors and just replacing with the ones that we currently have? Or is it more complex?

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Pinging doesn't come from the catalytic converter. It is caused by the gas prematurely igniting before the pistion reached top dead center and the spark plug ignites it. Incorrect timing advance, low octane fuel and carbon build-up on the pistons (which increases the compression ratio) are the typical causes of pre-ignition, aka pinging.

MADMAX2003

Try lowering your antifreeze percentage in the coolant mix to around 25%Antifreeze/75% water. Most people have their mix over 50%. More antifreeze in the coolant results in higher cylinder head temps, which causes detonation. Antifreeze(glycol) is a poor heat transfer agent. More water results in better heat transfer and lower temps, therefore, pinging will be reduced. Each percent of antifreeze equals 1 degree rise in cylinder head temp. In addition, add Redline Waterwetter to help reduce the surface tension of the coolant,further helping with ping reduction, hence,the ECU will keep the timing advanced for more power and better gas mileage

SpooledVQ35

I have the exact same issue with my 02 vq35. I also use 93 octane gas and changed the plugs to 1 step colder as well as the typical maintenance.
It is annoying and it gets worse when the weather is warm...

joebangaa

iTrader: (3)

IT IS THE TIMING CHAIN!

ADD OIL!

PINGING DOES NOT COME FROM THE CAT! WOW

Nevermore

iTrader: (2)

yes I had the exact same problem I was using royal Purple and my engine burned it all up!!!! and was really low on oil! I switched over to Castrol GTX and my engine hasnt burned anymore oil since and the rattle went away

vball_max

iTrader: (5)

It's not low oil.......

This happens all the time, not just when the oil is low. If it was that simple, do you think this many people would be having the same problem???

SpooledVQ35

4.5 quarts and you say add more?

joebangaa

iTrader: (3)

OP has yet to confirm his/her oil level for us in this thread

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

I will confirm that my oil level is at the full line and I have the same problem. 1700-2000 rpm rattle. I tried some octane booster and that seemed to help, or so I thought. Heard the rattle again yesterday. Still sounds like light pinging but I guess it is possible there is a heat shield rattle too since the sound seems to come from the back side of the engine.

joebangaa

iTrader: (3)

I'll admit, I can faintly hear mine every now and then even with the oil level topped off but it is definitely an oil-related issue. Even when it is <0.5 qt from the Full mark on the dipstick, the noise increases.

And no I don't have heatshields.

daredevil514

iTrader: (1)

I have the same problem on my 02 max, it happens to be my center CAT.

Here in canada we have a 8 year 130 000KM Nissan warranty, but with my luck I'm at 132 000KM. I'm fighting nissan canada to get the repair done under warranty. Anyone think they will give in and do the repair?

NSMO240

iTrader: (5)

at the dealership i work at we have seen the passenger side upper engine mount get a little saggy and cause a noise, i dont know if its the same noise but it also happens on a cold start up in cold weather.

lowincash

iTrader: (2)

i had that sound on my 02 and i absolutely hated it. whenever i heard that sound i either ease off the gas or push the gas more to get past that rpm range. i got that sound only after engine is warmed up. when i first drove the car in the morning it there's no rattling chain sound. only after engine is warmed up will i hear that sound. i don't think it has anything to do with the oil. i had that sound before the oil change and still same annoying sound after oil change. i've also noticed that murano's have them too. there's one in my neighborhood and when he drove by i can hear that rattling chain sound quite noticeably.

maxpassion

This mysterious rattling sound is due to a bad Rear Monifold heat shield my xperience with rattling sound comes from owning 4 maximas 86 94 98 2003se.My 86 94 2003se had this problem but had desappeared every single times heatshield is changed. This problem is not caused by engine problem or lack of oil like most people here assumed because the problem is only present when car already hot or driven uphill. It takes many hours of labor to fix this problem but your local muffler shop can fix it for u. TO ALL MY FELLOW MAXIMA OWNERS. THIS RATTING SOUND IS CAUSED BY REAR MONIFOLD HEAT SHIELD!!!! my experience on this particular issue comes from owning maximas all my life.

kcxd35

iTrader: (2)

So the rear manifold heatshield rattles only at 1900-2200 rpm lol...Also I had a 99 SE-L and this never happend and I have been part of the NYC crew for a while and noone ever had this problem till people started buying 01-03 max's...

ershi30

iTrader: (6)

My brother had his cattman headers and y pipe installed a couple of weeks ago. The noise is still there. We thought it was the pre-cats,main cat, heat-shields...but with all that removed...the noise is still there...My mechanic says it sounds something related to the timing chain. One nissan tech told me its because I have sludge in the engine and I would have to replace the timing chain..and timing parts..etc...would cost me $2500 for the job..Of course I didn't go that route. Some people recommended me to add a bottle of lucas when I do an oil change. I have yet to solve this rattling sound.

sublime258

iTrader: (9)

Why does it take so many hours of labor? What has to be done?