Timing Belt

[SargeRX8]

Hey all,

Ive been getting some noise from my head. It kind of sounds like lifters but I very much doubt it is. It sounds more like a symptom someone else was having there the timing belt, at lower rpm, makes noise under the belt cover. It could also be the tensioners.

Anyway. Is it advisable for someone to change their own timing belt? Ive got manuals, guides etc. Id say ive got medium mechanical skills but I am not too sure about this job as it looks pretty big.

Should I go with a genuine Nissan belt? I am modding the car to produce about 280rwkw. I just don't want to risk the belt snapping or anything. Ive taken off the cover and the belt still feels firm, there are no tears or abrasions either. It looks healthy. Its just this noise which disappears at about 1300 rpm which is annoying. Its like a chomping kind of sound. chomp chomp chomp chomp and it speeds up a tad when I rev it abit then completely disappears.

If I want to get a shop to change the belt what cost on labour should I be looking at? Can any mechanic change a belt or is there some fancy bullshit about a skyline? Its just a regular motor, like any other belt so I'm sure any reputable mechanic can do it.

[75coupe]

is it by chance a gates timing belt, a blue one???

[SargeRX8]

Looks like the standard nissan black one i would have breathed a sigh of relief seeing a blue belt. Id know its at least been changed..

[FTO]

I've had a stock timing belt on a RB25DE do 230,000k (not intentionally!) and come off looking like it's hardly worn. Had replacement belts shred at 87,000.

For my money I rank them like this:

1. Nismo

2. Gates blue

3. OEM Nissan

wouldn't bother with anything else.

The noise is most probably the idler or tensioner bearing seizing up and the belt dragging over it. I'd be replacing it real quick..better than a rebuild.

Not hard to do at all, couple of hours work.

[R TUNE]

You can change but it is a days work and the hard part is getting the cam timing right, but if you have manuals you should be fine.

I would recermend a gates timing belt kit, as it also includes the tensioner and idel pully, which is a good idea to change at the same time.