What's this noise - can anyone help?

[Evo]

Not slight meshing between the starter and flywheel?
I have had that before on a few different vehicles, only certain revs, sometimes idle, sometimes driving...
Just a thought if it is that area.

Evo

[cgm]

Well, couldn't find anyone that I was confident they knew where the noise was coming from. Definitely a couple of guys willing to change my timing chain and charge me with some additional "white man" tax. (I also had no real clue in the end other than thinking it could be timing chain)

So, back to my Land Rover mechanic as I trust him not to be trying to rip me off. He stripped the top half and thinks it is worth changing the tensioner. Didn't seem to be doing it's job properly. Had to wait on parts today and hopefully fixed tomorrow. Will be interested to see. Fortunately his labour is pretty cheap. Will find out how cheap tomorrow.

[cgm]

Ok, just got it back today! There was a slightly longer story since the last post. The next day from above there was almost an attempt to give it back to me, in that it was back together, but there was literally no power. He had just changed the tensioner only, but he was convinced that the timing chain was out on the bottom gear. I was puzzled, but I think he was half covering that he already suspected/knew it was going to be wrong. He and his boss had a socket on the end of the crank with a big bar pushing it back and forth to try and see if there was slack in the chain from the tensioner. Seems when going in the opposite direction it must have slipped a cog. That's the only theory anyway. At that point the car was running and idling fine, but just had no power at all when you put your foot on it. But, the noise was already gone, so it seems it was from the tensioner not keeping the pressure on properly. So, meant to be a lifetime thing with a chain, but obviously not so with this one. I don't really know the early service history, only from the previous owner, but each owner knew the one before (I'm 4th in line), so I think it should have been ok.

Maybe bouncing it off the rev limiter too many times before hitting the bottom of a sand dune isn't really that good for it ...

My mechanic kept it for an extra week, stripped the whole thing down and changed the timing chain, realigning everything to the timing marks. Now it is running beautifully and the NOISE IS GONE.

Just wanted to update this and close it incase someone is searching one day, it is nice to see the final outcome.

I am one very happy camper.

[Col.T]

Good one Cam,
proves that if you lead a clean life the Gods smile on you.
Mind you, bouncing off limiters must have run you very close with the God of Nissans.
Beaudy,
Col

[cgm]

Thanks Col. Definitely nice to have it going properly again. Driving around town tonight and still no sign of the noise, so seems to be fixed. Hard to really know why mine needed the fix and most don't.

Really spoilt here with parts and labour. All up it cost me 1100 SR (about 300 dollars) for all the parts including gaskets, timing chain, tensioner, full synthetic oil, bottom radiator tank repair, coolant, etc. It was slightly less than that for the labour costs (1000 SR). Given that he took the top off (as per the photos), put it back together and then repeated the procedure, but pulled the whole front off to change the chain (including main pulley, etc.) I think I've done really well (would have spent more than 2 days full on it I think). Finding this guy was a real win as he seem competent, but very genuine and wants to do the right thing. My friend who has a Land Rover found him.

The rev limit thing is not a common or desired outcome, but it has happened a few times, especially if someone just made it up somewhere and you've missed it a few times!! Nice thing really that they at least put in some protection from over enthusiastic people like me! Hard for them to protect you against some of the unexpected suspension bottoming that happens sometimes (what goes up must come down).

They are a tough truck and I really enjoy having mine. Next on the list is to get around to having the same guy help me put the Spartan locker in the front. Want to participate in that one so that I learn something along the way.