Nissan 370Z: VQ35DE/VQ37VHR Timing Chain Primary and Secondary Tensioner Rattle

The VQ35DE uses a three-chain layout: one primary chain driving an intermediate shaft, and two secondary chains feeding each camshaft bank. The hydraulic tensioners, particularly the secondary units, lose oil pressure after cold soaks because the check valves allow oil to drain back to the sump overnight. On the VQ37VHR the arrangement is similar, and tensioner oil galleries are narrow enough that marginal oil viscosity or extended drain intervals starve the tensioner pistons, allowing chain slack to slap the plastic guide rails. Prolonged operation in this condition wears the guides, which can shed debris into the sump and eventually allow chain jump or guide rail breakage.

• Metallic rattling or slapping from the front of the engine on cold start that diminishes after 5–15 seconds of running
• Persistent ticking or chain slap at idle that worsens when oil is low or degraded
• Variable valve timing fault codes P0010, P0011 or P0021 with associated loss of mid-range power

Watch for: Metallic rattling or slapping from the front of the engine on cold start that diminishes after 5–15 seconds of running. If a workshop inspection is possible: Start a fully cold engine and listen for a metallic rattling or slapping noise from the front of the engine that lasts 2–10 seconds before quieting; check for stored VTC codes P0010/P0011/P0021; remove the valve covers to inspect guide rail condition and chain stretch using a dial indicator at the cam sprocket; verify oil level and condition, noting any grey sludge indicating guide material in the oil.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

$1,800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “Does the engine rattle on a cold start before settling?”
• “What is the oil change interval and what oil grade is used?”
• “Has any timing chain or tensioner work ever been performed?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.