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Nissan Presage: KA24DE Timing Chain Stretch and Guide Rail Wear

KA24DE Timing Chain Stretch and Guide Rail Wear is a common engine fault on the Nissan Presage on the 1998–2003 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $2,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 14 documented faults on the Nissan Presage.

Vehicle
Nissan Presage
Engine
KA24-DE
Years
1998–2003
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Nissan Presage as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Nissan Presage faults14 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The KA24DE 2.4-litre chain-driven DOHC engine is susceptible to primary timing chain elongation as mileage accumulates, particularly when oil change intervals exceed 7,500 km or when low oil pressure conditions have occurred. Chain stretch causes the plastic guide rails and tensioner blade to wear prematurely, allowing the chain to slap against the timing cover and progressively retard intake and exhaust cam timing, resulting in rough idle, power loss, and eventual cam position fault codes.

What you would notice

  • Metallic rattling or slapping noise from timing cover on cold start that may persist at idle
  • Rough idle and hesitation under acceleration, worsening progressively as chain wear advances
  • Check Engine light with camshaft position sensor or variable cam timing fault codes
  • Reduced power output and increased fuel consumption due to retarded cam timing

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine block, behind timing cover on driver's side

Cold-start the engine and listen for a metallic slapping rattle from the timing cover that settles after oil pressure builds. If a workshop inspection is possible: Use an OBD-II scanner to check for camshaft position correlation codes P0340 or P0345. If accessible, remove the timing cover inspection plug to probe chain slack directly; more than 10 mm of free movement indicates replacement is required.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$900 to $2,000 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.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the timing chain or any timing components ever been replaced, and do you have receipts?”
  • “Does the engine make any rattling or ticking noise when first started from cold?”
  • “Has a check engine light appeared, and has it been diagnosed?”

Now check the Nissan Presage you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

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.

Nissan Presage buyer questions

Is ka24de timing chain stretch and guide rail wear serious on a Nissan Presage?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Presage. The KA24DE 2.4-litre chain-driven DOHC engine is susceptible to primary timing chain elongation as mileage accumulates, particularly when oil change intervals exceed 7,500 km or when low oil pressure conditions have occurred. Chain stretch causes the plastic guide rails and tensioner blade to wear prematurely, allowing the chain to slap against the timing cover and progressively retard intake and exhaust cam timing, resulting in rough idle, power loss, and eventual cam position fault codes.

How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Presage?

$900 to $2,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Nissan Presage years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1998–2003 Nissan Presage. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Cold-start the engine and listen for a metallic slapping rattle from the timing cover that settles after oil pressure builds. If a workshop inspection is possible: Use an OBD-II scanner to check for camshaft position correlation codes P0340 or P0345. If accessible, remove the timing cover inspection plug to probe chain slack directly; more than 10 mm of free movement indicates replacement is required. Look here: Front of engine block, behind timing cover on driver's side