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Nissan Skyline: VQ timing chain / VTC actuator rattle (V35 & V36)

VQ timing chain / VTC actuator rattle (V35 & V36) is a common engine fault on the Nissan Skyline on the 2001–2014 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $2,000 to $4,500 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 41 documented faults on the Nissan Skyline.

Vehicle
Nissan Skyline
Engine
2.5L / 3.5L / 3.7L
Years
2001–2014
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Nissan Skyline 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 Skyline faults41 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 V35 and V36 Skyline's VQ25DE/VQ35DE/VQ37VHR V6s develop timing-chain stretch and variable-valve-timing (VTC) actuator wear, producing a distinctive rattle - often a short rattle on cold start that can become constant. Owners of the 250GT (VQ25) in particular report this. Ignored, a stretched chain skips and throws timing codes, or in the worst case damages valves. Regular oil changes with the right grade slow it down, so history matters.

What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Rough idle
  • Rattle under light load
  • Check-engine light with cam/crank timing or VTC codes

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chains and VTC actuators at the front of the VQ V6

  1. Cold-start and listen at the front of the engine for a chain/VTC rattle in the first seconds - the 250GT especially.

  2. Ask for oil-change history and whether the chains or VTC actuators have been replaced.

  3. Scan for timing-correlation codes.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,000 to $4,500 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.

Ask the seller

  • “Does it rattle on cold start?”
  • “Have the timing chain or VTC actuators been done?”
  • “How regularly was the oil changed?”

Now check the Nissan Skyline 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 the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • JustAnswer 'Nissan Skyline VQ25 VTC timing-chain problems explained'
  • SAU Community 'Nissan Skyline V35 250GT problems' thread
  • CarExamer Nissan Skyline common problems (timing chain)

Nissan Skyline buyer questions

Is vq timing chain / vtc actuator rattle (v35 & v36) serious on a Nissan Skyline?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Skyline. The V35 and V36 Skyline's VQ25DE/VQ35DE/VQ37VHR V6s develop timing-chain stretch and variable-valve-timing (VTC) actuator wear, producing a distinctive rattle - often a short rattle on cold start that can become constant. Owners of the 250GT (VQ25) in particular report this. Ignored, a stretched chain skips and throws timing codes, or in the worst case damages valves. Regular oil changes with the right grade slow it down, so history matters.

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

$2,000 to $4,500 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 Skyline years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2001–2014 Nissan Skyline. 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 and listen at the front of the engine for a chain/VTC rattle in the first seconds - the 250GT especially. Ask for oil-change history and whether the chains or VTC actuators have been replaced. Scan for timing-correlation codes. Look here: Timing chains and VTC actuators at the front of the VQ V6