please i need help from auto expert in the house.My 1999 nissan altima suddenly could not start, mechanic told me the timing chain adjuster is broken and may have also affected the oil pump.It was suggested the engine should be changed!!! is this ok though the valve were not affected.

I will aslo appreciate the following infomation

1) The price of a complete engine, how reliable is this too,where can i get quality?

2) Price of timing chain adjuster and oil pump.

You need to check if the altima is a non-interfernce engine. If it is, a breakage in the timing chain will not affect the valves. But the KA24DE engine in the altima has a timing chain and this should not break easily. Check again to be sure. Open the oil filler coner on the crank case, and then have some one crank the engine. If the chain is OK, there will be valve movement, but if there is none, then it broken. Alternatively, have the mechanic open the crank case, and then you'll see both chain and cam-shaft(OHC engine). It should be clear if the chain is OK. Even if it is broken, the mechanic should be sure if the BDC part of the engine is affected. If it is, then you should be going for JUST the engine block, Crankshaft and the pistons. This will come with an oil pump (mind you all these are from the used car market at Ladipo).

You did not state if this happened in transit or after you stopped and wanted to take off.

If it is only the adjuster, this is a plastic part, and UNLESS it melted in the engine, and starved some parts (crakshaft, camshaft, tappets, oil pump) of oil, this should not be a problem. The adjuster is used to maintain tauntness of the timing chain, and you'd be suprised if the timing is merely missed, and as aresult the car will not start.

I bet u ,the timing was missed.Try another good mechanic if u have any.

I had same experience with my mits. Galant ,differrent mechanics suggested different things.Finally wrong timing.
Got a good guy from Aba who fixed it in a couple of minutes,still using the ride.

So bro,just be patient and look for a good hand to work omn the ride.

I am in ph though.

One love.

Thanks for your response.Initially the engine have been giving some cranking sounds which was attributed to timing chain. However one day it just refuse to start,though the mechanic now agreed that the engine is still ok but i shd change timing chain and adjuster,cog,damper, oil pump and metal. But will this still be better without cahnging the engine?What about if the metalic part of the broken adjuster is still in the engine?

I also learnt japanes engine are better than that from america, and more expensive too, pls why is this so.What is the fundamental difference.

If you have a friend in US you can have them buy a timing belt kit from NAPA, or buy the individual parts cheaper from Rockauto.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=ATM&PartNumber=05395100&Description=Timing+Kit

When your mechanic says metals, he means then crankshaft bearings. I do not think he should be straying too far into your engine. The craking sound are from the jangling chain with a bad adjuster because it is not taunt. So it must have dangled off the timing. Seek out a better mechanic. If your metals are bad, you will have a knocking soung when you rev the engine (you can use a stetoscope to the engine block if you have one), and the car will sound like a diesel.

Unless you see metal pieces in your engine oil when drained, and infront of the oil pumps screen, then you have no problem. Sometimes the metal does not make it past the filter screen of the oil pump pickup screen

All the best!!