Nissan X trial Aventura DCI 2008 - Timing chain

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Thu 15 Aug 2013 16:39
Nissan X trial Aventura DCI 2008 - Timing chain - Kburn

My car broke down in France recently and the garage says its the timing chain.

They now want about 600 euro to strip down the engine to see how damaged it is.

The engine died without drama going a short incline. There was no noise of the sort you might associate with valves crashing into pistons etc. The engine turned over strongly but would not fire.

I am told that this a "non interference" engine - what ever that means. I rather hoped it meant that the chain could be replaced without too much expense.

However a Nissan dealer in the UK said that this was not regarded as a "safe" engine. He had never heard the term "non interference".

Nissans have computer analytics available , and I know the garage plugged in a lap top, but I don't know whether the codes will be any help here.

There is also clearly a language barrier as I have schoolboy French and the garage has very limited English.

Green Flag are on the case and have fluent French speakers but apparently no technical knowledge.

Can anyone unpick this situation for me? is an engine re-build likely etc?

I appreciate that any respondent will be in the dark , but not as quite so far in the dark as I am at the moment!

Thanks

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Thu 15 Aug 2013 17:29
Nissan X trial Aventura DCI 2008 - Timing chain - Collos25

If the agents have never heard of "non interference "engines then he is in the wrong job,stripping the engine down is the only way a true appraisel can be made of the damage.These engines are prone to chain failure and can cost a pretty penny when they fail I believe the kit alone is in the many hundreds plus labour it is often cheaper to write the car off or obtain another engine.If the engine is a belt driven Renault sourced engine then its in its homeland and you may be lucky and get away with a new belt but they fail for a reason either an ancillary part has failed or its passed its sell by date.

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