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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Nissan’s VQ V6 name covers several engines and vehicle applications, so there is no single problem list or repair that applies to every VQ. Timing-chain noise is a documented concern on some applications, but a rattle or whine alone does not prove the chain has failed. Start with the exact engine code, model year, vehicle, and symptom; then compare them with the applicable Nissan diagnostic procedure or service bulletin.
Which Nissan VQ engines and symptoms are covered?
VQ30, VQ35, VQ37, and VQ40 engines are not interchangeable for diagnosis. Even procedures for engines sharing a VQ35 designation may differ by vehicle and engine variant. The Nissan materials discussed below cover particular mechanisms, vehicles, and conditions—not every VQ engine or every model year.
The best-defined information here concerns timing-chain guides and tensioners, a specific VQ40DE secondary-chain noise condition, selected VQ35 timing-chain procedures, general oil-leak guidance, and a narrow VQ40DE idle bulletin. Nissan’s technical publications do not establish a VQ-family failure-rate ranking or typical repair cost.
What can cause VQ timing-chain noise?
Nissan TechNews’ Summer 2016 technical article explains that the VQ30, VQ35, and VQ40 six-cylinder engines it discusses use three oil-pressure-operated tensioners to keep a main timing chain and two secondary chains taut. Weak tensioners or worn or broken guides can let a chain become noisy or loose. A loose chain can wear further or jump timing; excessive tightness can produce whine and binding. A damaged guide left unaddressed can contribute to internal engine damage.
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- Part Number:VQ35DE
- Application:for Nissan Engine
A hard rattle from beneath the timing cover at cold start, a sound that changes with engine speed, or noise that quiets after warm-up can be clues to investigate. They are not proof of a broken guide or failed tensioner: other sources of engine noise need to be ruled out using the diagnostic procedure for that vehicle. As Nissan TechNews puts it, “Tensioners can weaken and cause the chain to be noisy, loose, and in extreme cases even jump a tooth.”
VQ40DE: a specific secondary-chain buzz or whine
Nissan North America bulletin NTB09-128a (2009) describes a narrower condition: a high-frequency buzz or whine from the VQ40DE secondary timing-chain system that increases in frequency as engine RPM rises. If the sound does not track RPM in that way, the bulletin says the chain system may not be the source, so diagnosis should continue rather than assuming its repair applies.
Rank #2
- Fitment: Fit For NISSAN XTERRA 4.0L 3954CC V6 DOHC, (24 VALVE), ENG CODE "VQ40DE" 2005-2010 , Fit For NISSAN FRONTIER 4.0L 3954CC V6 DOHC, (24 VALVE), ENG CODE "VQ40DE" 2005-2010 , Fit For NISSAN PATHFINDER 4.0L 3954CC V6 DOHC, (24 VALVE), ENG CODE "VQ40DE" 2005-2010 .
- Part Number： Water Pump:WPN702,PA1287,1502320,AW9426, 21010-7Y026; Oil Pump:15010EA200, 15010EA20A, 1610082Z20,15010-EA20A; Timing Chain Kit:13091-ZK00A, 13070-ZK01A, 13070-ZK01B, 13028-ZK01C, 13085-EA200, 13070-EA200, 13085-EA210, 13028-ZS00A, 13024-7Y000, 13021-7Y000.
- Package Included: 1 X Oil Pump, 1 X Water Pump, 2 X Cam Sprockets, 1 X Timing Chain Lower, 2 X Timing Chain Upper, 1 X Crank Sprocket (26 Teeth), 1 X Tensioner Lower (Primary) , 1 X Tensioner Upper (Left Side) , 1 X Tensioner Upper (Upper Right), 1 X Guide Rail (Tensioner Rail) , 1 X Guide Rail (Upper Fixed Rail) , 1 X Guide Rail (Lower Fixed Rail). (As The Main Picture Shows)
- Notes: 1. Please Check The OE Number, Model, And Year Before You Purchase. 2. Please Feel Free To Contact Us If You Are Not Sure Whether The Item Is Fit For Your Vehicles.
- Customer Service: 1 Year Warranty.
For a covered vehicle with the condition confirmed, Nissan specifies replacing both secondary timing chains and both secondary-chain tensioner shoes, then changing the engine oil and filter. The bulletin identifies parts including chains 13028-ZK01C and shoes 13097-ZK01C, as well as related seals and Nissan liquid gasket. These are bulletin-specific parts references, not a universal VQ parts list; confirm current fitment against the vehicle and parts catalog before ordering. Nissan states that the repair instructions are for qualified technicians, not DIY use.
VQ35DE: revised procedures for selected vehicles
Nissan North America bulletin NTB10-046, dated March 19, 2010, provides revised engine timing-chain service procedures for 2004–2006 Altima with the VQ35DE only, 2004–2008 Maxima, and 2004–2009 Quest. It addresses removal and installation of the chain case, chains, and tensioners. Its existence does not mean every listed vehicle has a timing defect, and it should not be applied to a VQ35HR, VQ37VHR, or another engine variant without confirming the correct procedure.
Rank #3
- 【OE PART NUMBER】 Specifically designed to replace OE# 13028-JK20A, this High-Performance Timing Chain Kit for the VQ37VHR 3.7L engine provides the exact fit and factory-level precision needed to unleash smooth, powerful operation in your Nissan or Infiniti sports car.
- 【COMPATIBLE MODELS】 Engineered for the high-revving VQ37VHR, this kit fits 2009-2013 Nissan 370Z, 2008-2013 Infiniti G37 models, the 2013 FX37, and 2014 QX70. Ensure your 3.7L performance engine gets the precise timing chain components it requires.
- 【GRADE DURABILITY】 This premium timing chain kit features components built for high-RPM durability. The new tensioner and guide rails are key to eliminating the common startup rattle and ensuring smooth, quiet, and reliable power delivery from your VQ engine.
- 【PACKING LIST】 Your complete VQ37VHR timing chain kit arrives with: 1x 200-link chain, 2x 66-link chains, 3x tensioners (part#s 130701MR0A, 13070JK21C, 13070JK21B), and 3x guide rails (13085AL505, 13091AL502, plus one more) for a comprehensive service.
- 【FIWARY QUALITY ASSURANCE】 We stand behind the quality and fit of every kit. Your FIWARY timing chain kit comes with assurance, giving you peace of mind for your Nissan 370Z or Infiniti G37 performance engine repair or maintenance project.
How to approach an oil leak or low-oil warning
First identify the leaking fluid and locate its source; color alone is not enough because different fluids can look alike. Nissan’s general oil-leak guidance, published December 16, 2021, notes that engine oil may leave a greasy brown or black puddle, while underbody shielding can catch fluid before it reaches the ground. A low-oil indication, blue smoke, or burning smell are reasons to check the oil level and investigate promptly.
Possible engine-oil leak points include the oil-pan, valve-cover, or head gaskets, the oil filter, the drain plug, or a damaged oil pan. Low oil can cause severe engine damage. If a leak is suspected and its source is uncertain, Nissan advises stopping driving and arranging prompt inspection rather than buying parts based on a guess.
Rank #4
- Part Number:VQ35DE
- Application:for Nissan Engine VQ35DE
- Note:The Cylinder Liner is Semi-finished type
Do not infer a “gallery gasket” or oil-passage-gasket failure from the VQ family name alone. The Nissan materials cited here do not establish a universal affected-year range, prevalence, or standard repair across VQ variants. Any such diagnosis needs to identify the exact engine and vehicle, check oil pressure as appropriate, and follow vehicle-specific service information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can cause a rough or low-feeling idle on a VQ40DE?
Nissan bulletin NTB13-021b, amended March 9, 2017, covers specified 2010–2015 Frontier and 2010–2012 Pathfinder and Xterra vehicles with VQ40DE engines and RE5R05A automatic transmissions. Its starting condition is an apparently low or rough idle with no engine diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) stored. Nissan directs technicians to the bulletin’s model-specific diagnostic flow chart; it cautions against replacing engine mounting insulators for this issue unless they are visibly leaking.
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This bulletin is not a general fix for every rough idle, even on a VQ40. Confirm the model year, transmission, engine, and no-DTC condition before using its diagnostic path.
How to choose the next diagnostic or repair step
- Identify the vehicle and engine. Record the VIN, model year, model, market, engine code, transmission where relevant, and any stored DTCs. Confirm the engine variant rather than relying on “VQ35” or “VQ40” alone.
- Describe the symptom precisely. Note whether noise occurs only at cold start or continues warm, whether it rises in frequency with RPM, where it seems to come from, and whether the concern is a leak, oil warning, or idle quality.
- Check bulletin scope. Compare the vehicle and symptom with the specific Nissan bulletin. A bulletin is a procedure or repair for a defined condition, not proof that every vehicle in its year range has the problem.
- Confirm the cause before authorizing parts. Ask the shop what diagnostic finding connects the symptom to the proposed component, whether the repair covers all parts specified for the confirmed condition, and whether the procedure and parts fit the exact vehicle.
- Use current vehicle-specific information. Nissan’s bulletin index explains that bulletins provide engineering-approved modifications, procedures, or parts for particular conditions. Procedures and parts can vary by market or change over time, so verify current service information and fitment by VIN.
For maintenance intervals, use the Nissan schedule for the specific vehicle and driving conditions rather than applying a single interval to all VQ engines.
What the available Nissan guidance does—and does not—establish
The documented procedures are strongest for the specific timing-chain and idle conditions described above. They do not establish how often failures occur across the VQ family, a mileage threshold at which a part should be replaced, typical repair prices or labor times, or a universal ranking of “most common” VQ problems. They also do not comprehensively cover every VQ generation, oil consumption across variants, or every market. Use the bulletin that matches the vehicle and verified symptom, not a family-wide reputation or an assumed parts list.
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