Timing Belt or Chain? Sentra

I think I understand what you are saying... Mid 80's had a belt and afterwards have a chain? Thus my 1997 has a chain?

The very model Sentras had a timing belt ,mid 80's, E16 and E16I engines

after the switch to the GA series engines can about they used timing chains

Sarcastically posted: Re: Doesnt anyone read a manual anymore???? [nt]

Yes, some of us do... But when you buy a used car and don't have the manual, and you want to get a jump on the maintenance schedule, you go to the next best source and hope people are not so stupid to tell you the answers that are obviously not going to help anyone.

I sure do miss the days when newsgroups were actually helpful and not full of idiots posting sarcastic answers that really don't do any good whatsoever...

Your Sentra has a timing chain. All Sentras 1995 and later are timing chain motors. They either have the 1.6 liter GA16DE motor or the 2.0 liter SR20DE motor, both with chains. Something like 95% of Sentras of that generation (95-99, the B14 sentras as they are known amongst enthusiasts) have the GA16DE.

CD

Thank you. Great info.

Yes , the Sentra did have a timing belt at on time, some of the B12 model sentra's had a timing belt.The way to tell was by the engine type, if you had a "E" series engine (E16, or E16I engine it had a timing belt , if it had the GA series engine (GA16E or I) it had a chain.

When the B13 series sentra came out with the GA16DE engine and or the SR20DE engine they were ALL timing chain engines.

since then ALL the engines have had a timing chain.

The 97 sentra you have has a timing chain, it needs no service unless poor maintenence habits have been pracitced... i.e. not changing the oil