Login  |  Register
Nissanhelp.com - All About Nissan
Do-It-Yourself Maintenance Owners Manuals Recalls/Campaigns Service Bulletins Service Manuals Nissan OBDII Codes Glossary & Acronyms More...
Member's Ride Photos Stock Photo Gallery
Classifieds - For Sale Classifieds - Wanted To Buy Classifieds - Mechanic Wanted Classifieds - Auto Services Search Auto Parts
Register FAQ Social Groups Mark Forums Read
2002 Altima - Belt slap/slip - dealer can't fix Forums > > 2002 Altima - Belt slap/slip - dealer can't fix 2002 Altima - Belt slap/slip - dealer can't fix
Forgot Password? Join Us!


Altima Nissan Altima Sedan Discussion Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #61  
Old 10-24-2010, 08:14 PM
AltimaPR's Avatar
AltimaPR AltimaPR is offline
Enthusiast
2003 Altima
2003 Nissan Altima 2.5
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Puerto Rico
Posts: 74
Default

Replacing the alternator (or less expensive yet, just the alt pulley) will fix the belt slapping....only. This is something only visible at low RPM's when in park or stopped. In other words, if you see the belt vibrating wildly with the AC on at low idle, changing the alternator pulley should fix the issue. If you have a noise coming from the engine when it's on the road and you checked that the belt is not flapping, there is no need to change the alternator pulley or alternator at all. Why would Nissan change the alternator without checking the motor mounts if no vibration was present at the belt?
Reply With Quote
  #62  
Old 10-24-2010, 09:19 PM
rafeee2 rafeee2 is offline
Registered User
2005 Altima
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 4
Default

You know, this whole issue seems to have a different solution for each case. I do have vibration at the belt, I did change the alternator and nothing happened. Changing the tensioner makes the sound go away for a day or two tops, then it comes back.

As for your question "Why would Nissan?", the answer is because my dealer sucks :D

I have the sound @ low RPM's, A/C on, gear shift in D and I'm on the brakes.

I also feel some overall harshness/vibrations when I'm idling, moving from a stop, shifting from N to D or N to R, etc... That's why I'm changing the rear (maybe also left) engine mounts. I'm choosing these 2 because I've just recently changes the front and right (belt side) ones.. Also at the dealer :D
Reply With Quote
  #63  
Old 10-24-2010, 09:43 PM
AltimaPR's Avatar
AltimaPR AltimaPR is offline
Enthusiast
2003 Altima
2003 Nissan Altima 2.5
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Puerto Rico
Posts: 74
Default

I am just curious as there is nothing else that may create vibration at the belt. You mentioned you had replaced the tensioner, alternator (that would cover the pulley) and also the belt. I have changed my 4 engine mounts about three times since new and this time around I have used all original Nissan parts, so I hope it does make a difference. For one, I noticed a modification on the mount that is located below the alternator. This one is the most common one to fail and you cannot see it has split open as it has a round disc that covers the side. Nissan inserted an additional rubber strip and used a plastic strap to hold it in place (so much for high tech engineering mods). What this does is limit the actual movement of the rubber inside the mount which seems made it fail.
Reply With Quote
  #64  
Old 10-24-2010, 11:25 PM
rafeee2 rafeee2 is offline
Registered User
2005 Altima
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 4
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AltimaPR View Post
Nissan inserted an additional rubber strip and used a plastic strap to hold it in place (so much for high tech engineering mods).
Yeah I noticed this! When I saw it I thought "Damn, my new mount is already broken"
Reply With Quote
  #65  
Old 10-25-2010, 01:53 AM
streamcast streamcast is offline
Master Enthusiast
1997 Altima
1995 Sentra
1995 Nissan sentra
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: CANADA
Age: 53
Posts: 1,214
Default

us_matrix
Registered User
2002 Altima
2002 Altima US_ MATRIX you find a solution to your noise. Have not heard from you. In regards to the noise being present without a belt illiminates the alt p/steering, a/c, idlers and tensioner. Therefore, the crank pulley, timing chain, transmission and valve train is what is left. Engine mouint highly unlikely if the noise is at idle trans in park unless the mount has totally failed. The noise you have it is not belt slap. Let me know what is going on. us_matrix
Registered User
2002 Altima
2002 Altima
Reply With Quote
  #66  
Old 10-25-2010, 01:18 PM
us_matrix
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I have not found any solution and have not tried anything lately. The last thing I tried was changing the belt tensioner plus anything else I tired was posted in here. However, the noise reduced almost 90% by itself. I do not know why and it just reduced 90% of the noise. It is very strange.
Quote:
Originally Posted by streamcast View Post
us_matrix
Registered User
2002 Altima
2002 Altima US_ MATRIX you find a solution to your noise. Have not heard from you. In regards to the noise being present without a belt illiminates the alt p/steering, a/c, idlers and tensioner. Therefore, the crank pulley, timing chain, transmission and valve train is what is left. Engine mouint highly unlikely if the noise is at idle trans in park unless the mount has totally failed. The noise you have it is not belt slap. Let me know what is going on. us_matrix
Registered User
2002 Altima
2002 Altima
Reply With Quote
  #67  
Old 10-25-2010, 09:35 PM
rafeee2 rafeee2 is offline
Registered User
2005 Altima
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 4
Default

I wouldn't say "reduced by itself" if you've actually changed everything that was posted here :)
Reply With Quote
  #68  
Old 10-03-2011, 08:56 PM
MattPo MattPo is offline
Registered User
2003 Altima
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 4
Default

Hey everyone, thanks for the awesome information about the belt noise! I was having the belt noise/shaking issue too (2003 Altima 2.5). When I would come up to lights with the AC running the belt was making noise and I found the belt shaking pretty bad. I saw the car running at low RPM so I tried the Idle Air Learning which did not work. I had time today to check the Alternator and found that it did rotate freely in both directions. I went to Autozone and checked out a new one. You can definitly tell the difference the clutch must have been fried in the old one and causing the resistance. I bought the new Alternator (~$170) and replaced. Replaced the serpetine belt too (~$18) while I was at it. The belt is the toughest part. To loosen the belt on the auto tensioner using a 14mm wrench and rotate CLOCKWISE.

A seperate problem, but I replaced the Crankshaft Position Sensor last week after getting stranded on the freeway. Car is running smooth and sounds great!
Reply With Quote
  #69  
Old 07-18-2012, 05:41 PM
JaxxpACIFIC JaxxpACIFIC is offline
Registered User
2002 Altima
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AltimaPR View Post
How much did you pay for that alternator? Was it a Nissan part or an aftermarket? Afermarket units that I have searched ARE remanufatured AND the used pulley is carried over to the remanufactured unit and is something not checked for faults in the rebuilding process. The alternator pulley is based on a clutch disc that may seize and create this vibration, same force tha it was designed to absorb. If you changed all that you said, there is nothing else to change in the belt path that may create abnormal vibration. My alternator is good, but the pulley was melted together. You do need a special tool inserted in the pulley to extract it from the alternator body.
This is it.

Although.. I would be ticked if I end up needing to get new motor mounts too.

But so far so good.
Reply With Quote
  #70  
Old 09-17-2012, 08:03 PM
gokings97 gokings97 is offline
Registered User
2005 Altima
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1
Default

so just add to this post since its helped me out alot: I had the same issue and took my alternator to a local shop (b1clutch in san fernando valley) and had the guy replace the pulley and check out the alternator. Charged me about 80 bucks. I dont know why but he spray painted my alternator black for some reason. My alternator pulley did spin freely before but just to be safe had them change it. Anyhow I also replaced the belt and belt tensioner. The belt tensioner would wobble when i spun it in between my fingers. After all said and done it is running very quiet. Only thing is not sure if it was the tensioner or alternator pulley that was bad. just glad noise is gone
Reply With Quote
  #71  
Old 09-18-2012, 03:24 AM
Boland01 Boland01 is offline
Enthusiast
2009 Altima
2005 Armada
2005 Armada Le
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 66
Default

On my 2009 2.5L Altima I had the dreaded engine vibration in drive at idle especially with the AC running. Checked my alternator clutch and it was releasing in one direction albiet not very well.

Just replaced the alternator with a rebuilt unit and the car is now 95% smoother in gear at idle with the AC on. Seems that was the issue. BTW, I've already replaced my upper and lower torque struts as those were worn out. Hope this post may help someone who's experiencing the same issues.
Reply With Quote
  #72  
Old 09-19-2012, 04:05 AM
ggrec1 ggrec1 is offline
Registered User

2003 Altima
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1
Default Same problem - fixed

03 Altima, 2.5L had the same belt slap problem as described in this thread. Went on for a few months and there was a deep sounding noise under the hood, couldn't pinpoint it, sounded like it could be a manifold leak or something. Also alternator seemed to be hotter than it should be. Pulley seemed ok. Anyway the alternator started to crap out (charging at only 10V), replaced it yesterday and belt is smooth and quiet and no more noise under the hood. Seems like this alternator has a strange failure mode.
Reply With Quote
  #73  
Old 09-19-2012, 05:36 AM
DCARLTON DCARLTON is offline
Tech Enthusiast
1995 Maxima
2002 Altima
1997 Maxima GLE
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 268
Default

In 99.9 percent of the cases, replacing the alternator will correct the issue of 'belt slap'. And if I'm taking the alternator off the car, I'm replacing the alternator, not replacing the pulley considering the fact that putting a new pulley on an alternator with over 100,000 miles on it just doesn't make sense to me; the inside components of the alternator will fail before the pulley does and then you're replacing the alternator anyway.

I did notice on my daughter's car that prior to the belt slap condition, I heard a noise that sounded like the bearing was going out on the alternator but then it was quiet again. I thought nothing of it until researching the issue of belt slap that it was most likely the pulley that was making the noise prior to it failing.
__________________
1995 Maxima SE (313,000+ miles 10/2012)
1997 Maxima (193,000 miles - bought from daughter when she traded for a Hyundai Elantra Coupe)
2002 Altima (daughter - totaled 12/2011 with 210,000 miles)
2012 Altima (daughter - replaced 2002 with 8 miles, now with almost 30,000 miles)
Reply With Quote
  #74  
Old 09-23-2012, 07:21 AM
AltimaPR's Avatar
AltimaPR AltimaPR is offline
Enthusiast
2003 Altima
2003 Nissan Altima 2.5
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Puerto Rico
Posts: 74
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DCARLTON View Post
In 99.9 percent of the cases, replacing the alternator will correct the issue of 'belt slap'. And if I'm taking the alternator off the car, I'm replacing the alternator, not replacing the pulley considering the fact that putting a new pulley on an alternator with over 100,000 miles on it just doesn't make sense to me; the inside components of the alternator will fail before the pulley does and then you're replacing the alternator anyway.

I did notice on my daughter's car that prior to the belt slap condition, I heard a noise that sounded like the bearing was going out on the alternator but then it was quiet again. I thought nothing of it until researching the issue of belt slap that it was most likely the pulley that was making the noise prior to it failing.
I would agree, if one can spare an average of $600 on a new Nissan alternator or if I worked for a Nissan service shop and need the added insurance that a car worked on is not coming back. Money that can be better spent on gas these days.

I special ordered the pulley stateside, along with the proper extracting tool needed, all in all for a fraction of a new Nissan alternator. My alternator has over 120k miles and is still running strong. You may want to open and replace the rotor brush assembly if you want additional reliability but that's as far as I would go if everything else checks out. I did a thorough job cleaning and inspecting my unit and it still looks like the day it rolled off the dealer, but that's just me.

Last edited by AltimaPR; 09-23-2012 at 07:27 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
2002, altima, belt, dealer, fix, slap or slip

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 03:46 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.42 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.