No problem my 2005 nissan altima has 61,000 miles. I need to know if it has a timing belt or a chain if so when does it need replacing

Hi Ray,click on link to see the timing chain removal guide.

You need to know if your car engines is a interference motor first !! An interference motor is when the timing belt breaks while you are driving and the valves stop but the piston heads keep going up into the valves and destroys them and the heads that hit them. Usually for a mechanic will charge you about 50 or 60 dollars an hour so he has the book that tells him how long it will take to replace the timing belt so go call several of them they will say the same thing trust me I have called many of them in the past myself.

Timing chain. Normally they will last for at least 150,000 miles or longer. If it becomes noisy or car is hard to start, backfires, or performance is sub-par have it checked.

The 2005 Nissan Altima has a timing chain, not a timing belt.

Follow your owners manaul, it has all the services needed according to mileage, of course if you havent been following the book, it doesnt do much good, and you are overdue for Coolant, Trans fluid/ filter, belts, filters, ect. Your car should have a timing chain.

It's a chain, and there are complete R&R instructions at AutoZone.com: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/repairinfo/repairguide/repairGuideContent.jsp?pageId=0996b43f80381cca.

If 105K is the recommended interval, I think I would at least perform an inspection for stretching and maybe make sure the tensioner is still holding it tight.

do it now before its to late

That's a load of **** they are feeding you.The timing chain tentioner has a fault and not tentioning the chian.I think you have done a good thing keeping it on synthetic oil.That causes less wear on moving parts than other oils.

If the engine spins over very fast like it is not under any kind of pressure then the timing chain/belt has failed. There is a considerable amount of damage that can accrue when this happens. You may not be able to replace the chain/belt and repair the problem now. It may actually be cheaper to replace the motor now than repair the old one. So they may both be correct. Hope this helps. Good luck.

it will be a belt