My xterra stopped running while driving it. Is there a timing belt or a timing chain?

I find it dubious that a vehicle 13 years old only has 61 thousand miles on it. They are 4 cylinder engines and the belt needs to be changed every 65 thousand.

it sounds like it jumped time check your belt or if it has a chain check the tensioner.

timeing belt needs to be replaced every 50,000 miles

On a 3.3L engine V-6, Nissan recommends replacement every 105,000 miles, note that this is an interference engine, that piston to valve damage will happen in the event of a timing belt failure.

Xterra with 2.4L and 4.0L have timing chain only, no timing belt.

It has a timing belt, not a chain. Easy enough to check your owners manual. From memory, belt is to be replaced at about 100,000 miles or 160,000 km give or take.

Chain

the starter wont, you may have lost your timing chain/belt

belt

It's has a timing belt, also it's an interference engine, if belt goes bad it will bent valve's .

I had a timing chain problem, It made a noise for about 3 years and it decided to break last May, the engine just totally stopped. My 99 cavalier had 164,000 miles on it. My friend and I found out the the cavalier 2.2 eng. has a non interfer timing chain. so when my timing chain broke it didn't cause any damage.