One of those times when doing a job just right was not enough well at least when relying on certain parts quality that should be unquestionable.

 

So here we have a build using all new bearing, pistons, rebuilt heads, all new gaskets, brand new turbo`s, and full 60k service. oh and a manual conversion at the same time.

 

All parts were supplied by the owner and a simply case of stripping down and rebuilding up, the engine was not damaged but the owner wanted to edge his bets a little.

 

Following a text book fit up and the normal pre-start precautions ( priming turbo`s etc) the engine started and ran!!! but that initial "a job well done" feeling later evaporated away when the oil gauge reported a pressure issue! as a new sensor had been fitted we earthed the sensor cable and this confirmed the gauge was working fine........... so what next?

 

Good oil pressure is essential of course and why when doing this build many new parts were fitted including the oil pump all replaced with brand new Nissan items from Z1 Motorsport (owner supplied)

 

So with this in mind we were able to discount the new parts as the problem and so that left another area to suspect and the main one was some sort of blockage in the main gallery.....argh!!!

 

Either way removing the engine and stripping down again brings its very own level of disapointment that can kills your enthusiasm there and then. So after another obligatory cup of tea to refresh the mind we came up with an in car test, a pain still but far less than a full strip down.

 

The engine was supported from above and the subframe completely removed, then the sump was removed and now we could see what was happening.

 

 

Sub frame removed

 

 

Sump Removed

 

 

 

Unfortunately this told us less than we had hoped, the pick up tube was clear, the pick up tube O ring was correct and new, the oil filter ( Nissan ) was fine and had been changed anyway early into the checking.

 

So with heavy heart I knew we needed to remove the oil pump to check the gallery to the oil filter from the oil pump, so the front of the engine was stripped again! this then gives enough access to then remove the oil pump.

 

 

Very quickly it was established that the gallery was clear as it should be and the pump registration onto the crank was fine..... time for another cup of tea!

 

So here we have an old pump and the brand new item along side each other,

 

 

Based on a hunch and a damm fine cup of tea we removed the new oil pump back plate and also removed the old pump back plate for comparison.

 

The old pump was checked for tolerances between the pumping gears and between the outer gear and body..and was remarkably in good nick, in fact well within tolerance and actually re-usable if you wished too.

 

 

 

 

The new pump was also checked and the gear to gear and gear to body tolerances were found to be ok, note I said ok not as new? however when the gear edge levels were checked they were found to be under spec by quite a margin too?? we removed the gears and found them to be undersized, not worn ( new remember) the fault had been found and was actually a manufacturing fault!

 

So a replacement pump and rebuild back up and problem gone! I can say I have never seen this before and even spoke with Jimmer ( thanks matey) and its well unheard of to have a faulty oil pump from brand new.

 

I would love to end this thread with a "and the moral of the story is "..... but I don`t know what it would be, except when dealing with engine faults don`t close your eyes to possible causes just because new parts have been fitted.

 

Have fun.

 

Jeff TT

Edited November 7, 201114 yr by JeffTT

Incredible...

 

Great pictures and great reading...

 

Thanks......

Cracking read Jeff,

It just goes to show you can not assume anything these days.

Maybe a poor copy/fake do you think?

What would be the legal standing of the customer in this instance Jeff?

 

Surely if a new part has been purchased by the customer direct from Nissan, and that part was proven to be faulty, then surely they have a good cause to insist that Nissan foot the bill for any additional labour costs acrued as a direct result from the fitting of the faulty part (ie. additional strip down of the engine and fault finding etc)?

Excellent write-up as usual Jeff.....

 

.....and it really does prove that, during fault finding, one should not automatically disregard any part just because it's new!!

 

I seem to remember reading something along those lines in a Haynes manual (or similar) back in 1987.....!!

 

Richard:thumbup1:

Incredible...

 

Great pictures and great reading...

 

Thanks......

 

Your very welcome.

 

Jeff

 

Cracking read Jeff,

It just goes to show you can not assume anything these days.

Maybe a poor copy/fake do you think?

 

Well defo has all of the Nissan markings on.....doubt it would be fake from where it came from, well hope not.

 

Jeff

 

What would be the legal standing of the customer in this instance Jeff?

 

Surely if a new part has been purchased by the customer direct from Nissan, and that part was proven to be faulty, then surely they have a good cause to insist that Nissan foot the bill for any additional labour costs acrued as a direct result from the fitting of the faulty part (ie. additional strip down of the engine and fault finding etc)?

 

Yes difficult one, especially when dealing with a supplier in another country, also the parts were bought a long time ago.

 

Jeff

some invaluable advice in that report. As always just shows how much zedworld know there stuff.

top job in finding what must of been a proper head twitching problem to diagnose.

top job jeff.

great detective work there Jeff - imagine how many people/garages would have given up half-way through.

never under estimate the power of a brew :)

never under estimate the power of a brew :)

 

i think he should let us know what tea bags he uses , or is it a trade secret

i think he should let us know what tea bags he uses , or is it a trade secret

 

Can only be Fair-lady tea eh?

 

Jeff

 

Ahhh!-a Mechanics life is not an easy one hey mate!

That's a sign of a good zed mechanic right there....have a brew.....ponder over the problem for a minute or two.....have another brew.....tinker for half an hour.....problem solved :thumbup1:

 

 

whereas a bad zed mechanic will stare at your zed (and several other peoples zeds)....crack open a six pack....stare at your zed some more whilst scratching his arse.....have another can (or five) of Fosters with his mates....ignore the problem......adopt some of your parts and bill you for the privelage before driving off into the sunset :thumbdown:

Jeff.. thank you so much for the heads up, I have developed a rumble when starting and ocational top end tapping along with drops in oil pressure, exellent photo's of the access to this job, the factory manual is good but pics are always a great help..... jap slapper I have used people like that one too many times and now I dont give the Z to anyone to fix.