Zed came home on a truck last night

 

 

 

For those that missed my other thread, it's probably all related

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?176878-Problems-Problems-Problems

 

I think I haven't bled it properly after changing the water pipe the other night, so last night whilst on a spirited drive I once again lost all the water, only this time it was smoking like a chimney, people 5 cars back were getting it through the windows, thick white smoke.

 

My temp gauge never got in the red, infact I think it may of even been higher during Sunday's incident, although that could of been due to the speed I was going and the wind keeping it cold.

 

Anyway pulled over, and switched it off, wisps of smoke coming from the top of the engine itself, opened the rad cap expecting the worse, and low and behold, no water to be seen.

 

I was prepared though so had a few litres in the car just incase, started pouring it in and it wasn't getting very far before it was bubbling back out the rad cap. eventually some was starting to stay in, but worried that it wasn't circulating, decided to start it up, and it sounded rough as a badgers arse, didn't sound like it was running on all 6 at all.

 

So quickly knocked it off, and just slowly continued feeding it water.

 

I rang the AA and organised someone to come out and have a look, so while we waited we had plenty of time to let it cool. The water we were getting in seemed to be holding, the pipe that had been fitted looked bone dry, so the water didn't leak out the back, it appeared to have come from the front, possibly the rad cap itself, or the overflow, it looked as though it had hit the fan, and sprayed across the water pipes behind it, they're still stained a nice brown now.

 

After it cooled a good bit I started it again to circle some water and try and access the damage, And surprisingly it sounded fine, just as normal, the smoke out the back was a little more than normal, and there was a lot of water coming out, it was spraying on the floor. but other than that it seemed ok.

 

The water in the rad cap was looking a little shiny in the torch light, possible oil contamination, but can't be sure, it could just be some k-seal from previous years, the water's never looked clean in there.

 

Anyway, the recovery bloke came and agreed that it was probably best it wasn't driven home so he agreed to put it on the back of his truck.

 

My AA policy covered me for 10 mile recovery, and I was around 22miles away, but by the grace of God the admin office seemed to think I was only 7.5 miles from home so they gave the bloke the ok to take me all the way home.

 

(AA policy the best £40 I've ever spent)

 

I've had a look at the car when I finished work to try and start to asses the damage, Between me and my friends last night, we came up with a few possible scenarios,

 

Head gasket gone, would explain all the steam out the exhaust, and the possible oil in the radiator.

 

Turbo's starved of water so seals burnt out, also explain all the steam.

 

I've checked the intercooler hoses for signs of oil or water and the two into the butterfly valves were bone dry, bone dry last night, and bone dry after I ran it for a bit earlier on. there is a white powdery residue on the roof of them, but no idea how long that's been there, or if its related,

 

The bottom hose seems to have a greasy residue on there, but not covered in it, not sure if that's worrying or not.

 

When I ran it earlier it sounded fine as normal, and the smoke out the back didn't seem any more excessive than any other cold start.

 

However I have found what appears to be a fuel leak from a hose/pipe under the plenum at the front.

 

 

Not sure if it is fuel, it does smell like it, a little hard to get a finger in though. guessing this would of been caused from excessive heat.

 

I've taken a video again.

 

 

Shows it a lot better, can actually see the drips, looks like a good bit is coming out.

 

 

As for the Turbo smoke, For the last few weeks it has been pointed out to me that the fumes have been getting progressively worse, white smoke coming out, some people have said not to worry it's just condensation, when It has been noticed it seems to be after I've just washed the car so some water will have been sprayed up the exhaust (not intentionally though). So not sure weather this is a sign of the turbo's been on there way out or not.

 

 

Anyway after all that waffle can anybody help? some ways to try and diagnose problems? or just ways to rule out others?

 

I don't have too much confidence in me and my friends changing a head gasket or a rebuild for that matter, especially just after the timing belt's been done. Not that I don't think they're capable, a few of them are full time mechanics, it's just due to it been done on my drive, and the probability of something been overlooked or missed.

 

As for professional help, not sure how much Jeff would be willing to take on and Jimmer is miles away so I can only assume that between transporting the car to either one and then diagnostics, parts and labour I can only guess I'd be looking to part with a couple of grand.

 

So as much as it saddens me to say it, I may actually be better off cutting my losses, selling up or breaking it, getting rid of my daily drive and buying an S15.

 

I know that's not what everyone will be wanting to hear, and before the vultures start circling no decision's will be made until problems have been diagnosed.

 

For all I know the fuel leak may be the only thing wrong with it and I may still get to enjoy the summer in it.

 

Atleast it didn't set on fire though, every cloud eh...

I thought there was another bleed nipple.

 

Anyway, got the fuel leek fixed, didn't have to take off the throttle boddies, my mate just had small girly hands.

 

Fired up ok, was smoking loads at the start, but put that down to the oil in the cylinders (although my mate has small girly hands, they're not all that steady).

 

Tried the block test a few times from cold and when up to temp, and no colour change, so guessing that means head is fine.

 

After it'd been running a while it still seemed to be smoking from the exhaust. i'll take a video tomorrow.

 

Is there any way to check the turbo seals?

 

going to try the cylinder pressure test tomorrow hopefully too.

 

Also checked the fan, and it works, but that's the first time I've heard it, so guessing that temp sensor's fubar

 

Thanks for all your help so far guys.

The electric fan only operates when required by the AC or in an emergency overheat.

 

If the car has only operated at idle it will take a while to process out that oil you put in. It's gonna be all over the exhaust etc. Good news on the block test, did you find the coolant leak?

 

As for turbo seals, you get different symptoms. If the front seal has failed the engine ingests oil, it will be everywhere in your induction system and plenum. If the rear seal has failed, you will get plumes of white/grey smoke at idle that clears with the revs.

 

This is how mine behaved when the tub seals had failed, slightly different but still pretty textbook.

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?163503-seriously-disheartened-now-and-just-wanna-burn-the-car-help!/page3&highlight=Turbo+failure

Edited May 26, 201411 yr by Stephen

Cheers. Will hopefully determine the problem tonight.

 

Going to try a coolant pressure test to, any idea on what pressure to take it too? Don't want to make more leaks.

 

Also was still going to try a cylinder leak test on that dodgy cylinder, is there a write up for that?

Its Very important that you have the throttle bodies wide open on ALL the tests...closed throttle can give you less than 100psi on a compression test.Dont do anything drastic untill you have a fully conclusive comp test equal across all holes:wink:

Well the dodgy one was definitely wide open throttle. Was hoping to do a warm compression test tonight.

 

Would a cylinder leak test class as drastic?

Well the dodgy one was definitely wide open throttle. Was hoping to do a warm compression test tonight.

 

Would a cylinder leak test class as drastic?

 

no...i mean spend money on something you might not need;)

So update from yesterday, couldn't manage a cylinder leak test, couldn't get it sealed, either coming out the exhaust of the inlet, so gave up on that.

 

Tried a coolant leak test, and all seemed fine, although the adaptor cap was a bit of a tight fit and if it was pulled in the wrong way the seal would break and it would loose the pressure. But when it did have pressure in it, it was holding, and couldn't see any leaks. So conclusion is that there was air lock, and no anti freeze in it, so the relief has blown on the cap and it's all come out of there. also the filler on the radiator doesn't look quite as round or symmetrical so it could of warn somehow, i'll take a photo when the weather's a bit better and see what you think.

 

As for the turbo seals, after our failed cylinder leak test, decided to fire it up again and run it to try and make sure the coolant was bled. Is it normal for the level of the coolant to move when the engine's reved? i.e either overflow if it's high or drop? or should it stay completely still regardless of engine speed?

 

Anyway exhaust was smoking like a gooden, especially if it was reved or boosted. after a while we were happy with the coolant so took it for a drive to see what it felt like and monitor the gauges.

 

It was like a james bond smoke screen, there was some tit in a clio ehind me at one point with his window down, and he was a bit close, and just generally looked like a tit, so I slowed right down and left myself a gap in front, then just give it some throttle, must of covered his car in shit. thought it was a little funny. anyway gave it a good drive down a local dual carriageway and it was smoking quite heavily, got back on the 30 road on the way back home and tried giving it little blips and little bits of boost, and the smoke was getting less and less, to the point were it actually seemed like it had stopped. so turned around and went to give it another blast on the dual. and low and behold no more smoke, still want to try it with a car behind me and hopefully get a video to be sure, but it is looking good. (however temp gauge was misbehaving a little, so thought there could still be some bubbles in it)

 

Got it home and decided to do another compression test while it was warm. was getting on a bit though and due to the warmness got the tester stuck in a cylinder once or twice so only did the accessible four and left the back two, and they were all coming back between 145 and 150psi, even the really low 90 one from the other day. (and that was with throttle pressed, actually tried it without the throttle pressed and didn't actually see any difference)

 

After that took it to the steep hill at the bottom of my road to help with the bleeding process and got a few more bubbles out of the coolant, (and put some anti freeze in it this time) let it run for quite a while so thought we did a good job. after that took it for another blast checking the gauges and for smoke, all seemed good until on our way back and the temp gauge started rising again, got it home to hear a hissing noise yet again from the back of the engine, turns out I made a real schoolboy error and left the old clip on the rubber hose from the other day when I put the new jubilee clip on, and that hose has split right around where the clip was, managed to cut off the excess and pull the rest back over the metal pipe and put the jubilee back on, so its sealed again, but looks like that hose is gunna have to be changed after all.

 

Overall though it is looking like the head is fine, and so are the turbo's. So my spirits are a lot higher.

 

Once again thanks for all your help guys.

Edited May 28, 201411 yr by lil Stevie

Thank Christ for that! Now pull the plenum delete the dross and and change those crusty old turbo coolant pipes.

Nice job :clap:

haha, all in good time.

 

:laugh: