Hi All,

 

New to 300sx ownership but very familiar with 200sx's anyways... ive done some digging about on the forums and believe I have found an answer but wonder if anyone could confirm?

 

I believe the rear oil seals of the turbo on the pass side of my car have gone as when you rev from cold start smoke comes from that side or if you come to a halt an idle for a few minutes and then rev, smoke appears from same side and does smell oiley.

 

Does this indeed sound like turbo seals, or could it be something else? - I'm sure I read that the seals were prone to going around the 60K miles mark.

 

TIA for your advice.

 

-Stu

So.... 27 views and not one person can say YAY or NAY if it is indeed turbo seals?

 

may as well go back to sxoc... :-P lol

 

-Stu

Normally, when turbo seals have had it they smoke on tickover and when you rev it goes away, but a really worn seal would just smoke the whole time.

 

Do another good search.

possible sticky pcv valves.......could be valve stem seals..... just trying to mention the cheapest options.... sorry to say but mine does this first thing in the morning and i have low compression on a number of cylinders. so im getting a rebuild....

Does your smoke when you come of the throttle after giving it some?

Normally, when turbo seals have had it they smoke on tickover and when you rev it goes away, but a really worn seal would just smoke the whole time.

 

Do another good search.

possible sticky pcv valves.......could be valve stem seals..... just trying to mention the cheapest options.... sorry to say but mine does this first thing in the morning and i have low compression on a number of cylinders. so im getting a rebuild....

Does your smoke when you come of the throttle after giving it some?

 

Hi m8,

 

As far as i'm aware the PCV valves have been done by the previous owner (have a receipt for them).... It always smokes on first start up (only one side).. and will smoke if i rev it to say 1500 after just starting up.

 

It does seem to smoke a little on idle, but is more apparent when blipping throttle after idling for a bit.... i'm not too sure if it smokes coming off throttle when giving it some will check later.

 

Seems to be getting worse and not better, this all started after a replacing small hose that was split and was causing a boost leak.

 

Thanks,

Stu

rear seal on the tubbie is gone the increased boost pressure ( after changing the hose )

has just highlighted it , if your still getting decent boost and can live with the bit of smoke its not going to be a catastrophic failure for a long time , gives you chance to save for some dual ball race tubs :))

rear seal on the tubbie is gone the increased boost pressure ( after changing the hose )

has just highlighted it , if your still getting decent boost and can live with the bit of smoke its not going to be a catastrophic failure for a long time , gives you chance to save for some dual ball race tubs :))

 

Hi Steve - I think your right, however,...

 

Upon doing more poking about today and the car going into safety boost lastnight... and then running on what seemed like 4 cyls...

 

Just about EVERY hose clip relating to fuel pipes were finger tight.. every one had to be tightened, i noticed this after noticing a fuel smell from the back of one of the injectors which lead to finding a small pool of fuel heh! Doesnt seem to be smoking as much now this has been done.

 

I have also used a small dab of locktite on 3 of the coil plugs as someone has thoughtfully butchered the clips on them.

 

I think the last owner was trying to kill me as not even one wheel nut was tight on the front wheels either....

 

..Ive only had it a week and I already know my way about under the bonnet quite well, damn jap crap :rant: lol

 

-Stu

hay its not crap, it just needs a bit of love :) like a lady.... a fairlady infact.

Hi Steve - I think your right, however,...

 

Upon doing more poking about today and the car going into safety boost lastnight... and then running on what seemed like 4 cyls...

 

Just about EVERY hose clip relating to fuel pipes were finger tight.. every one had to be tightened, i noticed this after noticing a fuel smell from the back of one of the injectors which lead to finding a small pool of fuel heh! Doesnt seem to be smoking as much now this has been done.

 

I have also used a small dab of locktite on 3 of the coil plugs as someone has thoughtfully butchered the clips on them.

 

I think the last owner was trying to kill me as not even one wheel nut was tight on the front wheels either....

 

..Ive only had it a week and I already know my way about under the bonnet quite well, damn jap crap :rant: lol

 

-Stu

Hi Stu, this car has been off the road for a year and it did run fine when I was driving at that time, the car was also ok when I took you out in it. I did not know of any problems with the car but you are right about things been loose, I had to tighten a few pipes up myself when I first got the car (seems like you have found some more). All the work I have done on the car is top class, any shitty work was done by a garage that's why I started to do the work myself, the PCVs have been done like all work I said and as for trying to kill you! the garage put the wheels on when they did the wheel bearings. This car is still one of the best out there and if loose pipes and wheel nuts are the main problems what car I say. I not having a go at you bud because I think you are a top bloke. You could have still bought a car that needed stupid money spending on it.

Hi Stu, this car has been off the road for a year and it did run fine when I was driving at that time, the car was also ok when I took you out in it. I did not know of any problems with the car but you are right about things been loose, I had to tighten a few pipes up myself when I first got the car (seems like you have found some more). All the work I have done on the car is top class, any shitty work was done by a garage that's why I started to do the work myself, the PCVs have been done like all work I said and as for trying to kill you! the garage put the wheels on when they did the wheel bearings. This car is still one of the best out there and if loose pipes and wheel nuts are the main problems what car I say. I not having a go at you bud because I think you are a top bloke. You could have still bought a car that needed stupid money spending on it.

 

Hi Paul,

 

I know shes a good one mate, just all week i've been plagued with running issues and I was starting to get a bit annoyed... but i know this comes with the territory.. forums are good for a rant! :-)

 

Had her out at Banzai yesterday and she run great for 99% of the trip there and back, but she seemed to of spat out her dip stick on the run home which then forced safety boost again. Do oil surges spit out dipsticks? :-S And on that note.. what Oil did you put in her Paul? Top up sheet doesn't state which oil was used.

 

All in all I think its a great car and I thank you for making it so :)

 

-Stu

dipstick popping out seems like low compression to me :( thats what mine does. and it smokes like a cnut......

dipstick popping out seems like low compression to me :( thats what mine does. and it smokes like a cnut......

 

:( My mate told me the more i put foot down yesterday the more it was smoking...out both exhausts better not be HG, don't have 4 grand to waste on a rebuild :(

Cracked ring lands or holed piston(s) are the cause of blowing the dipstick out :( Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :(

 

Compression test/cylinder leakage test next....

:( be happy ang get a highly tuned rebuild :)

Cracked ring lands or holed piston(s) are the cause of blowing the dipstick out :( Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :(

 

Compression test/cylinder leakage test next....

 

Well ScabbyZ32........ My red car is doing the exact same as yours.... And I suspect exactly as Andy says above.

 

I will be stripping the engine down very soon to assess the situation.

 

Just out of interest, do you have a boost controller?

Was the leaking hose to one of the wastegates by any chance???

To be honest im suprised your having any problems at all with this car as everytime i have seen it it ran great. I also seen it about a week before it came up for sale and all was fine then. There was no smoke at all from the zausts. Paul looked after this car and the only reason he sold it in the first place was because he needed the space in the garage for his own business stuff. It took him over half a year to even put it up for sale.

Well ScabbyZ32........ My red car is doing the exact same as yours.... And I suspect exactly as Andy says above.

 

I will be stripping the engine down very soon to assess the situation.

 

Just out of interest, do you have a boost controller?

 

I dont have a boost controller as far as i'm aware thats all standard - its not spat out the stick since and ive not been nice to it so who knows. Still smoking on one side tho.

 

Cheers

Stu

Was the leaking hose to one of the wastegates by any chance???

 

Hi,

 

Hard to explain... it was a small vac pipe that went from a nipple on the lower right of the right hand intake plenum (if facing engine) and seemed to run under that sides intake pipes towards the slam panel - I think it terminated into a metal pipe around that bit - All i did was snip end off it and plumb it back on.

 

Thanks,

-Stu

To be honest im suprised your having any problems at all with this car as everytime i have seen it it ran great. I also seen it about a week before it came up for sale and all was fine then. There was no smoke at all from the zausts. Paul looked after this car and the only reason he sold it in the first place was because he needed the space in the garage for his own business stuff. It took him over half a year to even put it up for sale.

 

Hi,

 

I know its a good car and I fully trust Paul - It looks like the seals were probably already on their way out on the one side and as someone mentioned previously - me fixing the vac leak may have aided the expiry of the seals.

 

The last couple of days it appears to be running OK other than using a bit of oil due to the turbo seal... hasn't used a drop of water so i'm hoping compression wise its fine but will get it checked out just to be safe.

 

Cheers,

-Stu

unless it was the actuator pipe meaning the wastegate was opened fully the whole time or something like that...... or do i mean closed... i cant think properly

unless it was the actuator pipe meaning the wastegate was opened fully the whole time or something like that...... or do i mean closed... i cant think properly

 

Well, the car still pulled OK with the boost leak, it only became apparent when idle went lumpy - altho when this happened I was probably put on safety boost and didn't know... only having had the car 6 hours :-)

 

It feels like it pulls strong now, but doesn't seem quite as neck break as it did when I picked it up, perhaps i'm just getting used to it? either that or the v-power up here sucks. lol

 

-Stu

Still driving OK again today minus the smoke - long live the Z :D lol

 

-Stu

il drink to that :D

il drink to that :D

 

Me too - mid week slosh - quality :D

 

-Stu

Fingers crossed then but I would still do a compression test to be sure ;)

Fingers crossed then but I would still do a compression test to be sure ;)

 

Lets resurrect this thread as shes still not running right - yet the smoke has stopped! This happened after it sprung another water leak as mentioned in another thread the small 3" pipe that feeds the pass turbo coolant.

 

Now it seems to be a random det sensor issue - Firstly the wiring at the det sensor plugs was a bit cooked & was showing bare on each side of plug so I stripped all that cleaned it and crimped on bullet connectors - reconnected battery, started her up - idled perfect, let her reach temp went for a run 9/10PSI every gear excellent its fixed....

 

...Until i come home park up then today I decide to go out for a run today and yet again code 34 det sensor with only 4 sometimes 5 PSI of boost! I've had datascan hooked up to it and I cant see anything out of the norm, everything appears to be working as it should - Altho I'm no expert!

 

Checked all boost pipes, coil connectors, o2 connectors etc etc - I'm at a loss now.

 

Anyone got any ideas?

 

Thanks

-Stu