Ive finally got a Zed (10 days ago), and i was very happy with it until i got it serviced a few days ago. Today i started up the car and its now making a ticking/tapping sound; its not very loud but it defo wasnt present before. Prior to the service the car just purred even from a cold start and drove very well, very smooth and very fast! (ive had other fast cars before), it was imported from Japan approx 1 year ago, seems to be standard other than a turbo timer, needle on standard boost gauge goes to the far left when accelerator isnt pressed, on flooring it the needle goes to the second to top marking about 10psi (although i know alot of people on this forum say that the stock gauges are not very accurate, also i have no way to tell if there is no chip in it).

 

anyway back to the oil pressure, previously from a cold start the oil pressure reading on the stock gauge would read very high, which is what i assume is normal as the oil is still thick when cold; i let it idle until the oil pressure normalises at about 60 psi before driving off, then it gets a bit lower but not that much lower, when stepping on the gas the oil pressure goes higher. According to the Zx buying guide recommended on this forum the oil pressure at idle should be 10-15psi and 30-60 whilst driving.

 

Now that ive had a service done (3 days ago), engine/gearbox oil change, timing belt, spark plugs + non-standard air filter, oil pressure is much lower now, even from a cold start, i think its inline with whats recommended on the ZX buying guide. However the engine is making more noise than it was before or so i think, i may be getting paranoid!?? I have driven it about 200 miles since the service and it has seemed fine. However this morning it seemed a bit luder than normal, and after work when i started it up it sounded louder/noisier still, much like it doesnt have enough oil in it? i checked the engine oil it it seems to be above the max line! i did hear the mechanic say he thought he put too much in? but i assumed only a little bit too much which seems to be the case (i used a non-branded 10w40 fully synthetic engine oil) no way for me to verify the mileage as its an import but reads 100,000km on the odometer, i believed this to be true as the engine did sound very nice, and was very quiet!!

 

please can somebody help with some advice, i think it may not be worth taking it back to the garage i got the work done from and right now i cannot afford to take it anywhere else so its gona be left parked up which is a real shame with this good spell of weather we're having .........sorry for the long post, any help or advice would be very much appreciated

First off DO NOT EVER let the car idling from cold to get it up to temperature - this will massively reduce the life of ANY engine, performance or not...

 

Secondly, he overfilled it but didn't sort it???? A turbo engine is FAR more susceptible to damage from overfilling, especially the turbo seals....

 

i used a non-branded 10w40 fully synthetic engine oil

You may have answered your own question there lol

Ive finally got a Zed (10 days ago), and i was very happy with it until i got it serviced a few days ago. Today i started up the car and its now making a ticking/tapping sound; its not very loud but it defo wasnt present before. Prior to the service the car just purred even from a cold start and drove very well, very smooth and very fast! (ive had other fast cars before), it was imported from Japan approx 1 year ago, seems to be standard other than a turbo timer, needle on standard boost gauge goes to the far left when accelerator isnt pressed, on flooring it the needle goes to the second to top marking about 10psi (although i know alot of people on this forum say that the stock gauges are not very accurate, also i have no way to tell if there is no chip in it).

 

anyway back to the oil pressure, previously from a cold start the oil pressure reading on the stock gauge would read very high, which is what i assume is normal as the oil is still thick when cold; i let it idle until the oil pressure normalises at about 60 psi before driving off, then it gets a bit lower but not that much lower, when stepping on the gas the oil pressure goes higher. According to the Zx buying guide recommended on this forum the oil pressure at idle should be 10-15psi and 30-60 whilst driving.

 

Now that ive had a service done (3 days ago), engine/gearbox oil change, timing belt, spark plugs + non-standard air filter, oil pressure is much lower now, even from a cold start, i think its inline with whats recommended on the ZX buying guide. However the engine is making more noise than it was before or so i think, i may be getting paranoid!?? I have driven it about 200 miles since the service and it has seemed fine. However this morning it seemed a bit luder than normal, and after work when i started it up it sounded louder/noisier still, much like it doesnt have enough oil in it? i checked the engine oil it it seems to be above the max line! i did hear the mechanic say he thought he put too much in? but i assumed only a little bit too much which seems to be the case (i used a non-branded 10w40 fully synthetic engine oil) no way for me to verify the mileage as its an import but reads 100,000km on the odometer, i believed this to be true as the engine did sound very nice, and was very quiet!!

 

please can somebody help with some advice, i think it may not be worth taking it back to the garage i got the work done from and right now i cannot afford to take it anywhere else so its gona be left parked up which is a real shame with this good spell of weather we're having .........sorry for the long post, any help or advice would be very much appreciated

 

My last Z did the same thing after the cam belt was changed by someone who wasn't familiar with the car, took it back and turns out the belt hadn't been put back on properly.

Do you know what oil the garage used?

 

If they have put crap oil in then it may be too thick at start up, you may have a sticky lifter, quite common on older zeds, if your getting a ticking noise on 10w40 oil try a 5w50 as it will probably be thin enough at start up to give the sticky lifter a good soaking.

try a 5w50 as it will probably be thin enough at start up to give the sticky lifter a good soaking.

 

yeah and after you've done this use a good 10/60 oil, its all i ever use and its been fantastic, its expensive but worth it. :D

First off DO NOT EVER let the car idling from cold to get it up to temperature - this will massively reduce the life of ANY engine, performance or not...

 

er ? why, i thought we were meant to start the car, go for a cup of tea, then come back and drive it?

er ? why, i thought we were meant to start the car, go for a cup of tea, then come back and drive it?

 

Think about it....

 

Takes 5 times as long to get up to temp and in that time your engine will be wearing away all its componants till it gets up to a resonable running temp.

 

Now if you jump in your car let it tick over for 10 secs and drive away, your engine will heat up quicker bringing oil to its proper working temp where it can protect the parts like it was designed to. The oil is very thick at start up and struggles to pass through to the top an around etc.

thanks for the replies

 

im gona try and get the oil changed tonight

 

i was told that it was a good oil, fully synthetic 10w40 (although its a non-branded one)

 

I'll try one of the branded ones and hopefully this should sort it out, i dont know much about oils but 10w60 seems very thick, Snowygt is your car standard or modified

 

timing belt will be a mission to re-fit! i was there when they started the car up in the morning; after changing the timing belt the night before, it sounded really tappyty and i was quite worried, the garage guy said when you change the timing belt and leave it for a while all the oil soaks to the bottom or something and it takes a while for it to circulate again hence the tapping, is this bu*****t? but in fairness the tapping did go away after it was warm, the tapping sound has only just started again, after ive done about 200 miles (busy bank holiday which im kinda regretting doing)

 

Spark plugs couldnt cause this could they??? ive read something about detonation on this forum, sounds very important but im not sure how to tell the sound of detonation........i used denso spark plugs, i asked for the NGK pfrb-11c ones that are recommended but they couldnt get them and used these instead, i read on the denso box that the spark gap should be adjusted to suit the car car spec, is this necessary?/

 

sorry for all the questions, and thanks for your help

 

 

....oh yeah Andy, im confused now, ive heard quite a few timeds that the car should be warmed up from cold, i also think its in the nissan Zx manual which i read a part of online although im not entirely sure

er ? why, i thought we were meant to start the car, go for a cup of tea, then come back and drive it?

 

yes that what ive been doing whilst ive had the car (using the turbo timer which is quite handy)

Wont be detonation on idle.

 

Sounds like the guys at the garage fed you some right bullshit with "when you change the timing belt and leave it for a while all the oil soaks to the bottom or something and it takes a while for it to circulate again" I'd take your car to a place who know about Zeds and get them to redo all the work your garage has done cos I wouldn't trust it at all if they feed you lines like that!

Wont be detonation on idle.

 

Sounds like the guys at the garage fed you some right bullshit with "when you change the timing belt and leave it for a while all the oil soaks to the bottom or something and it takes a while for it to circulate again" I'd take your car to a place who know about Zeds and get them to redo all the work your garage has done cos I wouldn't trust it at all if they feed you lines like that!

 

that may be the best thing to do, but right now i cant afford to do that........ in the first instance im going to get the oil changed see if that sorts it out

Leaving a car idling from cold just causes a lot more wear than necessary. As Jimmy said, when cold the oil doesn't give the highest protection. The best thing to do is drive it GENTLY until up to temperature, that way there is a far shorter time period until the oil is doing its job. Saves money on fuel too lol

Leaving a car idling from cold just causes a lot more wear than necessary. As Jimmy said, when cold the oil doesn't give the highest protection. The best thing to do is drive it GENTLY until up to temperature, that way there is a far shorter time period until the oil is doing its job. Saves money on fuel too lol

 

Everyone I know who knows about car engines has said this too. Just get in, start up and drive away. Always!

 

Especially remember this advice in the winter, you know, when most people start their cars and spend the next 10 minutes scraping the ice off the windows! Sure the car may be nice and warm when you get your arse inside but I'd rather get into a cold car (for the sake of a few minutes) than replace an engine prematurely.

 

Richard:bow:

With modern oils you dont need to warm engine up,i drive mine gently at first and as temp builds then normal driving,and of course when fully up to temp foot hard down !!

I tend to give mine 30 seconds or so before moving off, then i drive gentle, no more than 2500rpm ish until its well warm and then never full throttle for a few more miles....

 

It doesnt sound good mate, i would leave it and try not to drive it until you can get it to a place that knows about the car. Then send the first garage the bill from the second and all should be well.

 

Is it running on all 6 cylinders? Theres a thought i wonder if they have broken a coil pack connector, would make it sound rubbish although im not sure it should affect the oil pressure!

regarding warming the car up: what you are saying makes sense and it makes my life a little easier (i shouldnt be as late for work now!)

 

i was going to take the car to the garage after work but it seems quiter now, i dont know if i've become used to the sound, if im being too paranoid, ive been thinking about it too much and now im confused. I got my flat mate to listen to it and he said it sounded fine (but he has no experience with this car or any other sports cars for that matter).

 

The oil pressure gauge is at the right place at idle and increases when given gas, before the service the oil presure was definately alot higher at idle (and i think above the recommended level?). Im thinking that maybe the last owner filled it with too much oil??? or he was using a thicker or better oil?

 

I think the car is firing on all 6 cylinders as it drives just fine, same as before i think (but not had it long before the service 5 days or so), but to be hones i wouldnt know if it wasnt firing on all six!

 

well, ive got a short list now of the things to do, thanks to you replies:

 

1st of, replace oil with good stuff 'royal purple?' or similar, if this doesnt sort it, get the coil packs checked, if neither do anything i guess the next thing to do would be getting the timing belt refitted (from a different garage!)

 

can anyone recommend a good garage in the birmingham area??

I can recomend JAPS in Coventry, my mate is the mechanis there and has done lots on my zed, 02476 474797 ask for Gaz.

I can recomend JAPS in Coventry, my mate is the mechanis there and has done lots on my zed, 02476 474797 ask for Gaz.

 

thanks for that, whats your name by the way

Hey all

 

You may recall some questions i posted about increased engine noise after a full service (new zed owner)

 

thankyou all for the advice you gave me.....and sorry for replying so late on with the outcome of my mini intoductory saga into the world of zed ownership! been really busy.........anyway i got the engine oil changed to magnetic 10w40 and the car is purring away now as it did when i first bought it, sweet!

 

I will post some pics as soon as I can, ive been meaning to do it for a while but everytime I wash it i end up going somewhere and then the next day its dirty, forget chick magnet, this things a dust magnet!!

Thanks for the update mate - theres loads of threads on here where the problem gets sorted out but whoever started the thread doesnt update it to tell everyone what happened in the end!! Frustrating as you never get to find out whether their solution worked or not.