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Horrible noise from Nissan engine

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Horrible noise from Nissan engine

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pooroldcodger

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This is a desperate Dad trying to help a total despondent son. So bear with me!
Son has an 1980's Nissan with a freshly built (not by him) SR20 turbo engine.
At the weekend he fitted various temp and pressure gauges to protect his new investment (the engine). After a bit of a mishap with the oil temp sensor, we lost about 0.75 litre of oil. But we corrected that problem and re-started the engine all ok. There was still showing about 1/4 above the lower line on the dipstick so figured it would be OK for a gentle run to check for leaks and get fuel and oil.
When he came back, literally in the last few seconds before he switched off, the engine started making like a creaking noise (not a knocking) and stopped. He re-started it again for about 2 seconds, and it ran but with the creaking sound, so he switched off immediately.
We looked in the oil filler cap and it was very hot, and apparently dry.
I also noticed that the oil filter (which has been re-sited away from the engine) was cold. But we know that oil was getting there before because we lost some via the temp sensor hole earlier.
The obvious fear is some sort of oil starvation juding by the pointers mentioned above.
The question is, what could have caused the starvation (would shortage of oil caused it as it was still 1/4 on the stick?) and what likely damage could have happened in that brief period of noise?
I want to try to help him with some reasoned advice once the despair has made way for action.
Any comments gratefully received.
 
Well just in case anybody's interested.We found that a simple error in plumbing the oil pipes in the oil curcuit (engine/filter/cooler/engine) resulted in the top end of the engine running dry of oil.
We have corrected it tonight and although the cams look a bit heat marked, I am hoping we've haven't done anything much worse. The engine runs on idle and gentle revs ok.
Change of oil tomorrow and then an on-boost run and let's hope and pray!
 
Sorry about this POC, but when I first saw "Horrible noise from Nissan engine", I just thought, what's he on about? They all make that sound.

Glad he's sorted it out. I didn't suss out that it was a re-built engine
 
Ha ha!
This car is a bit like running a prototype as a daily driver. Not a good idea.
The car has an oil cooler and remote oil filter set up - i.e pipework.
The problem started when with all good sensible intentions he fitted an array of warning dials for various pressure and temperature parameters. What he didn't realise was that he had stripped the thread for the oil temp sensor by overtightening it. So when he ran it on the drive it seemed ok, but as soon as he blipped the throttle, as the oil pressure increased, the sensor shot out, swiftly followed by about a litre of Mobil 1 all over the drive.
We realised that the stripped thread was in the mounting oil filter adaptor plate, so he got a new one on Monday, but crucially it was a slightly different layout which confused him a bit, and resulted in him fitting the oil in and return pipes the wrong way round. So, when he ran the car on Monday night, the oil went to the filter but then got blocked. The top end of the engine got very dry and creaky, not surprisingly.
So we rectified the pipework, poured some oil directly on to the cams and turned the car over without the cam sensor to make sure we had the oil now flowing properly.
Last night we completed an oil and filter change, re-sealed the rocker cover and ran it again, and all seemed fine on tick over at least.
So, we tidied up the drive and he prepared for a run on the road.
Backing out of the drive we heard another strange noise from the engine bay, so he switched off immediately.
Because of the oil we had lost previously, I had put down an old sheet under the car to stop us walking in it etc. Because the car is so low, and because it doesn't have a proper shroud for the fan, when he started it up, the fan sucked the sheet up and wrapped itself around the fan belt !!
By now I was ready to set fire to the car as it was half past 10 and time for bed.
So, we loosened the alternator and gradually managed to unravel this blo*dy bed sheet from the pulleys.
Eventually, he got going, and the car seems to run OK.
A compression test will come later to be sure, but for now, I think we've escaped.
 
pooroldcodger said:
Ha ha!
This car is a bit like running a prototype as a daily driver. Not a good idea.
The car has an oil cooler and remote oil filter set up - i.e pipework.
The problem started when with all good sensible intentions he fitted an array of warning dials for various pressure and temperature parameters. What he didn't realise was that he had stripped the thread for the oil temp sensor by overtightening it. So when he ran it on the drive it seemed ok, but as soon as he blipped the throttle, as the oil pressure increased, the sensor shot out, swiftly followed by about a litre of Mobil 1 all over the drive.
We realised that the stripped thread was in the mounting oil filter adaptor plate, so he got a new one on Monday, but crucially it was a slightly different layout which confused him a bit, and resulted in him fitting the oil in and return pipes the wrong way round. So, when he ran the car on Monday night, the oil went to the filter but then got blocked. The top end of the engine got very dry and creaky, not surprisingly.
So we rectified the pipework, poured some oil directly on to the cams and turned the car over without the cam sensor to make sure we had the oil now flowing properly.
Last night we completed an oil and filter change, re-sealed the rocker cover and ran it again, and all seemed fine on tick over at least.
So, we tidied up the drive and he prepared for a run on the road.
Backing out of the drive we heard another strange noise from the engine bay, so he switched off immediately.
Because of the oil we had lost previously, I had put down an old sheet under the car to stop us walking in it etc. Because the car is so low, and because it doesn't have a proper shroud for the fan, when he started it up, the fan sucked the sheet up and wrapped itself around the fan belt !!
By now I was ready to set fire to the car as it was half past 10 and time for bed.
So, we loosened the alternator and gradually managed to unravel this blo*dy bed sheet from the pulleys.
Eventually, he got going, and the car seems to run OK.
A compression test will come later to be sure, but for now, I think we've escaped.
Click to expand...

Final word:

Compression test revealed all 4 equal, and down by about 2% from when the engine was re-built, so probably slight cam damage, but nothing disastrous.
Will sleep better tonight!
 
If its a rebuilt engine, the compression will be changing for a short while
As the bores and rings settle in

Just like the Con-rods, the camshafts have Soft bearing shells for when such events happen

These have a trap of oil to lubricate for a short period of time should oil fail

These shells will probably require changing soon, or atleast an inspection

Keep an eye on it

An oil change isn't a bad idea as there will be now some oil bits floating :(

Ziggy
 
Thanks Ziggy. We changed the oil night before last. I had a good look at the oil, and trawled a magnet through it as well. There was a very faint metallic look to it, but no significant bits or pieces.
I think we may have got away with it.
Next job apparently is a wheel hub swop (to allow different wheels to be used) and the fitting of front brakes off a Skyline. Stay tuned no doubt for more shenanigans!
 
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