oil starvation, engine life now? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

all stock · 12-07-2007, 11:38 PM

here's the story:

going around track, 1.8mi, sow
on the cooldown lap
going thru turn 1, felt strange powerloss like misfire, oil pres ok
going thru esses, noticed oil press at 100,000kPa = 15psi, so i shut down engine
coasted to hotpit
attempted to start up car again, engine was shuttering, turn it off, towed it home
left a quart of oil where it laid.

long story short, punched a hole in oil filter, thought i spun a bearing.

at home, drained oil, 1 qt came out, small film of metal filtrates on magnetic drain plug, plus about 4 brass looking dots, couldn't find much in the drained oil.
changed oil, replaced filter
started up engine, heard about 2-3 knocks, then they went away
engine idled perfectly fine, no knocking in any rpm band
drove car normally, no knocking
ran car hard for about 20 minutes, revving up to 7k, no knocking

i am going to drive the car a bit more, and then change the oil and take a look at it. see if there's anymore copper flakes.

here's my take on it:
bearings are damaged, but it'll last say 1-2 track events?

i have a new motor coming in to rebuild, i don't wanna swap it and rebuild the spun bearing one just for the sake of having to swap twice. i need the motor reliable for feb.

wanted to know if anyone's lucked out with oil starvation and saved the motor. it's a ka24de if that matters.

slw240sx · 12-08-2007, 12:33 AM

that motor will most likely begin to knock soon, i just rebuilt a motor with a similar problem, they had an oil pump failure, replaced it then drove on it and it made it about 200-400 miles before it started to knock,it chewed up the #4 rod bearing and rod, and all the main bearings.

back in 99-2000 i had my first SOHC car i was on a 100mile trip and the motor started knocking about 30miles from my destination i pulled into a gas station and put in three quarts and it went away never knocked again for the next 20K then i scrapped it still running.

Jon,

***S14DB*** · 12-08-2007, 01:29 AM

Prolly damaged the bearings to the point to they will fail soon. Cut open the current and the oil filter that blew to see how much metal is in them.

all stock · 12-10-2007, 03:41 AM

new motor + rebuild is on the way, just curious to see if i can last one track event.

***S14DB*** · 12-10-2007, 06:08 AM

Should last one. Can't say that you will make it home. Dunno how hard you are on the car. Give extra time for warm up laps and cool down laps.

soreballz · 12-10-2007, 09:38 PM

I had some oil starvation issues with my last KA. It didn't work out well - unless you consider a shattered piston, a banana-shaped connecting rod, a giant hole in the block, and a fubar'd head (among other thinngs) to be a good thing.

Good luck.

all stock · 12-12-2007, 11:08 AM

are the oem rods and pistons forged? just want to confirm what i've heard as a rumor.

slw240sx · 12-12-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by all stock

are the oem rods and pistons forged? just want to confirm what i've heard as a rumor.

no they arent forged.

all stock · 12-14-2007, 05:37 PM

hmm, thought so. just a rumor.

i'm looking for some oem replica pistons (cast) .040 oversize, along with some rings, but 90% of the pistons out on the market are forged. i'm not allowed to run forged. any suggestions for pistons to run?

***S14DB*** · 12-14-2007, 05:39 PM

Anything that moves the ringlands lower.

!Zar! · 12-14-2007, 06:42 PM

If you have a trailer, take it to an event and beat the hell out of it.

Either way it needs to be rebuilt.

12-07-2007, 11:38 PM	#1
all stock Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Irvine Posts: 312 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	oil starvation, engine life now? here's the story: going around track, 1.8mi, sow on the cooldown lap going thru turn 1, felt strange powerloss like misfire, oil pres ok going thru esses, noticed oil press at 100,000kPa = 15psi, so i shut down engine coasted to hotpit attempted to start up car again, engine was shuttering, turn it off, towed it home left a quart of oil where it laid. long story short, punched a hole in oil filter, thought i spun a bearing. at home, drained oil, 1 qt came out, small film of metal filtrates on magnetic drain plug, plus about 4 brass looking dots, couldn't find much in the drained oil. changed oil, replaced filter started up engine, heard about 2-3 knocks, then they went away engine idled perfectly fine, no knocking in any rpm band drove car normally, no knocking ran car hard for about 20 minutes, revving up to 7k, no knocking i am going to drive the car a bit more, and then change the oil and take a look at it. see if there's anymore copper flakes. here's my take on it: bearings are damaged, but it'll last say 1-2 track events? i have a new motor coming in to rebuild, i don't wanna swap it and rebuild the spun bearing one just for the sake of having to swap twice. i need the motor reliable for feb. wanted to know if anyone's lucked out with oil starvation and saved the motor. it's a ka24de if that matters. __________________ NASA PTD/SCCA ITS

12-08-2007, 12:33 AM	#2
slw240sx Zilvia.net Advertiser Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Dayton Ohio Age: 43 Posts: 545 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	that motor will most likely begin to knock soon, i just rebuilt a motor with a similar problem, they had an oil pump failure, replaced it then drove on it and it made it about 200-400 miles before it started to knock,it chewed up the #4 rod bearing and rod, and all the main bearings. back in 99-2000 i had my first SOHC car i was on a 100mile trip and the motor started knocking about 30miles from my destination i pulled into a gas station and put in three quarts and it went away never knocked again for the next 20K then i scrapped it still running. Jon, __________________ http://www.forcedfabllc.com/

12-08-2007, 01:29 AM	#3
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Prolly damaged the bearings to the point to they will fail soon. Cut open the current and the oil filter that blew to see how much metal is in them. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-10-2007, 06:08 AM	#5
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Should last one. Can't say that you will make it home. Dunno how hard you are on the car. Give extra time for warm up laps and cool down laps. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-12-2007, 11:08 AM	#7
all stock Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Irvine Posts: 312 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	are the oem rods and pistons forged? just want to confirm what i've heard as a rumor. __________________ NASA PTD/SCCA ITS

12-10-2007, 03:41 AM	#4
all stock Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Irvine Posts: 312 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	new motor + rebuild is on the way, just curious to see if i can last one track event. __________________ NASA PTD/SCCA ITS

12-14-2007, 05:37 PM	#9
all stock Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Irvine Posts: 312 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	hmm, thought so. just a rumor. i'm looking for some oem replica pistons (cast) .040 oversize, along with some rings, but 90% of the pistons out on the market are forged. i'm not allowed to run forged. any suggestions for pistons to run? __________________ NASA PTD/SCCA ITS

12-14-2007, 05:39 PM	#10
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Anything that moves the ringlands lower. __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

12-14-2007, 06:42 PM	#11
!Zar! Post Whore! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North Korea Posts: 14,579 Trader Rating: (27) Feedback Score: 27 reviews	If you have a trailer, take it to an event and beat the hell out of it. Either way it needs to be rebuilt. __________________