Some Small Issues With My V35

[Easy Tiger]

Hi everyone,

I've had my 2001 V35 250GT sedan for about 5 months now and it's been driving great, just have a couple of small annoying problems rear their head and am hoping someone on here may be able to help with what it could be. The car has got 83,500km on the clock.

1. The engine warning/CEL light is on. It's come on twice since I have had it, last time I just had it reset as nothing showed up on the scan. I've spoken to the previous owner and they said it happened twice to them as well. They had it reset once, and the other time it stayed on for 2 days then just disappeared.. I am guessing it could just be a faulty cam sensor, but any ideas anyone? Both times it has come on for me, it has been while driving up a hill, not super steep, but moderate range. I drive the range 2-3 times a week and normally it is fine, just twice it has come on while going up the hill.
   
2. About 4 weeks ago I noticed it blowing black smoke at high revs only, and only while under load when driving (ie does not appear when in neutral and revving the engine). I know that black smoke usually indicates fuel burning rich, does anyone have any ideas why this would be or what could be causing it? I originally thought it might be the valve-guides, and while I haven't had them checked, I'd assume it would be burning oil if that was the case and the oil level is still at max and has not dropped at all. I've also checked the coolant levels - no change.
   
3. This leads on from point 2 - the fuel economy has dropped in the last couple of tanks by around 80-100 km per tank.
   
4. There is a screeching belt/pulley type noise coming from somewhere under the hood. It only seems to appear when idling or decelerating, disappears when accelerating. Not linked to the air-con as it remains with the air con on and off. It has been intermitent since I have had the car, but seems to be getting worse. It appears to be particularly bad in wet weather for whatever reason, such as the last couple of days when we have had a lot of rain and the atmosphere is very humid.
   

If anyone can give some advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

[BLISTC]

change all your belts - the problem may dissapear

get your 02 sensor checked over / replaced - fuel issue and also spark plugs changed just for some good measure

[Easy Tiger]

Thanks Mark.

I believe the spark plugs were replaced at 77,000km so they should still be well and truely ok.

Anyone else got any ideas?

[andy65b]

I have a M35 but the engines are very similar.

I recently had the Check engine light coming on intermittently (over several months) and eventually it got worse. Turned our to be the Cam Angle Sensor. The final stages were highlighted by the car stalling at odd times whilst driving.

The reason I mention this is that I was told that the Cam Angle sensor have seen recalls on this part as they were known to be a potential faulty part. It was between 2001-2003 that it seem to effect.

Good luck finding your problem, I will be interested to see if you change your plugs and O2 sensor as I have had similar fuel economy issues over the last 4 months but not made any conclusion about the cause.

Cheers

Andy

[Easy Tiger]

Thanks Andy this information is very useful. When I find the resolution I'll share it here.

If anyone else has any ideas please feel free to share

[Ant]

For the cam sensor thing, have a look at this page:

http://dogandlemon.com/site/japanese-vehic...aseno=RJ-0995-0

See if your V35 fits into the serial number range listed for Skylines and look if a silver sticker has been put on the vehicle type plate to indicate the work has already been done.

Re smoke at high revs - my 250GT does the same thing, usually notice it when accelerating hard on a motorway on ramp. Seems to start at around 5000rpm or so, doesn't last long. For me it doesn't do it under load, just at high revs.

Last time I had the car serviced by the Nissan dealer down the road I asked them to look at it, nothing unusual found though they didn't test it properly I think. Need to go back and ask them to hook it up to the Consult scan tool and then try accelerating to see what the engine is actually doing. Won't do this for another couple of weeks as car is off the road at the moment (sodding driver who looked like they were giving way then didn't...).

I suspect it is just richening the mixture at high revs due to the fact that the 250GT engine has a very high compression ratio. But could equally be an O2 sensor on the way out, though my car doesn't show any error codes and economy hasn't changed at all since I bought it.

What is/was your average fuel consumption (l/100km)? Note that the economy changes quite drastically depending on the driving conditions - on a long trip mine got slightly under 9L/100km, but for normal around town driving it is around 10.5L/100km and doesn't vary much.

Re the belt noise - yep, get your belts changed.

Keep us posted on how you get on - I'd also like to lay the smoking problem to rest...

Edited April 15, 2009 by Ant

[Easy Tiger]

Hi Ant,

That is brilliant information and exactly what I was looking for -thanks so much for your help!! At least I know it is not just me now.

I am pretty sure my V35 falls under that range of codes, but I will have to check when I get home tonight. It makes sense that that is the problem, and now I have the information to take to the garage tomorrow so they can give it a look over. I am certain there is no silver sticker.

My fuel consumption is normally 12L/100km (or by the nav computer 8.3km/L) so I am normally getting around 500km out of a tank. However, in the last two or three tanks, I have only got around 430km, which is about 14L/100km (or 7.1km/L). So it seems to have dropped quite sharply. I have to say I never noticed the smoke when I first got the car, only recently, but maybe I wasn't paying attention either until I noticed it one day by chance. I have found the same thing as you - normally smokes at around 5000 to 5500 revs and over. I suspect the O2 sensor as you have mentioned.

Thanks again for the information. I'll let you know what they find

[Easy Tiger]

On edit - was able to find the VIN online through QLD Transport. It it a match for the recall list from the link you provided. So it's pretty safe to say that that is probably what is causing the engine light to come on.

Thanks for your help Ant!

[Easy Tiger]

Well wouldn't you know it, the noise has just disappeared tonight as soon as the wet/humid weather went away. The first full day of sunshine we have had in a couple of weeks and like magic, the engine is humming like a dream.

How convenient considering the car is booked to get checked out tomorrow morning!!!!!!! So I don't know how they would be able to find the problem now

This leads me to my next obvious question, why would it only make the belt/bearing noise in wet/humid weather, and not a sound in dry sunny weather??

[Stephen Thorpe]

it shouldn't make a difference... but I bet it is incorrectly tensioned

Or it is the air con and it had switched off and was off load.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Stephen Thorpe

[Easy Tiger]

it shouldn't make a difference... but I bet it is incorrectly tensioned

Or it is the air con and it had switched off and was off load.

I put it in to the shop today and the noise wasn't there, so basically they said to me they probably won't be able to do much until the noise appears again. He seems to think it might be the cam belt.. I hope that is not the case. It's not due for another 16,500 km yet. In any case they said they would inspect all the belts and look around.

I'm guessing you may be right about the tensioning, maybe that's what it is. If that's all then it should be an easy fix, but again hard to prove when the noise isn't appearing now anyway.

Don't think it is the air-con, when it was making the noise I turned it on and off, and the fan too, and the noise didn't change at all.

I am stumped

Edited April 17, 2009 by Easy Tiger

[andy65b]

I put it in to the shop today and the noise wasn't there, so basically they said to me they probably won't be able to do much until the noise appears again. He seems to think it might be the cam belt.. I hope that is not the case. It's not due for another 16,500 km yet. In any case they said they would inspect all the belts and look around.

when you say not due for 16'500 km yet are you referring to changing the timing belt at 100'000km?

I would presume that the VQ35DE like the VQ25DET has a chain for the the timing belt unlike many other new cars with rubber timing belts.

My understanding was that the timing belt does not need to be changed at 100'000 km, perhaps tightened but not changed.

If I am wrong please let me know?

Cheers

Andy

[n15m0]

Based on that recall list above, has anyone seen what this sticker looks like and where its located?

How can you tell if the problem has already been checked and/or fixed on your vehicle?

silver sticker on the right hand side of the vehicle type plate inside the engine compartment

[andy65b]

Based on that recall list above, has anyone seen what this sticker looks like and where its located?

How can you tell if the problem has already been checked and/or fixed on your vehicle?

silver sticker on the right hand side of the vehicle type plate inside the engine compartment

The sticker is a small round silver sticker (dot) about 1cm diameter.

On my car it was on the top of the wheel arch next to the silver plate on the drivers side.

That said, mine still failed despite being checked.

Cheers

Andy

[Stephen Thorpe]

The sticker is a small round silver sticker (dot) about 1cm diameter.

On my car it was on the top of the wheel arch next to the silver plate on the drivers side.

That said, mine still failed despite being checked.

Cheers

Andy

They can still go wrong, all though the AFM is sometimes more of an issue.

Ant - Cool link, lots of relevant or at the very least interesting details.

Silver sticker isn't the best way to highlight a recall has been carried out, anyhow they seem to use it for lots of different things on different models.

[Ant]

I put it in to the shop today and the noise wasn't there, so basically they said to me they probably won't be able to do much until the noise appears again. He seems to think it might be the cam belt.. I hope that is not the case. It's not due for another 16,500 km yet. In any case they said they would inspect all the belts and look around.

I'm guessing you may be right about the tensioning, maybe that's what it is. If that's all then it should be an easy fix, but again hard to prove when the noise isn't appearing now anyway.

Don't think it is the air-con, when it was making the noise I turned it on and off, and the fan too, and the noise didn't change at all.

I am stumped

Firstly take your mechanic out and slap them upside the head - VQ engines have timing chains and not belts... Which as you say don't need replacing. Shouldn't make a squealing noise if loose - AFAIK the symptom of an incorrectly tensioned chain is a rattling noise.

Will be one of the accessory belts - while I'm not certain I'm guessing that if the belt is a little loose any moisture on the pulleys will cause it to slip. Certainly notice it on other cars on damp days. If it doesn't change when switching AC on/off then likely the alternator belt? Still haven't got my car so can't check exactly what belts go where.

12/14L per 100k - ouch! That's 350GT on a bad day consumption levels (no offence to our larger-engined brethren out there... )... Definitely get that looked at. Thinking about it though, if you are getting the error code frequently then this could be causing the increased fuel consumption as the ECU drops back to a safe map and/or gets confused. Note that the 250GT is rated in the standard Japanese economy test at 8.3L/100k - a very optimistic figure but should at least be a rough guide to what you'd expect. 350GT is 11.1L/100k.

Note for the others out there - the 250GT sedan has the VQ25DD NA, direct injected engine, not the VQ25DET turbo from the M35 Stagea wagon. Pity, a turbo sedan would be a bit of a weapon...

Edited April 19, 2009 by Ant

[Easy Tiger]

Thanks for the replies guys. I had to pull the car out of the shop first thing Saturday as I had a family crisis Friday and needed a car immediately, so we didn't get to the root of the problems.

That's really interesting about the 250GT having a timing chain and not a belt... I am sure it has a "replace at 100,000km" factory sticker under the hood? Unless it says just to tighten, but I am sure it said replace...

Yeah I definately need the fuel consumption looked at. They reset the engine light and the next day it came straight on again so something is amiss.

[n15m0]

For what its worth, my R34 had the CEL problem as well previously and was diagnosed as having a faulty o2 sensor. This was replaced and problem solved. Might also explain your poor fuel consumption ie: o2 sensor faulty?

[FlyingEL]

Well, I'm backing those who say it's a O2 sensor problem, car with that age. As for the squeaking belt, it's the aircon belt. Even though the aircon is not working, it still turn the pulley to the aircon compressor, but it's a free turing pulley untill you turn On the Aircon. It should be a retension of the belt, or change of the belt if it has stretched to much.

[Easy Tiger]

Well I drove down to Byron and back on the weekend and on the way home the engine warning light just turned itself off..

So now I am stuffed if I know what's going on. It's driving perfectly and so far I've got 500km out of 3/4 of a tank (nearly all highway driving).

No idea.