Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

Just bought a 2000 Nissan Stagea (106000kms, has just had major service - i have the papers etc) from a dealer and its in near-perfect condition inside and out, runs really smooth etc except for one thing.

When the car is under heavy boost (over 50-60% throttle, 3500+rpm) it makes a metallic kind of sound that seems to be coming from directly in front. The turbo spools up ok, and the noise only starts near or past full boost so I dont think the turbo is the culprit.

My first instinct was to suspect the turbo but the noise isn't coming from where the turbo is, it seems to come from the top of the engine.

Something like T-T-TTT-T-T sort of noise. It only has a 1/4 tank of fuel left, and is a fresh import...so its probably been sitting in the yard for ages with next to no fuel in the tank...maybe pulling up crap off the bottom of the tank too??

I plan to put a full tank of 98 in and see if the problem goes away.

If it doesn't, my guess is coilpacks, or spark plugs. Can I rule these out, based on what I've said above? The spark plugs should be new since its just complied.

I always thought pinging would sound more like a rattle (like a chain rattling on metal), but I've also heard it described as ball bearings on tin...which is closer to what I'm hearing.

I do have dealer 3 month warranty to fall back on...but if its just the fuel causing it then it isn't a warranty issue.

What are your thoughts?

Edited by pixel8r

apprently nails on a tin roof sound is detonation. not a good sign.

fact that its happening on boost is also a worry.

change the fuel. if it still does it. take it back asap as within 30 days of yard warranty, they must fix everything as they have provided a Roadworthy.

If it was the turbo the sound would be coming from closer to the passenger footwell. Also, turbo sounds are more like either a whistle, whine or a screeching noise. This sound is neither of those.

This sound is definitely central and directly in front, so I'd say its pinging.

It makes sense that it would ping under heavy load and not when cruising...nothing alarming there. If its going to ping at all, that is when it will do it.

If fuel doesn't fix it, I will be taking it back asap.

i'd say coils

they will die at max torque (which is when you get max cylinder filling = max air/combustion stroke) which would be also just as you ramp onto boost (3000-5000 rpm)

i'd say coils

they will die at max torque (which is when you get max cylinder filling = max air/combustion stroke) which would be also just as you ramp onto boost (3000-5000 rpm)

max torque is 3200rpm. boost starts ramping up around 1800rpm - its all factory.

Taking it back today for them to have a look.

max torque is 3200rpm. boost starts ramping up around 1800rpm - its all factory.

Taking it back today for them to have a look.

yeah but you only start getting near the peak at 3000 rpm, mine is nearly all factory

you'll probably see coils breaking down at lower revs in a stagea too, compared with a skyline due to the extra load on the motor

coils breaking down should result in a 'missing' sound - a shuddering and a loss of power.

i'd say its pre-detonation. i wouldn't be 'experimenting' with the sound trying to work it out if i were you. your best insurance is to go to the servo and buy a bottle of octane booster - dump that in, fill the rest up with the highest octane petrol you can buy, run that through and fill it up again - if it still does it then you need to get it on a dyno and tell them you need an AFR check, that you're worried about detonation and get them to run it up carefully.

if it is pinging it could be something as simple as the timing being out. either way, if it IS pining, i highly doubt its covered under a statutory warranty - it's not a roadworthy item.

coils breaking down should result in a 'missing' sound - a shuddering and a loss of power.

i'd say its pre-detonation. i wouldn't be 'experimenting' with the sound trying to work it out if i were you. your best insurance is to go to the servo and buy a bottle of octane booster - dump that in, fill the rest up with the highest octane petrol you can buy, run that through and fill it up again - if it still does it then you need to get it on a dyno and tell them you need an AFR check, that you're worried about detonation and get them to run it up carefully.

if it is pinging it could be something as simple as the timing being out. either way, if it IS pining, i highly doubt its covered under a statutory warranty - it's not a roadworthy item.

hmmm dont like the sound of that last bit. we dont have roadworthy certificates here in SA...but I assumed the main car mechanicals were all covered, at least so that the car is running as promised.

I wont be pushing it - it drives fine unless I put my foot down a fair bit. I'm gonna put 98RON fuel in, then take to the dealer for them to have a look. I need to go there anyway to pick something up.

You mentioned a "FULL SERVICE" Was the timing and all other belts replaced. And how about the idler and tensioner pulleys also the water pump.

I have just been through the misfortune of having the idler pulley seize which in turn delaminated the timing belt. Lucky it did not break, just slipped a few teeth and went into limp mode.

Then when it was put back together someone(?) overtightened the fan belt which caused the water pump front bearing to collapse, then the shaft sheared an the fan unit went beserk and smashed the radiator.

Also the aux. belts had not been replaced.

Total bill was about a grand.

The Stag is N/A and we had the paperwork to say the 100k service had been done, but they only replaced the timing belt.

While all of the above may not be pertinate to your problem, even though the tic tic is up front,

The moral of the story is replace EVERYTHING when doing the timing belt.

smokey said it all. your description sounds like pinging

get octane boost in (Id use say a 10% mix of eflex fuel, say 6-litres of E85 eflex from caltex) with fresh 60L of 98ron premium unleaded.

run through full tank then do it again.

if you use the E85 as octane boost (ie a 10% mix) then once second tank is run through replace the fuel filter.

then see how it is with a full tank of 98Pulp on full boost.

hmmm, sorry, looks like I headed down the wrong path.

On closer inspection, and after putting 50L of 98 RON fuel in, it seems like it may well be turbo related. The sound is actually coming from the passenger side of the motor, not the centre as I first thought.

There is no issue when you rev the engine in neutral (although its not under load that way either), and also the sound is more like a short sharp chisel sound...but there's a slight chirp-kind of sound to it as well - which would have to be metal on metal by my way of thinking. My initial thoughts are the turbo fins _just_ scraping the side of the turbo??

Only happens near max boost, say 2500-3500rpm, and if I lift my foot a little it disappears, even if the revs are over 3000rpm.

The turbo sound is pretty noticeable, but if I remember correctly this is normal for the RB25DET (NEO). There are no squeals or unusual whistles, just this chipping/chirping sound which turns into one long sound if I push it harder (actually, it almost sounds like crickets or cicadas at this point).

Sorry if the description isn't very good - its the best I can think of right now.

I took it back to the dealer and took them for a drive and they heard it but they were saying its just a squeak or rattle. In any case, they are going to get a mechanic to look at it on Monday (I have the car until then) and if its mechanical they said they would definitely cover it.

They also said if there was a problem with the turbo it would make the sound all the time, not just on max boost...but I wasn't so sure on this. I thought if you have some shaft play the fins will start to scrape on the edge before it eventually lets go. Excuse my lack of knowledge if I'm way off track...

The knock sensors are there to throw an engine light at the sound of 'ping' they are tuned to pick up

Those frequenys witch are very unique! Take it back n c wat they say. Hook up a boost gauge and c if its holding, dropping boost... My f*kd coils made this kinda issue and boost needle was moving ~3 pound up n down very quickly

The knock sensors are there to throw an engine light at the sound of 'ping' they are tuned to pick up

Those frequenys witch are very unique! Take it back n c wat they say. Hook up a boost gauge and c if its holding, dropping boost... My f*kd coils made this kinda issue and boost needle was moving ~3 pound up n down very quickly

I dont have a guage, but there is no shudder under boost and going by the whoosh of the turbo its holding boost just fine.

Everything I'm reading on the forums is pointing to the turbo blades possibly scraping on the inner wall. Will get them to check the turbo on monday for shaft play...and will take it easy until then. I could check it myself but if they see I've been playing around that could easily affect my warranty claim...so I'll not be touching anything.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Per Mark Roberts of Sonictune: Mark Robert Author At this time, no. No ETA either 2016-17 models. You will be able to purchase and install a 2018.5+ TCU though   TCU purchasing and pricing info! As we near the release of TCU tuning, I am going to answer some questions I get asked often.   What do I need for TCU tuning? At this time, you will need a 2018.5+ TCU to be able to tune. If you have a 2016-to early 2018, you will need to replace your TCU with the newer version. One good way to know if your TCU is good is if you have auto upshift in manual mode in 1st gear around 6500 rpms. If your manual 1st gear goes to 7k rpm and will hit the rev limiter unless you shift, you have the older TCU.   Why do I need to buy another ecu license/phone flash if I already have it on my ECU tune? The TCU is its own computer module. It is completely separate from the ECU. Because of this, you will be required to purchase a TCU license and, if your tuner has it, the phone flash license required to tune it via phone/bluetooth.   Do I need TCU tuning? TCU tuning is NOT required. However, the faster your setup, the more it will assist in track and dragy time consistency.   If I’m ECU tuned by (tuner A) can I get my TCU tuned by (Tuner ? Yes, since it’s a different module and a completely separate flash, you can have two different tuners. However, it is highly recommend that you have both tuned by the same tuner. For me, my TCU tuning will directly complement my ECU tuning style and features and running my ECU and another TCU or vice versa MIGHT cause some issues. At this time and for the foreseeable future, I will only be tuning my current ECU tuned customers TCUs.     I have a SYVECS AWD controller. Do I still need it? Yes! The AWD controllers main job is to control your AWD system. However, with TCU tuning, you will no longer need the auto-shift function as that will be done through the TCU. The AWD controller will still be very beneficial for racers looking to maximize traction on the launch.     Shift schedule changes: holding gears longer at lower pedal input as well as max shift rpm changes. Please note, the new ECU race rom coming out will address 90% of the shitty drivability issues these cars have through custom maps from myself and Racebox—as well as others I am sure.   Increase shift speeds: as seen in the videos I’ve been posting, the TCU shifts much faster once tuned.   Increased shift pressures: as also seen in the videos, much firmer full throttle shifts.      
    • Per Mark Roberts of Sonictune:     Mark Robert Author At this time, no. No ETA either 2016-17 models. You will be able to purchase and install a 2018.5+ TCU though   TCU purchasing and pricing info! As we near the release of TCU tuning, I am going to answer some questions I get asked often.   What do I need for TCU tuning? At this time, you will need a 2018.5+ TCU to be able to tune. If you have a 2016-to early 2018, you will need to replace your TCU with the newer version. One good way to know if your TCU is good is if you have auto upshift in manual mode in 1st gear around 6500 rpms. If your manual 1st gear goes to 7k rpm and will hit the rev limiter unless you shift, you have the older TCU.   Why do I need to buy another ecu license/phone flash if I already have it on my ECU tune? The TCU is its own computer module. It is completely separate from the ECU. Because of this, you will be required to purchase a TCU license and, if your tuner has it, the phone flash license required to tune it via phone/bluetooth.   Do I need TCU tuning? TCU tuning is NOT required. However, the faster your setup, the more it will assist in track and dragy time consistency.   If I’m ECU tuned by (tuner A) can I get my TCU tuned by (Tuner ? Yes, since it’s a different module and a completely separate flash, you can have two different tuners. However, it is highly recommend that you have both tuned by the same tuner. For me, my TCU tuning will directly complement my ECU tuning style and features and running my ECU and another TCU or vice versa MIGHT cause some issues. At this time and for the foreseeable future, I will only be tuning my current ECU tuned customers TCUs.     I have a SYVECS AWD controller. Do I still need it? Yes! The AWD controllers main job is to control your AWD system. However, with TCU tuning, you will no longer need the auto-shift function as that will be done through the TCU. The AWD controller will still be very beneficial for racers looking to maximize traction on the launch.     Shift schedule changes: holding gears longer at lower pedal input as well as max shift rpm changes. Please note, the new ECU race rom coming out will address 90% of the shitty drivability issues these cars have through custom maps from myself and Racebox—as well as others I am sure.   Increase shift speeds: as seen in the videos I’ve been posting, the TCU shifts much faster once tuned.   Increased shift pressures: as also seen in the videos, much firmer full throttle shifts.      
    • The fancy pants red shock tower brace is finally incoming from MX5 Mania, getting it shipped from 'Merica has been a long and problematic process, and GWR, the 'Merican supplier will not ship directly to consumers outside of the US, Mania basically had to order a heap of them, the colour choice was silver, or red, and we all know anything red adds 5 killerwasps of dynotorques..... Whilst it does fit over a 2.5, and I've seen a few photos and videos of it being installed and fitting, google also says it might get real close to the FAB9 intake front runner, people in the US says it does fit with the FAB9 intake, except for one person who said it slightly touched.......so there is that.....LOL..... As it seems that I am the first in AU to have this combination of parts there's no local knowledge about fitment, so I'm just a willing guinea pig in this endeavour, I'll cross my fingers and toes and hope for the best In other news, I ordered stuff from China  on the same day I ordered the 23° silicone bend from Victoria, the stuff from China arrived a day ago, the 23° silicone bend is still travelling around Australia thanks to Australia Post, and "may" be here next week
    • Very good news...I contacted Racebox about it last night. My car is a 2016 so remains to be seen if it is compatible, requires a TCU swap, or is impossible.
    • What ECU are you running? This is probably the biggest question. If it's a PowerFC, I'd probably change the ECU and get something newer that will handle the injectors in a nicer way.
×
×
  • Create New...