Oil Consumption Problem

[Sambo33]

Hi everyone. I’ve recently encountered an oil consumption problem. My engine is using something like 1 litre per 1000ks of oil. At first I figured it as a turbo problem, so I pulled of the AFM pipe and the dump pipe, as you can see in the pics there is oil around the compressor wheel and dried up carbon/oil? around the exhaust wheel. There is a trail of oil going through the intercooler pipes from the turbo and into the inlet pipe. I also pulled a spark plug out as one workshop suggested, as you can see in the pic it is very black. Has anyone encountered a similar problem or able to diagnose my problem? Does this sound solely turbo related or piston rings or something else?

note oil on the compressor wheel and in the opening there

pic taken with a mirror, dry carbon/oil build up around wheel & wastegate area

This trail of oil continues through all intercooler piping

note the small pool of oil before thottle opening

note how dark end of spark plug is

Thanks people.

Sam

[R31Nismoid]

sounds like youve got some big blowby... which probably is piston rings

[Duncan]

You really need to do a compression check to see if either rings or valves are a problem.

[Sambo33]

Thanks guys, looks like i'll be organising a compression test.

[Cubes]

Or... ring land..

[NickR33]

not good... rb's hardly use any oil at all... i found out the hard way that having to top up the oil between services is bad news

hope its nothing serious:/

[Oosh]

That explains why i could always smell your car so bad when behind it in cruises, just thought it was rich Nissan running, but obviously something more. Sorry to hear that mate, hopefully you get off without hemorrhaging cash too severely...

[Sambo33]

That explains why i could always smell your car so bad when behind it in cruises, just thought it was rich Nissan running, but obviously something more. Sorry to hear that mate, hopefully you get off without hemorrhaging cash too severely...

Cheers mate, yeah someone noted the excessive cloud of smoke that came out of the exhaust when boosting too, i think it was you?? would have been nice to get away from it without spending too much, but im up for a full engine rebuild now, got a quote, and organising it soon.

[Nozila]

so it aint turbo related? Did the compression test show down on compression sam?

[rob82]

Check comp and if fine its probly a weaping compressor seal.

[Nozila]

if there were quotes made maybe a compression test was already performed now to think of it.

[Sambo33]

the oil in the induction pipes is actually from the breather pipe that goes to the rocker cover. so yeah, its a blow-by problem. from what i understand if it was a turbo seal there would be oil all around the wastegate area next to the exhaust wheel there.

[Bazelinez]

Dude, make sure you see the compression/leak down results yourself. My Silvia was using lots of oil, blowing bucketloads of smoke and it was the turbo seal that shat itself.

There was NO oil around the exhaust housing as there is simply too much heat and it gets burnt off.

Every turbo car i've seen including mine has some degree of oil in the pipes, its just a normal thing.

make sure you aren't getting the wool pulled over your eyes!

[Sambo33]

bazelines, thanks for your concern . I havent had the tests done yet, so far only my own findings and talking to a workshop. Will be done soon though. Some other factors that lead me to believe the engine is the source of the problem. ive got an oil catch-can that will fill up pretty rapidly when under higher speeds. i only get smoke from the exhaust at high RPM whereas someone i know who has a 180SX with new internals and a stuffed turbo, he gets exhaust smoke from 3500RPM onwards all the time. my car has just ticked over 160,000ks too.

[Cubes]

160,000km's for an RB is bugger all.

Consider Rev210's RB26 that is over 200,000km's and running strong.

My old RB20DET that clocked 175,000km's with perfect compression, 110,000km's of those were done with me behind the wheel and 1bar of boost.

For your car to do what its doing, some thing has gone wrong.

I would tend to suggest its either been idled consistantly and driven like a pansy for all its life hence glazed bores, or ran super richer all its life hence glazed bores or its simply and most likely leaned out and or detonated that has broke some thing or seriously damaged something.

Another consideration is valve stem seals. Does it blow smoke after idling around for a while?

One very good reason to get a dyno power run every 6 months or so.

Especially if its running that little bit more boost than stock.

[Sambo33]

160,000km's for an RB is bugger all.

 

Consider Rev210's RB26 that is over 200,000km's and running strong.

My old RB20DET that clocked 175,000km's with perfect compression, 110,000km's of those were done with me behind the wheel and 1bar of boost.

 

For your car to do what its doing, some thing has gone wrong.

I would tend to suggest its either been idled consistantly and driven like a pansy for all its life hence glazed bores, or ran super richer all its life hence glazed bores or its simply and most likely leaned out and or detonated that has broke some thing or seriously damaged something.

Another consideration is valve stem seals. Does it blow smoke after idling around for a while?

 

One very good reason to get a dyno power run every 6 months or so.

Especially if its running that little bit more boost than stock.

Im pretty sure the odometer has been wound back on mine too, so it could be anything really. But i know what you are saying, the RB engine has a reputation for being bulletproof.

I think the leaning out/detonation would be the most likely scenario, but dont know. I've owned the car for a year, and only covered about 15,000ks in it.

Nope, no smoke when idleing, it only seems to blow smoke when taken to about 6KRPM, i see a big puff in my rearview mirror.

It was dynoed about a year ago by the previous owner, i havent dynoed it myself yet.

Cheers,

Sam

[FATGTS-R]

You have mentioned catch can and oil in the pipes so I assume its set up legally and the can is running as an oil/air seperator?

Clean up all the inlet pipes and run the breathers to the can but dont plumb them back into the inlet, vent it to atmosphere.

Then take the car out for a spirited drive or two and then check the afm pipe. If it is filthy with oil again then obviously the turbo is sick. If its clean and the can is full then get a leak down test performed.

[Sambo33]

You have mentioned catch can and oil in the pipes so I assume its set up legally and the can is running as an oil/air seperator?

Yep, PCV is still intact, both rocker cover breathers go to one inlet on catch-can and the other(catch-can inlet) goes to AFM pipe breather.

Clean up all the inlet pipes and run the breathers to the can but dont plumb them back into the inlet, vent it to atmosphere.

Then take the car out for a spirited drive or two and then check the afm pipe. If it is filthy with oil again then obviously the turbo is sick. If its clean and the can is full then get a leak down test performed.

That sounds like a good idea, ill give it a go and see what happens.

Cheers,

Sam

[R31Nismoid]

as you say cubes, there s 100 things that could of happened

its a 2nd hand car.

its more than likely thats its stuffed as opposed to not being so

[PHaT MR30]

My engine was consuming oil a fair bit before we pulled it down, ended up being Valve stem seals, which let oil leak down into the combustion chambers, carbon build up everywhere, i also had oil in my pipes but not puddles my turbo seems to be in good condition (no play) so maybe thats a consideration... I ended up getting my whole head rebuilt.. be good to see how it goes then!