370 Oil Gallery Gasget Failure...By By Engine

[Dicky]

Just wondering how many members are addressing this potential disaster. Just bought a 2010, 370 and noticed one of the "Pinned Post" above, by laytonanthony, regarding the potential engine damage caused if either of the two paper oil gallery gaskets, mounted behind the timing chain, blowout. Apparently this is a growing danger on pre 2012 HR and VQ engines.

 

Apparently the fault only shows itself by low oil pressure but the 370 doesn't have an oil pressure gauge..see link to workshop manual section "Timing Chain" page 54 showing an exploded view below. The gaskets in question are mounted on the rear timing chain case, the top one looks like a right pointing gun and the other below it looks a bit banana shaped.

 

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/370Z/Coupe/2010/

Edited November 14, 2016 by Dicky

[JurassicZ]

I have my oil pressure tested every P3 service, it is easy to do costs next to nothing and will show if mine are deteriorating.

As Rich said poor running will highlight any problem before it becomes serious.

[Tricky-Ricky]

Fitting an oil pressure gauge is usually one of the first things i do...just to be sure, its an excellent early warning.

[Justthejedi]

Hmmm, how easy is it fit an aftermarket oil pressure gauge?

[nissanman312]

Hmmm, how easy is it fit an aftermarket oil pressure gauge?

 

Takes a bit of time but not to hard mate

[Richf]

As I said before , I am not aware of a single VQ37 engine failure due to this issue, although its been blamed on some US failures usually when turbo or supercharged or used on track so its hard to be certain.

 

I did see a VQ35HR with a snapped camshaft on the lh bank which may well have been caused by the oil gallery gaskets (the oil pressure was low) and/or hard treatment but thats the only wrecked engine

 

I have seen failed gaskets on the 370z with no symptoms whatsoever where they have been done as a precaution for peace of mind of the owner

 

Fitting an oil pressure gauge was covered on the previous thread

[Zeezeebaba]

This is the reason I will be buying a post 2012 car. If getting an older car I would budget to get the gaskets uprated just for peace of mind.As said nothing to bad reported as yet but better to be safe than sorry IMO.

[nissanman312]

The thing is you could go all over the car possibly preventing problems that could arise and wolop you could smash the car up! and you have spent a fortune fixing things before they were broken

I'd go with the oil pressure gauge and keep an eye on it

 

I am going to speak to Ian Litchfield when maps my car I believe there is somthing that can be done with ecutek to limit the engine should it see low pressure

[Dicky]

I have my oil pressure tested every P3 service, it is easy to do costs next to nothing and will show if mine are deteriorating.

As Rich said poor running will highlight any problem before it becomes serious.

 

Wow that would freak me out I'm afraid, waiting for one year seems risky enough never mind 3yrs. Its possible that the fault could develop as soon as you drive away from the garage.

[Dicky]

Hmmm, how easy is it fit an aftermarket oil pressure gauge?

 

As far as I can tell it's a bit of a pain. Scant research to date indicates you will need to remove the oil pressure switch mounted at the oil filter and insert an extension T piece (if there's space to get in in), then connect the pressure switch to one of the tee piece outlets and a pressure sensor sender unit to the other connection (if there's space to get it in)

Then, if you want to replace the existing oil temperature gauge with the new pressure gauge it looks like a ball break job to get to the three gauge pod. There are dual oil temperature and pressure gauges available I understand but are quite expensive. Otherwise the gauge will have to be mounted on one of the A pillars I guess?

 

[Dicky]

As I said before , I am not aware of a single VQ37 engine failure due to this issue, although its been blamed on some US failures usually when turbo or supercharged or used on track so its hard to be certain.

 

I did see a VQ35HR with a snapped camshaft on the lh bank which may well have been caused by the oil gallery gaskets (the oil pressure was low) and/or hard treatment but thats the only wrecked engine

 

I have seen failed gaskets on the 370z with no symptoms whatsoever where they have been done as a precaution for peace of mind of the owner

 

Fitting an oil pressure gauge was covered on the previous thread

Yep it's a real dilemma Rich. I keep going around in circles with it. It a staggering £700 job but then if your unlucky it's probably a £3K job. Piece of mind says get the job done but then greedy mind says it may never happen..BUGGAR BUGGAR BUGGAR

[Dicky]

Anyone fitted a pressure gauge yet? If so a little write up would be useful and I would certainly add you to my Xmas card list

[Richf]

As I said before , I am not aware of a single VQ37 engine failure due to this issue, although its been blamed on some US failures usually when turbo or supercharged or used on track so its hard to be certain.

 

I did see a VQ35HR with a snapped camshaft on the lh bank which may well have been caused by the oil gallery gaskets (the oil pressure was low) and/or hard treatment but thats the only wrecked engine

 

I have seen failed gaskets on the 370z with no symptoms whatsoever where they have been done as a precaution for peace of mind of the owner

 

Fitting an oil pressure gauge was covered on the previous thread

Yep it's a real dilemma Rich. I keep going around in circles with it. It a staggering £700 job but then if your unlucky it's probably a £3K job. Piece of mind says get the job done but then greedy mind says it may never happen..BUGGAR BUGGAR BUGGAR

 

Yep its around £700-£900 but a lot more than that for an engine plus fitting probably £6-£8k

 

You cant replace the oil temp gauge with a pressure gauge , they work as a trio you would need to replace all three, any oil pressure gauge would need to be a standalone and would look a bit pony imo

 

But truth be told its a matter of time , the gaskets are crap and they will blow out sooner or later , if you saw the stock ones and the revised ones you can see why they fail

 

As I said before if it was my car I would do it as a matter of course

[nissanman312]

Did we ever get a link to the gaskets should someone want to buy them and do a diy

[Richf]

H-Dev and Torqen do them in their shop iirc

[Justthejedi]

I think an oil pressure gauge would look best on the A pillar. My S15 had it's turbo gauge there and it looked coll. An additonal stand-a-lone gauge on the dash would look tacky imho.

[JurassicZ]

I have my oil pressure tested every P3 service, it is easy to do costs next to nothing and will show if mine are deteriorating.

As Rich said poor running will highlight any problem before it becomes serious.

 

Wow that would freak me out I'm afraid, waiting for one year seems risky enough never mind 3yrs. Its possible that the fault could develop as soon as you drive away from the garage.

H-Dev did mine and the pressure was as good as they had seen on a 370 so I am not concerned.

Plus as Richf keeps stating you will start to see the engine run rough if they start to deteriorate.

[JurassicZ]

I should add though, that I have 16 months left of an extended Nissan warranty, which gives me some piece of mind!

Edited November 15, 2016 by JurassicZ

[Dicky]

I should add though, that I have 16 months left of an extended Nissan warranty, which gives me some piece of mind!

 

That's better now! You had me thinking this guy is cursing for a bruising (financially I mean £££)

 

[Dicky]

As I said before , I am not aware of a single VQ37 engine failure due to this issue, although its been blamed on some US failures usually when turbo or supercharged or used on track so its hard to be certain.

 

I did see a VQ35HR with a snapped camshaft on the lh bank which may well have been caused by the oil gallery gaskets (the oil pressure was low) and/or hard treatment but thats the only wrecked engine

 

I have seen failed gaskets on the 370z with no symptoms whatsoever where they have been done as a precaution for peace of mind of the owner

 

Fitting an oil pressure gauge was covered on the previous thread

Yep it's a real dilemma Rich. I keep going around in circles with it. It a staggering £700 job but then if your unlucky it's probably a £3K job. Piece of mind says get the job done but then greedy mind says it may never happen..BUGGAR BUGGAR BUGGAR

 

Yep its around £700-£900 but a lot more than that for an engine plus fitting probably £6-£8k

 

You cant replace the oil temp gauge with a pressure gauge , they work as a trio you would need to replace all three, any oil pressure gauge would need to be a standalone and would look a bit pony imo

 

But truth be told its a matter of time , the gaskets are crap and they will blow out sooner or later , if you saw the stock ones and the revised ones you can see why they fail

 

As I said before if it was my car I would do it as a matter of course

Yeah unfortunately I think your right Rich. I say unfortunately because I've become friends with all my little cash pals in the bank, even so far as to give them names...Typically £1, £2, £3 and so on

I'll be sad to see them go!

[Dicky]

As I said before , I am not aware of a single VQ37 engine failure due to this issue, although its been blamed on some US failures usually when turbo or supercharged or used on track so its hard to be certain.

 

I did see a VQ35HR with a snapped camshaft on the lh bank which may well have been caused by the oil gallery gaskets (the oil pressure was low) and/or hard treatment but thats the only wrecked engine

 

I have seen failed gaskets on the 370z with no symptoms whatsoever where they have been done as a precaution for peace of mind of the owner

 

 

Fitting an oil pressure gauge was covered on the previous thread

Yep it's a real dilemma Rich. I keep going around in circles with it. It a staggering £700 job but then if your unlucky it's probably a £3K job. Piece of mind says get the job done but then greedy mind says it may never happen..BUGGAR BUGGAR BUGGAR

 

Yep its around £700-£900 but a lot more than that for an engine plus fitting probably £6-£8k

 

You cant replace the oil temp gauge with a pressure gauge , they work as a trio you would need to replace all three, any oil pressure gauge would need to be a standalone and would look a bit pony imo

 

But truth be told its a matter of time , the gaskets are crap and they will blow out sooner or later , if you saw the stock ones and the revised ones you can see why they fail

 

As I said before if it was my car I would do it as a matter of course

 

How do you mean Rich "you can't replace the temperature gauge", and "they work in trio". Can't you just remove the temp gauge, fit a pressure gauge in its place and connect the pressure gauge to a sender unit mounted at the oil filter. I had thought I would fit a "T" connection in place of the pressure switch, then connect the pressure switch to one connection and the sender unit to the remaining connections?

 

[nissanman312]

He means the gauges on the dash can't be swapped out simply

They are trio on a plate

 

That's a dash out job

[JurassicZ]

Try just fitting a gauge under the bonnet. You only need to check hot idle every so often, if you then see variances, spend the money and change the gaskets.

[Richf]

As I said before , I am not aware of a single VQ37 engine failure due to this issue, although its been blamed on some US failures usually when turbo or supercharged or used on track so its hard to be certain.

 

I did see a VQ35HR with a snapped camshaft on the lh bank which may well have been caused by the oil gallery gaskets (the oil pressure was low) and/or hard treatment but thats the only wrecked engine

 

I have seen failed gaskets on the 370z with no symptoms whatsoever where they have been done as a precaution for peace of mind of the owner

 

 

Fitting an oil pressure gauge was covered on the previous thread

Yep it's a real dilemma Rich. I keep going around in circles with it. It a staggering £700 job but then if your unlucky it's probably a £3K job. Piece of mind says get the job done but then greedy mind says it may never happen..BUGGAR BUGGAR BUGGAR

 

Yep its around £700-£900 but a lot more than that for an engine plus fitting probably £6-£8k

 

You cant replace the oil temp gauge with a pressure gauge , they work as a trio you would need to replace all three, any oil pressure gauge would need to be a standalone and would look a bit pony imo

 

But truth be told its a matter of time , the gaskets are crap and they will blow out sooner or later , if you saw the stock ones and the revised ones you can see why they fail

 

As I said before if it was my car I would do it as a matter of course

 

How do you mean Rich "you can't replace the temperature gauge", and "they work in trio". Can't you just remove the temp gauge, fit a pressure gauge in its place and connect the pressure gauge to a sender unit mounted at the oil filter. I had thought I would fit a "T" connection in place of the pressure switch, then connect the pressure switch to one connection and the sender unit to the remaining connections?

 

They look like three separate guages but they are a single thing , so this

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/09-16-nissan-370z-coupe-convertible-oem-center-dashboard-cluster-meter-gauge-/222296049235?fits=Make%3ANissan%7CModel%3A370Z&hash=item33c1e08653:g:A9kAAOSwXeJYEqTY&vxp=mtr

 

If you did want to fit a gauge then a sandwich plate will do the job

 

http://www.rspec.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=87_89

 

In fact Dave at Rspec does all the stuff you need including gauge pods

[Dicky]

Many thanks Rich and all others, "I now have a plan"

I bought the car for my daughter,s graduation present and to be fair it's her first car and I can't rely on her noticing if the pressure

drops so I've decided to get Falcon Performance to replace the gaskets. They've done this before and seem to have a decent reputation. As Rich said the route cause are the gaskets, so that's what needs to get fixed.

The only bugger is that a pressure gauge may well save this expense for the duration of ownership, but who knows. But then again having replaced the gaskets will be a selling point.

Once again thanks to all for your input.