Hello i am looking at a 1989 Nissan Cedric Cima with 69k km's it's VG30DE DOHC AT a dealer has for sale but it has a "tick" and am wondering if anyone can help approximate that it is indeed a lifter tick an not something more sinister,
from what he explained to me the car came to the port in japan fine but once it got over seas the tick started to happen.
Here's a quote of what he told me.

The car made no unusual noises when it was parked at the port in Japan, but the lifter noise was present when I picked it up here. Because of this I assumed that it would unstick itself after having previously sat for several weeks. I've put >500 miles on it since and have tried oil from 0w-20 -> straight 50 weight. I have also tried a flush as recommended by a local shop and the noise still persists so I assume that it'll have to be opened up. Currently the car is running RP 50W.

Here's also a cold start video and a video of it running after being warmed up.


Any help greatly appreciate, thank you!

Morro, welcome to NICOclub.

Due to the engine being used in other models, I am going to copy your post over to the Nissan 300ZX subforum. Of the few vehicles that got the VG30DE in the States, that is one of our more active forums and the folks there will probably be more discerning of the sounds.

That sounds pretty bad, if it is a lifter it's a collapsed one, hopefully someone with a bit more experience in the noises can hop in and comment because I've luckily never had to deal with such a thing.

That definitely sounds bad, and so surprising considering how good it sounds warming up. It sounds also a lot like my NA did when it spun a bearing, not so bad warming but worse with more heat and the clunkish sound also present, but I agree with NoLimit more likely a lifter is collapsing as it warms up and which indeed would require popping it open and servicing/replacing the lifters. When open I'd also inspect the rod bearings to satisfy that possibility.

That's rough. Jack the car up, secure it, start it, and listen from underneath. Take a screwdriver and make a "mechanic's stethoscope" and listen to the oil pan. That sounds exactly like the beginning stages of my rod knock. Does the Cima have an oil pressure gauge? If so, what's it reading? Or, if there's a way to hook up an external gauge, I'd verify that way. If the rod bearing is worn, the thick oil will cushion at startup, but when it thins out from warming up, worn bearings can let the oil cushion out the sides of the rod bearing, lowering the oil pressure and causing a knock. Click my picture in my signature to look at the wear on my rods and see how mine looked. That's exactly what mine was doing.

Usually lifter tick in a VG30DE comes at cold start, due to the collapsed lifter not being able to intake the thick oil.

Ace2cool wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:23 pm

Usually lifter tick in a VG30DE comes at cold start, due to the collapsed lifter not being able to intake the thick oil.

I learned something new today.