What is this garbage in my engine???

[carlosinseattle]

Chain Guide job. Check this out...WOW!!!

It's probably time to move ahead to the next car. I think mine is toast
Modified by carlosinseattle at 7:42 PM 11/12/2006

[96Qowner]

Heheh, another nice pic for the failed chain guide archives. .... Boom! ....
Modified by 96Qowner at 8:36 AM 11/13/2006

[Q45tech]

We can see from the colors and varnish the problems with proper oil quality and changes [or rehabilitation] and varnish removal PRIOR to the guide failure.

Someone over the previous years was very xxxxxxxxxxxxxx. These colors take years to accomplish.

[carlosinseattle]

Q45tech. Do you think this motor is salvageable? Or is it time to just scrap it? I do want to try to fix it if possible. I really don't want to let it go, but if you think it's toast, then so be it.

My driver's side chain chewed half the oil pump bolt off. The oil pump chain was down in the pan when I opened it up, and most of the pieces were stacked up like in the picture, but some were down in the pan. I dug out what I could. I guess the reason myu oil light came on immedeately is because my oil pump chain broke. This was a sweet ride.

By the way, how do I know for sure if it jumped timing? How do I know if there's any internal damage to the heads or anything else whithout pulling the heads?

[Q45tech]

JDM takeouts are plentiful in LA.........[last week there were over 10 to chose from in ATL].

Step one: Find out if there is a JDM warehouse in Seattle, some company that specializes in importing Nissan junkyard motors from Japan to avoid freight from LA [plus the trip to LA to inspect and evaluate possible units].

Your oil pump will be trashed [and need replacement]. the parts will cost close to what a JDM engine costs

You must buy a complete chain guide kit plus new chains [either to use in testing your old engine or/and to put in the JDM take out engine if the results are bad.

You will need to rechain the old engine to rotate it to look for bent valves on driverside, if ok then you must do cylinder by cylinder leak down and compression test.

99 out of 100 times the valves bend.

The $750-$1200 the hand selected JDM engine costs is just the start.........someone must perform 25 hours of work........KS, 30+ hoses, valve cover reseals, new chains and guides, lots of cleaning and misc.

[carlosinseattle]

JDM takeouts are plentiful in LA.........[last week there were over 10 to chose from in ATL].

Step one: Find out if there is a JDM warehouse in Seattle, some company that specializes in importing Nissan junkyard motors from Japan to avoid freight from LA [plus the trip to LA to inspect and evaluate possible units].

Your oil pump will be trashed [and need replacement]. the parts will cost close to what a JDM engine costs

You must buy a complete chain guide kit plus new chains [either to use in testing your old engine or/and to put in the JDM take out engine if the results are bad.

You will need to rechain the old engine to rotate it to look for bent valves on driverside, if ok then you must do cylinder by cylinder leak down and compression test.

99 out of 100 times the valves bend.

The $750-$1200 the hand selected JDM engine costs is just the start.........someone must perform 25 hours of work........KS, 30+ hoses, valve cover reseals, new chains and guides, lots of cleaning and misc.

Thanks for a clear answer. You're exactly right, but I had to hear it before I moved forward. My mechanic says he prefers a US market engine because the JDM motors require a lot of work with all the changeovers. I believe he said it's because of emissions that there are so many things to change over. I know he just did a 93Q a few months ago. Does that sound valid? Has that been your experience?

[Q451990]

To my knowledge, the ony difference in the JDM vs USDM engine is that the JDM engine didn't have pre-cats. I'm not sure how much they would impact your emisssions testing - my understanding is that they only serve a purpose during the warm-up period after a cold start.

Heath

[Q45tech]

You are legally required to swap in your old exhaust manifolds with precats to comply with the Federal Clean Air Act and usually to meet local dynometer emission testing................the Q will often fail the HC measurement without precats depending on the age of oem main cats.

We learned this the hard way..............extremely time consumming to replace manifolds with engine in the car.

The JDM vs US engines are identical except for exhaust manifold which takes an hour to swap with brand new gaskets.

Comments like he made, make me wonder how many Q engines he has replaced??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Toyota and Honda 4-6 require lots out swapping but not Nissan V8

ONE MUST reseal valve covers replace front and rear main seals, all hoses, and gaskets, KS snd harness fuel hoses, runner gaskets........I would also pull and exame injectors and replace all orings.

We see lots of MECHANIC exchanged engines which often require serious after installation rehabilitation costing 3-4 times as much labor in the car vs sitting on an engine stand. CAREFUL CAREFUL CAREFUL

If your MECHANIC is so good why did he alow your engine to fail from chain guides............he should have harassed you constantly.

ALMOST ALL US engines are significantly worse than any JDM take out engine...........abusive US owners and dealers.

[carlosinseattle]

What about the cylinder heads? Do the US Spec motors and JDM motors have the exact same cylinder heads? Has anyone done the swap before?

[Q45tech]

We have swapped 25+ JDM engines into US Q since 1995 when we began T3.

Except for exhaust every engine component is identical IF you select the same year family engine with the same oprtions [TCS/ Active].

Good idea to pull oil pan and regasket and clean examine pickup.

REHABILITATION of any engine [US or JDM use] requires more time and materials than either engine [cost +shipping]. Say $900 in parts and $750 in rehab labor................then the swap labor $750-$1000.

Doing the job correctly so that the newish engine can last another 6+ years cost $4,000 in total...............no short cuts allowed or it just isn't cost effective to swap in the first place. If it fail soon from skipping things or you end up spending $2000 6 months later to do things that would have cost $1000 when out of car.

[maxnix]

We have swapped 25+ JDM engines into US Q since 1995 when we began T3.

Good idea to pull oil pan and regasket and clean examine pickup.

REHABILITATION of any engine [US or JDM use] requires more time and materials than either engine [cost +shipping]. Say $900 in parts and $750 in rehab labor................then the swap labor $750-$1000.

Doing the job correctly so that the newish engine can last another 6+ years cost $4,000 in total...............no short cuts allowed or it just isn't cost effective to swap in the first place. If it fail soon from skipping things or you end up spending $2000 6 months later to do things that would have cost $1000 when out of car.

So much easier to do under plenum hoses, KS and harness, and clean plenum, IAC and EGR valves wehn engine is out of the car. Thus cheaper than waiting for the components to fail with the engine in the car and twice the labor charge.

[carlosinseattle]

MaxnizQ45tech

Thanks for the information and advice. I just talked to my mechanic and he said it's the same, but different, just time consuming. I'm going to inspect a couple of local JDM engines this afternoon. I know to look for leaks, but what else should I look for? What tools to take with me? do you think they'll let me open up anything, like the oil pan?

Carlos

[carlosinseattle]

The JDM vs US engines are identical except for exhaust manifold which takes an hour to swap with brand new gaskets.

Comments like he made, make me wonder how many Q engines he has replaced??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Toyota and Honda 4-6 require lots out swapping but not Nissan V8

ONE MUST reseal valve covers replace front and rear main seals, all hoses, and gaskets, KS snd harness fuel hoses, runner gaskets........I would also pull and exame injectors and replace all orings.

We see lots of MECHANIC exchanged engines which often require serious after installation rehabilitation costing 3-4 times as much labor in the car vs sitting on an engine stand. CAREFUL CAREFUL CAREFUL

If your MECHANIC is so good why did he alow your engine to fail from chain guides............he should have harassed you constantly.

ALMOST ALL US engines are significantly worse than any JDM take out engine...........abusive US owners and dealers.

By the way, he did warn me a couple of times about the chain guides. He also told me not to buy my VR4 before I bought it. He drives an early 90's Mercedes and swears I should buy one. he might be right, but I do love my Q. I had to use a rental car the other day and I got a Dodge Neon. It was HORRIBLE!!!!! It seemed like the car was always straining. I'm 6'4" 280lbs. Maybe my size had something to do with it, but now I know why people who drive those cars always seem to have a sour look on their faces.

[Rex]

They should at least let you look in the oil filler cap. Hopefully, they can provide some documentation concerning the car it came out of in Japan.

It's a calculated risk, but JDM take outs have a better history of success.

Also, look for any external damage from shipping (bent oil pan, bent belt pulley's, cracked coolant filler necks, etc.

Good luck.

[maxnix]

A properly restored Q45 is way better than a MB of the same vintage.

Budget properly, and I think you will be much happier when you take care of the essentials first before flogging or modding it. A restored to OEM as new Q45 is a thing of joy and beauty.