RealityCheck

One of you may have seen a past thread about the weirdest issue I've had with my 98 GLE. Got a new rebuilt factory spec engine about 2-3 months ago. My issue is that whenever my car takes a good tilt when going onto a tight turning highway/parkway ramp, etc.. It will blow out smoke (burning oil type). I've had this issue on previous shot to **** engine when I bought the car about a year ago. Now it would only happen for 5 seconds, loss of power and no acceleration for a bit then it would kick in. My car is still running just fine. No issues.

I need possible causes of this? When I bought the engine, it only came with new oil, oil filter, spark plugs, anti-freeze, thermostat and radiator inspection. Nothing else is changed. Now get this, yesterday I stopped short because I almost missed a stop sign. When I took off it went to hell for a bit. More smoke came out this time and made 3 pop sounds coming from the exhaust. It was pretty bad, worse than getting it on a turning ramp. I've never heard such a pop sound out of all the times it has happened to me. I feel like it's the way some fluids shift around inside and get stuck in the cylinders. I still don't understand how this still happens, when I have a new engine!

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

I would look at the fuel pump and fuel filter, most importantly the fuel pump.

RealityCheck

I was actually going to replace the fuel filter soon. I figured it might be clogged.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

No need to create another thread about the exact same problem.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

So 3 months ago you purchased a new or rebuilt motor because the old one was blowing smoke when you took a tight turn. Left or right?

1) How/who diagnosed this as a bad engine? Compression and cylinder leak down test?
2) Who purchased and installed this new rebuilt motor?
3) Did it come with a warranty?

RealityCheck

I thought it was worth making a second thread on the same problem. It's a bizarre problem!

It didn't matter whether it was a left or right. Happens in a blue moon.
A shop by me I always go to has diagnosed it. No idea on leak down test. But my family always goes to them and they always do a good job. I didn't have a choice to get a new engine because it eventually got so bad that I couldn't drive it due to too much smoke coming out). I purchased it, and I went to the nearest local place to get it done. (Wasn't too happy with them but they still got it done just fine.) Engine block was built from a machine shop (was sent out to another town). 3 year/100k warranty.

Alaskus

whole engine was new? new injectors and 02 sensors and all that sort of stuff?

RealityCheck

I would hope they checked injectors.. Same old ones though. I gotta check them. I need new o2 sensors. I think mine are shot to hell.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

Try TCW3. maybe you had some sucky gas clogging up your injectors.

Definitely do the primary O2s as well

http://forums.maxima.org/fluids-lubr...itive-new.html

RealityCheck

Hey thanks for this! I just bought a can of Seafoam the other day and put some in the gas tank for the hell of it. I smelt it and it's like Acetone. What makes this TCW3 so good? Is it better or similar working to the brand name ones?

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

i would think a rebuilt vq would mean all new everything, except for o2's and some external parts. how many miles on the original engine? did you get a second opinion or did your folks just insist on the techs assessment?? my 95 has 260,000 and blows random smoke, leaks oil from tc cover, noisy chain and i'm still convinced i have another 100,000 to go yet.

RealityCheck

All new inside. My old only had 75xxx, bought it at 53xxx. It got to the point where my smoke issue was so bad that I couldn't even drive it because it blew out that much of a cloud. It still idled fine though lol. I went with a remanufactured motor because then it would last me a lot longer than grabbing a junk yard engine.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

Either your injector(s) and/or FPR are going bad. Possibly the fuel pump as stated. Check to make sure the fuel pump filter sock is clean and laying flat with the bottom of the tank and not titled upwards at an angle.

RealityCheck

Thanks Wizard, I will take a look.

98maxaholic

Are you kiddding me? 75K on a vq and the motor was shot?
That is allmost UNHEARD of! I cant imagine your motor going out at 75k even if it only had 5 oil changes its whole life!
not that it matters cuz u have a new motor now, but did the original owners beat the **** out of it? or swap the cluster or something?
People are shady, i met a guy who bought a 98 used with 12k in 2000, bought a cluster somewhere and would only put 2000 miles every two yrs on the original cluster....all other miles were on the junk yard cluster..and he drove over 13k every yr on the j/y cluster!
he would swap back to original every two yrs, go through smog drive 2k miles on orig. cluster then put the j/y back in for two yrs

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

point is, there's no way that vq was shot or his current vq is shot either. unless i took it to at least 2 different shops and had it looked at, i would've never taken such a low mileage motor out. i would love to see and hear this motor run in person, i assure you i would figure out whats going on with it. should post a video of what's going on with it.

CS_AR

It looks like you replacement engine inherited a handful of problems that were present with the previous engine. When I had a replacement engine with ~73,000 miles installed last winter, it also took on problems that were present with the original engine -- though some were aggravated with the move to the newer engine.

One injector rail was moved from the previous engine that contained two injectors with broken pintle caps that were causing a flooding issue from releasing too much fuel.

I think The Wizard and Members are providing some good items to start ruling out.

asand1

iTrader: (1)

How much oil are you putting in it? You know its only like 4.5 qt right?

RealityCheck

I feel like there's so many things to look at when it comes down to this. My previous engine was purchased one year ago from a private dealer who sold multiple cars. The car was clean on the outside, great looking, no accidents. (Never looked at a carfax smh but didn't seem hit at all). Engine bay was eh, could use some cleaning. Months later the car started to pick up on this issue, till the point where it was shot to hell. I'm guessing it's possible he messed with the cluster, but the miles weren't to ,000. It was a random ending number. It had 53xxx when I bought it.

To be honest, it's possible it could have been beat on. I don't know who drove it, but at first glance I thought an elderly person drove this, but saw a local college parking sticker on the windshield, so a kid drove it. Now, the engine ran fine. I really had no issues with it. Idled perfect, smooth, nothing rough. Whenever I had this issue come up, it seemed to get worse as a month or two went by. Even when you smell the exhaust fume a bit, I can smell a scent of oil. Whether it's back then or now. I'm going to replace the whole exhaust.

But besides that, should I narrow my search down to fuel filter, pump, fuel rail, and injectors?

Edit: The dipstick sucks on this car. I'm afraid to over pour, so I leave it around 3.5 or 4. Because when I read it, it's not really accurate.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Like Wizard stated check that fuel sock....if it's acting weird (like fuel starvation) during turning and stopping/accelerating the sock is losing the ability to either allow fuel to pass thru it due to being either dirty/clogged as hell or positioned incorrectly in the fuel tank....

RealityCheck

When I drive around like usual it is perfectly fine. Guarantee you, if the fluids in the engine shift around too much it may cause the smoke to come out. Last week, I stopped short due to a stop sign I didn't see. After I took off casually it started smoking from the tail pipe and made small pop sounds. I'm like what the hell!

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

Check your valve seals, spark plug tube seals, piston rings, etc. But the popping sounds like fuel catching on fire so I'd agree with the others and say check your fuel injector seals, fuel pressure regulator, etc. Also your catalytic convertor is probably shot due to this so change that out as well. Might want to install new oxygen sensors also.

CS_AR

All good things to check. After mine had been running with broken injector pintle caps that caused uncontrolled flooding, the pre-cats were cooked and clogged. Once I understood the symptoms from cooked/clogged cats obstructing exhaust flow and resolved the problem's "root cause", my next step was to install new Y-pipes and a new high-flow cat to let the engine breathe properly. A new y-pipe and high-flow cat definitely improved performance.

asand1

iTrader: (1)

Um, yeah running the engine a quart low all the time will kill it in short order. You check the oil 30 minutes after shutdown, works great this way. It makes perfect sense to me that you would have two shot engines now.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

It's very easy to check the level.

I check it in the morning when the engine is cold.

If you are trying to read it right after it was running, you won't ever get an accurate reading.

RealityCheck

Bunch of things to check. Youtube and Google better guide me on this. Now I always check the oil when the engine is cooled. It just doesn't give the best reading and I'm afraid to go over the limit. + I know my exhaust is shot to ****. Pre cats are rusted looking, and o2 sensors are done since I had a CEL on, and also shows a P1105, Barometer solenoid valve?

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

The only thing I could see is fuel starvation or the valve stem seals (umbrella seals) that are damaged enough to that the oil is going down into the combustion chamber or your draining galleys are totally clogged cause the oil too set on top the engine and not drain back down to the oil pan....Next time you shutdown pull the interconnecting breather tube and see if oil pours out! If not pull the front V/C!

RealityCheck

My often thought is the oil getting into the cylinders somehow, which may cause the issue. But the block was rebuilt completely 3 months ago. I'm sure they made sure it's good? I'd hope anyways. Where is this breather tube you're talking about?

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

There's your problem.

RealityCheck

Brand new internals, I never personally looked but I know it's clean and I'm positive they would put new seals in it. Didn't even hit 2000 miles on it.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Yeah the 2 on the timing cover end of the engine! I've never had a VQ apart yet but it's possible and that your oil is on the top side and not draining back down to the pan!

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

This issue has occurred on your previous motor and your rebuilt one, correct? If so, then the problem is somewhere outside of the motor, like fuel pump. I would also double heck if the fuel rail and injectors didn't travel from the original motor to the rebuilt one. VQ motors are not known to be problematic at all, especially at such young mileage. My car has 200k miles. Minor oil leaks here and there and need axles, but that's about it. Original water pump still in the car but I have a feeling that will go around 250k miles. Brake pads of course and maybe a sticking rear caliper , but no major issues.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

Exactly, hence the suggestions from some of us. We're just applying logic here.

RealityCheck

Any fuel parts such as injectors and rail aren't changed during the engine swap. I can tell because they don't look new lol. Injectors seem to be working and clicking properly (screwdriver test). Whether it's block or not I would not know and have to physically check them. I'm going to buy a whole new exhaust and fuel filter. I will check upon the fuel pump but she still starts up fine. Oil light blinks for a split second when it starts up. It always did this regardless if I did an oil change. Like I said, this issue rarely occurs. Unless I try to force it..

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

I would swap over all your fuel components from your old engine personally if I were you! Also look at your oil pressure switch and make sure the connection is clean and secure....Swap with another new or used oil pressure switch and see if is still flinkers....If it does that means your engine may be loses it's oil pressure at either the rods or mains and that's a sign the engine wasn't properly rebuilt at all!

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

Imagine it's the same engine that he had before...

RealityCheck

They did swap all my other stuff over. The only thing that looks brand new is the bottom block. They still kept all of my original stuff on it, besides new spark plugs. The first few weeks I drove it with the new engine is that it did not have the CEL on. The codes I have on were probably the same from when I had the old engine. I got an OBD2 reader just 2-3 weeks ago. Just the typical O2 sensors and P1105. When I have free time I'll fix that, then replace the filter. Let's see how it goes. I really don't want to test this issue because that won't be too good lol.