Engine failed in 1985 Nissan Sunrader

[Carlor]

Well, got my first 720…a 1985 Nissan Sunrader, drove great until the engine failed after driving it across the country for 4000 miles and being 200 miles out from finishing it.  Think it blew a piston rod. Didn’t overheat or anything. Was going down a mountain on the highway in 5 gear and then BAM - no power. Dash lights went on.  Started making a terrible grinding crunching sound and put it in neutral and the sound stopped and then put it back in gear and didn’t turn back on and made more horrible sounds. Smoke coming out of the oil cap when removed. The timing chain is there and tight. The engine won’t turn over with the starter and don’t have a socket big enough to turn over by hand.

 

I checked coolant, no chocolate milk. I’m scratching my head as to what happened. It was running perfectly up until then, no signs of anything. These engines aren’t known for random catastrophic failure. 

[datzenmike]

Did you check the oil? Pull the filter off and cut it open, got shiny particles? Engines don't suddenly explode without prior warnings. It's a progression from bad to worse.

 

When starting did you try it while holding the clutch pedal down disconnecting the transmission rather than trying to start in neutral?

 

 

 

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[bottomwatcher]

The trans are notorious for taking a dump in 5th gear. Countershaft bearing blows out sending metal everywhere creating a crescendo of noise and carnage in the trans. Like Mike said make sure you are testing with the trans out of the loop.

[Carlor]

Idk, it doesn’t crank with clutch pedal down. Shifts through gears just fine.

 

Looking at a 4x4 engine for a decent deal, is the swap for 4x2 vehicle the same just swap oil pans?

[datzenmike]

On 6/16/2023 at 6:07 AM, datzenmike said:

Did you check the oil?

 

 

[Carlor]

I haven’t checked oil yet as in cut the filter in half, but the engine had oil in it. I’ll drain it tomorrow and check.

 

I changed the oil maybe 500 miles ago.

[datzenmike]

The Z24 has 5 large main bearings and rod bearings. They will take a lot of abuse before the engine grenades. The thing is it will give a lot of warning before it lets go.

 

Take the exhaust side plugs out and try the starter again. With luck the head gasket blew and the coolant got in and it's hydro locked. That's an easy $30 fix but a lot of work.

[Carlor]

Gotcha, even if it is hydro locked I found an engine with 80k on it for a couple hundred bucks locally. I do have a bit of a time crunch and I feel like dropping in a different engine will be quicker. The engine near me has less than half the miles my engine has but it’s a 4x4 z24 so I’m not sure if it’s any different besides oil pick up tube and pan. 

[datzenmike]

Oil pan and pick up tube will need to be swapped.