eltness350

iTrader: (58)

i have had leakage before, first it was the front crank seal, got it fixed, now this summer its leaking again. anyone with a procharger vortech having problems with oil leaking?? thanks

jpc350z

I did until the installer found the problem. It was not installing one of the spacers that goes behind the Vortech mounting plate that surrounds the attach bolt that mounts into the timing chain cover.. The leak was at that timing chain mount bolt...

teh215

iTrader: (8)

What have you checked? An oil leak can come from anywhere. What modifications have you done to the car? Is it leaking from the front of the engine? The rear?

eltness350

iTrader: (58)

the leak is coming from the front of the motor, by the harmonic balancer, first it was the front crank seal now they aren't so sure what it is, just wondering if anyone has had this problem...thanks for the info jpc350z

g356gear

iTrader: (12)

If the Vortech belt is too tight you might be deflecting the crankshaft slightly which would cause problems with the front main seal

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

Has anyone noticed this problem with aftermarket pulleys? I just noticed oil pooling under the motor today. Looks like it's coming from the front main seal.

jpc350z

You might also verify the timing chain cover is not leaking. Oil is contained inside the cover..

John@Victory

iTrader: (36)

might want to start your car and look at the pulley with it running to see if there is a wobble..... i had to have a motor replaced from not having a pully properly torqued (over torqued)

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

hey John I don't see any wobble. But I did notice that all the belt were a little on the tight side. I loosen them just a tad to allow for about half an inch deflection. Before there was no deflection at all. I also cleaned the under pannel of all the old that had been pooling there. I will check it over the next few days and keep you posted.

John@Victory

iTrader: (36)

let me know what you find out...my UR pullies cost me an engine

dirtroad

iTrader: (1)

i had an oil leak that i couldn't pin down, so i got a compression test to see if it was the pistons. guess what? bad piston rings.

John@Victory

iTrader: (36)

bad rings arent going to show an oil leak coming from his block.... with bad rings its going out the exhaust

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

After cleaning the whole underside of my motor on day one. I went out the next day and guess what I found. More Oil.
It really looks to be coming from the front main seal. I guess I'll be taking my lighten pulleys off and replacing them with all stock pulleys before I take it in to nissan to have it fixed.
I cant help but to think that the lighten pulleys might have caused this issue.
I guess I'll never know.

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

I'm pulling them off as soon as I get a chance. I guess it'll be up to us to caution people on doing this mod.

teh215

iTrader: (8)

What brand pullies were you using?

John@Victory

iTrader: (36)

he was using cnr and i was using ur. there is someone over in tech that had the ur pullies and the same problem

some cars have the problem with pullies and some dont...

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

Confirmed. The leak is in fact coming from the front main seal. Having learned this expensive lesson. I guess Id have to advise anyone considering lighten pullies in the future to steer clear. Those that have them currently installed without problems should consider themselves lucky but still keep checking them from time to time.
I've learned from my nissan tech the the stock pulley is a two piece part that pretty much act as a harmonic balancer. I better understood what he was talking about when a took a closer look at the stock pulley and noticed the hard rubber ring on the inside on the main pulley(Truth be told I don't have the first clue what it's for but I had to take his for it). I was also told that I should have just gotten a lighten flywheel for the same effect without doing it the cheap way. Yes... I received a short scolding but I learned something as well. FYI. Most Nissan shops will void your warranty at the first sight of aftermarket pulleys so if you ever need to take your Z in for service, TAKE YOUR PULLEYS OFF FIRST! I'm just lucky I didn't lose my warranty in the process my tech is my brother.

failsafe306

iTrader: (38)

Glad you got if figured out!

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

UPDATE:

If you guys as running lighten pulleys on your Z or are considering it in the future. Don't do it.

As I told you guys in a earlier post I found out that I had an oil leak coming from the front main seal after only having my pulleys on for about 2 months. After futher inspection of the crank pulley I was amazed to find out that the main seal gasket had worn perfect groves into the lighten crank pulley. The pulleys I had installed on my Z were from CNR but I'm not so sure it's isolated to any specific brand as all of them seem to made from the same materials. I'm just saying that if you having any problems with oil leaks with while running light weight aluminum pulleys. Chech your main seal.

teh215

iTrader: (8)

I have had both the CNR and Unothrodox pulleys and one thing that noticed immediately with the CNR pulley was that it did not have the steel sleeve around the pulley where the front seal contacts the pulley like the UR pulley did. My first thought was that this is going to wear and leak. I guess I may have been right.