Gallery Gasket Time?
 

Just installed a pressure gauge today so I could stay on top off this. Getting 11 PSI when warmed up, 45 psi at 2k rpms. I’m guessing this means the gaskets are on their way out? I also checked oil level to confirm it wasn’t low.

I'm surprised your oil light isn't on.

Yes usually the oil light will come on. The motor oil level has nothing to do with the gallery gaskets leaking. When the gallery gaskets leak the oil pressure will drop. Getting an oil pressure gauge is always a good idea. I see you have an 11’ what is your current mileage? Since everything will be apart and you will already be in there do yourself a favor a install new timing chain,gaskets,guides, tensioner,water pump, and aftermarket oil pump gears. You don’t want to have to go in there a second time. I would go with the EPS rear timing cover gallery gasket kit or Genuine Nissan.

Thanks. It has 80k miles. I referred to checking the oil level only to confirm that the oil level wasn’t the cause of low oil pressure, and in fact points to gallery gaskets. I was literally about to post asking if I should go ahead and do oil gears, so thank you! I already have a gasket kit from Z1. Here is what I got done today.

Just curious what other symptoms for the gallery gasket failure for those who don't have the oil pressure gauge?

Did Nissan use the same inferior gallery gasket on the 350z motor? I assume they(350z) all had failed by now.

The same style gasket was used on the 350z, and on the 370z up until the 2012 model when they upgraded to a better gasket material/hardware. Even still, plenty of 350z's are still on the road with stock gaskets. Just luck of the draw I guess. I have read others having low pressure codes and the dash light, but apparently at that point it may be too late and the engine could be damaged. For me, I had no symptoms. From reading on these forums I figured it would be a good measure to add a pressure gauge since this will be primarily a track car.

I recalled looking to buy an 350z long ago and never heard about the gallery gasket issues. I think the same V6 is also used in other models like the g35, g37, Maxima and Altma etc.... Any idea about the percentage of failure rate?

We’ll there we have the culprit…

The screw that is shown in the red circle. The edge of that screw and the other screws that hold everything down. You will want to take a center punch to that edge and put a dimple on that edge and into the metal. If you want to feel really safe. Put another punch mark 180 degrees from it. This will keep the screws from backing out and loosening.

Thanks for the suggestion, Rusty. I planned to used some blue loctite and torque down to 11ish lbs, I assume that's not an issue? Does the dimple work by deforming the head of the screw just enough to lock it in place?

I don't want to be that new guy who over posts but I plan to throw some pictures up today to confirm my chain is aligned with the markings correctly before I pull it off. I have been hand turning this thing forever and havent gotten close yet. I'm tempted to mark things where they are now and just remove it.

The dimple displaces metal to lock it. It's standard practice on some equipment.

Take pictures. They will help you. I take pictures all the time when working on something.

I took pics of EVERYTHING. After pulling the primary chain off everything moved around a little but I haven't touched the secondaries so I'm not too concerned. I honestly don't feel too confident changing the secondaries out. I should have the boundary gears, new chain, water pump, thermostat, etc tomorrow or Wednesday so I will be able to button it up soon. Here are the pics I took before removing it.

Well, I think I made a pretty stupid mistake. When I was turning the motor over by hand to time it, I didnt use the pulley or a spacer, I just put the bolt directly into the crankshaft. When I went to pull the bolt out after timing it I noticed it was a little tough coming out. And now it wants to bind up going back it after a few turns. I ordered a new bolt, but my fear is that I damaged the threads in the crankshaft. I assume I can chase the threads if that's the case but it's not something I have any experience with. Any suggestions?

I wonder if the bolt bottomed out in the crankshaft and smashed the first couple of threads on the bolt. Hopefully pulling the bolt out didn't damage the crankshaft threads but I wouldn't think so. Fingers crossed

Once you get the new bolt so you no longer need the old one you can clean the threads up on the old bolt and cut 2-4 slots lengthwise on the old bolt and use it as a thread chaser to clean up the crank.

Been there and done that before a long time ago. Chase it with a bottom tap with the correct thread pitch. Problem solved.

I'm hoping the same. Measuring everything out it looks like the threads on the bolt stop right about where it would bottom out in the crankshaft.

If I wanted to buy a tap instead of making one, what size and thread pitch would it be? I've searched everywhere, called the dealer, local Indy shop and still no answer. The closest I could find on the internet was m16x1.5 but it was never confirmed.

If you can’t find any info about it, bring the bolt to your local hardware store and find a nut that threads on to determine the thread pitch.


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Thanks. I just went to 3 different ones this morning with no luck :facepalm:

Did you try Ace hardware? They've been real helpful helping me figure out thread pitch in the past. Just for the hell of it I called Z1 and they were no help. They said they didn't know.

Lol, that's funny because I called Z1 first thing this morning. I also called SOHO which is local to me and they were no help either. I'll give ACE a try. Thanks!

No wonder Z1 just blew me off. You had already called and ask the same question :rofl2:

Gallery Gasket Time?
 

If you have a set of digital calipers u might be able to measure the thread size/pitch yourself.

I admit, I'm obsessing about this a bit so bear with me. Looking at everything again, it occurred to me that even with the pulley on, the face of the crank nozzle is flush to where the pulley bolt meets anyway. It's the flange on the bolt head that grabs the pulley and keeps it snug. It doesn't sandwich the pulley between the bolt head and the crankshaft (hope that makes sense). That being said, when the bolt is installed even with the motor fully dressed it's the same as if the pulley isn't there, either way the bolt head rests against the crank nozzle. I have a feeling once the new bolt shows up it will thread right in with no problems.

Applying the dimple won't screw up the threads in the hole or be the cause of cross threading etc? Curious as to why not high temp. thread locker. :tiphat:

Using just a c*nt hairs worth of blue loctite will work just fine.

Dimpling the edge of the screw won't damage the threads. Too far away. You don't touch the threads.

If you can get the hole completely free of oil and dry. Blue locktite is better

Use a blow gun while hooked up to shop air and hold the nozzle to each hole and blow them out one by one. Then I'd spray them out with brake clean. Then, you could blow them out again and wait for each hole to dry before installing the new gaskets.

Brake clean should also work if you don't have access to shop air.

I got a pitch gauge and found my calipers, I was able to successfully clean the threads up. In case this ever happens to anyone else, the correct size tap is an M16 x 1.5.

It’s alive! Around 100 on cold start, floating in the 20’s at about 160 degrees.

Great job!

Gallery Gasket Time?
 

Where is your sensor located and what oil are you using? Just curious

And how long did it take you to swap the gaskets?

I tee’d from the factory sensor right before the oil filter. Using 0w-40. It took me a little over a week but in my defense 4 days was spent waiting for some additional parts.

Good job. :tup:


I have a Sucker Punch oil pump and the ESP gaskets waiting on me for when I get the energy to do it.