Any advice regarding the engine?

[panther_512]

Hello to everyone!

My boss gave me a Nissan Micra (March) automatic. The engine is K10.
I love this car, but I am concerned about it's engine.
This is the story:

The car had 120.000 klms. There is no Super (leaded) gasoline here, so I put Unleaded 98 octanes.
I drive every day about 150 kms at speed of 120KMs/h to go to my work. The car behaved very nicely.

After 20.000 kms, the engine started having some small problems:
1) Oil leakage. It started loosing engine oils and gearbox oils (the big cap of the gearbox always has oil around it)
2) The automatic gearbox changes the gears with difficulty.
3) The performance of the engine dropped significantly.

So, one day the engine blew, because the fan stopped working. And we changed the engine with a new one (same K10) that had only 30.000 kms.

At first the engine was at top performance.

I have driven only 20.000 kms with the new one and again the engine started having the same problems.

what is the problem? The gas (Unleaded)? Perhaps I drive too fast for this engine? But the engine when it was at top shape could reach speeds of 160KMs/h. So 120 should be good.

To give the engine back it's lost performance, I used this oil (you put it inside a full tank) that cleans the fuel system. I saw major improvement, but it lasted only for a month. After that, again the performance dropped and while at first I was just touching the gas pedal to reach a 120KMs/h speed, now I have to push the pedal with medium-to-strong force to make the car reach that speed. :k10:
Accelaration has decreased and top speed has been reduced from 160KMs/h to 140.

Any advice?

 

[Monkey]

hi, where are you based/from??

has the car/engine been serviced if it hasnt and your driving 20,000km with out a service the engine wont like it too much. and driving it at full speed wont help either

 

[panther_512]

Hi Monkey,
Thank you for your reply.

The last two years I live in Cyprus, and my work is about 75Kms from my house. So 150KMs a day.

The new engine had been fully serviced before installing it in the car. We told the mechanic to change every part that could be changed.
So he changed everything: Timing belts, pumps, filters and many more but I don't know the English names for them. The mechanic told us that he changed every part inside the engine with brand new ones.
After 15000 KMs, I gave the car for service. He changed filters, sparks, etc, etc.
Also, I told him to change the gearbox oil, because the automatic gearbox started having difficulty changing the gears, especially between 1st and 2nd. He changed the gearbox oil and told me that the previous oil was quite dirty.
For the next 5000 KMs the gearbox had no problems, but now again it started having difficulties. So, it needs new gearbox oil every 5000 KMs??? That is a little strange.

Also, I change the engine oil every 3000 KMs.

As for driving the car at full speed, I drive the car at 120KMs per hour. I don't run it faster. But I tested it a few times and when the engine was OK, it could reach easily 160KMs/h. Now it goes only to 140. Also I have to push with quite a lot of strength the gas pedal to have the accelaration and speed that I had before. At the beginning the pedal was very sensitive and smooth. It needed very little force. Now it's not that sensitive and it needs double the force.

 

[Andrew]

Sounds to me like the auto gearbox isn't working properly, and is loading the engine a lot more than it should do, causing engine problems as well. But then it also sounds like there is a problem with either the carb or accelerator cable if you are having to press the pedal with any force.

 

[Yom]

If the MA engine is designed to run on Leaded (Super) petrol you should be adding some upper cylinder lubricant with the 98 octane Unleaded petrol.

Lead was actually a source of lubrication for the valve seats and now the lead is gone the seals can harden and crack, allowing an increase in oil consumption and decreased power.

 

[Mat.T]

MA engines are designed to run on unleaded

 

[Pete]

MA engines are designed to run on unleaded

Indeed, but the timing should be set up while on unleaded