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oil leaking on new NSX :( HELP!!!! PICS

It probably jumped a tooth after the PPI...
 
Hopefully one last update :)

Today was the first time I got to cold start the NSX since the repairs. Car was sitting for around 10-12 hours. Ever since the first day I bought her she would take several long cranks to start up for some reason. It didn't seem normal and I thought it could be the main relay but that issue usually affects it on hot starts from what I've read.

Today she started right away!!!! Zahntech told me yesterday that since the timing was off from the bad install it could be affecting my starts and the repairs might fix it. It actually did! :)
 
ok ok one more update :)

A member suggested I take her to a dyno to make sure she's ok after all the issues with the timing belt install. The cam tooth being off def made her loose power so I was very interested in what the results would be with her being back to perfect.

Well I'm happy to say on the hottest day of the year so far, she made 272 rwhp and 201 rwtq :) All runs were within 0-1HP of each other and the operator was amazed at how consistent she was and couldn't stop making compliments on her.

I checked on the other NSX's in his system that were NA and they averaged around high 250s or so. She made the highest #'s out of all of them. Even beat a 2001 by 14 rwhp! :) After all these repairs and maint she's going to be running for a long time perfectly and strongly! She's def a keeper :)
 
ok ok one more update :)

A member suggested I take her to a dyno to make sure she's ok after all the issues with the timing belt install. The cam tooth being off def made her loose power so I was very interested in what the results would be with her being back to perfect.

Well I'm happy to say on the hottest day of the year so far, she made 272 rwhp and 201 rwtq :) All runs were within 0-1HP of each other and the operator was amazed at how consistent she was and couldn't stop making compliments on her.

I checked on the other NSX's in his system that were NA and they averaged around high 250s or so. She made the highest #'s out of all of them. Even beat a 2001 by 14 rwhp! :) After all these repairs and maint she's going to be running for a long time perfectly and strongly! She's def a keeper :)


happy to hear she is up and running.

in regards to the dyno numbers... its like comparing apples to oranges and varies a lot between dynos. :wink:

personally i picked up 30hp on my mr2 from just going to by buddies shop :) take a wild guess which # i use for bragging rights :biggrin:
 
Wow.

It is funny how sometimes things that seem so horrible are actually angels in devils clothing.

Just think about what would have happened if you didnt have those oil leaks that you were justifiably so upset about.
 
Great, glad you decided to put it on the dyno. Now you can rest assured that your machine is in good shape. I made 266 hp at 201 tq with Headers, Exhaust and a Chip. Your numbers are very similar.

Enjoy yourself and relax :smile:

ok ok one more update :)

A member suggested I take her to a dyno to make sure she's ok after all the issues with the timing belt install. The cam tooth being off def made her loose power so I was very interested in what the results would be with her being back to perfect.

Well I'm happy to say on the hottest day of the year so far, she made 272 rwhp and 201 rwtq :) All runs were within 0-1HP of each other and the operator was amazed at how consistent she was and couldn't stop making compliments on her.

I checked on the other NSX's in his system that were NA and they averaged around high 250s or so. She made the highest #'s out of all of them. Even beat a 2001 by 14 rwhp! :) After all these repairs and maint she's going to be running for a long time perfectly and strongly! She's def a keeper :)
 
Hello Knight, what a horror story. looks a bit like my story. i am happy for you that the car runs fine now. I also hope your oil leaks are over. I think JR is not telling the whole thruth or mayeby the proffesionals around him are crap.
Do you know if he has done any more diy yobs on your car? Just imagine what can happen if he also "did" the brakes.
 
I'm glad that everything is straightened out with your car. At least now you can enjoy it for another 60,000 miles without worrying about the timing belt or cam seal leaks.

This thread is proof that unless you have experience and the right tools to do a timing belt service, that it is better to have it done by the professionals. I think that is would be a nice gesture for the seller of the car to offer some type of monetary assistance, even if it's only $500.
 
Hi JR, your now saying that I caused all the damage? You can keep replying that each reply will be your last and we can argue back and forth all day but it will be your word vs what the Mastertechs have found and concluded. They work on NSX's day in and day out. Why won't you admit that you installed the TB incorrectly?


I told you call Zahntech and he will give you everything he found. I'm very surprised that you haven't JR/James. Your putting up so many reasons now from wear and tear, bolts shearing, over revs and now I abused the car?


If you want to accuse me of abuse, the night before I bought her you told me you would be racing your brothers EVO he just bought etc. I still am surprised why you told me this.

We are now discussing this here:

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=29&t=585757&st=0#entry13100686

as I don't want to check two boards.

J. R.
 
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a diy timing belt adventure will quickly turn into a diy nightmare for someone with out the patience, ability and meticulous tenacity to follow the manual step by step, double check, triple check and to ask questions when they get stuck. the mind set of ... "I cant wait to a good job" will mutate quickly in to "just get this damn thing back together" in the blink of an eye.

"just get this damn thing back together"

LOL! :D

+1

People who don't have the skills, patience and tenacity should not even touch a single screw on a car. Even good professionals can (seldomly) mess up a screw, but then it's simply bad luck then and not due to their skills, patience and tenacity. In this TB job these factors seemed to play a hugh role.

So this should be a warning to beginning DIYers who get seduce to DIY by DIY picture stories.

NSXknight: Lucky guy, I hope you like your car much more now.
 
I also just learned that my compression at the time was not normal due to the timing being off. Thanks to a prime mechanic!! :)

198,197,201,185,189,189.

The first three are higher than the last three. The cam timing was off on the 4,5,6 bank.

Edit:

An FYI this was done during the Acura PPI under JR's ownership and I have copies of the PPI paper work .
 
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I'm very sorry to hear of the setback, but think how great it'll be when you get it back and the peace of mind you'll have.



1. Was the boss shaved off? I just cannot believe it would shear off before breaking the belt or the tensioner arm. Simple impossible.

2. Zahntech, please spill the beans on how you'll fix this. Drill a hole and press-fit a pin in there?

just took a double take on that picture with the tb tensioner pulley.

maybe someone can chime in here.

it looks like the idler pulley pivoting anchor broke off.

zahntech, is it just the picture being perfectly square with the pivoting point? or did it break off? :confused:

To me, looking at that pics. Nothing appears to be broken off from the anchor point. There are no scratches no jagged edges. Its looks like the entire tensioner assembly had come off its anchoring point.

As I see it, the tensioner can only move if the bolt is loose. Once the tbelt tension sequence is performed. The bolt is tightened and the tensioner becomes 1 solid unit with everthing else. It can't move. Is this correct?

The only 2 possibly ways I can see this happening is if
- the tensioner pulley bolt was not tight and came loose over time
or
- the tensioner assembly was not assembled properly after the tbelt tension adjustment. The installer never visually confirmed the tensioner was still on its anchoring point.
 
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it looks like the idler pulley pivoting anchor broke off.[/QUOTE]

+1.

Imagine that the sheared off boss flys down between the pulley and the TB. This would be an explanation why there was a hole in the TB.
 
I also just learned that my compression was not normal due to the timing. Thanks to a prime mechanic!! :)

198,197,201,185,189,189.

The first three are higher them the last three. The cam timing was off on the 4,5,6 bank.

When was that test done? Did Flexer provide you with data from a compression test under his ownership?
 
When was that test done? Did Flexer provide you with data from a compression test under his ownership?

Hi Bio.

Those were the results from the PPI before I bought her and it was under his ownership. It is documented on the Acura PPI documentation which I paid for. I bought her a few days after that test.

There is def now a noticable ignition difference when I start the car after the TB repair/fix by Zahntech :)

It would have been interesting to see how she would have dynoed with the timing belt issues as Zahntech said it was robbing me of power. Pretty bad #'s probably?
 
Would a recent change from organic to synthetic oil induce some of these leaks?

Depends on the car, My car HATED synthetic....switched to mobil 1 syntec blend...and bam....everything back to normal.
 
Those were the results from the PPI before I bought her and it was under his ownership. It is documented on the Acura PPI documentation which I paid for. I bought her a few days after that test.

So how come you didnt know that the compression was off before you bought it then? Seems like you had the info, no?
 
So how come you didnt know that the compression was off before you bought it then? Seems like you had the info, no?

Hi Bio. Acura said those #'s were above average but again they missed several other issues so I really shouldn't be surprised.

Too bad they didn't have a Zahntech or a Speed Oracle in Utah for a PPI :):biggrin:
 
i think its kinda crappy that silverknight feels the need to blast this on multipal forums.......

seems like both parties are right....i dont think flexer sold thy car KNOWING there was, or may be an issue....
and silverknight should remeber that its a buyer beware world when it comes to something like a used car from a privet party....thats just the way it is...

glad its up and running
 
no problem 01 I do respect your opinion :)

Zahntech did fix her up perfect and she made great dyno #'s per my above post.

It is what it is at this point and nothing really left to do now except move forward with a now great NSX :)

i think its kinda crappy that silverknight feels the need to blast this on multipal forums.......

seems like both parties are right....i dont think flexer sold thy car KNOWING there was, or may be an issue....
and silverknight should remeber that its a buyer beware world when it comes to something like a used car from a privet party....thats just the way it is...

glad its up and running
 
Hello Knight, are you sure flexer did not work on any other essential car parts like the brake or steering. How is your clutch?
 
I'm surprised that no one has offered up a cause for the cast pivot to have failed...under any circumstances. Everyone is just saying it was a crappy TB job. HOW was is crappy? How could this actually happen?

It looks like the tensioner bolt must not have been tightened enough or properly. If it was, you wouldn't even need the cast pivot as it is only used during the tensioning process.

A loose tensioner bolt would explain being off a tooth and also that the pivot arm on the tensioner would be loose enough to just dangle (or be pulled by the spring) down on the crank gear. BUT...the pivot arm could only be down there if the cast pivot was missing. Where would the force come from to cause failure to the pivot? Someone else mentioned that there should be NO load on this pivot after adjustment and proper tightening of the tensioner bolt. But, obviously the bolt was not tight.

One theory would be that the tensioner bolt was not tight and the constant vibration of a loose belt or back-and-forth pounding of the loose pivot arm on the cast pivot eventially caused it to fatigue and fail. The holes in the belt are from the pivot becoming a foreign object and being lodged between the gear and the belt. The pivot arm would then be allowed to just hang and ride on the gear.

However, I find it fantastic that this kind of load could be created on the cast pivot sans some kind of fatigue over time. One year of a loose tensioner bolt could cause this fatigue...I suppose...but I still cannot believe that the pivot actually failed.

Another theory would be that the arm was not initailly seated over the pivot, but was actually on top of it, and when the bolt was tightened, it put undue stress on the pivot causing a fracture that would then fail later. The mechanic would have noticed and corrected this, but the damage could have already been done. This seems unlikely.

I just can't believe that the pivot would be sheared off solely due to a loose tensioner bolt. I CAN, however, believe that a loose tensioner bolt would cause the belt to jump enought to cause catastrophic damage. But this didn't happen (luckily for the owner).

Lastly, the cast pivot may have had a manufacturing defect. But the tensioner bolt would still have to be loose.

Given the above scenarios, it is possible that the sheared pin failure (and thus the holes in the belt and the dangling pivot arm) occured up to the moment before it was discovered. The loose bolt had to be a result of installation.
 
I agree with most of the post above. However:

A loose tensioner bolt would explain being off a tooth

This statement I do not agree with. If the belt was loose enough to jump, I find it very hard to believe it would only be off one tooth. I have personally turned an NSX engine by hand and the belt jumped three teeth, when the tensioner is completely loose. If the belt slipped a tooth during operation the engine would be toast.

The belt being off a tooth is clearly an assembly issue during the install. I have seen this many times, on NSX's that are just not quite running right:). I recall in the last year I have had two NSX's off a tooth, one the year before.

I can tell you this, they certainly do not come from the factory this way;).

Regards,
LarryB
 
OK, so you're saying if the tensioner was loose, the engine would have been toast no matter what? I was under the (probably incorrect) impression that the tensioner was found loose.

What's your take on the order of events of failure? The cast pivot must have broken off AFTER assembly to cause the holes in the belt, correct?

I wonder if they found the piece? It should have been in the bottom of the covers.

How this could have happened is a mystery to me...
 
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