Micra K12 engine oil

[Burnerman]

A cam belt is a timing belt.....I think all of the petrols are chain, with the diesels being belt driven.
The sump plug seal is usually a compressible copper washer.
The belts shown there are alternator or serpentine drive belts.....multi Vee type.
John

 

[DiyNutJob]

Since they don't sell a chain in their shop, I will call it a lifetime part and be done with it.

 

[Burnerman]

Indeed it is....until it starts rattling!
When this happens, crankshaft and camshaft position sensors go out of phase meaning a no start situation.....the Micra wasn’t too badly affected but the Primera was.
John

 

[flameport]

I will call it a lifetime part and be done with it.

That's exactly what it is.
When it breaks, the engine is destroyed, so it's lifetime has ended.

 

[mattylad]

For an old Micra K12 I'd just stick any old oil in, heck strain the oil from a newer car and slap that in.

We had one, very reliable starter.
Ignition and boot switches on the other hand were a reet PITA.

 

[Diver Fred]

It's more important to change low annual milage engines more often as the oils rarely gets hot enough to 'boil' the condensate off. High detergent oils in low milage engines hold more water (and hence, thinner) so become less effective at lubrication.

 

[JohnD]

For an old Micra K12 I'd just stick any old oil in, heck strain the oil from a newer car and slap that in.

i agree, though I can't be bothered now. The oil from my nice car comes out looking like new

but the old runaround eats anything, so not expensive to fill.

 

[DiyNutJob]

That's exactly what it is.
When it breaks, the engine is destroyed, so it's lifetime has ended.

You are obviously into pyrotechnics. How else would you imagine it to end? My bet is, the car will keep going until destroyed by rust. Other modes of failure will not be possible because it will not be touched again by a shop apart from MOT under watch.

For an old Micra K12 I'd just stick any old oil in

The car is in perfect running condition. So it deserves some proper oil. The main reason for my changing oil is to remove whatever junk that was put in by a garage previously. Then the car will be in a known state.

It's more important to change low annual milage engines more often as the oils rarely gets hot enough to 'boil' the condensate off. High detergent oils in low milage engines hold more water (and hence, thinner) so become less effective at lubrication.

If that's true, the dipstick level should rise. Since for most people this doesn't happen, your theory is off.

 

[Diver Fred]

If that's true, the dipstick level should rise. Since for most people this doesn't happen, your theory is off.

Read This

 

[DiyNutJob]

Read This

Says: this phenomenon is extremely rare

My engine doesn't suffer from it. A badly molested (excessively maintained) engine would from worn oil cap and other seals that let in moisture.

 

[Burnerman]

Petrol engines produce approximately the same volume of water to the fuel they use.
Most of this is expelled out of the exhaust as steam.
Any condensation on the inside of the engine is very quickly boiled off and is dealt with by the positive crankcase ventilation system ( PCV)and burnt.....oil and coolant temperatures are designed to be around the 90 dec C mark.
Any cold areas of the engine may produce a mayonnaise and this may be visible inside the rocker cover, filler cap or air pipes in that area. Crankcases are at positive pressure caused by combustion blow by and piston movement.
You may, however notice a rise in sump oil level if your diesel engine uses the excess fuel system designed to raise exhaust temperature ( Vauxhall, some Ford/Mazda units) and this is very damaging as well as a hopeless design.
John

 

[Lazzy]

change your oil filter regularly yer dipstick

 

[DiyNutJob]

Most of this is expelled out of the exhaust as steam.

This is true. My car is a chu chu train at back. Inside, the engine is free from anything but oil. I put in a cheap chinese cover gasket. It holds up fine.

 

[DiyNutJob]

change your oil filter regularly yer dipstick

My filter is good for more than 10 years. But I change it with oil.

 

[Avocet]

Read This

It's not just water condensation that's a problem on engines that do a lot of cold starts and / or short runs. It's also unburned fuel that the oil never gets hot enough to boil off. During a cold start (especially on a worn engine with a lot of miles on it), you get unburned fuel getting past the piston rings and into the sump. This thins your oil out. If you go on a run long enough to warm the oil up properly, most of it will evaporate out. If not, it can do a fair bit of damage (which is why some manufacturers class lots of short runs as "arduous conditions" and specify more frequent oil changes).

(As Burnerman says, it also happens after a forced particulate filter regeneration on some cars, but as this is an old petrol one, it's not really relevant).