| GLPorter |
| I'm a newbie to the Murano. Just purchased an 03 SL with 62,000 miles on the odometer and love the car. I have a strange question. When I take off the oil fill cap on the top of the engine and look down inside I see what seems to be a rough cast horizontal shaft that looks rusty colored. I reached inside with my finger and could not scrape off any debris or rust. No signs of water in the oil or oil in the water and the Murano runs like it's new. Just wondering why this cast shaft has such a different appearance. Has anyone else seen this "rusty" shaft? Great site! Gp |
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| elliotgb |
Never noticed it.
Let's hope that the '"rusty shaft" you have is the only shaft you'll ever get from Nissan or a Nissan stealership. |
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| njjoe |
GLP-
That rust-colored horizontal shaft is one of the four cam shafts (It is actually the exhaust camshaft for the front three cylinders). It has a very rough finish that catches the oil as it is sprayed under the valve cover. The environment under that cover is very oil-rich. There is no way anything is going to rust under there, unless the engine sits for a very extended period of time.
-njjoe |
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| UncaDanno |
quote:
There is no way anything is going to rust under there, unless the engine sits for a very extended period of time.
Another way would be if water is getting from the water jacket into the crankcase. Two ways this could happen. Neither of them minor. Sorry... |
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| zebelkhan |
| When I had a junkyard I had engines sitting on racks for years and no rust under the cover. With water it will be sort of foamy white. So I think as njjoe pointed out, it is its natural color. |
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| Eric L. |
| I agree - its probably just the color the metal has taken on over the years due to exposure to motor oil. If you have water/coolant in the crankcase, you'll get foamy or milky white oil on the dipstick. |
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| biggun |
| The first thing that comes to mind when I hear "rust" color inside the engine cover is "burnt oil". If the engine overheated then it could produce that "rust" type color. Is there any other signs of this color elsewhere, like the dip stick? |
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| craigster |
quote:
Originally posted by UncaDanno
Another way would be if water is getting from the water jacket into the crankcase. Two ways this could happen. Neither of them minor. Sorry...
In an aluminum engine? I doubt the steel crank or the cylinder sleeves would give off rust. This used to happen on cast iron blockes but not in an aluminum engine, which the VQ is. |
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| zebelkhan |
quote:
Originally posted by biggun
...If the engine overheated then it could produce that "rust" type color...
Good point. However, it would be a very dark color as oil film will tend to stick to the parts as if it was paint. |
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| njjoe |
Guys, you are making a mountain out of a molehill. Open up the oil-fill cap and you will see what GLPorter is referring to. The cam shaft's pitted finish along with the dark oil makes it look as if the shaft has surface corrosion or rust. It is just the way that Nissan has elected to finish the cams.
-njjoe |
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| GLPorter |
| Thanks to all. njjoe I appreciate you taking a look see in your Murano oil fill. No other signs of over cooked oil anywhere so I will motor happily along! P.S. can't get my wife to use the mx-3 since we got the Murano! She is crazy about the "new" car! Gp |
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| uberbiker |
| Wow! Am I ever in the wrong thread! I thought you were discussing my favorite country singer, Rusty Engine! :eek: |
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