Leaking Primera

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 4 May 2002 18:23
Leaking Primera - Carl
I have just noticed that I have a very minor oil leak on my 98 Primera (Turbo Diesel) 72K miles

The oil feed for the vacuum pump from the block consists of a long pipe, mostly made of metal, but with two short plastic sections. In two areas, oil is beginning to seep past where the plastic section is crimped to the metal. One area does not look too bad, but the only has evidence of very minor dripping

Does anybody have any idea how much I am likely to pay for a new hose?, I can bet that it will be a main dealer job. I am tempted to leave it, but keep an eye on it, but is this wise, I am looking to drive arround France for three weeks this summer and would hate for it to fail there.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 4 May 2002 20:30
Re: Leaking Primera - Dave N
Just pay the money and get a new pipe. If it busts you'll lose all your oil in about 5 seconds and wreck the engine.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 5 May 2002 16:47
Re: Leaking Primera - Carl
One thing a forgot to mention, is that recently I have been using 0W-40 synthetic oil, as my local BP petrol station was selling their old stock off cheap.

Looking at the Nissan handbook, it recomends 10W-40, but shows a temperature chart showing oils down to a 5W rating.

Could the hose be leaking due to the oil being too thin, or is this a sight of failing hose regardless of the viscosity of the oil being used. I am now using a 5W-40 oil, which I picked up cheap in a French supermarket (5 Litres for £17), and may clean up the engine and see if the leak persists.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 5 May 2002 16:57
Re: Leaking Primera - Dave N
The 'W' rating is the cold viscosity, and the '40' is the hot viscosity, so will therefore make no difference. However, synthetic oils do have a lot more detergent properties, and can therefore find and uncover holes the previous oil didn't. That's why it isn't generally recommended to use synthetics on old high mileage engines (not saying yours is), as it can dislodge all the accumulated crud in the engine and block oilways etc.

How much is the pipe anyway?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 5 May 2002 17:01
Re: Leaking Primera - Carl
I am not sure, I'll be calling at a Nissan dealer first thing on Tuesday Morning, my one fear is being stuck on a French motorway with split hose and / or seized engine
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....