200SX, 1996, 5-speed HELP!

If you haven't done regular maintenance on the car, it could be something simple. Air filter, fuel filter can cause such problems. Try changing both if you haven't already.

Where's your oil leak? These can be easy to repair depending on the source.

Regards, Bill in San Diego

No, there's not been regular maintenance done to the car. I wasn't told where the leak was. It doesn't appear I'm burning oil but there's not a large puddle under it in my driveway either. I've replaced the air filter and had the oil changed about 1500 miles ago. Then of course, a quart every 350 miles or so. I don't know if I'm mech. inclined enough for the fuel filter. I can't even do the oil. It did well for a couple of days after I wrote my first post but today it's acting up. Any ideas?

Sounds like the plugs may be starting to foul... the mixture is harder to burn with that much oil being consumed.

I agree with Nutz, these engines shouldn't use any or very little oil and this super high consumption must affect low speed running. My guess is broken or gummed up piston rings. There's some stuff available in he U.K. you can spray into the throttle body while the engine is running that can free up the rings and I've actually seen it work, can't remember the name but it was made by Ecotek.

Is it a 1.6 liter engine? Those cars are well known to have problems with the front seal in the timing chain cover (keeps the oil from leaking out around the crankshaft.) Not too hard to change, but if you're only "semi-mechanically inclined" I suggest you let someone else do it - there's not much room to play around there, you will get frustrated. Of course, I would expect it to be leaving puddles of oil somewhere...I'm just saying this is a common problem after 70,000 or so miles.

If a good fuel injector cleaner didn't help (the best is BG 44k, about $20 a can at the Nissan dealer but maybe a couple bucks cheaper at another shop), you probably need to clean the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve. It's held onto the side of the throttle body with a couple of screws, pop it off and clean it real well with a spray can of induction system cleaner. Clean out the throttle body while you're at it, put the IAC back on and you should be good to go. You can find more information (maybe even a shop manual) here:

Randy

Hi In Aus the 200sx has the SR20 engine. Is that what you have? Is it turbo? If so you may have done a turbo seal. Or could be as simple as a blocked PCV valve, that?ll give rough idle and also use oil. SR20?s give trouble in the cam area if the oil squirters block up, but that?s going to be noisy and expensive. Anyhow you should see heaps of smoke if it?s burning oil or a big puddle if it?s done a rear main oil seal etc. Your steering was probably heavy as you had just lost engine power therefore no power steer pump. Bite the bullet and get a service report, probably cheaper than a tow. Regards.