Nissan Silvia: SR20 camshaft oil spray bar blockage — the top end quietly stops being oiled
SR20 camshaft oil spray bar blockage — the top end quietly stops being oiled is a common engine fault on the Nissan Silvia on the 1991–2002 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 10 documented faults on the Nissan Silvia.
- Vehicle
- Nissan Silvia
- Engine
- SR20
- Years
- 1991–2002
- Fuel
- petrol
- System
- Engine
What you are looking at
No photograph available
What goes wrong
The SR20 oils its camshaft lobes through a thin spray bar drilled with very small holes, and on a car that has had long oil-change intervals or cheap oil those holes block with varnish and sludge. Once a section stops spraying, the cam lobes and followers under it wear rapidly, and the same restriction that blocked the bar is a sign of what the rest of the oil system is coping with. Nissan increased the hole size on later bars, which tells you the original was marginal. It is a cheap part, and the reason to care is that a blocked one is usually the first visible evidence of an engine whose oil has been neglected — and neglected oil is what kills the bottom end of these.
What you would notice
- Ticking or tapping from the top of the engine that does not quieten when warm
- Dark, thick or sludgy oil on the dipstick
- No oil-change records, or gaps of tens of thousands of kilometres between them
- Sludge visible around the oil filler when the cap is off
How to check it
Where to look. Camshaft oil spray bar under the rocker cover
Pull the dipstick and look at the oil in daylight: on an engine this age it should still be translucent brown rather than black tar, and it should not be gritty between your fingers.
Take the oil filler cap off and look at the underside and down into the head with a torch, because sludge and varnish visible there means the spray bar is very likely restricted too.
Start it cold and listen to the top of the engine for a tick that stays once it is warm.
Ask for oil-change records and count the gaps rather than the stamps — on this engine the interval is the whole story.
Be sceptical of a very recent oil change on a car being sold, since fresh oil hides a great deal for a week.
What it costs to put right
$300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “How often is the oil changed, and what oil goes in it?”
- “Has the rocker cover ever been off, and did it look clean inside?”
- “Do you have oil-change receipts going back a few years?”
Now check the Nissan Silvia you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- SR20 Forum information library — 'Nissan Camshaft Oil Spray Bars'
- NICOclub Nissan Forums — 'SR20det cam oiling rod clogged'
- JDMBuySell — SR20DET engine specifications, tuning and chassis guide
Nissan Silvia buyer questions
Is sr20 camshaft oil spray bar blockage — the top end quietly stops being oiled serious on a Nissan Silvia?
We rate it major and common on the Nissan Silvia. The SR20 oils its camshaft lobes through a thin spray bar drilled with very small holes, and on a car that has had long oil-change intervals or cheap oil those holes block with varnish and sludge. Once a section stops spraying, the cam lobes and followers under it wear rapidly, and the same restriction that blocked the bar is a sign of what the rest of the oil system is coping with. Nissan increased the hole size on later bars, which tells you the original was marginal. It is a cheap part, and the reason to care is that a blocked one is usually the first visible evidence of an engine whose oil has been neglected — and neglected oil is what kills the bottom end of these.
How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Silvia?
$300 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which Nissan Silvia years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 1991–2002 Nissan Silvia. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
Pull the dipstick and look at the oil in daylight: on an engine this age it should still be translucent brown rather than black tar, and it should not be gritty between your fingers. Take the oil filler cap off and look at the underside and down into the head with a torch, because sludge and varnish visible there means the spray bar is very likely restricted too. Start it cold and listen to the top of the engine for a tick that stays once it is warm. Ask for oil-change records and count the gaps rather than the stamps — on this engine the interval is the whole story. Be sceptical of a very recent oil change on a car being sold, since fresh oil hides a great deal for a week. Look here: Camshaft oil spray bar under the rocker cover