Nissan Skyline: common faults & what to check

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The banjo bolt screen on the RB25DET turbocharger oil feed line becomes partially or fully blocked by carbon deposits and sludge, starving the turbo of lubrication. This is a well-documented failure mode on high-mileage RB25 engines, particularly those with infrequent oil changes or low-quality oil use. Turbo bearing failure follows, producing shaft play, oil burning and eventual seizure.

Where to look: Turbocharger oil feed banjo bolt and line, top of RB25 engine

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

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The turbocharged R34 GT-T runs the RB25DET NEO whose factory turbo (on many variants) uses a brittle ceramic exhaust turbine wheel. Under detonation, too much boost, or even repeatedly bouncing off the rev limiter, the ceramic wheel can snap off the shaft and the debris destroys the turbo, sometimes ingesting into the engine. Because so many R34s were tuned or thrashed, an original, un-upgraded ceramic turbo on a modified car is a real risk. A steel-wheel upgrade is the common fix.

Where to look: Turbocharger on the RB25DET (exhaust side of the engine)

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

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The oil pump pickup tube mesh screen on the RB26DETT progressively clogs with carbon sludge and metallic debris at high mileage, restricting oil flow to the pump. This causes a rapid drop in oil pressure at high RPM that can lead to bearing failure within minutes. Most common in engines maintained on non-synthetic oil or where the sump has never been cleaned out. Well-documented across GT-R owner communities in NZ and Japan.

Where to look: Engine sump, oil pump pickup tube

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The front crankshaft harmonic balancer/pulley on RB25DET and RB26DETT engines is a bonded rubber-damper unit. The rubber bonding layer between the inner hub and outer pulley ring degrades and separates with age, particularly on engines that have been subject to high RPM use. When the outer ring separates it mis-times the alternator, power steering, and AC belt drive; if it contacts surrounding components it can destroy the front timing cover or damage wiring looms. In worst-case separation events the pulley can be expelled from the engine bay entirely. This is a known failure on aged high-km RB engines and is considered a critical safety item.

Where to look: Front of engine, lowest driven pulley on the crankshaft snout, below the timing cover

Parts involved: Steering rack, Alternator, Shock absorber / strut.

Can't confirm for this car

The V37 Skyline (2014-on) moved to a Mercedes-derived 2.0 turbo (274-series), a twin-turbo 3.0 VR30DDTT, or a 3.5 hybrid, and very few have been imported to NZ so model-specific fault patterns here are thin. Overseas, the VR30DDTT has raised concerns around turbo oil-feed/coolant and the 2.0 turbo shares Mercedes M274 timing-chain and oil-consumption traits, but numbers are too low to call a characteristic NZ fault. Treat a V37 as a modern, complex, dealer-diagnosis car and insist on a marque specialist inspection.

Where to look: Engine (turbo/oil systems) and electronics - varies by variant

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Can't confirm for this car

The V37 Skyline rear-wheel-drive platform uses an electronically-controlled rear differential with a multi-plate clutch coupling for torque vectoring or limited-slip function depending on specification. The coupling's friction clutch packs and the electronic actuator motor are wear items. Failure modes include clunking on tight low-speed turns, vibration under acceleration, and complete lockup or freewheeling of the rear diff coupling. Fluid degradation in the rear differential accelerates wear; the coupling fluid requires separate servicing from the gearbox. High-mileage grey imports from Japan that have not had rear diff fluid serviced are at elevated risk. A failed coupling actuator can cause an AWD or ATTESA warning light in all-wheel-drive variants.

Where to look: Rear differential housing and electronic coupling actuator, rear axle centre

Parts involved: Differential.

Can't confirm for this car

The 3.7-litre VQ37VHR naturally aspirated V6 uses a timing chain system with hydraulic tensioners. At high mileage or following oil change neglect, the primary and secondary chain tensioners lose hydraulic pressure retention, causing timing chain slack. This manifests as a distinctive metallic rattle on cold start that lasts 2–10 seconds until oil pressure builds. Extended operation with slack chains can cause chain stretch, guide wear, and ultimately timing skew that results in misfires, fault codes, and in severe cases bent valves. The issue is most prevalent in higher-mileage JDM imports where oil change intervals may not be verifiable. The repair requires dropping the front of the engine to access timing components.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Front of VQ37VHR engine, timing chain cover, primary and secondary chain tensioners

Parts involved: Timing chain.

Can't confirm for this car

The VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) system fitted to the VQ37VHR uses a DC actuator motor and worm-gear mechanism on each cylinder bank to continuously vary both valve lift and duration. The actuator motor brushes and gear mechanism are prone to wear, and the control shaft needle bearings can corrode in humid climates, causing the system to lose position feedback. When the ECM detects an out-of-range actuator response it sets a fault and can restrict engine output to a limp mode to prevent mechanical damage.

Where to look: Top of each cylinder head, one VVEL actuator assembly per bank beneath the camshaft cover

Can't confirm for this car

The RE5R05A 5-speed and RE7R01A 7-speed automatic transmissions used in V36 Skyline variants are susceptible to torque converter lock-up clutch shudder, typically triggered by degraded automatic transmission fluid breaking down the clutch friction modifier additive. The lock-up clutch engages at light throttle in higher gears to reduce slip losses; when the friction modifier is depleted the clutch transitions between slip and lock unpredictably, creating a characteristic high-frequency vibration that can be mistaken for a drivetrain imbalance. Continued operation accelerates clutch lining wear and contaminates the ATF with friction material debris, ultimately requiring converter replacement.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Torque converter between engine and automatic transmission, forward of the transmission bell housing

Parts involved: Torque converter.

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The hydraulic timing chain tensioner on the VQ35DE loses oil pressure after extended shutdown, allowing the chain to slap against the guide at cold start. At high mileage the tensioner ratchet pawl and primary chain guide wear significantly, causing persistent rattle that takes longer than 5 seconds to clear. Left unaddressed, chain stretch can advance to jump-tooth risk on the intake cam sprockets, leading to valve-to-piston contact. Most prevalent above 120,000 km on cars that have seen extended oil change intervals.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Front of engine block, behind front crankshaft pulley and timing cover — both primary and secondary tensioners accessible after front cover removal

Parts involved: Timing chain.

Can't confirm for this car

The hydraulic timing chain tensioners on the VQ35HR and VQ25HR engines rely on oil pressure to maintain chain tension. On cold start, the delay in oil pressure build-up allows the primary and secondary chain tensioners to momentarily lose hydraulic load, permitting the chain to slap against the guide rails. Prolonged neglect accelerates guide rail wear and risks chain jump, which causes catastrophic valve-to-piston contact on these interference engines.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Front of engine block, behind the front timing cover on both cam-drive chains

Parts involved: Timing chain.

Can't confirm for this car

The V37 Skyline uses the VQ35HR engine with Nissan's direct injection system relying on a high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) driven by a dedicated lobe on the intake camshaft. The steel roller follower that transfers cam lobe motion to the HPFP plunger is prone to accelerated wear when oil change intervals are extended or low-viscosity oil outside specification is used. Follower wear reduces the stroke delivered to the pump, causing low rail pressure at high engine load and setting P0087 (fuel rail pressure below target). Severe wear allows metal debris to contaminate the fuel system and can score the cam lobe, adding a camshaft replacement to the repair.

Where to look: HPFP cam follower located on the right (passenger-side) intake camshaft, accessible after cam cover removal — HPFP pump body sits above it on the cam cover rail

Parts involved: High-pressure fuel pump.

Can't confirm for this car

The VQ V6s in the V35/V36 (and the 370GT's VQ37VHR) are known to consume oil as they age, sometimes noticeably before 150,000 km, from worn oil-control rings. Owners cite anything from a litre every 2,500 km to a litre every 1,000 km on worse examples. It is usually a manageable top-up habit, but an owner who doesn't check the level risks starving the timing chain and bearings. Blue smoke and a low dipstick are the tells.

Where to look: VQ V6 - oil-control rings / pistons

Parts involved: Timing chain.

Can't confirm for this car

The twin turbochargers on the VR30DDTT use electronically-controlled wastegate actuators. The actuator arm and pivot develop play over time, causing a metallic rattling noise that is most audible at cold idle and on deceleration. Nissan dealers documented this as a known characteristic in some service communications, but significant play can cause inconsistent boost control, leading to over-boost or under-boost conditions logged as fault codes. On high-mileage examples the actuator can seize in an open position, resulting in reduced power and turbo fault codes. Some affected units also exhibit compressor wheel contact with the housing (wheel rub) if turbo oil feed is neglected.

Where to look: Twin turbocharger wastegate actuators, both turbos mounted low on VR30DDTT engine block

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Can't confirm for this car

Both the VR30DDTT and VQ37VHR engines use gasoline direct injection (GDI) without supplementary port injection. Because fuel is never sprayed over the intake valves, oil vapour from the PCV system accumulates on the back of the intake valves as hard carbon deposits. Over 60,000–100,000 km the deposits restrict airflow, cause rough idle, misfires, and reduced throttle response. The VQ37VHR is particularly susceptible due to its higher displacement and longer service history on NZ-imported examples. Walnut-blasting is the accepted remedy; carbon deposits cannot be dissolved by fuel additives once hardened.

Where to look: Intake valve stems and valve head faces, intake ports on both cylinder banks

Parts involved: PCV / oil separator.

Can't confirm for this car

The VR30DDTT uses a front-mount intercooler system with silicone couplers and plastic charge pipes routing compressed air from the turbos to the throttle body. The factory silicone couplers and their retaining clamps are known to loosen or split under repeated heat cycling, causing boost leaks. A boost leak reduces power, triggers a lean mixture condition, and can cause misfires under load. The plastic sections of the charge pipe are also prone to cracking near mounting brackets on higher-mileage examples. On modified or tuned vehicles the factory boost pipes are an early failure point when boost pressure is increased above stock levels.

Where to look: Intercooler charge pipes and silicone couplers, front of engine bay between turbos, intercooler, and throttle body

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Can't confirm for this car

Skyline V37 models equipped with the optional Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) system use a full steer-by-wire architecture with no mechanical column connection in normal operation. NHTSA opened an investigation (PE14-016) into Infiniti Q50 DAS systems following multiple complaints of intermittent steering effort loss and unexpected steering direction changes at speed. The system defaults to a backup mechanical mode when the electronic actuator faults, but the transition can be abrupt and surprising to the driver. Actuator motor failures and ECU software faults have been documented. Some vehicles received software updates; others required steering actuator replacement. The system's complexity makes independent repair difficult.

Where to look: Steering column electronic actuator assembly, steering ECU under dashboard, steering rack actuator

Can't confirm for this car

EPS system can develop a fault causing loss of power assistance.

Where to look: EPS rack and control unit

Parts involved: Steering rack.

Can't confirm for this car

The front lower control arms on V35 and V36 Skylines use pressed-in ball joints that are integral to the arm on many variants, requiring full arm replacement when the ball joint wears rather than allowing a simple joint swap. The ball joint boot seal degrades with age and road contamination, allowing grease to escape and moisture and grit to enter the joint. Once the lubricant is contaminated the ball stud wears rapidly, developing excessive axial and radial play. A worn ball joint changes front wheel camber and castor dynamically under cornering and braking loads, producing vague steering and tyre scrub. In advanced wear the joint can separate, causing sudden and catastrophic loss of front wheel geometry control. The V35 used in New Zealand's climate accelerates boot degradation due to gravel road dust and seasonal temperature swings.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Front lower control arm, inboard end (chassis pivot) and outboard ball joint connecting arm to front upright/knuckle

Parts involved: Ball joint.

Can't confirm for this car

R34 Skylines are now 20-plus years old and corrode in predictable places: the rear wheel-arch lips and inner arches, the sills, and - importantly - the engine-bay strut-tower seams, where bubbling signals structural rust. As values have climbed, cheap 'tidy' cars often hide arch and floor rust under filler. Structural corrosion is expensive to do properly and a WoF/cert problem.

Where to look: Rear wheel arches (inner and outer), sills, front strut-tower seams, boot floor

Parts involved: Shock absorber / strut.

Can't confirm for this car

The V36 Skyline rear suspension uses a five-link multi-link arrangement with rubber-bonded bushes at each link mounting point. The inner and outer bushes in the rear lower lateral links and the toe-control link are particularly susceptible to hydrolytic degradation and cracking, especially in vehicles subjected to NZ road salt, temperature cycling, or sustained high loads. As the rubber deteriorates, the bush inner sleeve becomes decoupled from the outer shell, allowing the link geometry to shift under cornering and braking forces. This produces progressive rear steer behaviour, unpredictable oversteer on mid-corner bumps, and rapid rear tyre wear on the inner shoulder.

Where to look: Rear subframe and knuckle mounting points of the lower lateral links, upper links, and toe-control arm on both sides

Can't confirm for this car

The V36 Skyline uses sliding-type brake calipers front and rear, which depend on two grease-lubricated guide pins per caliper to allow the caliper body to float and apply even clamping force across both brake pads. In New Zealand's climate, moisture ingress into the guide pin bores causes the steel pins to corrode and seize within their aluminium caliper carriers, preventing the caliper from retracting fully after brake application. The resulting brake drag causes accelerating heat build-up in the rotor and pad, leading to premature pad and rotor wear, vibration under braking from uneven rotor temperature, and in severe cases thermal cracking of the disc or brake fluid vapour lock from localised overheating.

Where to look: Guide pin bores in the brake caliper carrier brackets at each wheel, most commonly the rear calipers which see lower operating temperatures and retain moisture longer

Parts involved: Brake disc and pads.

Can't confirm for this car

The V35/V36 Skyline's front multilink suspension has several bushes and ball joints that wear with age and kilometres, giving knocks over bumps, vague or wandering steering and uneven front tyre wear. On a rear-drive sports sedan this dulls the handling the car is bought for and fails WoF. It is not dangerous overnight, but replacing the full set of arms/bushes on both sides adds up.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Front multilink suspension arms, bushes and ball joints

Parts involved: Ball joint.

Can't confirm for this car

The V36 Skyline uses an electrically-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system. The rack pinion bearing preload and internal rack support bush are set with precise tolerances from the factory; as these wear or the support bush degrades, the rack develops free play that manifests as a rattle or clunk when the steering wheel is moved slightly at centre or when road surface irregularities feed back through the rack. The EPS motor-to-rack coupling can also develop looseness, adding a mechanical knock synchronised with small steering inputs. Left unaddressed, the play worsens and can trigger EPS control unit fault codes as position sensor readings become inconsistent.

Where to look: Steering rack mounted to the front subframe, with the EPS assist motor on the rack pinion housing

Parts involved: Steering rack.

Can't confirm for this car

The RB26DETT twin-turbo engine in the R34 GT-R uses a cast-aluminium oil filter housing bolted to the side of the block that also serves as the oil cooler feed and return manifold. The housing casting is subject to stress cracking along the sealing face machined surface, caused by a combination of thermal cycling from high under-bonnet temperatures, overtightening of the oil filter, and corrosion of the aluminium in older examples. A crack in the sealing face causes an oil leak at the filter-to-housing interface that does not respond to oil filter replacement, since the leak originates from the housing face itself rather than the filter thread or gasket. The crack can propagate and in severe cases causes sudden oil pressure loss. The issue is exacerbated on vehicles that have been track used, as repeated heat cycling accelerates the thermal stress.

Where to look: Passenger-side of engine block (right side when facing engine), oil filter housing casting

Parts involved: Body corrosion, Turbocharger.

Can't confirm for this car

The power steering rack used across C34 and M35 Stagea shares its design with the R33 and R34 Skyline platform and develops internal seal leaks as the rack ages. Seals harden and crack with heat cycling, causing fluid loss from rack ends and the centre seal. On NZ examples now 20-plus years old, this is a near-universal finding. Left unattended, fluid loss leads to loss of power assistance.

Where to look: Steering rack mounted behind front subframe

Parts involved: Steering rack.

Can't confirm for this car

The RB25/RB26 in the R34 develops oil leaks with age - rocker/cam covers, the rear main and the front crank seal are common - and because these cars are enthusiast machines, many have been modified, tracked and thrashed. Oil leaks themselves are moderate, but they are a flag to look harder at how the car has been treated: mismatched parts, blown-past mods, worn synchros and questionable repairs. The clean, standard, well-documented cars are worth paying more for.

Where to look: Cam/rocker covers, front crank seal, rear main seal (bellhousing)

Parts involved: Rocker / valve cover.