We have a 2006/56 Nissan X-Trail dCi which has only covered 26k from new that we are very pleased with. Last weekend whilst doing the usual checks I noticed a very small and I do mean tiny drop of oil on the pipe that leads down from the intercooler to the turbo.

I have checked with Middlehurst Nissan where we get it serviced and the service manager reckons that a small amount such as what I have seen is acceptable and nothing to worry about and is more than likely from a very small air leak in the corner of the intercooler (apparently the later versions of the intercooler are welded rather than on ours which has some kind of seal). He recommends just taking the pipe off, cleaning it up - obviously putting it back on and just keep and eye on the oil as you would with any turbo car.

When I have checked on the X-Trail UK forum - which TBH isn't that great as hardly any one responds to any questions! That aside, a number of owners on there seemed to have rushed out and panic bought an intercooler at the first sign of oil!!

I have had quite a few petrol turbo cars over the years and have on many of them found traces of oil around the turbo and the intercooler and have never done any thing about them and nothing has ever gone wrong thousands of miles later.

Does any one have any experience of this and should I be concerned?

If the answer is yes to the above, can any one recommend a good place to get a replacement/exchange intercooler?

 

Sounds perfectly normal to me

 

 

Can't really answer question but I had 4 of these on the fleet in 2004/05 and all of them had intercooler and turbo problems. One had in under a year 3 turbo and 2 intercoolers and we sold it 2 years early.

Keep an eye on it

 

i had oil in intercooler on my pug306td. seemed quite normal, although it was over 100k...

only car i've had intercooler off on for maintenance. i presume it's normal for a bit of oil to be present
if the intercooler is more like a catchcan, then i'd be looking at turbo

 

Normal to me too especially on a derv - weeping seals, old pipes, worn seals whatever you want to blame but it's quite normal.

If your turbo is on the way out you'll usually be accompanied by the sound of a faint police siren every time it comes on boost.

If you think yours is weeping oil, you should see the state of the VAG stuff.

 

I'd just worry when I had to top up the oil too often and it was blowing smoke out the back.

 

This is quite common on the big bimmers too, leaks around the IC flexis.

The pipes often have seals that may weep oil when parked up, but seal 100% under pressure.
So its unlikely to have a boost leak - the service manager should know that.

If you do have an issue, its a good plan to rinse out the cooler if you have to go near it.
Just soak in a bath of strong detergent and dry with an airline.
Lots of oil in the cooler and chargepipe is not uncommon.
Its a result of the emissions control - particularly the crank breather/scavenger.
Another possible may be the valve or filter in that area if you have one, passing too much oil mist.

Steve

 

Cheers all for the responses.

I was aware that the 2004/2005 TD's had problems and that many of them had numerous turbo & intercooler replacements and that Nissan ended up offerring a 5 year warranty on the turbo.

Nissan did not offer this warranty on the dCi engine like we have as they had apparently sorted the issue. Of the turbo & intercooler failures that I have heard of, most appear to be pre 2006 which seems to be a good thing unless you own one of them

Ours does not use a sinlge drop of oil - I have checked it today after the wife driving it all week and there is no trace of oil around the intercooler after me cleaning it last weekend. It does not smoke when I have followed the wife with her driving it hard and there is no whistle or unusual noise from the turbo and it drives as good as it always has.

I guess I was looking to pick the brains of the knowedgeable people on here to put my mind at ease

Cheers
Martin

 

I recall my friend (Nissan Service Manager) mentioning those earlier engines with their turbo problem - the turbo would end up drawing in oil which the engine would then run on, and seize in extreme cases - as you say this was earlier one. I think in those cases the fast idle and inability to switch off the engine was the giveaway

If I see him soon I'll run this by him.

Brian