**Just topped up oil 1994 Nissan Avenir. Now loud clunking underneath auto gear knob area

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hey there guys.

Could really do with your help!

PROBLEM:

I just topped up my car with engine oil (the right oil to) and now there’s a loud clunking sound underneath auto gear change and hand-brake area. I also filled car with petrol and pumped the tires at the same time as well.

VEHICLE INFO:

Year: 1994
Engine size: 1.8L
Transmission: Auto
Make and model: Nissan Avenir station wagon
Other: Has timing chain

If you guys could provide any feedback that would be very much appreciated!

Thanks a lot

2

Is the clunking sound when you put the transmission in drive and reverse?

3

How much oil did it take to “top up” the engine?
Was the reason you did this because the oil pressure warning light was on?

4

EK Hammer: I’ve only heard it when in drive as it just happened. Would It pay to try in reverse?

the same mountainbike: I put just under a litre of oil into the engine, the light wasn’t on but I checked the oil-stick and it was below ‘low’

Thanks for the replies by the way

5

A litre is just barely over a quart, so you were not low enough to cause a problem. Sorry about having to convert, but I have a hard time envisioning a litre. Totally my weakness.

Now, and please understand that I mean no disrespect, but in the interest of looking at possible causes the questions need to be asked, are you a new driver or do you have experience taking car of cars (I’m trying to find out of there’s a possibility you might have put the oil in the wrong place)? The question really applies to both the oil added and to the pressure to which the tires were filled.

6

Haha I thought there could be problems with that!

No problem, I am a fairly new driver. But I have put the oil in the right place I think, I poured it into the twist top on the rocket cover(It’s called that right?)

Also a attendant at the petrol station pumped the tires for me, although there was another attendant who came and filled the front right tyre to much and the more experienced attendant had to release some air from it.

again thanks for helping me out

7

Sounds sort of like this, not my car though

8

Sound is heard only when car is moving? Or does it make sound when you are stopped?

9

The sound only starts when im moving

10

Sounds like a tire noise. Jack up each tire and inspect every square inch of tread.

11

It sounds like tire noise to me also…notice that you can actually visualize the noise slowing down with tire rotation. Re-check each tire including air pressure…You can get a gauge at any auto parts store for a few bucks…Sounds like a bump on the outside ( or bubble ) in the tread area.

12

LOL, no problem, I just have to do a bit of mental conversion. It’s good practice for my atrophied old brain.

For the record, the cover you referred to is sometimes called the “rocker cover”. Usually today it’s called the “valve cover”. The term “rocker cover” comes from the old days. Long ago most engines had valves that were opened via pushrods pushed by a camshaft within the engine block that pushed a “rocker arm” under that cover than then pushed the valve open. Today, with many (maybe most) engines having the camshafts on top of the engine’s heads directly under the cover you described, the term “valvecover” seems to be more popular, although rockers are still used to design in leverage and needed travel between the cam lobes and the valves. Yes, the screw on cap with the big opening that screws into that cover is the correct place to add oil.

As to the problem, this one will need a hands-on look-see. Could be a tire, could be a bent rim, could be an inner CV joint.

13

yeah. over filling your tire could have damaged it

14

Make sure the tire are set to the correct pressure. Then if it still does it. Rotate the tires and see if the sound moves. This would tell you which tire it is.