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Hi,

I own a Nissan Bluebird 1997 and have had it flood on a few occasions, just wondered is this normal with this model of car? Normally it only happens when it is driven short distances.

After talking to our AA Roadservice team it would appear this is not uncommon with the SR20 engine which is what we suspect you have.

They advise members that when they start from cold they should run the engine for at least 5 minutes before turning it off or flooding may occur.

As an aside, it is also important to use the correct grade of engine oil with these engines.

Try to avoid a ‘heavy’ grade of oil as this can affect the hydraulic valve lifters when cold, which in turn can create problems with valve opening.

Our recommendation would be a 10w-50 grade (the 10w means it is a light grade of oil and works best when the engine is cold).