MaximaMoJo

This is my first complaint, I changed my fuel filter finally after the third try. Just for information purposes I used long handled angled and straight needle nose pliers to hold onto the fuel hose. Anyway, I started the Max after the change to check for gas leaks and there was none. But, the engine sounds like a tractor running. This has me concerned because it is a ticking like a lifter maybe? I just find this hard to believe because my car only has 51K on it. I know people have said that the Max engine isn't the quietest. Is this normal? Also, I am burning probably a quart every 8000 or 10,000 miles. Well, I think I am burning it, I haven't noticed any oil leaks. Is there anything that I can do to help quiet the engine or help oil consumption. I am using Amsoil 0W 2000 Series Oil, would a thicker oil such as 5W or 10W be more appropriate. I live in Indiana where in the summer the temps can be in the 90's or even the 100's once or twice. The winter can get as could as -10F. This just makes me very nervous about the life and health of my Max's engine! Suggestions anyone?

MarcGXE95

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=195998

And Technical Service Bulletin: Reference :NTSB96-065a
Classification: EM96-008a


Read up, the noise usualy starts to apear with a bit of milage on the car and cold weather will amplify the simptomes earlyer(cold means below -10F). It would not apear when warmer weather arrives. After the chain tensioner wears out a bit more the sound becomes more constant. This is a condition that if not fixed will cause more serious and more expensive damages. Post on the other link for questions!

(I would scan the buletin but I dont think you apreciate having it in french)

NastyNissan

I'm pretty sure your oil is wrong. I thought I read that that lightest oil Nissan recommends is 5W-20, but I could be wrong. 0W won't protect anything and possibly explains why you are losing oil...it is getting past seals and rings. Look into it. My engine is extremely quiet at idle and I don't burn anything...my car has 87K on the odometer.

Spence

MaximaMoJo

Well this just sucks. This will be the third repair in three weeks! So, hopefully after this the car will run like butter. On my next oil change I will use 10w Amsoil to see if this changes anything. I am going to print this TSB out and check my VIN at lunch to see if my '99 is covered. If it is covered under the TSB will the repair be discounted by the dealer? Well, sorry to ask so many questions. I am just very frustrated with the repairs to my car right now!

MaximaMoJo

I thought Amsoil 0W 2000 Series is OK for engines that normally take 5W or 10W. I think this is due to Amsoil's synthetic formula?

mechanicaljoint

I've got 103k on mine w/ no oil burn or leaks...but I use Mobil's Blend 5-30. Engine was designed around 5-30 per OM. Perhaps that may account for you oil loss??? I live in OH and haven't had probs...

BTW, mine is quite (all stock) up to about 3k w/ WOT then it get a little loud...

MaximaMoJo

I found this on Amsoil oil's website:

Series 2000 Synthetic 0W-30 Motor Oil

Race-proven technology designed for passenger car performance. Provides unsurpassed fuel efficiency and up to twice the wear protection provided by popular conventional and synthetic motor oils. Recommended for use in all vehicles requiring 5W-20, 5W-30 or 10W-30 motor oils. Product Code: TSO

So, I don't think that the oil I am using is necessarily wrong for the vehicle. I still think I will change to 5w or 10w next oil change.

WizzaMax

iTrader: (9)

You are infact mistaken...read some experience or better yet look into the properties of the 0W-30 lubricant to learn more ...

96SE5Spd

The 0 has to do with the viscosity of the oil at a certain temperature, it will most likely not effect protection.

96SE5Spd

If it is not a loud ticking it could be the cams or the injectors, this is the normal sound they make. It will be a very mechanical sound not like that of a sticking valve.

NastyNissan

I am fully aware of the oil codes. 0W means that it acts like 0 weight oil at startup (when its cold) and 30W when warm. He just called it 0W at the post, not 0w-30. Also, synthetic oil is much slipperier and has a way of working through seals that normally would hold oil. If the engine was run with natural lube for the first 45000 miles, and then run with synthetic lube, it is almost guaranteed that oil is going to go somewhere it shouldn't...its the nature of the beast. My car has had natural oil run through it since new, and I wouldn't even think about switching to synthetic now. As far as noisy engine problems...as I said before, my engine purrs like a kitten until I stomp on it...

Spence

MaximaMoJo

It is a very audible ticking, tick, tick, tick, it is only loud when the hood is open. You can't hear it when the hood is closed or in the cabin. It is not hoorible I just want to make sure that this is not going to get worse.
In reference to the oil. I think the 2000 Series 0W offers great protection but, I might switch to a 5W or 10W for a thicker viscosity so it will have less of a tendency to get pass the seals and rings. This probably would not have been a problem if the car was using the lighter weight oil from the beginning when the seals and rings were new. I switched to Synthetic oil at about 38K when I bought the car.

96SE5Spd

Read This.

We get asked this question so often that we have included this special page dedicated exclusively to answering the question.

AMSOIL 0W-30, 5W-30 and 10W-30 synthetic motor oils are ALL 30 weight oils. The answer is that ANY one can be used regardless if your vehicle owners manual says to use, for example, a 5W-30. "W" means winter. In winter weather the 0W oil will flow like a 0W oil, and the 5W will flow like a 5W oil and a 10W will flow like a 10W oil just until the engine warms up. In order to understand the differences one has to first understand that the numerical values given to these various weight oils are strictly empirical numbers. For example, 0W does not mean that the oil has no weight. That is one of the reasons why we say it is strictly an empirical number.

In order to determine the differences between the three oils one has to look at the kinematic viscosity of each lubricant. The kinematic viscosity is essentially the amount of time, in centistokes, that it takes for a specified volume

of the lubricant to flow through a fixed diameter orifice at a given temperature.

Let's compare the kinematic viscosity of the three AMSOIL lubricants:

AMSOIL 0W-30 is 57.3 cST @ 40 deg. C, & 11.3 cST @ 100 deg. C

AMSOIL 5W-30 is 59.5 cST @ 40 deg. C, & 11.7 cST @ 100 deg. C

AMSOIL 10W-30 is 66.1 cST @ 40 deg. C, & 11.7 cST @ 100 deg. C.

As you can see from the data above the kinematic viscosities are extremely close. Therefore, whether you use the 0W-30, 5W-30 or the 10W-30 is strictly a matter of choice. With the small differences in kinematic viscosity you would be hard-pressed to detect these differences on initial engine start-up without specialized engine test equipment.

All three oils are excellent motor oils and ANY one can be used in a vehicle which requires either a 0W-30, 5W-30 or 10W-30 oil as well as in several other engine applications including an engine which recommends a 5W- 20 oil.

AMSOIL Series 2000 0W-30 Severe Service motor oil is one of the best synthetic lubricants AMSOIL manufacturers for gasoline engine passenger vehicles and light trucks. The molecular and chemical technology used to develop this oil was derived from AMSOIL's Racing Oil. It is a 35,000 mile/1-year motor oil. This is the same oil used by numerous police vehicles and severe duty fleets nationwide. In fact, many national racing teams use the 0W-30 for the qualifying event, then they change to the AMSOIL 20W-50 Racing Oil for the race. The extra horsepower and friction reduction from the 0W-30 often assists a race driver in attaining a better starting position. In fact, we know exactly which race teams use it, but cannot disclose that information.

This leads to the next topic: many people also ask us if the 0W-30 is too thin a viscosity oil for high ambient temperature operation. The answer is absolutely not! Thicker viscosity oils are not always necessarily better since in addition to its' various engine lubrication functions, an oil must also effectively transfer heat. Only about 60% of an engines cooling is performed by the engine coolant, and only on the upper half of the engine. The remaining 40% of an engines cooling is performed mainly by the engine oil.

Although a vehicle that is recommended to use a 30 weight oil can also use a 40 weight oil, it is usually not needed. You will gain absolutely no benefit from using a thicker viscosity oil if it is not needed. The only time we recommend a 40 weight oil, such as AMSOIL's 10W-40, to a customer in a passenger car or light truck application is if the vehicle's engine is excessively worn and consumes oil at a higher than normal rate or if the vehicle is being used for very severe duty, high load, high temperature applications.

We hope this brief discussion has answered your questions. If we have not sufficiently answered your questions or if you would like an additional explanation or recommendation for your specific application, please e-mail us at: dave@performanceoiltechnology.com

AMSOIL is the undisputed leader in synthetics...



Since 1972, AMSOIL Synthetics have proven to be the BEST. AMSOIL also engineers and manufactures Super Duty Oil filters which have a 12,500 mile service life as well as specialized filtration systems for commercial and fleet applications in cars and light, medium and heavy trucks which can filter particles down to less than one micron ( a standard full flow oil filter can only filter to 20-25 microns, and at a reduced efficiency) making oil changes virtually unnecessary and virtually eliminating engine wear. These filters have been proven by millions of miles of over-the road trucks, construction equipment and fleet service.

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Used by many national racing teams, fleets, police departments, construction firms and trucking companies.
Performance Oil Technology is a highly skilled team of Engineers and Lubrication and Filtration Specialists led by Dave Mann. Mr. Mann is a Lubrication Specialist and Truck/Automotive Engineer with over 18 years experience.

You too, can join our group when you become an AMSOIL Dealer and take advantage of all that we offer as you use products in your own vehicles or begin your own AMSOIL business. You won't find a more knowledgeable and skilled group of Dealers anywhere which is very important when you need support as you build your business.

We possess the skills, desire and knowledge to answer questions, solve problems, improve efficiency, reduce downtime, maintenance costs and increase the durability and life of all of your vehicles. We are based out of Wolverine Lake/Walled Lake, Mi and Traverse City, MI and do business nationwide and in Canada.

Read what our satisfied customers have to say about us. Read through our website. Contact us with any questions. If you decide to become an AMSOIL Dealer you will be joining, in our opinion, the most skilled AMSOIL group there is. We will help you get started and provide you with the tools and information in order to be successful in this business or with technical and product assistance to use AMSOIL products in your own vehicles.

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MarcGXE95

You can also have a bit of data at this link.
http://www.micapeak.com/info/oiled.html

About the tractor like sound, there is no chance that oil will fix the car. It can maby just hide the simptomes for a while longer.