My max has 165k on it. It has all the infamous VQ oil leaks. I replaced the rear valve cover gasket and the oil pressure sending unit and still leave drops of oil on the ground every time I park the car. The next thing I'm going to do is the Crank oil seal as it appears to be leaking. If that does not do it I'm guessing it's the timing cover O-Rings and don't know if should put in a low mile engine or attempt to repair this one? Nissan really ****ed up with the seals on this motor.
The motor runs perfect but the question is I know it's alot of work to get that timing cover off maybe it might be worth a few extra hours and just put in a new motor? Low mile motor are dirt cheap for these cars.

 

Before replacing the motor, I would suggest using a bottle of Gold Eagle No Leak. Comes in a brown bottle and cost about $5. I've used this product on many higher mileage cars with great success. After a few hundred miles, I've had all leaks stop completely.

 

it actually works? i have been told that all of those products dont do a thing they just sludge up your oil

 

Replace Motor Toms4n.com

 

what do you mean "infamous oil leaks"? You're the first I've heard of this problem...some max-drivers are up to 224k miles...

 

Look at the posts in this forum. I've been on Ford and Toyota message boards and never seen so much talk about oil leaks. There is almost always a post up about oil leaks. I agree that these motors run along time and this has something to do with it but my 94 Ford Bronco (147k) and my 88 Toyota pickup (280k + odometer stopped working) never had leaks like my max does.

 

change that oil every 3k baby! Castrol GTX,,nothing else ever used.


I have 186k,,,nice and dry and oil stays clean!

 

You are probably right about that. I bought my car used and I don't think the owner before me was very good about changing the oil. Hell she was driving it with one heck of a gas leak(took me a month toget the interior not to smell like gas after I fixed it) When I changed the rear valvecover gasket this week I found out why I had a sparkplug hole filled with oil. The seal was laying inside doing nothing. I got the car cheap and I know Nissan's rep for longevity plus I am a mechanic. So I bought it and fell in love with it. Now I want it factory PERFECT!!!

 

The only oil leaks I hear about often are the oil pressure sender unit, which is really easy to fix. A rear main seal every once in a while but not often, which you have to drop the tranny but is still not horrible or really common. I definitely would not say that the VQ has a lot of oil leaks.

A new engine is not expensive.

 

Does this sludge the motor a little? Or does it just swell gaskets?

I'm looking for one that can sludge up the motor seals a little bit as it leaks out. The Bar's stop leak one I've used with success, just seems to swell the seals, and I would have to add in a lil at every oil change.

Hoping for more of a permanent sludge seal fix.

I'd say just fix the easiest things you can. Once you minimize/eliminate some of the leaks in your spare time...you might just get used to it (assuming you don't get a waterfall of oil). Put on another 35K miles, see where you're at, then maybe swap then. And right before you swap, mash the pedal wherever you go for fun...j/k...unless you want to replace the tranny too. Those timing o-rings seem easy to get at, if you pull the motor.

 

please dont use any kind of stop oil leak in your car. it cant tell from a leak or tell from a oil gallery. you could potentially block oil from going into your block.