I changed my oil yesterday, and I noticed that it has a slow leak. after 1500 miles, the oil went from the H-line on the dipstick to hardly showing. I know there are oil-burning problems with these cars, but there was a small amount of oil on the bottom of the pan. I first noticed this the last time I changed the oil, and thought it might be a faulty drain plug because the oil was ONLY on the bottom of the pan, no where else to be seen. I wiped it up and cleaned it off, used new drain plug, and then 1500 miles later, there it is again.

Note** before I get flamed for changing the oil every 1500 miles, I don't. I am doing an Auto-RX treatment and the clean phase ends after 1500 miles.

Anyone have ideas where this oil could be coming from? Again, it is ONLY on the bottom of the pan, I can't see any oil higher up in the engine where it would be dripping down, and I don't see any on the pan other than the bottom of it.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Oil pan gasket?

 

If it's only on the pan then you have 2 choices: pan gasket or drain plug.

Have you installed the oil catch can yet? It works great.

 

No, I haven't. Actually, I haven't really heard much about it, I'll look it up.
Thanks for the info guys.

 

I doubt it's the pan or drain plug. Hopefully I'm wrong but it might be time for a compression test?

 

How do you explain the oil on the bottom of the pan then?

 

I doublt you replaced the "crush washer" when you put the plug bag in am I right?

I had the SAME issue you did so just get a new crush washer at the parts store like 99c. Only ****ty thing is you will lose the oil when you pull the plug out.

 

It could be that the drainplug / washer simply needs to be replaced. Or, barring that, a new pan and gasket may be in order.

There may be a pinhole where something has bounced up into it that you can't see, the plug may be "bad" due to any number of reasons, the pan may be weeping around the plug for a few reasons, or it may be something entirely different. But, since you said it is only on the bottom of the pan, try a new plug or put some good RTV around your plug, let it dry, then put it back in. Then, keep an eye on the bottom of the pan every day or so. If it comes back, try a new plug, then a new pan / gasket.

Also remember, oil is funny stuff... it can weep from a hole and you'll never see it until it "ponds up" in one place or another and then you assume the problem is coming from there. That may or may not be happening in your situation but I've had it happen to me and I've seen it happen to others in the past.

 

You could try to lightly hand tighten the bolts on the oil pan. Sometimes they slowly loosen over time.

 

Werd.

Also, I would get a Nissan washer. Nissan products just fit perfectly. Parts store stuff SHOULD work, but Nissan parts WILL work. Buck or two maybe, but its worth it. good luck!

 

Both the washer and the plug were replaced 1500 miles ago, but with a NAPA plug. I suppose I will try ordering a plug from Nissan on my next oil change, and if that doesn't work, I'll take Barc's advise about the pan and gasket and hope for the best. I will tighten the bolts after work today. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

I RECENTLY REPAIRED AN OIL LEAK ON MY 3.5L THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE MAIN SEAL ON THE CRANK PULLEY. CHECK THERE BECAUSE WHEN IT LEAKS
DOWN IT LOOKS AS IF IT'S COMING FROM PAN AREA. NOT A VERY HARD REPAIR JUST NEED A PULLER CALLS FOR 1.5HRS TIME PART $8.89

 

Note the oil cooler oil leak in the above thread.

 

Good first post Just take the caps off next time

However, 1.5 hours is still quite a bit at the stealership since they charge around $90/hour...It would be very inexpensive to do it yourself

 

Is the oilpan rusted ?? Changed mine because of rust oil was leaking...