5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

My car doesn't burn oil, how rare is that???

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 07:41 AM
  #1  
6SpeedTA95's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 538
From: Tulsa, OK
My car doesn't burn oil, how rare is that???

We hear a lot about these cars burning oil and in some cases lots of it. It's been about 2200 miles since my last oil change and I'm still showing full. I burn virtually no oil between changes. Just wondered if this was rare or if most of us have trouble free engines?
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:03 AM
  #2  
mike_747's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 60
oil burning

I've owned a 2000 SE since new - never used a drop of oil and still doesn't.
Granted I only have 40,000 miles on it.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:14 AM
  #3  
optimus1's Avatar
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 266
Originally Posted by mike_747
I've owned a 2000 SE since new - never used a drop of oil and still doesn't.
Granted I only have 40,000 miles on it.
ditto ... bought w/ 30k now at 93K miles. Using only Amsoil 0W/30 ...
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:17 AM
  #4  
gephelps's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 59
Depends.

The other couple who responded have the 3.0 VQ which is rock solid. The issue is with the 3.5 VQ.

I don't think mine does, but I'm only at 42k.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:21 AM
  #5  
6SpeedTA95's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 538
From: Tulsa, OK
I'm at 50,400 on my 3.5 with no issues thus far
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:45 AM
  #6  
Bluesbrekr's Avatar
Doctorate in Detailing
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,839
61K on my 2002 and no oil consumption or oil loss.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:56 AM
  #7  
SoonerFan's Avatar
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,676
From: OKC, OK
since when do we start a thread to say that we dont have a problem?

future threads:
i dont have a flat tire
my MAF isnt bad
i dont have a blown blinker bulb
my car doesnt squeak going over bumps
my HIDs didnt get stolen
i dont get bad gas mileage
my car hasnt lost power

there is NOTHING wrong with my car
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 11:54 AM
  #8  
6SpeedTA95's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 538
From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by soonerfan
since when do we start a thread to say that we dont have a problem?

future threads:
i dont have a flat tire
my MAF isnt bad
i dont have a blown blinker bulb
my car doesnt squeak going over bumps
my HIDs didnt get stolen
i dont get bad gas mileage
my car hasnt lost power

there is NOTHING wrong with my car
Whats wrong with that? There seems to be a lot of issues with oil consumption I wondered how rare it was to not have the problem.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 12:40 PM
  #9  
HotshotVQ35's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 930
From: LI, NY
43K on my 02 no problems
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 12:51 PM
  #10  
kobalt's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 655
02 65k 1qt/3k miles
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 01:05 PM
  #11  
orangejuicejay's Avatar
Donating Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 31
2002, 80k , no problems with oil burning or consumption
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 01:37 PM
  #12  
Lontar1's Avatar
Puerto Rico-Maxima Lover
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,772
From: Florida
the problem is with the 3.5 engine.. haven't heard of a 5th gen with the oil comp issue.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 07:01 PM
  #13  
02theMax's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 380
115kms (not miles) and no oil burning. I've used Mobil 1 syn since I bought her with 55k. So for all those that said Mobil or any synthetic was the cause I don't think so.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 08:10 PM
  #14  
kenny's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 278
I have 4th gen (97) with 57k miles and 5.5 gen (03) with 18k miles. No sign of any oil burning whatsoever. Both are solid cars with great engines.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 09:22 PM
  #15  
Derrick2k2SE's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,501
From: Pensacola, FL
109,000 miles and no oil loss on my 3.5. I don't think the issue is as common as it seems from reading here. A lot of the time it's the same people bringing it up again and again.

The fact is the 3.5 is a great motor. It makes a lot of power and you don't have to worry about the coils or VIAS like you do on the 3.0.

Really, they're both great motors. I loved the way my 4th gen 5-speed felt even with 200,000 miles. My wifes 5th gen auto feels good too at almost 100,000. Of course, I'm partial to my current setup but that's just me. Which ever car you have it's better than just about anything else out there in that price range. That you can be sure of.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 09:31 PM
  #16  
96blkonblkse's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (18)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,862
From: Vancouver
my 02 has 106,000kms and it still doesnt burn oil. Is run on mobil 1 synthetic since about 40,000kms hasnt burned any oil since ive owned it. VQ35 is a very good motor along with the VQ30.
Old Dec 19, 2006 | 10:52 PM
  #17  
joebangaa's Avatar
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,586
From: the OC & Silicon Valley
i burn, and i know i'm not the only one...
Old Dec 20, 2006 | 05:25 AM
  #18  
Rydicule's Avatar
Don't you know who I am?
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 945
From: East Granby, Connecticut
screw burning, I LEAK.
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 09:34 AM
  #19  
silversurfersg's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 210
Lays WOW chips give can cause oil leakage also =)
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 09:39 AM
  #20  
IllegalMax
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
66,000 on 3.5 and no oil issues
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 10:38 AM
  #21  
Orgullo's Avatar
$$ Ballin on a Budget $$
iTrader: (47)
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,187
From: North FL.
100,305 and no oil consumption at all. I think it's just a few unfortunate people that buy that Max.
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 11:18 AM
  #22  
jeff5347's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,124
From: Leicester, Ma
Reasons for oil burning.
-bad valve seals
- piston rings (Top ring = oil ring) lose tension and allow oil into the cylinders therefor being burnt
- Also scores in the cylinder where the ring cant get to to seal the scratches, oil then creeps up thru. Oil in the oil pan doesnt just sit there it is a tidal wave of motion such as putting an egg better in in water

What can cause the problems that relate to burning oil.
-Letting a vehicle sit to long and the seals will become brittle and not be able to do its job of sealing.
Excessive beating on of engine= multiple over time redlines, not chaging air filter when needed- dirt gets in engine and no matter how tiny, even dust, will scratch the walls.
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 11:24 AM
  #23  
CoolMax's Avatar
is invisible
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,778
From: DFW
Originally Posted by soonerfan
since when do we start a thread to say that we dont have a problem?

future threads:
i dont have a flat tire
my MAF isnt bad
i dont have a blown blinker bulb
my car doesnt squeak going over bumps
my HIDs didnt get stolen
i dont get bad gas mileage
my car hasnt lost power

there is NOTHING wrong with my car

btw, my car doesn't burn oil.
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 12:13 PM
  #24  
jeff5347's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,124
From: Leicester, Ma
oh yea, neither does mine
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 01:57 PM
  #25  
SoonerFan's Avatar
Cletus
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,676
From: OKC, OK
well mine does. PCV valve and both valve covers later...still burning. waiting for nissan NA to tell dealership about next thing to try and fix the problem
Old Dec 21, 2006 | 02:48 PM
  #26  
6SpeedTA95's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 538
From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by soonerfan
well mine does. PCV valve and both valve covers later...still burning. waiting for nissan NA to tell dealership about next thing to try and fix the problem
I really hope Nissan decides to recall this crap because it seems that either you're not affected or pretty drastically affected.
Old Dec 22, 2006 | 08:04 AM
  #27  
NmexMAX's Avatar
dot dot dot ...
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 34,576
From: Santa Fe, NM
My car burns Unleaded . . . . .
Old Dec 22, 2006 | 11:08 AM
  #28  
MaxDom03's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 106
103k on my 2003 and no burning oil.
Old Dec 22, 2006 | 03:58 PM
  #29  
Snolife's Avatar
What we have here is a failure to communicate
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,505
62k on my 03 and so far so good.
Old Dec 22, 2006 | 09:25 PM
  #30  
MightyMaximus's Avatar
Newbie - Just Registered
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Pushing 160km on an 03 and I dont see any problems. But do i need to be using synthetic for higher mileage?
Old Dec 23, 2006 | 07:42 AM
  #31  
bds's Avatar
bds
Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 63
194k, Regular Oil, change every 5 to 6 K, no burning!!
Old Dec 23, 2006 | 09:35 AM
  #32  
NmexMAX's Avatar
dot dot dot ...
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 34,576
From: Santa Fe, NM
Originally Posted by bds
194k, Regular Oil, change every 5 to 6 K, no burning!!

If you provided a year for your car, that would really help out
Old Dec 23, 2006 | 09:44 PM
  #33  
shoman94's Avatar
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 265
From: Saco, ME
78K Mobil1 SYN since 39K when I bought it.
Old Dec 24, 2006 | 01:35 PM
  #34  
ptviperz's Avatar
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 168
45K on 03, doesn't use a drop.

I do have the crappy Bose problem tho ;-) (solved by my iPod)
Old Dec 24, 2006 | 03:59 PM
  #35  
maxspeed96CT's Avatar
The original VQ...
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,804
From: CT
And every car burns alittle oil if its drivin hard.


If you dnt burn oil, you prolly never get your rpms over 4 .....
Old Dec 24, 2006 | 08:22 PM
  #36  
bigEL's Avatar
Supporting Maxima.org Member
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,307
Originally Posted by maxspeed96CT
And every car burns alittle oil if its drivin hard.


If you dnt burn oil, you prolly never get your rpms over 4 .....
2002 3.5L w/40k on the clock. Conventional or blended oil every 3-4k. Blackstone analysis came back like new. No noticeable oil consumption (as measured by the dipstick anyway). I'm not **** enough to actually take a measuring cup to my old oil. And no, I don't drive my car over 4k rpm. Since I do almost 100% urban driving, I don't feel the need to scream from one stoplight to the next like a coked-out *****. My car's an auto and it lumbers along quite happily in the city around 2.2k rpm. A couple twisty back roads is where I have my fun. And yes, fun can be had below 4k rpm. It's about having the technical skills to carve corners quickly and safely, not about taking a sledgehammer to the accelerator, which any idiot can do.
Old Dec 24, 2006 | 10:22 PM
  #37  
Mass_Media's Avatar
Mass_Media™
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,812
I didn't burn oil in my 02 auto or my 03 6speed.
Old Dec 25, 2006 | 10:42 AM
  #38  
97blkonblk's Avatar
Newbie - Just Registered
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1
I've got a 97 gle with 166k on it, and i have no burning problems, i did a compression test and a leakdown test on it, and only cyl. 3 was a little low on both, but it was still well within specification, motor still makes good vacuum etc. too.
Old Dec 25, 2006 | 11:04 AM
  #39  
Mass_Media's Avatar
Mass_Media™
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,812
burning oil usually only happens with 3.5's
Old Dec 25, 2006 | 11:11 AM
  #40  
maxspeed96CT's Avatar
The original VQ...
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,804
From: CT
Originally Posted by bigEL
2002 3.5L w/40k on the clock. Conventional or blended oil every 3-4k. Blackstone analysis came back like new. No noticeable oil consumption (as measured by the dipstick anyway). I'm not **** enough to actually take a measuring cup to my old oil. And no, I don't drive my car over 4k rpm. Since I do almost 100% urban driving, I don't feel the need to scream from one stoplight to the next like a coked-out *****. My car's an auto and it lumbers along quite happily in the city around 2.2k rpm. A couple twisty back roads is where I have my fun. And yes, fun can be had below 4k rpm. It's about having the technical skills to carve corners quickly and safely, not about taking a sledgehammer to the accelerator, which any idiot can do.

Thats cool, I drive hard cause I take some nice open roads that barley ever have traffic so I love to hear the Vq scream.
And to work I usaly keep the mph up higher than speed limit cause i have a long drive so I try to shorten it...

I don't burn much oil but I do notice it.



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:42 PM.