Replace engine now or later?
11-19-2011, 11:17 PM
#1
Replace engine now or later?
Hey guys, looking for some opinions here...
My 03 maxima has 179k miles on it. It burns a lot of oil ~700-1000 miles per quart depending on driving style/type. It's been pinging for some time now, and it's starting to blow some white smoke out the tail pipe during WOT. It just passed emissions with flying colors a month or two ago (these current problems were already there during the test)
Now, my OEM clutch is done and I need to replace it. If this was your car, would you replace the engine at the same time or run the current engine into the ground? Or would you just replace the headgaskets? Can you replace those with the engine in the car?
The other option is to slap a clutch in it and put it up for sale.
My 03 maxima has 179k miles on it. It burns a lot of oil ~700-1000 miles per quart depending on driving style/type. It's been pinging for some time now, and it's starting to blow some white smoke out the tail pipe during WOT. It just passed emissions with flying colors a month or two ago (these current problems were already there during the test)
Now, my OEM clutch is done and I need to replace it. If this was your car, would you replace the engine at the same time or run the current engine into the ground? Or would you just replace the headgaskets? Can you replace those with the engine in the car?
The other option is to slap a clutch in it and put it up for sale.
11-19-2011, 11:36 PM
#3
I don't really every plan on selling this car if I put in a new engine. This car is exactly what i've wanted for a long time. Maybe in 10 years?
It seems obvious to just put in the engine, but money is super tight, and it would have to go on the credit card. I figure I could milk another 6 months to a year out of the current engine.
It seems obvious to just put in the engine, but money is super tight, and it would have to go on the credit card. I figure I could milk another 6 months to a year out of the current engine.
11-19-2011, 11:45 PM
#4
I don't really ever plan on selling this car if I put in a new engine. This car is exactly what i've wanted for a long time. Maybe in 10 years? It seems obvious to just put in the engine, but money is super tight, and it would have to go on the credit card. I figure I could milk another 6 months to a year out of the current engine.
11-20-2011, 12:05 AM
#5
How thick are we talking? It's just getting castrol 10w30 now, maybe bump it up to some rotella 15w40?
I'm not too worried about the oil consumption so much as the white smoke at WOT. It's been burning this much oil for the last 60k miles or so.
I'm not too worried about the oil consumption so much as the white smoke at WOT. It's been burning this much oil for the last 60k miles or so.
11-20-2011, 12:29 AM
#6
I thought you were running 5w30 lol Keep running 10w30 till the motor gets replaced.
11-20-2011, 07:37 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Avoid WOT until you get your engine rebuilt or replaced. No sense in making your situation worse. And for the pinging, that is normally caused by using lower octane fuel if you have carbon buildup. With the mileage on your car, carbon deposits build up and can cause hot spots and pre-detonation. If you're not using premium fuel, start doing so. Also avoid "cheap" gas, and go for name brand, such as Shell or Chevron. They use more cleaning agents in their fuel blends. Running a quality name brand fuel system cleaner to clean u the gunk will also help too.
11-20-2011, 09:52 AM
#8
Run it till it starts knocking, then stop immediately.
The real question is do you need this car to be reliable? Can you afford to be without a car for a bit if the engine does blow up?
If the answer to either of the above questions is NO, then you need to get your hands on a motor and clutch ASAP and put it in ASAP. Drive the car in the meantime but don't waste time getting ahold of a new motor.
The other option is rebuilding what you have, but that would require you to stop driving it right away and afford to have the car downed for a decent period of time.
In regard to the Headgasket replacement, I doubt this is your problem, but the answer is YES, it IS POSSIBLE, but not reasonable. You have to pull the Cams to pull the head, and that's a PITA with the engine in. the whole thing can be done, but by that time, you'd be smarter to rebuild it anyways.
I just had a 3.5 blow quite quickly after minor ticking in the top end, developed into a large knock and very quickly blew up. The thing is, the car can run for years with noises, or it can run for minutes, no one can say for sure, you're rolling the dice if you keep driving it.
The real question is do you need this car to be reliable? Can you afford to be without a car for a bit if the engine does blow up?
If the answer to either of the above questions is NO, then you need to get your hands on a motor and clutch ASAP and put it in ASAP. Drive the car in the meantime but don't waste time getting ahold of a new motor.
The other option is rebuilding what you have, but that would require you to stop driving it right away and afford to have the car downed for a decent period of time.
In regard to the Headgasket replacement, I doubt this is your problem, but the answer is YES, it IS POSSIBLE, but not reasonable. You have to pull the Cams to pull the head, and that's a PITA with the engine in. the whole thing can be done, but by that time, you'd be smarter to rebuild it anyways.
I just had a 3.5 blow quite quickly after minor ticking in the top end, developed into a large knock and very quickly blew up. The thing is, the car can run for years with noises, or it can run for minutes, no one can say for sure, you're rolling the dice if you keep driving it.
11-21-2011, 12:33 AM
#10
Avoid WOT until you get your engine rebuilt or replaced. No sense in making your situation worse. And for the pinging, that is normally caused by using lower octane fuel if you have carbon buildup. With the mileage on your car, carbon deposits build up and can cause hot spots and pre-detonation. If you're not using premium fuel, start doing so. Also avoid "cheap" gas, and go for name brand, such as Shell or Chevron. They use more cleaning agents in their fuel blends. Running a quality name brand fuel system cleaner to clean u the gunk will also help too.
I will avoid WOT, but it also pings on light/mid throttle too, sooo looks like i'm going slightly heavy throttle all the time which is fine. It only pings when it's at operating temperature, much more so when heatsoaked.
The car has been down for the last month, I can't give it more than 1/8 throttle before the clutch starts to slip. I have my project car that i've been driving-- 4.5k miles on it so far, here's hoping it holds!
I'll probably have to drop the clutch in and do my best to baby the car. Is there a more likely situation for white smoke other than a headgasket on these engine's?
11-21-2011, 07:06 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
I regularly use seafoam, and always run premium shell gas. I've tried octane boosters and it helped very very little. I've searched a bunch on the issue and people seem to keep saying it's either the MAF or the coils.
I will avoid WOT, but it also pings on light/mid throttle too, sooo looks like i'm going slightly heavy throttle all the time which is fine. It only pings when it's at operating temperature, much more so when heatsoaked.
The car has been down for the last month, I can't give it more than 1/8 throttle before the clutch starts to slip. I have my project car that i've been driving-- 4.5k miles on it so far, here's hoping it holds!
I'll probably have to drop the clutch in and do my best to baby the car. Is there a more likely situation for white smoke other than a headgasket on these engine's?
I will avoid WOT, but it also pings on light/mid throttle too, sooo looks like i'm going slightly heavy throttle all the time which is fine. It only pings when it's at operating temperature, much more so when heatsoaked.
The car has been down for the last month, I can't give it more than 1/8 throttle before the clutch starts to slip. I have my project car that i've been driving-- 4.5k miles on it so far, here's hoping it holds!
I'll probably have to drop the clutch in and do my best to baby the car. Is there a more likely situation for white smoke other than a headgasket on these engine's?
A head gasket that's leaking can also cause that running problem that you're describing. If using high quality gas and sea foam treatments don't rid of the pinging, it's not due to carbon buildup, it's due to coolant getting into one or more of the cylinders.
The only other time i've seen white/gray smoke come from the exhaust of a car is when some diesel got mixed in with the gas. It will smoke like it does have a blown head gasket, or worse. When it's running, smell the exhaust, without getting all up in it of course, and see if it has that sweet coolant smell to it.
11-21-2011, 11:23 AM
#12
Well, the odd thing is i'm not losing hardly any coolant. Pretty sure i'm not losing any to be honest. I haven't driven it much since it started smoking though. It doesn't smell like coolant, but I suck at diagnosing smells at all.
What should I look for on the flywheel? I know it's a sprung flywheel and resurfacing it is not recommended... I'm more than likely just going to re-use it. I never abused the clutch, it was on it's way out when I bought it at 109k, and all of those 70k miles i've put on have been in town.
What should I look for on the flywheel? I know it's a sprung flywheel and resurfacing it is not recommended... I'm more than likely just going to re-use it. I never abused the clutch, it was on it's way out when I bought it at 109k, and all of those 70k miles i've put on have been in town.
11-21-2011, 12:14 PM
#13
11-21-2011, 11:24 PM
#14
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