oil consumption problem on 05
12-18-2006, 10:37 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 115
oil consumption problem on 05
Gent's, I have an 05 with 33,000 miles on it. Last oil change was done at 30000 miles and I'm at the L line on the dipstick. I'm taking it back to the dealer to start an oil consumption check. Have anyone else had this problem before. The car isn't smoking except at start up, the usual nissan warm up smoke(white mist). Any issues know with Nissans o5????
12-18-2006, 06:20 PM
#4
I thought the oil burning issue was with the 3.5's in the 5.5 gens. Wasn't it a problem with the rings? I believe that was rectified. I'm not burning any, I'm at almost 30k now. I hope I don't encounter this.....
12-18-2006, 11:10 PM
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
My '04 SL burned a third of a quart the first 3,750 miles, but slightly less each oil change until around 15,000 miles. I expected that, as it was a product of the engine parts gradually conforming to each other to a closer and better fit. This is exactly why I would never use synthetic oil the first 15 to 20K miles.
Since the 15K mile mark, the dipstick has stayed exactly on full between oil changes. The engine is purring, and burns no oil. It is now properly broken in and ready for synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is so good it prevents normal break-in of an engine, and should not be used early-on.
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To more directly answer the thread question, I have not seen oil burning as a problem for many 6th gen Maxima owners here on the ORG. In fact, I could probably count the reports of 6th gen oil burning I have seen on the ORG during the last three and a half years on one hand.
cspangg - An '05 Maxima should not be using a quart of oil between changes. Period. Your may either have an engine problem causing it to burn oil, or the oil may be leaking out somewhere.
Have you looked at the ground/floor where you park your car? Any signs of new oil there? Have you looked under the car for oil on any parts such as the bottom of the oil pan? Look especially around the oil drain plug. Also look under the hood around the bottom edge of the valve covers. You may heve to remove the big shield covering the engine area.
The power train (engine, tranny, etc) warranty on the 6th gen Maxima is 5 years or 60,000 miles. You should be covered for whatever the problem is, unless of course you have been drag racing, etc. The little black box will tell.
Let us know what you find.
Since the 15K mile mark, the dipstick has stayed exactly on full between oil changes. The engine is purring, and burns no oil. It is now properly broken in and ready for synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is so good it prevents normal break-in of an engine, and should not be used early-on.
----------
To more directly answer the thread question, I have not seen oil burning as a problem for many 6th gen Maxima owners here on the ORG. In fact, I could probably count the reports of 6th gen oil burning I have seen on the ORG during the last three and a half years on one hand.
cspangg - An '05 Maxima should not be using a quart of oil between changes. Period. Your may either have an engine problem causing it to burn oil, or the oil may be leaking out somewhere.
Have you looked at the ground/floor where you park your car? Any signs of new oil there? Have you looked under the car for oil on any parts such as the bottom of the oil pan? Look especially around the oil drain plug. Also look under the hood around the bottom edge of the valve covers. You may heve to remove the big shield covering the engine area.
The power train (engine, tranny, etc) warranty on the 6th gen Maxima is 5 years or 60,000 miles. You should be covered for whatever the problem is, unless of course you have been drag racing, etc. The little black box will tell.
Let us know what you find.
12-19-2006, 05:56 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 115
Gents, thanks for the replies. The dealer in Florence, Alabama did an oil change for me and the sticker they had in the windshield reflected CASTROL BLEND good for 6000 miles. I now have about 3500 miles more and 1 qtr low. Today I took it to Mobile, Alabama! Haven't had any luck with the NISSAN DEALERS lately on anything,especially the Sandy Sansing dealership in Pensacola . The Mobile dealer told me they use Castrol 5W-30. I called them back acting as a new customer and they told me they use Valvoline and I had them check for leaks and Start a Consumption test. What weight oil do you recommend??????? I changing my oil myself next time and keeping the receipts.
12-19-2006, 10:31 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
Xoomer - Using synthetic oil would naturally mean your engine would not use oil, as the process of breaking in (during which oil is consumed) is slowed considerably with synthetic.
Changing at 8K miles (as you did) is fine, as the process of breaking in an engine is a 'reverse exponential' thing, in that the breakin process is most intense at the beginning, then gradually diminishes over the next 10K to 15K miles. At 8K (when you switched to synthetic), your engine was probably over 95% broken in, and should finish the breakin very gradually with synthetic.
cspangg - There is a fluids and lubricants area of Maxima.org which has tons of details, and I think we may have a stickie at the top of this board which also addresses oils and lubricants.
Lots of folks have their own preference for certain viscosities, and give reasons for their choice. Those who live in the Arctic tundra (aka Canada) sometimes prefer something like a 0W-30. Those who live in the Sonora Dessert may prefer 5W-40 or 10W-30 or 10W-40. I would feel you won't go wrong by sticking with Nissan's recommendation of 5W-30.
The last two lab test ratings on oil done by Consumer Reports seemed to indicate Castrol was, ba slight margin, the best brand they tested.
Castrol also was rated best in a Consumer reports test back in the 1960s, and has been my favorite dino oil ever since. Of course most other brands are virtually as good. IIRC, only Kendall oil was rated appreciably lower than Castrol in the lastest test; other name brands should be fine.
Changing at 8K miles (as you did) is fine, as the process of breaking in an engine is a 'reverse exponential' thing, in that the breakin process is most intense at the beginning, then gradually diminishes over the next 10K to 15K miles. At 8K (when you switched to synthetic), your engine was probably over 95% broken in, and should finish the breakin very gradually with synthetic.
cspangg - There is a fluids and lubricants area of Maxima.org which has tons of details, and I think we may have a stickie at the top of this board which also addresses oils and lubricants.
Lots of folks have their own preference for certain viscosities, and give reasons for their choice. Those who live in the Arctic tundra (aka Canada) sometimes prefer something like a 0W-30. Those who live in the Sonora Dessert may prefer 5W-40 or 10W-30 or 10W-40. I would feel you won't go wrong by sticking with Nissan's recommendation of 5W-30.
The last two lab test ratings on oil done by Consumer Reports seemed to indicate Castrol was, ba slight margin, the best brand they tested.
Castrol also was rated best in a Consumer reports test back in the 1960s, and has been my favorite dino oil ever since. Of course most other brands are virtually as good. IIRC, only Kendall oil was rated appreciably lower than Castrol in the lastest test; other name brands should be fine.
12-20-2006, 03:30 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 1,994
I expect this thread will eventually be moved to the Fluids & Lubes section of this site.
As usual, light gave you some good advice. As usual following light, I will try to expand on his very good start.
My 04 is coming up for an oil change at 52,500 miles in a few weeks. At 50 K I was 1/3 of a quart down and, because I was going to be doing extensive high speed (75 mph) driving, I filled up to the full line. I run Mobil 1 (a mixture of mainly 10W30 -- my choice -- and some 5W30 -- that I bought when I thought it would be better. I later found that Nissan in Europe recommends 10W30, while here in the US they recommend 5W30 -- probably to please the government, which believes the slightly lighter oil gives slightly better gasoline mileage. I also change every 7,500 miles (the maximum Nissan allows for keeping the power-train warranty in effect).
My Max burns a little oil (and has since new -- more then). I now suspect that the engine was not fully broken-in when I switched to Mobil 1 at 7,500 miles. And like light says, it has slowly been completing the break-in with synthetic.
In your case, I suspect that when the dealer last changed your oil -- he did not completely fill the oil pan and filter with new oil. (If you checked the level just after this oil change, ignore this paragraph.) The oil needs to be checked right after a change because the filter will take oil and possibly result in needing to add more to get to complete full. This will be corrected when you go to changing your own oil (like I do).
There is a thread in Fluids & Lubes that talks about oil burning and the fact that by running your level 1/2 to 1 quart below full, it usually reduces oil burning (in my post #6 on that thread). I will post the link to this here:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....39#post5412139
Also see this thread I started on the topic of when to check your oil level and oil consumption:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=503469
As usual, light gave you some good advice. As usual following light, I will try to expand on his very good start.
My 04 is coming up for an oil change at 52,500 miles in a few weeks. At 50 K I was 1/3 of a quart down and, because I was going to be doing extensive high speed (75 mph) driving, I filled up to the full line. I run Mobil 1 (a mixture of mainly 10W30 -- my choice -- and some 5W30 -- that I bought when I thought it would be better. I later found that Nissan in Europe recommends 10W30, while here in the US they recommend 5W30 -- probably to please the government, which believes the slightly lighter oil gives slightly better gasoline mileage. I also change every 7,500 miles (the maximum Nissan allows for keeping the power-train warranty in effect).
My Max burns a little oil (and has since new -- more then). I now suspect that the engine was not fully broken-in when I switched to Mobil 1 at 7,500 miles. And like light says, it has slowly been completing the break-in with synthetic.
In your case, I suspect that when the dealer last changed your oil -- he did not completely fill the oil pan and filter with new oil. (If you checked the level just after this oil change, ignore this paragraph.) The oil needs to be checked right after a change because the filter will take oil and possibly result in needing to add more to get to complete full. This will be corrected when you go to changing your own oil (like I do).
There is a thread in Fluids & Lubes that talks about oil burning and the fact that by running your level 1/2 to 1 quart below full, it usually reduces oil burning (in my post #6 on that thread). I will post the link to this here:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....39#post5412139
Also see this thread I started on the topic of when to check your oil level and oil consumption:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=503469
12-21-2006, 04:05 PM
#11
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Manhattan Beach, Ca / Dallas, Tx
Posts: 3,751
Originally Posted by 4MySwee
I thought the oil burning issue was with the 3.5's in the 5.5 gens. Wasn't it a problem with the rings? I believe that was rectified. I'm not burning any, I'm at almost 30k now. I hope I don't encounter this.....
http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...&highlight=oil
http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...&highlight=oil
http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...&highlight=oil
http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...&highlight=oil
there are lots more concerning this issue.......
12-21-2006, 05:21 PM
#12
Dealer check is a good decision. You will have a record in case of a warranty claim. But, unless you know the oil level was correct (on a flat surface) after the last oil change, I would not worry. Like it was said, I suspect the engine was not filled. If they cheat one quart per customer, they save a few $$$ and then probably get Nissan to pay for the oil consumption test. 
I looked at a lot of those threads on oil consumption. Many are caused by folks switching to synthetic to quickly (before 10K).
And the white mist is ... water vapors. Cold exhaust, causing water from exhaust to condense, and then evaporating as exhaust warms up. No oil burning here. A black cloud is unburned gas and a blue one is oil. If you ever blow a head gasket, you could see white smoke (coolant).
I looked at a lot of those threads on oil consumption. Many are caused by folks switching to synthetic to quickly (before 10K).
And the white mist is ... water vapors. Cold exhaust, causing water from exhaust to condense, and then evaporating as exhaust warms up. No oil burning here. A black cloud is unburned gas and a blue one is oil. If you ever blow a head gasket, you could see white smoke (coolant).
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