JwaxMax99

iTrader: (14)

Does your 3.5L burn oil? How much?

SilverMax_04

I use synthetic (Mobil 1) and change oil and filter about every 10 K miles.
Because my VQ seems to want to burn off the first half-quart of oil, I only add motor oil when the dip-stick level falls to "down one quart." And I only bring the level up to the down a half quart level.

On that basis, I burn about 1.5 quarts between my oil changes which means it burns about a quart every 6.5 K miles.

I currently have 101 K miles on the Max.

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

I burn less oil in my Max using 10W40 high mileage Pennzoil compared to what the Nissan dealership was using 5W30 Valvoline bulk oil.

SilverMax_04

That is understandable. The 10w40 high mileage dino oil is much thicker than normal 5w30 dino motor oil. The thinner oil is able to slip past worn areas in your engine and get into the combustion chamber much easier than the heavier oil you are now using.

You are probably safe using this oil, but be aware that when cold it will not lubricate your engine as well as the thinner motor oil. So take it easy when starting and running your engine until it has a chance to warm up.

JwaxMax99

iTrader: (14)

Bump for more numbers.

JwaxMax99

iTrader: (14)

bump it.

JwaxMax99

iTrader: (14)

You have an 04 right,? that appears to be the first year of the better; non-major oil burning 3.5L engines.

SilverMax_04

There are some on this site with 6th gen Maximas who claim their engine burns no oil between oil changes.

UGAd13

Using 5w30 in my '03 I would always get the infamous engine rattle at 2k RPM, due to low oil level, after 2500-3000 miles after an oil change. I'm on my 3rd run using Gastrol High Mileage 10w40 and have not experienced the rattle yet, which leads me to believe I’m not burning as much, or any oil as I did with 5w30. Now that the weather is cold stat up is a little rougher with 10w40, but after a warm-up the engine runs fine.

I’m planning on sending an oil sample to Blackstone now that I have over 9,000 miles on the engine using 10w40.

Rods03Max619

iTrader: (5)

Nice to know will give that a shot with the 10w40 high mileage Castrol!!

jr schultz

My next oil change will be in spring. I'm going to try out the 10w40 then as well. My 3.5 with 125,000 miles burns oil more when I'm hard on it like at the drag strip or when it was dyno tuned. Normal driving it burns about a quart every 6K miles.

zero2sixtyZ

iTrader: (30)

Last oil change, I went about 5-6k on an interval. Put in a quart here or there, and drained out around 2.8-3 quarts.

kbohip

On my last oil change I switched to Shell Rotella T6 synthetic. My 3.5l burns about 1qt. per 1k miles and is pretty consistent with this in the 50k miles I've driven it. Up until the last 1k miles it has been burning even the "Heavy Duty" Rotella T6 at the same rate. The last 1k miles has been interesting though. In that time it's only burned 1/2 quart of oil. The one thing I've changed in that time is taking it VERY easy on the car for the first few minutes of driving. Not revving above 2,500rpm and very light throttle input. Considering that for the first 2k miles that I've used the T6 I had to dump 2qts. of make up oil in, this is quite the discovery. I'll continue to baby it during warm up and hope that the oil burning remains cut in half.

SilverMax_04

Another suggestion that may help reduce engine oil consumption -- other than not revving the engine above 2.5K RPMs:
Only fill the oil sump in you car so that the dip-stick reads the oil level as down 1/2 a quart. When motor oil is consumed so that the level gets down to the "down one quart line," only put in 1/2 a quart to bring the level back to down 1/2 a quart. My experience with my VQ engine is that the first half quart of oil is burned off much faster than the second half a quart burns off. Particularly if you are using synthetic motor oil, this method should not cause any problems with your engine, and should reduce oil consumption.

kbohip

Right now the oil is just above the 1/2 mark on the dipstick. I'm interested to see how fast it goes down from here. Speaking of trying to keep the revs low, I know you can feel my pain on this one SilverMax as living in a city made of hills at over 6,000' above sea level makes this impossible. Where my house is at any of the three ways out of my neighborhood are hills. Lol, I drive them like I have an old Model T now.

BoDenKai

iTrader: (1)

last time i changed oil, i burned 2qts of 5 in 5000 miles

captain jack

Castrol High Mileage 5/30. About .5 quart every 4-5K. Car has 140K on it now.

jasoneon

2005 with 83,000 miles and it burns about 1/2 quart every 3,000 miles. I always use regular Castrol 10w30, not synthetic or anything special.

jviv35

02 I35 with 120k...bought it with 108k. First oil change was with M1 5/30 full synthetic. It burned 1qt per 1000 miles...only I didn't know it. Also sprang 3 new leaks (rear vcg, oil pan, rear main). Wasn't aware that these engines burn oil until warning light came on. By then engine was fairly low...definitely less than a quart. Produced dreaded rattling ultimately. Anyway, switched back to M1 dino 10/30 high mileage. I'm now at about 2/3rds of a quart per 1000 miles. Probably gonna switch back to synthetic once I get leaks fixed (rotella t6 5/40). The engine ran smoother (especially at start-up) and also burned less fuel. Gas mileage dropped almost 2mpg with 10/30!

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

My 4AT 2002 was using a quart every 1500-1800 miles until the valve covers started leaking, dropped to a quart every 1200 or so miles. Guess the guy who hit and totaled it did me a favor, so far the 6 speed '02 I just picked up seems to be holding steady on the oil level.

txA&M08

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but my '06 Altima SE-R w/ 70k miles on it is burning about 2 quarts every 1000 miles...It's getting pretty ridiculous. It's pretty obvious my piston rings are fried since I'm crop-dusting the **** out of everyone behind me when I step on it. Anyone have any advice on where to go from here? Compression test? Replace piston rings? Buy VQ from junkyard?

ProjectX7

2002 GXE.....runs like a mother and burns no oil. I run all synthetic fluids and have about 93K on it...no mods

Dblake42

Don't know what the deal is with mine. I put in 4.5qts with a filter last time. I heard the dreaded rattling sound so I changed it again. I only got 1.25qts out!!! where is all this oil going? I'm not blowing smoke and I don't have a puddle in the driveway. I am using 10w30 castrol oil also. Can anyone give some advise or point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance

SilverMax_04

You should check your oil at least once a week - at least until you find the problem. You only look at what came out - you need to look at the dip stick. I like to check mine in the morning before starting the engine. You need to be certain where it is on the dip stick when you first change oil and then once a week to see if the oil is going down. If you only had 1.25 quarts in the oil sump when you changed, you would have seen that much earlier because no oil would register on the dip stick much sooner than the start of engine rattle.

I suspect that you are burning the oil because you don't see any oil drips under the car. My Max (115 K miles on her) burns about 1 quart every 5K miles - sound like yours burns more.

Dblake42

I started checking the oil with the dip stick a while back, but found the stick is unreliable. I have also seen other posts saying the same. Its really strange. If you take a stick and submerge part of it in a liquid the area submerged should be wet on the entire surface of the stick. My dipstick only has oil on one side. If I run the engine and wait a while there is oil all the way up the stick. Also, after I changed my oil the last time, I checked the oil the following morning and I had no oil on the stick even though I had just put 4+ quarts in her. Its impossible to see if its low with out an accurate dipstick.

SilverMax_04

The only proplem of those you describe that I have had is the one with oil all over the dipstick after running the engine. That is why I check the oil level in the morning before starting the engine. The oil has had a chance to run down the dipstick and it shows the correct level. The volume of oil you put in when you change also depends on the size of the oil filter. I use a larger filter than the Nissan OEM filter and thus need to put more oil in than what the book calls for.

I suggest you continue to try and work with your dip stick - it remains the best tool for determining the oil level in your engine - you just have to find what works best for you and your engine.

m21bmr

My 2002 Maxima will use about 1 quart in 5-6k miles, so nothing excessive.

vfrpilot28

My 02 burns no oil. Shell Rotella T synthetic and purolator good to go! I use the same setup on the motorcycle too.

123GO

Sorry guys but these post make me glad I still have the 3.0.
My freinds 3.5 04 Marono with 159k burns more oil than Sadam did when he lit the oil feilds on fire though.

IMO: Nissan should state in their owners manuals: "AOCT" .
Nissans have "Automatic Oil Changing Technology" while you drive, Just change oil filter every 7500k.
According to Nissan service techs a qt every 1250 miles is fine. Well' 7500mi devided by 1250mi = 6qts. That is indeed AOCT = Automatic Oil Changing Technology.



* Sorry' I know its not a funny subject...