?: Question regarding oil usage

Attack of the unibody snatchers! Styling and handling refined or bland? You decide.

Moderator: volvite

greyhoundrick
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:26 pm

?: Question regarding oil usage

Postby greyhoundrick » Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:09 pm

Hi Everyone,

Thanks in advance for any input you can give me.

I have a 2004 Pathfinder LE Platinum with 108,000.

It runs great. This is our 6th Pathfinder in the last 30 years but is our first 6 cylinder. Ive noticed since we purchased it last summer that it is using about 2 quarts of oil between oil changes. I usually get oil changes every 3000 miles.

This oil consumption is higher than the other Pathfinders we've had. I don't see any oil leakage under the car or when looking at the exterior of the engine, but I was a bit concerned that 2 quarts/3000 miles might be excessive.

Please let me know what you think. This morning when I took it in for an oil change the mechanic told me that I need a new PCV valve. I am not knowledgeable about cars at all so I had to look that one up. Do you think this could be linked to the oil usage?

Thanks so much for your time and expertise. I always enjoy talking about Pathfinders even though I don't know much about the mechanics of them!

Best to you,

Rick


User avatar
smj999smj
Site Admin
Posts: 6054
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:13 pm
Location: Prospect, VA

Postby smj999smj » Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:59 am

Oil consumption is not uncommon on the early VQ35DE engines. If you are lucky, it is just a PCV valve. If it's stuck open, it will allow oil to be sucked into the intake, resulting in excessive oil burning. Unfortunately, that's not often the case. Most of the time, it's the piston rings that are causing the issue. The oil control rings get stuck in the piston landings which results in oil getting into the combustion chamber. I hear a lot about it from mid-2000's Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35 owners, but it affects some of the 2001-2004 Pathfinders, as well. Nissan did update the piston ring sets to help correct the issue, but the problem is that the entire engine needs to be practically rebuilt in order to replace the piston rings (and hone the cylinders). Since you said there are no external leaks, then replace the PCV valve and see what happens; it's an inexpensive repair. If it doesn't work, then you have a decision to make: have the engine removed and torndown to replace the rings, replace the engine, continue to drive it and add oil until the upstream converter(s) get clogged up or get rid of the vehicle via trade in or sale.

greyhoundrick
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 5:26 pm

Postby greyhoundrick » Thu Mar 21, 2019 11:49 am

smj999smj wrote:Oil consumption is not uncommon on the early VQ35DE engines. If you are lucky, it is just a PCV valve. If it's stuck open, it will allow oil to be sucked into the intake, resulting in excessive oil burning. Unfortunately, that's not often the case. Most of the time, it's the piston rings that are causing the issue. The oil control rings get stuck in the piston landings which results in oil getting into the combustion chamber. I hear a lot about it from mid-2000's Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35 owners, but it affects some of the 2001-2004 Pathfinders, as well. Nissan did update the piston ring sets to help correct the issue, but the problem is that the entire engine needs to be practically rebuilt in order to replace the piston rings (and hone the cylinders). Since you said there are no external leaks, then replace the PCV valve and see what happens; it's an inexpensive repair. If it doesn't work, then you have a decision to make: have the engine removed and torndown to replace the rings, replace the engine, continue to drive it and add oil until the upstream converter(s) get clogged up or get rid of the vehicle via trade in or sale.
Thanks so much smj999smj. Very helpful to hear from someone who knows their subject matter! I should know within a month or so if the PCV valve did the trick. If it is the piston rings/cylinders can you give me a ball park estimate as to what something like that would cost? Thanks again and hope to hear back from you. best, Rick

User avatar
smj999smj
Site Admin
Posts: 6054
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:13 pm
Location: Prospect, VA

Postby smj999smj » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:40 pm

It's impossible for me to give an estimate. Labor rates vary by region of the country and vary between dealer and independent shop. A used engine replacement with a guarantee would be the cheapest option. A remanufactured long block install would be the most reliable option...but expensive. A rebuild can vary in cost depending how far they go (do we install a new water pump, timing set, etc., rebuild the heads/reman heads/just re-use the original heads?). It would be best at that point to get quotes on each option with multiple shops for you to compare and make a decision.

User avatar
palmerwmd
Site Admin
Posts: 2343
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 4:45 am
Location: Mid Atlantic

Postby palmerwmd » Fri Mar 22, 2019 8:20 am

SMJ answered it perfectly..
I'll add my 2 cents anyway :)
Just as an FYI In the 350Z community this was common in a couple of model years like SMJ said.

They just had looser rings than normal.. (Even though I do not recall it was your model year...)

Rings are not a trivial thing to do...

So most folks just accepted it as long as it staid under a qt/1000 miles (which was considered normal in the "old days")


Return to “1996-2004 Pathfinder (R50)”