Oil consumption

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docjones
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:57 am
Location: Florida

Oil consumption

Postby docjones » Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:52 am

My 03 with 125000 miles on it uses what I think is to much oil. About 1 quart per 1000 miles. I have own this thing since new, always taken care of the oil myself in a timely fashion, changing it between 3 and 4 thousands every single time. Anyone else think this isn't normal?


fastpakr
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Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:13 pm
Location: Roanoke, VA

Postby fastpakr » Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:54 am

Do you know where the oil is actually going? An oil leak on an engine with 125k isn't exactly unheard of and is certainly fixable. If it's burning that much, I'd say yes - that's excessive.

docjones
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:57 am
Location: Florida

Postby docjones » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:39 pm

It isn't leaking it. No excessive smoke out the tail pipe. I haven't looked at the plugs. They are the original and have never been pulled. The only thing I have done to this great SUV is change the fluids and filters on a more than regular basis. I haven't even replaced the PVC.

docjones
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:57 am
Location: Florida

Postby docjones » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:41 pm

Oh yea. I only use synthetic oil.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:17 pm

Spark plugs are supposed to be replaced at 105,000 miles. There have been several causes of oil burning in these engines (a lot of the time you won't see smoke out the tailpipe because it gets burned up in the catalytic converters). Some have said it was due to a bad/clogged PCV baffle in the valve cover, requiring replacement of the valve cover. Obviously, a stuck PCV valve could be an issue. There have been a few that have had the power valve screws fall down into the engine, but I doubt that's causing your issue unless it cracked a piston. A large number of VQ35DE engines burn oil due to lack of piston oil ring and lower compression ring sealing due to the tapered cylinder bores (as engineered from the factory). Nissan came out with piston rings to correct the issue, but, of course, this requires removing the pistons and honing the cylinder bores. 1000 miles per quart is excessive and one would have to worry about the damage it's doing to the upstream catalytic converter(s).


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