2009 Maxima Sludged 3.5l

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: SpAzZ
I really don't care what vehicle you drive....the maint manual is set for a reason. If engineers thought that cars and trucks could go 26k miles between oil changes, they would do that and market it as a way to save customers money over the long haul.


Just so everyone knows, I'm not turning this into a Nissan bashing thread, every manufacturer has good things and bad things to say about them, just posting about the things I see everyday here in my Nissan shop. In my opinion, everyone should go buy a Nissan, and SERIVCE and MAINTAIN it here with me

 

[addyguy]

Wow, that's bad.

I wonder if these new Nissan engines are going to be this decades 'sludgemonsters'?

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Wow, that's bad.

I wonder if these new Nissan engines are going to be this decades 'sludgemonsters'?


They will be if everyone keeps pushing 20k intervals.....

 

[daves87rs]

Wonder where both of your shops are here in MI...



Wait, never mind, I didn't read far enough...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
Originally Posted By: SpAzZ
I really don't care what vehicle you drive....the maint manual is set for a reason. If engineers thought that cars and trucks could go 26k miles between oil changes, they would do that and market it as a way to save customers money over the long haul.


Just so everyone knows, I'm not turning this into a Nissan bashing thread, every manufacturer has good things and bad things to say about them, just posting about the things I see everyday here in my Nissan shop. In my opinion, everyone should go buy a Nissan, and SERIVCE and MAINTAIN it here with me

 

[barlowc]

I have a 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S with the QR25DE engine. The service manual for this vehicle outlines oil changes every 3,750 miles under severe conditions and every 7,500 miles under less severe conditions. My OCI history to date is as follows:

06/07/2008 - 39 Miles - Factory Fill, Nissan 15208 65F0D Filter
09/06/2008 - 3,880 Miles - Valvoline SynPower 5W-30, Mobil 1 M1-108 Filter
03/21/2009 - 10,010 Miles - Valvoline SynPower 5W-30, DENSO 150-1010 Filter
09/20/2009 - 16,147 Miles - Castrol EDGE 5W-30, DENSO 150-1010 Filter
04/03/2010 - 22,123 Miles - Castrol EDGE 5W-30, DENSO 150-1010 Filter

In summary, the factory fill essentially came out at the 3,750 interval and I've been running full synthetic since for 6,000 mile intervals since, which is essentially right in the middle of the two intervals outlined by Nissan.

Until reading this thread and seeing the pics, I've tended to think that if anything, I'm being pretty conservative with my 6,000 mile full-synthetic OCIs.

I recently polled for feedback on what oil to use for my next OCI (see this thread) and the majority of "votes" were for the Pennzoil synthetics, Platinum and Ultra. Given their touted sludge-cleaning performance, maybe I should take those recommendations to heart.

 

[Johnny248]

I don't think you should have a problem with 6k intervals if you are using a quality syn oil. But like the manual says, pretty much everyone runs severe conditions if you really think about it.

Anway, you should be able to see pretty well int your 2.5 oil filler to see how clean that engine looks in there.

 

[Pesca]

Barlowc, I think it is a good "move" to stay at 6kmiles as it seems our engines are quite hard on the oil.

Johnny248 and SpAzZ, do you have bad news for QR25DE engine owners too? How do you rate it compare to other Nissan engines you see regularly?

I have pushed mine at close to 7kmiles twice (about 90% highway drive at the time, could not be easier on the oil than that), always with synthetic oil, and each time I got high results in Oxydation and mostly Nitration (Oil Analyzers (Amsoil) lab). Other than that, the engine was spotless in the oil filler and barely no Fe (around 10 ppm)or Al (1 or 2 ppm)in the analysis.

Seeing this engine and hearing what two Nissan mechanics experience, I made my mind not to go over 7.5 kmiles even with synthetic oil as it seems to be the limit where the high level of Nitratation and Oxydation takes over the additives.

I have a question for the people who know better than me:
TBN of the oil after 7 kmiles was still around 5, and oil was in good condition (no Fe, no Al, no Cu), but Nit was flagged as too high (almost 30 for Nit). Is that oil can be called "shot" just because of Nit level?
Does that mean that the oil will go down hill from that point because of the Nit level alone?

Question about the Nissan engines: Is it better money wise to just use a good Dino oil (PYB for example) and change it at 5 kmiles since synthetic cannot go further than 7.5 kmiles in these engines because of the Nitratation level, not because of the TBN? Can dino oil go up to 5 kmiles in these engines?

What do you think about moving to a 5W20 oil instead of a 5W30 to get a more shear stable oil?

 

[d00df00d]

A good 5w-30 or even 0w-30 should have no problems with shear stability. Try a better xw-30 before going to a lighter oil.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

My Wife has an 07 Altima with the QR25DE. I am changing Pennzoil Platinum every 5-6K with good filters. The oil gets dark in about 1K miles. She does a lot of short trips. Engine looks pretty good from what I can see down the filler.

I change my Titan every 5-6K also with P.P. 5w-30 in both. Titan's VK56DE (Flex Fuel) seems to be pretty easy on oil. I just hit the 5K mark and it is still pretty light.

Both vehicles recommend 3750 severe and 7500 normal on Dino Juice. I thought about going dino, but after seeing these pics, naah. Platinum is is not too expensive and will continue to see use in my vehicles.

Dave

 

[barlowc]

Are there any key metrics in a used oil analysis that would indicate sludge formation? And am I correct in that fuel efficiency would decrease over time as sludge builds up?

 

[Pesca]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
A good 5w-30 or even 0w-30 should have no problems with shear stability. Try a better xw-30 before going to a lighter oil.


Any recommandations on better xW30 oils than PP or Synpower?
I thought there were both ones of the best oils these days. They aren't?

 

[Trav]

Anything you see under the cover is meaningless,you cant tell anything looking in there,its a thing only Americans do so I'm told.

I am almost ready to try the Kreen in a 06 Infiniti 3.5 which is not as bad as this one.ARX did diddly after 12 months and 2 clean/rinse fiascos.
Time to get something that really works on the job after the reptile oil go round.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Pesca
Any recommandations on better xW30 oils than PP or Synpower?
I thought there were both ones of the best oils these days. They aren't?

They certainly are among the best, but I doubt they are the best.

Are you still under warranty? If so, do you need an API SM or GF-4 oil?

 

[Robenstein]

That is terrible indeed. If the records are right there has to be some sort of issue with the motor like a totally worthless PCV.

That or this person just threw whatever oil in it like the Acell oil from WalMart or some other SA or SB rated bargain bin brand in the correct viscosity range for operating temperatures.

 

[saberz]

You're all blind. The oil is working as intended. That isn't sludge, its a new molecular compound that coats internals to protect them from metal on metal contact.

Besides you would have never known it existed because some people think we shouldn't open her up if we think there is a problem. That right there is due to poor maintenance if i ever saw it.

 

[d00df00d]

I've never seen anyone deny sludge in clear pictures or say an engine shouldn't be opened up if a problem was suspected...

 

[Trav]

I agree me neither.When i posted that position previously i was quickly and rudely jumped on by an ARX distributor that claimed removing the valve cover must be an "American" thing because there is little oil flow in that area.

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I agree me neither.When i posted that position previously i was quickly and rudely jumped on by an ARX distributor that claimed removing the valve cover must be an "American" thing because there is little oil flow in that area.


Well, if you look at the American owned arx site, you'll see pics of valvetrains flash by, before and after use of an American made product.

So the American owner of this American site that features an American made product must think it does matter.

 

[donz26]

Man, that's ugly--obviously neglected. My Maxima has never gone beyond 3700 mi. on any oil change. Neither did my Altima 2.5 before that.

I'm surprised to learn that there are Nissan shops in Michigan. My sister and ex-brother in law lived up there for almost 10 years, and in all my trips visiting up there (Royal Oaks, then Port Huron) I only saw a couple other Nissans. OT- on one of my trips up in my Frontier, I had some old man cuss me out (in a rest area) for driving "J *p Cr*p".