Under Valve Cover Pic + bonus VQ35DE 162,000 miles

[28oz]

Just replaced some weeping valve cover gaskets and spark plugs on my 2004 Nissan Quest VQ35DE. Oil used has been mostly Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 or 0W-40 lately with occasional OCIs of Mobil 1 0W-40. I probably have used Castrol or Valvoline a couple times. Manual recommends 3,750 severe service OCI, but I usually ran it around 5K miles or so depending on weather and my availability to change it. Lots of short trips to the elementary school/grocery store (one or two miles each way) with a highway run usually once a week.

I was pleased to see how clean the intake valves were. Fuel used is/was usually the least expensive lowest octane available (Maverick or Smiths/Kroger typically). No idea if either is Tier One. Have rarely used any fuel injection cleaners and have replaced one injector in the van's 162K miles. I bought it about 8 years ago with 73K on the odo.

 

[KGMtech]

Impressive! all the more for the valves given lowest price fuel and no routine of injector cleaners. I guess we are brain washed on those products

 

[BrocLuno]

Looks good

 

[geekster]

That looks really good.

 

[JC1]

Thanks for the pics. A well maintained engine no doubt.

 

[Donald]

This engine needs to be flushed with a gallon of pure MMO so it will be so clean you can eat off it!!

 

[Trav]

Looks good for that mileage. My M35X intakes looked worse at 23K running on local garbage gas, my brothers looked perfect at 100K running Shell 93 so yes I suspect long term tier 1 use.
I had both apart looking for the source of high fuel trims. Both had the same issue but his was much more diabolical than mine.

Edit: I am oil change maniac my engine is spotless, my brother couldn't care less his is a varnish and deposit nightmare.

 

[BAJA_05]

Looks good for the mileage but just wondering -- does your engine only call for 87 octane then?

 

[28oz]

Originally Posted By: BAJA_05
Looks good for the mileage but just wondering -- does your engine only call for 87 octane then?


In my area/altitude, regular gas is usually 85 and mid-grade is 87. I pretty much always get the 85.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Looks good

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted By: BAJA_05
Looks good for the mileage but just wondering -- does your engine only call for 87 octane then?

I was wondering the same thing. That engine, in other vehicles, the Infiniti G35 for example, "recommends" using 91 octane or "premium" fuel. Maybe they just tune them differently based on the vehicle it is in ? I'm thinking that Nissan isn't going to recommend or require premium fuel in a standard minivan....

 

[mclasser]

Looking clean!

My old Infiniti also recommended using 91+. In the beginning, I used 87 but it made the engine slightly ping. I started using premium and the car ran very smooth.

 

[oldhp]

Intake valves are clean because of good ol' port injection.

 

[MaximaGuy]

Absolutely perfect, amazing how a syn regime can make the insides look pristine!!

 

[Patrick0525]

28oz what oil filter did you normally use?

 

[28oz]

Originally Posted By: Patrick0525
28oz what oil filter did you normally use?


I've used an assortment...........whatever I can find at discounts or clearance. I usually use the "longer" ones and not the short stubby ones though. I think the Mobil 1 M1-110 is one of the more common ones I've used since I got a bunch of them for a few dollars each. Have also ran some Wix and Bosch filters as well. I have not used Fram orange cans, or the cheapest Purolators or whatever. I am not saying those are bad, or good. Just that I've gotten very good deals on the more expensive filters so I've used those.

 

[Anduril]

Originally Posted By: hallstevenson
Originally Posted By: BAJA_05
Looks good for the mileage but just wondering -- does your engine only call for 87 octane then?

I was wondering the same thing. That engine, in other vehicles, the Infiniti G35 for example, "recommends" using 91 octane or "premium" fuel. Maybe they just tune them differently based on the vehicle it is in ? I'm thinking that Nissan isn't going to recommend or require premium fuel in a standard minivan....

My thoughts too. It's a van, surely they detuned it to work with 87.

 

[9050lx]

This engine needs to be flushed with a gallon of pure MMO so it will be so clean you can eat off it!! [/quote
And it will smell so fresh.

 

[ARB1977]

Impressive

 

[sw99]

Great looking Nissan engine there!