How do you guys figure out how many quarts you're low when you check your oil.
My dipstick indicates ~3/4 oil level: L--------xxxxH (dashes indicate oil, x's indicate blank spots [no oil])
How many quarts would I be low?

 

In most cases, if the oil level is at the very bottom of the hashed area, you are 1qt low.

 

They haven't accused me of anything...yet.
It's funny they always deny and say "oh, we've never heard of that problem." I hate it when I get treated like I'm an idiot.
I told the dealer and Nissan that I could show them plenty of research proving it was an ongoing problem.
I guess I'll see what Nissan says tomorrow when I call. Being prepared with info definitely helps.

 

With pulleys, NISMO CAI, Strup Headers and Test pipes do you think the dealer would give me any trouble with the oil consumption issue?

I go through a quart every 4-500 miles.

 

I still can't figure out the stupid aluminum-foil dipstick. Someone should give them a manufacturer's award for developing the cheapest dipstick ever made. Hope it's not an indication of the build quality of the internals.

 

I would guess that most dealerships (in my experiences with 2 on this same issue) will give you a headache over the mods in relation to your oil consumption. The good news is, they have to prove that 1. Your modifications were unauthorized 2. Your modifications were DIRECTLY responsible for the problem with the engine or they can just jump to 3. You abused the vehicle. I personally love #3. Ask them how it was abused, they'll say you "over-revved" the engine. Then ask them how many times, and they say it doesn't matter, even once can ruin the engine. Then ask them how you could "over-rev" an engine that has a rev limiter on it. Then watch them back peddal. If the engine was over-revved with a rev limiter then the rev limiter is faulty which is a manufacturers default not abuse.

Remember, these are all "Affirmative" defenses. The laws are written assuming that all manufacturers (in any industry) will make any claim they can to get out of honoring their warranties. They must prove that there is a valid reason that the customer is out of warrant. They cannot just tell you that you abused it, modded it, etc. They must put it in writing and prove it. If they give you more headache, then just leave the dealership and call a local attorney. They can deal with Nissan directly and Nissan knows this issue and won't make a big deal out of covering the engine under warranty.

Usually, however, the dealership will just give you grief, but once they call the tech line the Nissan employees know this issue and will tell them to do a consumption test, then if it fails, have the engine replaced. Just make sure they replace the ENTIRE engine, not the short block/lower half only.

 

OK guys I just got the result of my OIL Consumption test at Performance Nissan. I'm down 2.5 quarts after 700 miles!! My car is an 04 with 54,000 miles, so it looks like I'll be getting a new motor. Those of you guys with mods, did you have to put your car back to stock before getting your new short/long block? I'm wondering if I need to take my crank pully, intake and headers off.

thx

 

I didn't have to take it back to stock, but my mods happened after the oil consumption replacement and before my catastrophic blow out replacement. They put new mods back on my car to replace the damaged ones when the engine blew out. You should not have to remove the parts in my opinion, but my situation was different. I would just ask the dealership service department about your concerns.

 

I'm starting the oil consumption testing myself as of yesterday. I took my '06 enth in with 8900mi. and was down over 2 qts after adding a quart about 10 days ago. So far the service manager has been staright forward with me and doesn't seem to be trying to play any games regarding mods, doing my own oil changes etc. as I've read others have encountered. Hopefully this attitude will persist and things will be taken care of with minimal hassle. Glad I have this resource to arm myself with the necessary info just in case.

 

Hey I'm curious. Do your exhaust tips get black sooty exhaust buildup powder crap on them, that requires constant wiping to keep them clean of soot?

I mentioned to the guy at that shop when it was known that my car was/is burning oil, that I thought that all of the black crap on my tips was from the bad rings and he said no that black stuff is normal.

Hmmm then why I have seen some Z's that have absoulty zero blackness inside or around the tips? I have seen the inside of some tips you could eat off of. They are so clean that all there is, is a tiny bit of rust where condinsation builds up.

Are those Z's with clean tips messed up then?

I expect some black crap but this stuff almost looks like it drips on the underside, like it's wet.

 

Mine are definitely covered with black soot and that is not normal. My wife has a Murano that's a month older than my Z and she has no soot on her exhaust tips. Mine is completely covered with a thick layer.

We went for our second visit last week and the dealer tried to play it down...I think more than half a quart in 350 miles is significant...
Now I'm hassling with Nissan all week because they can't get their act together....first one of their CS reps closed the incident after we called in. Then the "supervisor" who's supposed to handle our claim is never available and her solution was to take it into the dealer again if we have trouble....umm that's not a solution. When we first called after the oil was almost gone Nissan said if we took it in again and it was losing oil to call them and they'd have a resolution...
Not happy so far. And now the Nissan rep is bouncing around talking to service techs at the incompetent dealer who weren't even there when we took it in....and these dumb techs are saying oil loss like this is normal...
I'm getting really pissed. They have had all week to at least give me some info and say they're working on a solution for me but all they've done is waste my time.
I guess if I have to take it in for that problem two more times I won't bother with Nissan and will go right to a lemon lawyer.

p.s. don't let them tell you it isn't a known problem. some of their reps slipped up and admitted they have a problem with '06 Z's manufactured between Feb and May this year. They even knew the plant they came from. I can't believe they're not doing something more proactive like with the 2.5 altimas they recalled....I guess it's because the government hasn't stepped in and made them yet.

 

Here is how you get your car fixed under warranty on the oil consumption problem:

1. Document everything you can and approximate oil levels at each interval measured. Print out examples of others (like myself) that had the oil consumption, the tech line for Nissan knew of the problem, the consumption test proved the problem, and they replaced my engine.
2. Call dealership to make an appointment to have an oil consumption test. Usually the scheduling department can be accessed without even talking to a tech. This means you can make an appointment without hassling over why you need it.
3. Take your car and documentation to your scheduled appointment. Tell the service advisor what's going on and that they need to do an oil consumption test.
4. When the car is proven to burn/leak/consume oil, tell them to replace the entire engine. If they say it is normal, make them call the tech line with the information from the test and ask them what normal levels of consumption are.
5. This is important-get the reports from everything the dealer has done on your vehicle.
6. Contact the manager of the service department and tell them about your problem and the solution that you find acceptible. Mention that others have had the same problem and Nissan tech line knows of the problem and nissan authorizes the repair. The dealership will be paid for the labor and you will have a working vehicle.
7. If the dealership still will not authorize the replacement, call Nissan Consumer Affairs directly (1-800-NISSAN-1) during normal business hours. File a complaint and offer them the option of replacing the engine. As a side note, they were marginally helpful, but don't rely on this option as a solution.
8. If the dealership won't help and consumer affairs won't help, unfortunately, you will need to contact a lemon law attorney. The problem was resolved VERY quickly once I contacted my attorney and he contacted Nissan.

If you have further questions or run into road blocks, feel free to post on here, and I'll do my best to relate my experiences. Hopefully, this will help some of you avoid the hassles I had.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will ultimately have to go the lemon law route. Neither the dealership or Nissan has been very helpful in resolving this issue. Their story changes every time I talk to someone.
Not giving me confidence in Nissan...the whole process is making me rethink having the Z. If they could have just promptly and professionaly taken care of the problem I'd be happy, but they're drawing it out and making it a huge ordeal.
I'm not happy.

 

My tips are pretty black, like you said it looks like liquid runoff has dripped off the bottom and rolled a bit to the underside of the tips. Not cetrain this is realated to the oil burning but would expect that it is. I know running test pipes (which I am not) will produce more soot from the tails but that is a little different as that typically migrates up the back of the car while the discoloration I have seems to drip down.

 

Wow....I have an 05 with the same problem with oil burning and soot on the tail pipes...It ran dry just 3 months after I bought it....The oil light came on thats what alerted me....I usually check my previous cars fluids every 2 weeks but they were used...I figured with a new car I wouldnt have to as much.....I told Nemet[dealership] about it and they told me these cars dont burn oil and they are set from the factory so all I have to do is drive I assume he took me for a moron....I insisted on them checking the car because I also have horrible gas milage...In the 11 mpg range for the entire time Ive owned the car.....Ive changed oil 5 times since buying the car last October...Same problem....I was told it would get better after breakin...Its not got 11k on it and still the same problem.....

I also have the axle clicking problem an they told me Its my rims that hitting the brakes...These guys are total morons....Any one local looking to buy a car from Nemet on Hillside Ave in Queens dont....Service writers are morons.....I scheduled an appointment with another dealer to see if I can get the problems sorted out...Its tommorrow...Wish me luck...

 

Any new info on the oil issues with the Z? Mine has been in the body shop for the last month and a half getting a kit put on so havent had a chance to take it to the dealer. Just cant wait to see what goes down when I take it in to my dealer.

 

This has me a bit concerned since my base model was manufactured in March 06. Is there any merit to this?

I've been checking my oil religously and have noticed about a 1/4 - 1/3 qt low after 1000K miles.

 

That's less than a pint per thousand miles! Hardly anything to be concerned about.

bill

 

1/4 to 1/2 qt. low between oil changes (3500 to 4000miles) acceptable i guess. If you are only 1/4 - 1/3 qt. low after one million miles like you said. Your burning no oil whatsoever.

 

Good catch! I missed it.



bill