Notices
Maintenance & Repair 350Z up keep and diagnosing/fixing problems

oil sludge?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-12-2007, 11:15 AM
  #1  
nickZ33
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
 
nickZ33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: orlando
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default oil sludge?

I jus got my oil changed today and maybe a 1/2 quart came out. I know that cant be normal, so i was wondering if its all sludge? and the easiest way 2 fix it? any insight from you guru's would be greatly appreciated. Thx

~nick
Old 07-12-2007, 11:17 AM
  #2  
zand02max
350Z-holic
iTrader: (22)
 
zand02max's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

holy ****. You have problems, serious problems! What year is your Z, mileage, is it under warranty?
Old 07-12-2007, 11:23 AM
  #3  
luvZcar
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
 
luvZcar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: CT.
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

sounds like you got some serious oil consumption man! you had only 1/2qt of oil in the car or was it a 1/2 qt of sludge+oil?anyways watch your oil consumption and take it back to the dealer
Old 07-12-2007, 12:16 PM
  #4  
nickZ33
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
 
nickZ33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: orlando
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

its an 03 with 41k miles and not under warranty as far as i know. it was str8 oil from what i could see, but the guy who was changing it under my car said the rest must be sludge and i should flush my engine, sound like a good idea? or should i be concerned with something more serious?
Old 07-12-2007, 12:20 PM
  #5  
350ZREDLINE
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
350ZREDLINE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

when was the last time you changed your oil before this? when he filled it back up how much oil did he have to put back in?


im pretty sure your engine would, uhh, be in bad shape if it only had 1/2 quart of oil in it.......
Old 07-12-2007, 12:27 PM
  #6  
tedroach
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
tedroach's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

If you have an '03 with only 41k miles, you should still be under warranty. The standard is 5 year/65,000 mile, correct?

I would seriously get that checked out immediately.
Old 07-12-2007, 12:31 PM
  #7  
nickZ33
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
 
nickZ33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: orlando
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

i jus bought the car a week ago and the guy said it had regular oil changes , i did a carfax and it said it wasnt under warranty. ne other options then paying the stealership my life savings 2 check this out?
Old 07-12-2007, 01:23 PM
  #8  
davidv
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
davidv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 42,754
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Question

You saw 1/2 quart of oil come out of the motor right? And you measured it?
Old 07-12-2007, 01:25 PM
  #9  
fast kiwi
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
fast kiwi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Brookfield WI
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I take it you bought it from a privite party not dealership?? coz id be on my way back to the dealership if you had if not id find a good Nissan shop and prey they can help you
Old 07-12-2007, 01:33 PM
  #10  
nickZ33
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
 
nickZ33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: orlando
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

didnt measure it, it was an educated "guesstamite" and yea from a private party. but i had my mechanic look @ it, whos been doing work for my and my fam for almost 10 years and he said everything looked fine. although hes not a nissan specialist he does work with high end engines (mostly ferrari and porsche). i dunno now that the oil changed i dont have any oil pressure issues. Im just going 2 take it and have the engine flushed and get all the sludge and crap out. sound like a good move for the 1st step b4 i pay $$$$$$$ to have them inspect everything from head to toe
Old 07-12-2007, 02:25 PM
  #11  
350ZREDLINE
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
350ZREDLINE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

carfax might be talking about bumper to bumper warranty. You should have a 5year powertrain warranty, but I could be mistaken..
Old 07-12-2007, 02:35 PM
  #12  
nlsqba
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
nlsqba's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 804
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by nickZ33
the guy who was changing it under my car said the rest must be sludge and i should flush my engine

am I the only one to call it BS. looks like he was trying to SELL you engine flush.

did you see the oil?
Old 07-12-2007, 02:40 PM
  #13  
nickZ33
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
 
nickZ33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: orlando
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

yea i saw the oil that dripped out and it wasnt much at all. i knew i was low on oil but i didnt think that low. the oil pressure was always fine unless making a hard turn and rarely between shifting gears the light would pop on
Old 07-12-2007, 02:43 PM
  #14  
Tac-M
Registered User
iTrader: (17)
 
Tac-M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 127.0.0.1
Posts: 2,732
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

+1 on BS. Go to a good shop and do a full service. Replace engine, trans, and diff oils. ASAP! Go with all synthetic as well. Drive it for 1k and do it again ! all 3 !
Old 07-12-2007, 04:53 PM
  #15  
350ZREDLINE
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
350ZREDLINE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

ya it has to be BS, maybe he drained the oil and then put the plug back on and then u watched him drain the rest. :P

he wanted to sell you something i bet

1quart of oil (or .5) would of made your car, well lets say you would know :P
Old 07-12-2007, 05:32 PM
  #16  
nickZ33
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
 
nickZ33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: orlando
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

thx for the info every1. im going to head to the stealership neway to have my recall done, and while im there ill have them check it out since i called (almost 4 numbers 2 get the right info ) and found out my powertrain warranty isnt up just yet
Old 07-12-2007, 06:50 PM
  #17  
davidv
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
davidv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 42,754
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by nickZ33
didnt measure it, it was an educated "guesstamite" and yea from a private party. but i had my mechanic look @ it, whos been doing work for my and my fam for almost 10 years and he said everything looked fine. although hes not a nissan specialist he does work with high end engines (mostly ferrari and porsche). i dunno now that the oil changed i dont have any oil pressure issues. Im just going 2 take it and have the engine flushed and get all the sludge and crap out. sound like a good move for the 1st step b4 i pay $$$$$$$ to have them inspect everything from head to toe
Then you have little evidence to go on.

Check the oil level every 100 miles.
Old 10-06-2007, 05:52 PM
  #18  
JonsilvZ
Registered User
 
JonsilvZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: NYC Area
Posts: 2,170
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

1/2 qt? you got to be kiddding me! At 54k miles there is no sludge if maintained. My 95 MB C36 AMG has 95k miles and did a oil change. All the 7.9qts came out. Well didnt measure but after the drain I put in the same qt # with Castrol syntec.
Old 10-13-2007, 01:06 PM
  #19  
Q45tech
Registered User
 
Q45tech's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Marietta, Georgia
Posts: 984
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Do you have legal written documentation of every 7500 /180 day oil changes from 7500 to current 41k. That's 8-9-10 changes based on time not mileage from the date of first retail sale.

Nissan is tough and follows the warranty contract precisely!
Old 10-13-2007, 01:19 PM
  #20  
Al_s14
Registered User
iTrader: (3)
 
Al_s14's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

If you're worried about sludge just take the cap off and look down with a light. ENgine flush good to remove soft sludge deposits but it wont get rid of the thick gunk, either way if your engine has oil consumption problems flush would not help anything. It is not uncommon for VQ engines 6 and 8 to consume little bit of oil. Especially if you wait long before oil changes expect to see a lot less oil then you put in.

PS i cant believe you saw your oil light flash and did not check oil level


Quick Reply: oil sludge?



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:15 AM.