I did use the search function but no one appears to have the same issue. I got my oil changed about 2 weeks ago at Nissan. Today, while I was driving, my oil light came on as I was coming to a stop and the pressure was nearly at 0. Once I picked up again, the oil light went away but the oil pressure gauge barely moved. Once I got home, I checked the underside, no oil leaks around pan or filter. Checked the oil and it is extremely dark, oil covers the entire length dipstick and is really thick. Car seems to make a clanking noise for a few minutes after it's on. Anyone had this happen? I'm questioning if they even changed the oil or not. Is it possible that it's the oil pump or an even worse internal problem? The car is also making a clanking noise when I was revving up to about 3K and on.

 

Stop driving it immediately and have it towed to the dealer, sounds like they owe you a new engine.

 

As sportbike stated, don't run it anymore and tow it back to Nissan. Is the car still under warranty?

I've read that oil pumps don't really apply pressure and that isn't what is being read on the pressure gauge. I believe it is the oil coming out of the ports in the various parts of the engine such as the bearings and if there is wear and tear for the oil to easily escpae, that is what lowers oil pressures on your guages.

Call Nissan immediately and schedule at least an inspection of the car to explain the low pressure and clanking sound.

Did it only start clanking after the oil change?

 

Take it back to where the oil was changed asap. Well have it towed.

 

I Only heard the clanking after I got home and turned the car on to see if anything sounded weird. Car is not under warranty. 03, with about 129,000.

 

The gauge does in fact measure pressure, but pressure isn't the most important factor in good engine lubrication. The important thing is having enough oil delivered to the moving parts to cool them and to keep the oil itself from getting too hot.

The moving parts draw the oil into the space between them to keep them apart. The pressure in the oil system isn't enough to do that.

Some NASCAR engines are running what seems like very low oil pressure, below 50psi.


Those are strange symptoms...plenty of oil, dark in color, and very thick. Sounds like they put the wrong kind of oil in the engine, and it was too thick to flow through the various passages in sufficient quantity.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. My guess is they'll fight you tooth and nail to keep from paying for an engine replacement.

 

Do you ever drive your car really hard or drive it hard frequently?

I know our dipsticks are **** but let it sit for a few hours and check the level. See what the levelandcolorof theoil looks like if you haven't done that already.

 

Okay, all of this happened yesterday so around 10A.M. I parked the car and didn't touch it. Today is when I turned it on, heard the noise. Let it run for a few minutes, I did not drive it, just let it run. I checked the oil and that's when It looked the way I described it, it looked the same way yesterday.

 

eek. Hope you get it resolved. Keep us posted.

 

Wait, you checked the oil after you let it run?

Best time to check the oil is after the car has been turned off for quite a few hours.

 

Well It got checked twice, yesterday after I turned it off at 10 A.M. My dad checked it at around 7 P.M later that day and described it to me exactly the way I saw it today. Is there any possibility that it's a coincidence that something else is causing these problems just around the time that I got my oil changed?

 

What ever you do, get a sample of the oil Before you take it to the dealer. Sounds to me as if they might have put rear lube in it. Document the samples with photos and witnesses. A notary if possible

 

I was actually thinking about doing that, just in case if they claim they put the right oil in or something like that and don't want to pay for damages and have already gotten rid of whatever they put in my car. My dad was once a mechanic for Volvo so he knows how dealers are and how they will try whatever way possible to not replace anything for free. I already have some pictures of the oil, but I could take some better ones, I took a video of what happens when I was driving it around yesterday, I spoke to the dealer and they said bring it in whenever so they can look at it, so I should get a sample of the oil, pictures of oil, anything else that would help it be concrete?

 

The oil change was done at a Nissan dealership?
By what you are describing,this happened after the oild was
changed 2 weeks ago,its gonna be difficult to prove that
somebody in the Nissan shop(a disgruntled employee?)put in
the wrong oil,gear lube etc.Just thinking out loud...who else
has access to your car?Is it parked in garage?Always locked?
Have any recent enemies?Crazy girlfriend etc?Could be the old
"sugar in the gas tank" trick??Some fluid was poured in your
crankcase.Sabotage?
Just thinkin...

 

Lose the video!!! At least don't mention it to the dealer or anyone else. If you know a notary, have them there when you take. Seal the sample and have a notary sign an affidavit they were present when the sample was taken out of your Z, vin #...... If you can, locate a place that can run a test on the oil. After taking the sample, box it and seal it and have the notary witness it in the box and sealed. If what's happened that I think, the barrels might have been accidentally switched. The mechanic turned the dial to the wrong setting, etc.. Cover your A$$. If it is the dealers fault, he's going to!

Don't drive the car. Have it towed and don't even think about starting it!

 

Car is never in garage, always locked though, even if I go in the house or anywhere for two minutes, I always lock it. Could be sugar in the tank but it would be difficult for me to know also. Frick man, If it's determined that the engine is in fact beyond repair and a new one has to be put in and they won't pay for it and since I'm broke, what are my options? Craigslist a Z with a destroyed engine for 5-6K?

 

Sugar in the gas tank? Is this one of those two cycle 350Z's?

 

Did not mean,this was a actual "sugar in your gas tank".Just an example
of a "foreign substance" put in your crankcase.The sugar was a old trick
used in the 50-60's to ruin a car pretty quick.Since the oil is thick/brown,
sure looks like something was added well after the oil change.If your car is showing adequate oil on the dipstick,the other thing this would be is extreme overheating.The oil would solidify ,turn brown.Basically gum up everything
and stop the lubrication flow.I would think that you would know if your car
got to that extreme temperature.
Please let us know what you find out.
I know how you must feel.
DON'T DRIVE THE CAR!

 

Switching of barrels is indeed a possibility.With the caliber of help they
have at dealerships,would'nt be surprised.Don't know why it would take
2 weeks for this to happen if say the tech pumped trans lube in the car.
Think it would have stopped running pretty quick.Is there any odor to the
oil?The OP may not know..if its rear end oil it sure would smell.

 

Yeah, the temp was reading fine the whole time, I made sure of that. I'm not trying to turn it into a sob story but I spent junior and senior year of high school working nearly 60 hours a week to pay the car off myself. I payed it off and so much crap has happened, broken window, stolen Escort 9500 IX, Insanely terrible tire feathering, my keys got jacked so I had to get new keys made, had to get the car towed, there's something always going on with this thing. I wanted to do simple mods like exhaust, volks, the usual and every time I have the money to, something crazy like this happens. If it comes down to it, needs a new engine, I might just see what I can get for the remains of the car and buy a C6. Honestly, I understand what it means to work for your items. & it just sucks that little dumb things like this happen... I'm pulling an oil sample tomorrow, having it towed to Nissan and we'll see what happens. At first I thought it could be one of the sensors but once I heard the car, I knew I was in for something completely different this time.