How many miles were on the car when you got it?

I ask because it's possible that you may never have seated the rings on your car, driving the way you do. I'm sure you've read that school of thought on engine break-in, but if you haven't, it might be worth pondering:

Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power

The issue you're having seems to be explained by that theory pretty well - namely, you didn't push the engine hard enough to seat the rings. Anyway, I'm not trying to flame - it was just a thought.

I actually just added a quart to mine. Did my first oil change at 1K, and I was nearing the low dot on the dipstick at 3800 miles. I'm going to get it changed when I add my oil cooler next week, so it will be interesting to see how the next 3K miles goes. I bought extra ester oil from the dealer on the assumption that it would eat about a quart every 3K miles. If oil consumption stays in that range, it won't bother me.

I am absolutely sure my car does burn oil. I have done the "test" described in the first post many times and the oil is ALWAYS a bit lower after even 500 miles of driving. It is not much lower, so not too much is being burned, but it is still noticeable.

Seems like maybe Nissan borrowed Mazda's RX-7 oil burning technology ;)

Oil useage
 

I have checked my oil every week for the last month. The car has 1750 miles on it and is down about 1/4 of a qt. Stopped by my local nissan dealer today and picked up a qt @ $11.14. It's looking like 69 bucks for an oil change may be money well spent. Cheaper than I can buy oil and a filter for.

Update:

just cAme back from the dealer. 700 miles and I used up 1 qt. They are calling Nissan tech line tomorrow. I hope I get a new engine and Nissan doesn't give me crap!

For sale: 2009 370z. 6750 miles on chassis, 0 miles on engine. Heh heh heh.

gluck!!!!

After posting my data, isn't it amazing how this thread kinda died and the 'it is normal guys' just disappeared? :)

The oil doesn't have to be checked every week on the 370Z. I have 6000 miles on my 370Z. I spent the first 4000 miles driving 230 miles a day 4 days a week and then pleasure driving in the country on the weekends. I never once had any oil loss.

The car now has 6000+ miles on it and I quit driving the 230 miles a day since I bought a beater. So now I drive the Z on weekends and some week nights for mostly city driving. And I still haven't had any oil loss.

So I am am thinking that perhaps the oil loss is relative to how a person drives their car...not meaning highway v. city but whether or not the driver is mostly always laying into the accelerator alot which causes an excessive heat RATE.

This could certainly lay the groundwork for the engine to always be running hot which would then burn oil because pedal popping doesn't allow sufficient time for the coolant to do the cycles it needs to do to disappate the quick heat buildup before the next pedal pop.

Just some thoughts...

WTF does that mean? No one ever said a qt/700 miles was normal. YOu're obviously an exception. Some guys here don't even know how to check their oil or read their dipstick accurately....:shakes head:
If Nissan has verified your consumption, it Sounds like You "Could" be one of the exceptions but it is by no means common....

Stuff happens.

Modshack,

you're one of the members I respect. Dude, easy on WTF as I put a smiley :) at the end of my post.

Anyway I have not heard from the dealer yet. Perhaps I am screwed.

Not common, yet... (crosses fingers)
Ironically, I recall the same words were repeated by rev-up owners, up until the first official TSB was released.

It could just be that they are documenting everything relating to your potential OC problem.
I hope things work out for the best, GL!

Mine used 1 quart during first 1500 miles, now ~2/3 quart low at 2400 miles. Having oil changed this week at dealer. I asked Service Manager if I should be concerned about usage and he said "maybe".

I broke mine in fairly mild (with a few excursions from recommendations) and in general do not drive very hard.

I will keep an eye on the level and hope it is a break in thing. I have driven cars for almost 40 years and I feel that 1 quart/1000 is too much even during break in. At $12/quart, that is $1200 over 100K miles.

Ok I realize I'm a complete newb here but why was the oil so much? :confused: From what I've checked on amazon you can get 6 quarts of Mobile 1 synthetic 5w30 for $29.95 after rebate.
Amazon.com: Mobil 1 Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil - 1 Quart, Pack of 6: Automotive

I haven't priced out an oil filter yet but I can't imagine it being more than $15 bucks right?

To me, this thead has become a place for people who have issues with oil usage so I never come back to it, but I couldn't resist. After 3k miles, I can't confirm that a single drop of oil is missing out of my 370Z engine.

I took the first long trip in my car this weekend from Raleigh to Charlotte. It went into limp mode about 30 min. from my house on the return trip. I have 7100 miles on the car and have had the oil changed at 1500 and 4500 miles. The car was barely driveable. Monday had it taken to the dealer to find it was down almost 2 quarts of oil. They changed the oil and are now monitoring oil consumption. I'm 52 years old and have never had an issue like this with any car, including my 03 Evo which was modified.

Checked mine last night. 750 miles after my last oil change, it's down about 1/4 to 1/3 of a quart. Currently have 4000 miles on the car.

Not that bad imo... my honda prelude would have burned a quart by now given the same mileage (H22's have bad piston ring lands so oil consumption does eventually happen)

2000 miles since my Oil Cooler install....No visible oil usage....:tup:

:eek:

AGAIN... :iagree:

Same here.

at 2700 miles, right where its supposed to be.

I can tell you that mine will burn it away until the rods are tracked by NASA before my warranty is up. Maybe by then they will have some decent valve seals and rings.....

My car just turned over 2500 miles on the ODO, and I had to add 1 qt.. It still isn't topped, but it is much higher than it was. I do not know wheither to be worried or not, some say it is just a break in period, others say it is a really bad thing. All I know is that at my job (firefighter), we check our rigs constantly, and the same thing goes for my Z. I monitor the oil consumption, tire pressures, etc, I only hope that it will stop doing this, and I sure hope it is ready for the 750+ mile trip from the DC area to ATL this thanksgiving!

im one of the very few who floored it with 0 miles off the showroom floor.

I believed in the "run it hard to set the pistons" theory. so when I got it, first thing I did was drove it like I stole it on my way home.

at 40 miles, I changed my oil and the oil was still a bit clear but there were a lot of metal flakes in the oil as well. I changed it early only for the purpose of removing those metal flakes that come from new assembly engines.

im now at 475 miles and I just checked my oil, I am about 1/4th from the top hole on the dipstick. I am not sure how far up the dipstick my last oil change was. Didnt check. Just saw the picture on page 5, My oil level is where it should be.

i'll update at 1,000 miles.

I checked my oil for fun this weekend. I changed the factory fill at 1000 miles, and I'm now at 2400. The oil is still above the "H" hole mark.

I laughed-

Just reached 1,025 miles. the oil is still 1/4th down from the top hole on the dipstick. I have burned no oil whatsoever. So the entire break in period (from 50 miles to 1,025 miles) I seem to have burned about 1/8th of a qt in the last 975 miles of the 1,025. NONE in the last 550 miles of that 1,025.


does this confirm the "set your piston rings by running it hard the first 50 miles"? your call. evidently worked for me!:tup:

I stopped by the dealer for my 3rd test. I consumed almost 2 qts the last 1000 miles.

If I get crap from Nissan next week, can I in invoke the lemon law as I have been at the dealer 3 times. I want to hear from the dealer next week that Nissan approved the new engine....anything else, I would probably go bananas!

At about 2600 miles, I was down a little over a 1/2qt. went on a 500mile road trip so I made sure to top off before I left. I'll be doing my oil change this weekend (mobil1, filtermag, magnetic plug) and I'll keep an eye on it from there. Looks like I'll be at the 3,250 mark for it.

I dont think that after 2 months and 2600 miles burning a 1/2qt of oil is that bad, especially with how heavy my foot is in this car and how hot it gets in Texas. My gas mileage has already improved over 15% during the break in period and I'm assuming that my oil consumption will lessen as well. I'm not babying her or changing my driving habits, just time and miles passing.

...I guess I've been blessed with my '04.5 Touring Coupe 350Z...No oil-consumption, no feathering, no starting problems, no overheating problem, flawless AT...Sweet ride! Only thing I've had to do is get a new driver's side power window motor. I love the 370, but as long as my Zed runs so beautifully, I feel I should keep her! Don't get me wrong, I do love the 370, though! It's just a economics issue.

Nissan has determined my oil consumption to be excessive. My local service department is awaiting word from Nissan on whether they will be replacing the short block or the long block.

I changed my oil at 3700 miles (first change) I poured the oil into my 5qt jug and it was at about 4.8 quarts. I do not baby the car either and it's an auto.
I am curious as to whether or not the people who have the consumption issue checked the car from day 1 to make sure the level was full to begin with. From some of the reports, it seems that some cars could have been shipped with the levels not filled to spec. Of course, the dealer should have checked the levels but you never know!

Again, for those with or think that they have an issue, make sure you do not overfill, you will end up causing far more damage than having it a bit low. A safe measure is that your oil is right around the mid point of L and H. Hope this helps!

Any updates from the dealer?

drained factory fill at 1700 miles. By then i had burned about half a quart. It's been 1200 miles since the oil change and i have not burned a single drop. I mean down to the millimeter the oil level is exactly where i filled it to during the oil change. Life is good.

first oil change, burned about a qt of oil at 3k. next oil change, about 1/4 quart. i check it today at 2k past that, and its a full qt low again.

i was ready to think i was overreacting, but 1 qt every 2k miles IS excessive. ive owned a total of 5 new vehicles, including ones that i doubled the stock hp of, and none of those ever needed a drop of oil between changes...:icon14:

7,500 miles now and a few months since my last oil change..ZERO consumed.

changed oil at 1500 miles. currently at 4500 miles zero oil consumption.

i just checked mine at 500 miles and not a drop has been burned. I dont expect any from here on out. my last 2 cars never burned a drop either. i break them in by just driving like i normally do all the time, in case anyone cares.

Well, Thousand Oaks Nissan managed to do the 2nd best thing.....I am getting a new engine. They called me at 6:30 pm telling me that the engine and every necessary gaskets will be ordered tomorrow.

Not trying to be pessimistic but what else could go wrong?

Nissan 370Z Oil Consumption Test
 

What is Nissan oil consumption test parameters?

No parameters have been supplied by Nissan to the dealers; thus the confusion. If you search the Net there are 3rd party entries that 1000 miles per qt is considered normal by Nissan

I'm still waiting for my engine. :(