370Z Engine Failure

Ktown · 07-14-2010, 03:40 PM

Only 5700 kM's in! Car stopped dead. Dealer said he has to order a new engine. I've never had it above 6000 RPM, drove at variable RPM for the first 1000 KM's. Etc. Weird thing is my FX45 had its engine replaced 6 month ago under warranty. Is this bad luck, or do Nissan engines suck?

WarmAndSCSI · 07-14-2010, 03:41 PM

Most failures like that are oil related. How closely do you monitor oil level?

Ktown · 07-14-2010, 03:49 PM

I guess the answer is not that much. I was about to take it to the dealer for the 6000kM first service. No light ever came on saying it was low or anything.

SkyZ · 07-14-2010, 03:50 PM

yea bad luck, never happened to me before in any nissan.

VCuomo · 07-14-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmAndSCSI

Most failures like that are oil related. How closely do you monitor oil level?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ktown

I guess the answer is not that much. I was about to take it to the dealer for the 6000kM first service. No light ever came on saying it was low or anything.

So much for the "bad luck" theory...

Jordo! · 07-14-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VCuomo

So much for the "bad luck" theory...

There is absolutely no reason a brand new engine (or even one with some miles on it) should drink up that much oil within one change interval unless something is seriously wrong with it.

While he might have avoided the need for a tow truck, that engine must have been fvcked from the day it was built.

VCuomo · 07-15-2010, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordo!

There is absolutely no reason a brand new engine (or even one with some miles on it) should drink up that much oil within one change interval unless something is seriously wrong with it.

While he might have avoided the need for a tow truck, that engine must have been fvcked from the day it was built.

Not true. Even on a broken-in engine he could have lost 3.5 quarts of oil over the 5700km that the OP drove and still be considered within spec (see Modshack's note above). On a new engine, he could have lost even more. That's why I said "So much for 'bad luck'."

Jordo! · 07-16-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VCuomo

Not true. Even on a broken-in engine he could have lost 3.5 quarts of oil over the 5700km that the OP drove and still be considered within spec (see Modshack's note above). On a new engine, he could have lost even more. That's why I said "So much for 'bad luck'."

Dude, that's just over 3,500 miles... no properly built engine should burn up over 3 qts of oil in that short an interval

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarmAndSCSI

Yep.

To make it as concise as possible - a factory-built VQ37VHR that consumes more than a quart every 3000 miles probably has an oil control defect caused by improper break-in. A Nissan engineer would agree with this, but as said above, Nissan's warranty CYA verbiage screws the consumer in this case.

I'm SO glad my wife trusted my engine-building experience and let me break our Z in quick and hard.

You are a fan of the "hard break-in" approach?

I'm really not sure what to believe, especially given that there is probably some break-in done by Nissan before assembly... can you detail your break-in method?

Also, is this for new cars (that might receive some factory break-in first) or newly built motors (done by you or a shop)?

Mt Tam I am · 07-15-2010, 10:36 AM

I just hit 1800 miles. I've added two quarts and am down half as we speak. If the OP had a similar problem as I, waiting until 3200+ miles would put close to out of oil.

Originally I only thought to check my oil at 500 miles because of high oil temps (245* during break in under 4000 revs). I was down 3/4 qt. Down another 1/2 at 1000 miles, now 2 1/2 qts at 1800.

billydsz · 07-15-2010, 11:36 AM

Any new car that loses more than a half quart between oil changes is defective.

Jordo! · 07-15-2010, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EazyD

Going to throw in my $0.02 and mention that which you are checking your oil, also keep an eye on your coolant!!

I failed to do this, and didn't notice my coolant getting lower and lower due to a crack in the radiator. After overheating my vehicle, I now have a cracked cylinder head among lotttts of other parts need to be replaced. All I had to do was keep an eye on the fluid level. Stuck in Maine right now at my father's mechanic's mercy.

The temp gauge didn't show any overheating?

A tip for everyone, if the car starts overheating, crank up the heat on full blast -- that will draw heat off the motor to the heater core and should cool things down enough to find a safe place to pull over. Then call a tow truck.

(Disclaimer: At least this trick used to work -- not sure if more modern cars have the core set up differently... if you don't see temps coming down, get off the road ASAP.)

An overheating engine will potentially warp the head and can murder an auto trans pretty quickly.

wilsonp · 07-15-2010, 06:55 PM

I had to use the heater trick before on an old Dodge Colt - it couldn't handle going down the highway in Florida (shuttle launch) so opened the windows, turned on the heater to cool the engine

Trips · 07-14-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ktown

Only 5700 kM's in! Car stopped dead. Dealer said he has to order a new engine. I've never had it above 6000 RPM, drove at variable RPM for the first 1000 KM's. Etc. Weird thing is my FX45 had its engine replaced 6 month ago under warranty. Is this bad luck, or do Nissan engines suck?

Bad Luck!

MightyBobo · 07-14-2010, 03:55 PM

Bad luck usually.

kenchan · 07-14-2010, 04:14 PM

bad luck or bad gas or bad habits.

ive owned several nissans and infiniti's no issues here.

07-14-2010, 03:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ktown Base Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Kelowna Posts: 6 Drives: 370Z Rep Power: 14	370Z Engine Failure Only 5700 kM's in! Car stopped dead. Dealer said he has to order a new engine. I've never had it above 6000 RPM, drove at variable RPM for the first 1000 KM's. Etc. Weird thing is my FX45 had its engine replaced 6 month ago under warranty. Is this bad luck, or do Nissan engines suck?

07-14-2010, 03:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
WarmAndSCSI A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2010 Location: SLC, UT Posts: 1,671 Drives: '08 Evo X \| '10 370Z Rep Power: 18	Most failures like that are oil related. How closely do you monitor oil level? __________________ '10 PW 370Z 7AT - wife's car - Project Raspberry Cheesecake '08 Evo X - built motor+trans \| BB-X @ 32 psi \| CH3OH \| self-built+tuned - ??? WHP '01 Galant V6 - built motor \| GT35R \| self-built+tuned - 550+ WHP (retired)

07-14-2010, 03:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
MightyBobo A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 8,465 Drives: No cars; only bikes Rep Power: 52	Bad luck usually. __________________ I don't own a car anymore.

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07-14-2010, 03:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ktown Base Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Kelowna Posts: 6 Drives: 370Z Rep Power: 14	I guess the answer is not that much. I was about to take it to the dealer for the 6000kM first service. No light ever came on saying it was low or anything.

07-14-2010, 03:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
SkyZ Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 382 Drives: 09 370z PG M6 Rep Power: 15	yea bad luck, never happened to me before in any nissan.

07-15-2010, 10:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
Mt Tam I am A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Posts: 10,709 Drives: 370Z T/S/N 6MT & XKE Rep Power: 3843	I just hit 1800 miles. I've added two quarts and am down half as we speak. If the OP had a similar problem as I, waiting until 3200+ miles would put close to out of oil. Originally I only thought to check my oil at 500 miles because of high oil temps (245* during break in under 4000 revs). I was down 3/4 qt. Down another 1/2 at 1000 miles, now 2 1/2 qts at 1800.

07-15-2010, 11:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
billydsz Enthusiast Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Bern Posts: 252 Drives: 9 370z SptCp SRd 7AT Rep Power: 15	Any new car that loses more than a half quart between oil changes is defective.

07-15-2010, 06:55 PM	#12 (permalink)
wilsonp A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,134 Drives: 2009 Touring Sp Nav Rep Power: 16	I had to use the heater trick before on an old Dodge Colt - it couldn't handle going down the highway in Florida (shuttle launch) so opened the windows, turned on the heater to cool the engine

07-14-2010, 04:14 PM	#15 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	bad luck or bad gas or bad habits. ive owned several nissans and infiniti's no issues here.