Engine let go at 37k miles. Fighting for warranty coverage

SS_Firehawk

So if any of you all are my Facebook or Instagram friends, you been seeing this saga play out for the last two weeks. Im currently out of town in Military orders in Augusta. It's just under 500 miles from Tampa, so it's several hours away. Just like any long trip. I double check my tires, coolant, and oil. All seemed fine. I was due for an oil change when I get there. I make the trip, 0 issues. Got 23MPG doing 80mph with 4.08's. coolant temps hovered at 190, oil temps around 185-190 as well in the 90°+ summer heat.

A couple weeks ago on 25 August, I was heading to go get some food; it's about a 6 mile trip. I merge on the freeway and run up 2nd and let off in 3rd around 80mph and slow down to about 65-70. It was nothing big, just to get my speed faster than what's behind me and make a safe merge as the lane ends quickly and slow drivers forcing my ramp speed to about 30mph. Only thing I noticed was it seemed to take a bit longer to get to speed than normal for a quick WOT. I was listening to music and my exit was about a mile down the road.

I get off and on the far right in a double left turn. These people honk next to me so I roll my window down and they tell me the boy in the back seat wants to tell me something. And he shyly says "That's a nice car!". I smile and laugh. So I give him a small show and stab the throttle a few times and his face beams, except mine. I instantly hear some knocks and rattles. Now I'm confused as hell as to what the hell happened. I get to my destination less than a half mile away and it seems to get worse. So I record a video, which is the one below where I rev it. I start researching on what it could be. I'm thinking maybe clutch or something but dismiss that when I realize it doesn't matter if clutch is in or not. Still numb and not realizing how bad it was, I try to get to friends who can at least help. I get in the car, it labors to start, but turns on, knocking and rattling.

I get on the freeway a few miles and I'm trying to baby the revs and load, but it's getting worse and worse. I put it in neutral hoping to coast down a hill and it shuts off. So as I'm rolling, I'm trying to put it back in gear and finally the motor turns over again and is running. I get a block from my destination and it dies in the middle of the road. I push it to a neighborhood locked it up and drank my pain away at VFW Post 649.

The next morning, my roommate takes me to my vehicle and to my surprise, it actually starts, but it's making some awful noises, worse than the night before. So without much options, I call a tow truck, and drop it off at Nissan of Augusta. I wasn't in a position to swap stock parts or anything, so it was dropped off with every mod intact and tune. I called the service advisor and told her don't touch anything until I talk to them.

I walk in after class and find her. She brings me back to the service tech and I explain to him this exact story. I also explain each mod on the vehicle and specifically mention to him that if you don't think warranty is an option, I'll take my broke car and ship it home. He asks about the catch can as he never heard of it, and explained to him how it worked. He mentioned that the vehicle was 3 quarts low and I was absolutely shocked. He says he's sure it's a spun rod bearing due to oil starvation. F@ck.

Then his service manager came in and he started asking questions, but he seemed much more knowledgeable. He knew exactly how the catch can worked, I told him it has an oil cooler and sandwich plate. I also stated that I checked the oil the day before this happened and it was just under the full line. He asked if my coolant was low. I said no, I checked that a couple weeks prior and I filled it up.

He saw my service history and mentioned it is extensive. He also saw my last oil change was at a Nissan dealership with Nissan Ester. He saw my new transmission. We checked the oil cooler and lines, anything visible that may leak. He also said that there was no oil leak where the car sat. He made no promises, but said he will submit a warranty claim and see what happens.

The next morning the service manager submits the videos and pictures for the warranty claim. Nissan warranty representative replies the following day asking for more pictures. They lift the car up and absolutely no oil leaking anywhere. No oil on the oil filter, sandwich plate, fittings, nothing. The next day, it's escalated to two regional warranty advisors. They ask for a power balance test. Those results were inconclusive. They removed the oil pan and it looked like a grenade went off as there was a lot if metal chunks in the pan. This was last week.

Nissan again asks about the catch can, purchase date, install receipt, etc. I told them I bought it brand new third party, and installed myself. I reiterate to them that's impossible that an oil catch can can cause this. It works off vacuum from the intakes and removes waste oil vapor from the crank case. It does not touch the oil system. On top of that, the oil cooler is not leaking, the core is brand new and the sandwich plate is also new.

Every single day I call and I get the same response. That they called them and were promised a response by COB. Every day I'm left in the dark. Now I'm leaving in two weeks, have no answer, no timeline, and I still need to figure out how to ship it home if they say no. I'm at my wit's end and stressed the hell out. I was extremely honest and up front with everything. I didn't hide anything. I didn't try to swap parts. Hell, I'm 500 miles from home trying to knock out this Army Leadership school and I feel like I'm being slowly dry f@cked.

If they aren't going to warranty it, tell me so I can find a motor and drop it in. If they are, I really need to know what's going on because I go back to work on the 26th and that was my mode of transportation. I'd have to make plans to rent a car and drive back until it's complete if it isn't ready in time. Not sure what else to try.

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Spooler

Man that sucks. What the hell.

Spooler

We'll get you home somehow. I am 1hr 30min from Augusta with a brand new car hauler. We'll work something out. Don't stress about the small crap.

SS_Firehawk

Man, I really appreciate the gesture. I'll keep this post updated now that I finally took the time to write it and upload the videos Facebook is a cesspool of negativity and judgement. There isn't much I could find for blown low mileage NA motors here so I added mine. I'm so critical on my maintenance that I'm just lost as to how it was a claimed 3 quarts low when I brought it in. The car holds 7 quarts of oil with oil cooler.

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JARblue

That is most definitely some bullshìt. So sorry to hear

Try to reach Andrew is the only advice I can give (DEpointfive0). He's probably your best bet at getting through to the right person at Nissan North America.

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Rusty

WoW!

If Spooler can't do it.

What I did to get my Z back home from Ocean City Md. I rented a U-haul van and a car trailer.

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浪人 - 殺し屋
"The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only"
http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

SS_Firehawk

Nissan is covering the motor!

They are determining if a long block is necessary, so they have to tear it down and inspect the heads. If they're fine, then it's just a short lock, but I heard a lot of noise coming from the he driver side head, so yeah..

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Rusty

Hope the heads are damage. Get long block. Would be my thinking.

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浪人 - 殺し屋
"The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only"
http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

Spooler

Looks like I will have your new hood after this weekend. News to me. LOL

Spooler

I almost forgot, they need to have the oil cooler cleaned or replace it. No telling how much metal shavings are in it.

SS_Firehawk

Man, that's a $600 core. I just bought a new one earlier this year. Maybe get it cleaned. I'll make sure they know

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SS_Firehawk

We may have to have a conversation about that since it may be a bit before I can grab it unless I score a truck for my rental

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Spooler

I am sure it will fit nicely on my car. No worries. LOL

Felix 808

Man glad they are going to cover it for you. Personally I would replace the core, cheap insurance, but if the budget is tight I would run without one until you can replace it. $.02

Best of luck and thanks for serving

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Zat_Zuma

Exactly! Take it off and have it flushed and reinstalled after motor break in.
Just one thing that could come back to haunt you and your motor rebuild.

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[B]2009 & 2017 370Z Touring Sport Autos SOLD