burning oil

chii370

well now that I have about 8000 miles on it, humbly I admit that my 13 burns oil too. It wasnt at first, but it sure does now. I usually keep the oil like about 2 MM below the H mark, and checked the other day and it was a little below dead center between L and H. took about half a quart. Ive never seen anything like this before outside of my oil burning MACHINE known as the WRX. In my 28 years Ive never seen an engine burn oil like this besides the subi 2.0, 2.5. and the wankle rotary. U win, I have nothing to say.

Chuck33079

Were you using Mobil 1 on your Subarus? Once I switched to another brand of oil mine didn't burn any oil. There was a bit in the catch can, but that was it.

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chii370

no, I run royal purple 5W30. should I try the mobil 1? which kind? high millage?

SurfDog

I'm no mechanic or engineer, here are some things things that I have wondered about.

1. Q: How does one decide what oil change interval to use?
A: no one can give a good answer, so I change mine every 5k miles. Why 5k you might ask? well its super easy to remember to change at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 etc. no computer or sticker needed. just look at your odometer and know exactly where you are at. 5k is conservative but that's okay by me.

(technique only)

2. Q:What oil should I use?
A: Wow we have beat this thing to DEATH! Please lets not do it again. Use whatever is easy enough to get that you do it on time, every time. (for me Mobile 1 is always coming on sale so I stock up and keep 10-15 quarts always ready to go in if any of my 3 cars hits a 5k increment)

(technique only)

3. Q:Should our car burn oil.
A: Who cares? some do some don't. Some start after a few years, some don't. all that seems to matter is that you check your dipstick when your filling up to make sure you don't toast your engine. (technique only)

If you don't like that your engine burns oil, rebuild it! That's it. Please don't try to make me feel bad that my engine does. Or feel superior that yours does not. It's a machine. It is expensive and difficult to get running perfectly. If my car burns a bit. its way easier to top off now and then then it is to get all bent out of shape and try to make it "perfect"... once I have an extra $5-10k sitting around maybe I'll build an engine with tighter tolerances. Until then It's in the acceptable range.

The car is just a pile of parts. If you goof up and break some, (either due to abuse, normal use or neglect), then swap em out. That's the beauty of any machine, it is essentially immortal. Drive it. break it. upgrade/fix it, repeat.

-low on time/interest? --expect failure and pay for repairs. (perhaps often)
-low on money or high on interest? --Pamper and maintain your Z meticulously... then pay for repairs anyhow (just not as many)

All the moral posturing I see here makes me wonder why we want to tell each other how to enjoy our cars. Yes, I like to understand my Z's systems and construction, but not everyone does. That is cool too.

My advice is. Drive it, love it, break it, fix it, repeat!

Anything can be fixed. (except perhaps self-righteousness)

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09 6spd Berk CBE, JWT cams, ZSpeed CSC, Stillen (25 row oil, brake cooling, sways, gen3 CAI), Passport (9500ci), Quaife LSD, Z1 400 hp kit, ss lines, pads, rotors, clutch etc, Phunk's pan and fuel starve fix

Chuck33079

Mobil 1 was the worst possible oil to run in a Subaru. I ran Rotella or Royal Purple with no issues.

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

Chuck33079

Blackstone labs can give you a very good scientific answer. 5k is over the factory recommendation by almost half and you may have issues with that down the line for warranty work.

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2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

SouthArk370Z

A lot of variables involved The only accurate way to tell is with UOA. Your 5K intervals are fine for most DDs. I'm sticking to Nissan's 3750, at least until the warranty runs out.

For most DDs, any high-quality oil will do the job.

I don't know of an engine that doesn't burn some oil. Every car I've owned burned at least a little. I don't get too worried as long as it's less than about a half-quart between oil changes.
I don't put a whole lot of miles on my Z (~7K/year) and don't have to fillup very often so I check my oil every week or two. While I'm under the hood, I check other fluid levels, belts, &c and then check tire condition/pressures.

Amen. I hate to see any equipment abused but the Z was made to be driven. If you feel like you need to baby it, maybe it's not the car for you.

I like my 370Z. A lot. The best all-around car I've owned - plenty of power, great handling, nice interior, and a sexy exterior. But it's just a car.

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Armhunter

sorry to hear, welcome to the club.

crus

I used mobil 1 in my STi and it burned about a quart of oil between changes until 32k miles when the engine blew. After the new block and turbo I switched to regular castrol gtx and it still burned about the same amount until I sold it, heh.

My Nismo has burned a little over a quart before the first oil change at 2500. Swapped to mobil one at the first oil change and it hasn't burned any so far. Currently at 3000 miles so will see how it goes with mobil 1. May have just been break in burning it up.

Kendrick777

How are you guys able to tell exactly how much your car has burned? Or are you guys just estimating? Like is the distance between the L and H supposed to represent a certain amount of oil? I always keep mine just below the H.

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2013 NISMO 370Z/Magma Red

GaleForce

Got to this link. TSB: 2009-2010 Nissan 370Z: Engine Oil Level Is Low Open the PDF, follow the instructions listed.

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fuct

i DD my Z, and run Mobil1. i change it every 4k miles, i burn about a quart in that time period as well.

just throwing that out there.

Apollo8642

Nissan says to change your oil and filter at 3750miles, 7500miles, 11250miles, 15000miles, 18750miles, 22500miles, 26250miles, 30000miles, 33750miles, 37500miles, 41250miles, 45000miles, 48750miles, 52500miles, 56250miles, 60000miles etc.

How many of you are running oil coolers?

I find what you say to be really interesting, and the advice you got, do you know any of the reasoning behind that advice from the Nissan/Infinity techs?

Personally I'm OCD about changing my oil 3,000 miles or before, and usually check it everytime I need gas, and never once have I found any less oil on the dip stick. I use nothing but Royal Purple, and synthetic Valvoline oil in all my cars, and so far only Royal Purple in my DD 09 Nismo, but thinking about trying Redline out. I never have had one oil burning issue even racing in super hot weather. I'm also running a 34 row oil cooler.
The only thing weird I've learned about the oil I use is never put royal purple in a subaru, cause it jells up in the heads.


I my opinion Mobil1 is **** oil cross the board. I know some guy swear by it. I ran it twice to try it out. Once in my 240SX, and once in my Titan, and changed the oil out on both even before I hit 1,500 miles. I got worse gas mileage on both, and my VK56DE made valve train noise at higher rpms.

Apollo8642

I believe the distance between L and H is one quart. I don't change my own oil in my Nismo, so I could be wrong, but that's how it has measured out on all my other rides I've ever owned.

fuct

i got the same performance, mileage, and engine noise the first 15k miles when i used RedLine ester based oil. maybe if i tracked the car alot or ran it like hell everyday id go back to my $90 ester oil changes. but i dont, nor is my sh1t oil doing any harm now.

i even ran the sh1t mobil1 oil in my IS300 for 7 years. that engine was 10x smoother than our VQ and the mobil1 ran great in it. (but thats just my opinion.)