Cold temps, blown engine

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
What they found when they pulled off the oil pump was a broken piece of thin metal, which blocked off 90% of the oil flow on the inlet side of the oil pump. The piece would be almost impossible to introduce from on top of the engine, then get past the oil pickup. The few sample bearings they examined showed a lot of wear, the crank is questionable, and the oil filter media was littered with glitter. Their theory was that this was just a latent production problem that finally exploded on a cold day: the low temps may have contributed to the failure but it was not a root cause.


Yep ... as first thought. Did they have any idea where that piece of metal came from?


Not really. " A big piece of thin, cast aluminum" was how it was described. Maybe like a punched-out piece of a casting ? They said it could act like a butterfly valve and sometimes move away from the hole / passageway. And big like a US silver dollar , but sort of rolled up a bit. It could even be a piece of trash metal that fell into the oil pan during assembly, unlikely as that sounds. " One in 100,000+ defects" was mentioned. Pretty much any stressed wear surface is damaged, but nothing obvious is actually broken. I am out of details, maybe the pics will make more sense.

 

[PWMDMD]

Originally Posted by rubberchicken
RESOLVED: The factory zone rep called me this morning advising me they are tearing into the engine further. This afternoon I spoke to the owner and service manager today, and most likely they are covering the repair 100%. What they found when they pulled off the oil pump was a broken piece of thin metal, which blocked off 90% of the oil flow on the inlet side of the oil pump. The piece would be almost impossible to introduce from on top of the engine, then get past the oil pickup. The few sample bearings they examined showed a lot of wear, the crank is questionable, and the oil filter media was littered with glitter. Their theory was that this was just a latent production problem that finally exploded on a cold day: the low temps may have contributed to the failure but it was not a root cause.


You mean in 2019 perfectly good engines don't self-destruct because you give them too much gas on a cold day? I love BITOG but in certain situations there is a streak of paranoia meets lack of common sense that runs rampant here as far as oil weights, dealer warranties and what's reasonable.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

If the highest efficiency filter is so great, then what new passenger vehicle manufacturers use Fram Ultras, when the engine is built and delivered new to the purchaser?

List the make and models please. Then list all the makes and models where a higher flow filter is used.
BTW.... Warning!
You will need a-lot of space in that reply white box to list all the improved flow filters in new vehicles today.

BTW.... Warning #2.
The bestest, goodest efficient oil filters may not be what's best for your engine.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
My guess is that the Florida dealer used 10w30.

Why would you guess that when the dealers records show it was 5W-30?

Originally Posted by rubberchicken
It appears he was in South Florida until recently, had the oil change at the original dealer a few times, records show it was 5w30.





I'm replying a little late since the problem has since been diagnosed. I was thinking under the context that regardless of what the records say the actual oil was a 10w30.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
If the highest efficiency filter is so great, then what new passenger vehicle manufacturers use Fram Ultras, when the engine is built and delivered new to the purchaser?

List the make and models please. Then list all the makes and models where a higher flow filter is used.
BTW.... Warning!
You will need a-lot of space in that reply white box to list all the improved flow filters in new vehicles today.

BTW.... Warning #2.
The bestest, goodest efficient oil filters may not be what's best for your engine.


So the conclusion is efficient oil filters blow up engines ...

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by demarpaint
While I agree with most of what was said here. There is also a chance the engine was defective too, it happens. More info is needed.




^This or the dealer used cheap bulk thick oil to pad the profits and it didn't do the job.



This. That. And if it is Nissan, they also have a track record malfeasance going back to the infamous 2.5L engines with disintegrating intake-manifolds, mainly on the Sentra Spec-V's leading to premature engine failures...

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by TiGeo
.....not sure why anyone would admit to abusing their car to a dealer when seeking warranty coverage?

You have to figure he was stupid enough to do it in the first place. So it only stands to reason that he would be stupid enough to admit to it as well.


It's all hearsay if it goes to court...

 

[Shannow]

and LOLing that in spite of Bill's rants...it was FOD, not the fact that the driver used the engine within it's factory supplied envelope.

 

[PimTac]

It will be interesting to see the photos of this metal piece or fragment.

 

[r34dy2fly]

Originally Posted by Shannow
and LOLing that in spite of Bill's rants...it was FOD, not the fact that the driver used the engine within it's factory supplied envelope.


It's just satisfying. Don't even know this guy but he sounds like a disgruntled old man.

 

[BrocLuno]

Originally Posted by PimTac
It will be interesting to see the photos of this metal piece or fragment.


+1

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by Shannow
and LOLing that in spite of Bill's rants...it was FOD, not the fact that the driver used the engine within it's factory supplied envelope.


+1

Automakers know people hardly read the manual anymore, and since we're not using oils that turn into molasses when it hits 30F, let alone colder, romping on it once won't hurt anything.

 

[D1dad]

This thread has me cracking up. If cold starts and take offs caused blown engines, half of Ohio and Michigan would be walking. I've watched my kids do it, took keys and lectured till I'm blue in the face. [censored] I know I did it a hundred times at least myself growing up. My grandad owned big rigs and would fire drivers when he caught them but never a catastrophic failure. It definitely isn't the greatest thing in the world but it won't turn your engine into a welded piece of iron. My sons friend just toasted a 2017 Cruz being an idiot and GM covered it. If this was Nissan I had great experience with their warranty. As far as bashing the 2.5, yes some were bad but I ran an 03 176k before it was totaled by a deer and never turned one nut on that car that wasn't routine.