Does Sump Size dictate OCI?

[wn1998]

2009 Nissan versa is now out of warranty. I have been doing 6-month 7500 OCI's (G-Oil, M1, major brand sale Synthetic was used) and was wondering if the relatively small sump (4 qts) would handle a 1 year 15k OCI?

I know I should send a sample out but just give me your best educated guess. This car see's frequent 45 minute stop and go suburban drives to work.

 

[LeakySeals]

In theory with a small sump your relying on less oil to lubricate and clean the engine. Deposits will be more concentrated, oil under more stress. But the engineers keep using small sumps, assume they know something we don't. A 4qt sump is average for most cars today. 7,500 is a good synthetic oil OCI not knowing your driving conditions and mechanical state of the engine. Personally I would never go 15k no matter what, nothing to back that reasoning up. You should perform a UOA (WITH TBN) at your 7500 mile change and the oil of choice. Post it here, let Blackstone and the BITOG UOA experts comment.

 

[Eddie]

A 4 quart sump is a large sump for a small engine like a Versa. I think you might be OK but, only if you use an oil like a LONG LIFE oil like M1 has and a LONG LIFE filter rated for 15K. Even then, a UOA would be a Must. I lived in IL most of my life and realize you have some of the most extreme temperatures (high & low) in this country which is another reason to get a UOA. JMO.. Ed

 

[NateDN10]

IMO, anything significantly past what the owner's manual or OLM recommends should be backed up with a UOA.

If it was me, I'd stick with 7.5K OCIs like you've been doing. If you want to blindly extend, I would not be comfortable with anything over 10K unless I had a UOA to back it up.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

On DD in Chicago, I would always do a seasonal OC; winter-spring at the very least. The W-rating might be toast by the end of the season and you need that going into winter up there.

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
In theory with a small sump your relying on less oil to lubricate and clean the engine. Deposits will be more concentrated, oil under more stress. But the engineers keep using small sumps, assume they know something we don't. A 4qt sump is average for most cars today. 7,500 is a good synthetic oil OCI not knowing your driving conditions and mechanical state of the engine. Personally I would never go 15k no matter what, nothing to back that reasoning up. You should perform a UOA (WITH TBN) at your 7500 mile change and the oil of choice. Post it here, let Blackstone and the BITOG UOA experts comment.


Careful there! Even the new 370Z, also a Nissan vehicle, has high oil temperatures and spectacularly failed in a comparison with other cars. Its 4 (less?) quart sump capacity yields high oil temperature and seems to make a thicker oil preferred, especially for hard city driving. Matter of fact, it overheated when driven around the track after the normal tests.

Small sump may not always be the answer! For a versa though, its comparatively normal.

4-cylinder engines have had ~4 quart sumps for a long time, with few exceptions on monster 4s.

 

[Coprolite]

My VQ37 supposedly has a 5.5 quart sump and oil/water heat exchanger.

What makes you say that it "spectacularly failed in a comparison with other cars"?

Tracking without an additional oil cooler could lead to limp mode, but 99.9+% of people don't have this issue. They also benefit from a fast warm up time for a 3.7L engine.

 

[dparm]

I would definitely say there is a correlation. The German vehicles typically have very large sumps -- up to 13L. More oil to get dirty = longer time until a change is needed. The larger sump also provides for more cooling potential, among other things.

 

[N7Quarian]

My car has a 3 quart sump and I change my oil every 5k miles. On my 6.9 quart BMW I change it every 7500 miles. Both cars use synthetic. I'd like to send a sample to Blackstone but I don't know if I can send one from here.

 

[Norm Olt]

Too much of a good thing can be fatal! Too large a sump and one runs the risk of the oil never actually getting to the correct operating temp...

For the most part adding a little extra capacity doesn't hurt and can help in extreme hot conditions.

 

[Garak]

Yes, what dparm said. Nissan may have chosen a small sump size for your vehicle. They also specify a fairly short 3750 mile severe service OCI. I'm sure that can be extended dramatically under less severe driving conditions and a suitable synthetic. It's certainly not the same as a newer German car that uses the proprietary long life oil specifications.

I imagine a 3750 mile OCI in Germany would go over like a lead balloon these days.

 

[LeakySeals]

After reading the BITOG Motor Oil 101, I can see the correlation between the small sump manufacturers use on domestic cars and getting the oil temp up to operating temps as fast as possible. Too many reasons to list here. Add the burn off of moisture and fuel at higher oil temps, the oil and the engine may actually last longer.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: Coprolite
My VQ37 supposedly has a 5.5 quart sump and oil/water heat exchanger.

What makes you say that it "spectacularly failed in a comparison with other cars"?

Tracking without an additional oil cooler could lead to limp mode, but 99.9+% of people don't have this issue. They also benefit from a fast warm up time for a 3.7L engine.


Agree, my parents have had three VQ3x V6 motors over the last decade and they seem to warm up incredibly fast.

(VQ30DE, VQ35DE, VQ35HR)

 

[Hallmark]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
After reading the BITOG Motor Oil 101, I can see the correlation between the small sump manufacturers use on domestic cars and getting the oil temp up to operating temps as fast as possible. Too many reasons to list here. Add the burn off of moisture and fuel at higher oil temps, the oil and the engine may actually last longer.


With only 3.5 quarts of oil in my 1.6L (Veloster), I also have had some concerns about small sumps and OCIs which I address by doing near-severe service OCIs (~4,000 miles). However, after perusing the above posts, I can see some possible benefits to smaller sumps as noted in the quote above and elsewhere.

I know there is not a linear correlation between coolant temps and oil temps, but I have been amazed at how quickly heat is available in my Veloster...within 1/2 mile of a cold startup...far earlier than in my 3.0L and 5.4L vehicles with much larger coolant/sump capacities.

 

[SteveSRT8]

If you look carefully you will see that coolant volume has also been carefully controlled on the smaller engines as well. All for the same reasons, they want HOT quickly.

More wear and less economy when things are cold.

 

[4x4chevydude]

I would say if you want 15k intervals then look into AMSOIL but stick with 7500 if your doing M1 with a regular filter.

 

[Falken]

It helps. Large sump on a small displacement engine keeps the oil cooler and more oil to dilute fuel and contaminants.

But engine design plays a more important role. An engine that runs hotter will cook and shear the oil, and beat it up very quick.

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: Coprolite
My VQ37 supposedly has a 5.5 quart sump and oil/water heat exchanger.

What makes you say that it "spectacularly failed in a comparison with other cars"?

Tracking without an additional oil cooler could lead to limp mode, but 99.9+% of people don't have this issue. They also benefit from a fast warm up time for a 3.7L engine.


I maybe got the sump size wrong, though I remember threads about the VQ35 and even VQ37 having what I seemed to recall were 4-quart sumps. Still, even if I am wrong there, please reference https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1362340

And the line was the Mustang ran hot laps. The 370 just ran hot, then overheated. I am seeking out the comparo but it was early this year I saw it in print.

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Coprolite
My VQ37 supposedly has a 5.5 quart sump and oil/water heat exchanger.

What makes you say that it "spectacularly failed in a comparison with other cars"?

Tracking without an additional oil cooler could lead to limp mode, but 99.9+% of people don't have this issue. They also benefit from a fast warm up time for a 3.7L engine.


Agree, my parents have had three VQ3x V6 motors over the last decade and they seem to warm up incredibly fast.

(VQ30DE, VQ35DE, VQ35HR)


What is the sump capacity on those three VQ3x V6 motors sir

 

[Coprolite]

I have found that my dipstick reads full when I add one Walmart jug, even though it supposedly takes more. From my manual for the 2011 Coupe:

With oil filter change 5-1/8 qt(US) 4-3/8 qt(IMP) 4.9(L) •Engine oil with API Certification Mark*1*3
Without oil filter change 4-7/8 qt(US) 4 qt(IMP) 4.6(L) •Viscosity SAE 5w30


Apologies for my poor memory. The 'supposedly' part was related to the fact that I have never had to fill it with the manual's amount.

This engine warms up in less than half the distance traveled when compared to my 2012 335i.