How bad is this? Nissan 5.6 oil change metals

[jsean]

Just did the first oil change in this 2015 Armada that I purchased recently. Had decent oil change history per carfax - mostly at Nissan dealerships until 2022.
Not much shown in 2023-2024.

I just did my first oil change on it. Here are some pictures from the bottom of the oil drain catch pans. How bad is this??

The giant silver streaks are reflections off my camera’s flash.

 

[Rand]

oil drain pans always seem to have crap in them. cut the filter open and look in there.

 

[jsean]

Photos taken outside - to try and eliminate glare from the flash

 

[Kira]

How many miles on your recently purchased Armada?

How many miles after that last 2022 visit to your oil change?

Pour all the old oil through cheesecloth. See if the glitter is magnetic.

+1 on opening the filter.

 

[KGMtech]

Definitive answer comes from oil analysis report. If you have some of the old oil, request a sample bottle from Blackstone Labs and they can tell you what's up.

 

[Hirev]

I would not be concerned for now. Some engines shed more debris than others is what I have noticed over the years. Many years ago I worked in a automotive machine shop it used to amaze me how much debris was in the bottom of the oil pan on some engines. Never saw a well used oil pan off an engine that was debris free. I always thought when changing oil It was beter drain oil with the drain angled down a little like you get with ramps or floor jacks was better at getting some this stuff out compared to a service bay rack that keeps the vehicle almost level. Just my 2 cents

 

[gfh77665]

Armadas are known as excellent, underrated vehicles. If it has a decent OC history, I think you are concerned about nothing.

I don't do UOA's, but if doing one would help you sleep well, I would suggest that at 5K miles. Personally I would just drive on happily.

 

[gfh77665]

I would not be concerned for now. Some engines shed more debris than others is what I have noticed over the years. Many years ago I worked in a automotive machine shop it used to amaze me how much debris was in the bottom of the oil pan on some engines. Never saw a well used oil pan off an engine that was debris free. I always thought when changing oil It was beter drain oil with the drain angled down a little like you get with ramps or floor jacks was better at getting some this stuff out compared to a service bay rack that keeps the vehicle almost level. Just my 2 cents

I love my HD Rhino Ramps. They, along with the natural incline of my driveway, provide a significant drain angle for the old oil. It goes fast!

 

[The Critic]

Does it tick?

 

[jsean]

How many miles on your recently purchased Armada?

How many miles after that last 2022 visit to your oil change?

Pour all the old oil through cheesecloth. See if the glitter is magnetic.

+1 on opening the filter.

About 2,500 miles on the oil that got drained out. Sticker on the windshield says syn blend 5w30 at Walmart. Fram cor6607 oil filter is what came off - that had been screwed on there by a gorilla.

Oil change I did was at 50058 miles.
I did open up the oil filter and don’t see any large chunks visually.

Edit: looking up carfax history again, this vehicle did 7,000 miles with 2 oil changes from 2015 to 2019. There were 2 oil changes - 1 with 7,200 miles and another with 6,600 miles that were way too long imo. All other oil changes were at about 4K mark at the Nissan dealership except the last oil change being at Walmart. This thing was taken to the Nissan dealership for basically everything except the Walmart service and a front brake job.

 

[Zee09]

Me no like....never seen that out of any of my vehicles.

 

[jsean]

 

[jsean]

Definitive answer comes from oil analysis report. If you have some of the old oil, request a sample bottle from Blackstone Labs and they can tell you what's up.

Got what remaining oil I had at the bottom of the catch pans and from the oil filter. Going to request a bottle from Blackstone and send it in.

 

[jsean]

Me no like....never seen than out of my vehicles.

Exactly how I feel. Never seen that in any of my vehicles….well until now. Oil filter though doesn’t show any large shards of metal.

 

[jsean]

Does it tick?

Not that I can tell? Doesnt sound any different at startup vs. warmed up. It doesn’t have the loud ticking that I see with some of the older work trucks around here

 

[jsean]

Armadas are known as excellent, underrated vehicles. If it has a decent OC history, I think you are concerned about nothing.

I don't do UOA's, but if doing one would help you sleep well, I would suggest that at 5K miles. Personally I would just drive on happily.

This is partly why I searched for a gen1 Armada with the old 5.6 port injection engine. I’ve seen several posts of people going well past 250-300k miles with regular oil changes and what not. I feel a little more optimistic after seeing the oil filter - I don’t see any large chunks in the pleats.

 

[jsean]

I would not be concerned for now. Some engines shed more debris than others is what I have noticed over the years. Many years ago I worked in an automotive machine shop it used to amaze me how much debris was in the bottom of the oil pan on some engines. Never saw a well used oil pan off an engine that was debris free. I always thought when changing oil It was beter drain oil with the drain angled down a little like you get with ramps or floor jacks was better at getting some this stuff out compared to a service bay rack that keeps the vehicle almost level. Just my 2 cents

I wonder if this was the first oil change this thing got at an incline. I had the front jacked up, but not a ton. But nonetheless, between the driveway slope and the front end up being jacked up, perhaps whatever settled at the bottom of the vehicle oil pan flowed out vs. every other oil change being at a dealership / Walmart?

 

[Kira]

Your incline plane theory sounds sound.
I did a transmission drain & fill on a severe incline and I swear mud came out of a good shifting car.

Over the years, has anyone charted "swarf"?
I found a ton of grains and grits in a Jeep rear diff. No wear apparent...?

Too bad compression checks and oil pressure checks aren't done on new engines as a baseline.
You could do one now.

 

[Hirev]

I wonder if this was the first oil change this thing got at an incline.

My guess is that what you are seeing. Should be better the next oil change. But it may still have some stuff in it. Guess you will see. Good luck.

 

[Fattylocks]

Hmmm. I drain the oil from my 2011 Titan into an immaculately clean pan. Never saw any trace of glitter or swirls. Keep an eye on it for sure.