Nissan 3.5 dead engine picture

[addyguy]

I hated doing O's on these engines when I was at a Walmart Tire and Lube Express.

The d/s on these 3.5 engine is IMPOSSIBLE to read! When I was doing level checks on a finished job, I could NEVER get an accurate reading - it always had oil all over it, no matter how long you waited, or how any times you checked.

Near the end, I gave up checking on most of them - I'd just make sure there was 4 litres of oil in them, and call it good.

Sorry, just had to rant about this engine.....

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
I hated doing O's on these engines when I was at a Walmart Tire and Lube Express.

The d/s on these 3.5 engine is IMPOSSIBLE to read! When I was doing level checks on a finished job, I could NEVER get an accurate reading - it always had oil all over it, no matter how long you waited, or how any times you checked.

Near the end, I gave up checking on most of them - I'd just make sure there was 4 litres of oil in them, and call it good.

Sorry, just had to rant about this engine.....


They do have the worst oil dipstick in the world lol it takes like 10 min to check the oil after filling them, and if you don't have the dip stick in while filling the oil, it all pours out of the dipstick tube. Way to go Nissan

 

[benjamming]

What is the TSB # for this?

 

[IndyIan]

Is this the regular exhaust manifold and catalytic converter?
Seems crazy to me but dead engines are dead engines...
My poor old neon has a rattley cat which is only a couple inches farther away than this one. No VVT though, is 2987 mm3 of overlap volume comparable to this engine?

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: benjamming
What is the TSB # for this?


It's actually part of a recall on the 2.5l

NTB03-070D or campain R3007,R3014,R3015,R3016,R3017

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Is this the regular exhaust manifold and catalytic converter?
Seems crazy to me but dead engines are dead engines...
My poor old neon has a rattley cat which is only a couple inches farther away than this one. No VVT though, is 2987 mm3 of overlap volume comparable to this engine?



The Maxima is different because it is transverse mounted,so you have a manifold and cat at the firewall and in the front of the car. It makes for very tight clearance. I'm not sure what the overlap spec is, and I am also not familiar with any problems with Neons related to this.

 

[VK56VD]

Originally Posted By: JTK
I've heard of it on the Nissan 4cyl 2.5L like the TSB explains, but that's a first for the 3.5L V6.

Joel


+1. I've heard about this happening on the QR 2.5 Altima's and Sentra's, never on the VQ 3.0/3.5.

What's the mileage of the engine pictured?

 

[EricF]

My friend got a new motor for her 02 Altima, just made it by 3000miles. this was before the recall kicked in.
got a new cat, new o2 sensors, then a new engine.
got the code catalyst below threshold.
Dealership started throwing parts at it. OOPS! They did not want to replace the motor but in the end had no choice..

I had to replace the catatlytidc converter with 65k on the "new" motor because the o2 sensor welds on the bung were weak to begin with and caught up with it. Dealer only cat (California model of course) $572 with tax and my discount.
Thankfully it was a 4 banger, I'd hate to have worked on the v6 motor. The new cat has extra weld around the bung.. the problem's been resolved by nissan. took 'em long enough!

I traded the old cat, which still had lots of life left to a buddy with a shop, and got to use his lift for a few hours. He was able to weld the broken bung back on and sold that cat to his customer. Everybody won that week!

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: EricF
He was able to weld the broken bung back on and sold that cat to his customer.


Don't let the EPA hear that.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Originally Posted By: EricF
He was able to weld the broken bung back on and sold that cat to his customer.


Don't let the EPA hear that.


What they don't know won't hurt them (or you)

.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: JTK
I've heard of it on the Nissan 4cyl 2.5L like the TSB explains, but that's a first for the 3.5L V6.

Joel
+1 When I got my 03 2.5L there was a TSB early on about precat material breaking up and being sucked into the engine. Some of the Sentra Spec V 2.5's were the most affected because of the spirited(hard) driving types. Worse case, some engines had to be replaced.

They changed my oil/filter, put on a precat/cat heat shield. I've had no issues(knock wood) and the car doesn't burn oil with ~72k on the clock. But, I don't drive with WOT.

Never heard of this also being an issue in the 3.5L.

 

[mechanicx]

Sayjac you are one lucky guy. You even get away with putting Dexclone in it too. I'm kidding

.

 

[paulo57509]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
Originally Posted By: Burt
No way.


Way.


There was a Ford 330cid V8 (truck) that came into my Dad's shop with a dead cylinder.

Long story short, the exhaust valve seat broke apart and that cylinder lost compression. After I pulled the heads, I found pieces of the valve seat in four different cylinders, two on each bank (dual plane intake manifold.

 

[The Critic]

I hope that as my mom's Altima gets up there in mileage, this will not become a problem.

Since the engine failure occurred on this car at 80k, it has convinced me to consider purchasing a Nissan Gold preferred extended warranty.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

I don't think this is a problem with the VQ35 like several others here have said. If it were, it would have been all over maxima.org.

The (early) VQ35 is known for bad rings and excessive oil consumption though. So far mine hasn't shown signs that it consumes oil. Same amount of oil comes out that goes in and the dipstick always reads about the same.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

Are you talking about the catalytic converter? It's breaking down and somehow coming back into the engine?

The substrate fails - cats(the emissions kind, not the furry kind that goes meow) usually use a ceramic substrate. When it crumbles apart under certain condition engine backpressure sucks it back into the engine.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Sayjac you are one lucky guy. You even get away with putting Dexclone in it too. I'm kidding

.
LOL Yeah, that's what regular maintenance will get you. I've basically averaged 5k/6m oil changes with dino only. And, 2-3yr coolant flush after FF came out. That plus I don't drive it hard.

The precat issue is the main reason I went and had a used oil analysis done on the Altima this time last year, came back solid. Here it is if you would like to read it.

As for the coolant, I did check on the price of Nissan green yesterday, while taking advantage of a customer appreciation free oil and filter change I couldn't pass on. The Nissan green was $24.99 which I guess is better than $31 some have been quoted.

Perhaps I have been a tad lucky with the universal coolants, but don't think I've been too much of a gambler using them.

 

[mechanicx]

Yeah nice report with low potassium. It does seem that Japanese vehicles especially the later model '03-'04 and up have OAT resistant gaskets. It would seem they would have to if they are using sebacate in the later models. Plus they have upright radiator caps that seem to keep air from entering the radiator. I'm just still leary of putting dexclone in pre '04 models. PGL would be safer along with Zerex Asian vehicle formula.

 

[Cutehumor]

a nissan engine problem? SAY IT ISN'T SO!! Nissan Sentra 1.8L headgasket problems, Sentra/Altima 2.5L engine problems, and 3.5L engine problems. Critic, I hope you love that 3.5 in your mom's band new nissan altima

 

[benjamming]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
Originally Posted By: benjamming
What is the TSB # for this?


It's actually part of a recall on the 2.5l

NTB03-070D or campain R3007,R3014,R3015,R3016,R3017


that appears to be for <2004 Altima & Sentra & is 58 pages long, right?