Dominik, I may be the last guy you may want to ask, I have been fighting an ear infection the doctors or specialists cant fix. This engine seemed quiet from km one, I then put XD3 Esso full 100% POA synthetic oil in at about 20K kms, about 2 months ago, even with a bad ear I heard the engine get quieter and starts cold great, I could hear the difference and my ear is getting better every day, medicine working finally. It purrs. This engine has a real throaty sound on accerleration, it gives me goose bumps, the response is unreal for a 4 banger.
When I turn my good ear to the engine as it idles with hood up it sounds great, when I sit in the cabin I do hear what you explain, I have attributed that to the insulation on hood and cabin allowing only the loudest sound to penetrate.
I am concerned with Drive It Forever's comments and I will take it up with Nissan. When I bought this car recently I expected 450K from it as other Nissans and Datsuns in past experience. There cant be too much wrong with my engine, we get 41 miles to Canadian gallon taking mileage on gallons consumed and miles traveled. We drive 110 kms per hour on trips to Regina, Sask. on flat land highway with about 3 lower speed zones, then engine is not broke in yet, I expect better mileage yet. Also, that mileage was taken on semi syn oil, I know my current XD3 syn oil will produce better too.
On previous OCIs I found some oil consumption, I would add oil only to find bubbles on dipstick and oil on my air filter. This was due to overfill, this is the hard lesson I learned in keeping that dipstick level at 3/16 inch below the full when oil is at room temp or cool on level ground.
If I go over that -3/16 mark from full mark cool reading then I get oil loss or consumption, if I leave it a -3/16 below full mark I dont get any consumption. My fathers Sentra is same in his 1.8L, and this is constant on different level groud locations as mine.
Last night I checked my oil about 3 hours after engine shut down, the oil was about room temp to the touch, the oil was exacty at -3/16 inch below full, exacty where it was on a 70 degree day when I changed this oil. I have not added since 2200kms and my oil level is the same. This morning after a freezing overnight sit for another 10 hours, the oil showed -1/4 inch from full cold. I left it alone, the oil contracted abit from the cold, it will contract even more when -25C, I have learned to overcome my compulsive behavior to have that oil level perfect and learn to leave it alone.
This engine on oil checks will have you talking to yourself if you let it. Other Nissan engines I have or have had in past didn't do this to these extremes. I would top up them to full mark cold with no problem, this one I learned I cant.
To note, until this last oil change with XD3 I was filling the crank case to exactly the full mark at room temp. The oil would consume to -3/16 inch from full mark, I would top up only to compensate that 3/16 worth oil. Now I fill crank to the 3/16 point at the OC and it stays there, go figure. You may want to try this -3/16 inch full mark cool or room temp Dominik and monitor the oil on same oil check conditions over a OCI period. At -3/16 inch from full cool check my oil will be over the full mark at Nissan's hot temp procedure on oil check, this engine is finicky.
Please let me know what you find out on this and if you inquire with Nissan, Dominik.
Buy the way, this 0-30 XD3 Esso Full Synthetic oil is available at Esso Bulk station for $3.71 per liter, it is $5.50 litre at Walmart, you have to buy in bulk such as 4 litre jugs or flats of 12 litres at Esso, it is worth it. This syn XD3 0-30 has TBN of 12, -60F pour rate, at visc of 12.1 at 100C. I have this oil okayed by my Nissan dealership, it out performs 5-30 oils Nissan recommends, the viscosity for summer is better than most 5-30 or 10-30 grades, it is a heavy 30 weight.
hope this helps bit Dominik, I am glad I am not the only one frustrated with Nissan on oil checks.
Like to hear how you make out on this and I will post Nissan's response to Drive it Forever's comments, shoke my up a bit.
Cyprs
When I turn my good ear to the engine as it idles with hood up it sounds great, when I sit in the cabin I do hear what you explain, I have attributed that to the insulation on hood and cabin allowing only the loudest sound to penetrate.
I am concerned with Drive It Forever's comments and I will take it up with Nissan. When I bought this car recently I expected 450K from it as other Nissans and Datsuns in past experience. There cant be too much wrong with my engine, we get 41 miles to Canadian gallon taking mileage on gallons consumed and miles traveled. We drive 110 kms per hour on trips to Regina, Sask. on flat land highway with about 3 lower speed zones, then engine is not broke in yet, I expect better mileage yet. Also, that mileage was taken on semi syn oil, I know my current XD3 syn oil will produce better too.
On previous OCIs I found some oil consumption, I would add oil only to find bubbles on dipstick and oil on my air filter. This was due to overfill, this is the hard lesson I learned in keeping that dipstick level at 3/16 inch below the full when oil is at room temp or cool on level ground.
If I go over that -3/16 mark from full mark cool reading then I get oil loss or consumption, if I leave it a -3/16 below full mark I dont get any consumption. My fathers Sentra is same in his 1.8L, and this is constant on different level groud locations as mine.
Last night I checked my oil about 3 hours after engine shut down, the oil was about room temp to the touch, the oil was exacty at -3/16 inch below full, exacty where it was on a 70 degree day when I changed this oil. I have not added since 2200kms and my oil level is the same. This morning after a freezing overnight sit for another 10 hours, the oil showed -1/4 inch from full cold. I left it alone, the oil contracted abit from the cold, it will contract even more when -25C, I have learned to overcome my compulsive behavior to have that oil level perfect and learn to leave it alone.
This engine on oil checks will have you talking to yourself if you let it. Other Nissan engines I have or have had in past didn't do this to these extremes. I would top up them to full mark cold with no problem, this one I learned I cant.
To note, until this last oil change with XD3 I was filling the crank case to exactly the full mark at room temp. The oil would consume to -3/16 inch from full mark, I would top up only to compensate that 3/16 worth oil. Now I fill crank to the 3/16 point at the OC and it stays there, go figure. You may want to try this -3/16 inch full mark cool or room temp Dominik and monitor the oil on same oil check conditions over a OCI period. At -3/16 inch from full cool check my oil will be over the full mark at Nissan's hot temp procedure on oil check, this engine is finicky.
Please let me know what you find out on this and if you inquire with Nissan, Dominik.
Buy the way, this 0-30 XD3 Esso Full Synthetic oil is available at Esso Bulk station for $3.71 per liter, it is $5.50 litre at Walmart, you have to buy in bulk such as 4 litre jugs or flats of 12 litres at Esso, it is worth it. This syn XD3 0-30 has TBN of 12, -60F pour rate, at visc of 12.1 at 100C. I have this oil okayed by my Nissan dealership, it out performs 5-30 oils Nissan recommends, the viscosity for summer is better than most 5-30 or 10-30 grades, it is a heavy 30 weight.
hope this helps bit Dominik, I am glad I am not the only one frustrated with Nissan on oil checks.
Like to hear how you make out on this and I will post Nissan's response to Drive it Forever's comments, shoke my up a bit.
Cyprs