I recently started working at a Nissan dealer, and I've noticed that nearly all the engine's make noise at start up, and the 4cyl engines (versa, altima, sentra) seem to get pretty loud as they get older. Is there an oil that is better suited for them? 99% of them that I see are just running of the bulk oil which I am unsure of the brand, but it is 5w30.
Loud Nissan engines?
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My 02 Sentra with a 2.5 is pretty loud at startup.
Castrol Edge made my Corvette quieter than Mobil 1.
2 VQ's in my family, neither of which (were) or are ever loud upon startup.. Then again, I'm a BITOG'er, they see good maintenance.
I have friend that drives a 2008 Sentra. He has 20,000 miles on it and the engine knocks when it is cold. I mean a loud knock...like it has a bent connecting rod.
He brings it to a shop every 3,000 miles that uses bulk Castrol GTX 5w30.
He doesn't know much about cars and thinks I'm overreacting, but it always sounds real bad to me...and not something an engine with 20,000 miles should be doing, let alone 200,000 miles.
He brings it to a shop every 3,000 miles that uses bulk Castrol GTX 5w30.
He doesn't know much about cars and thinks I'm overreacting, but it always sounds real bad to me...and not something an engine with 20,000 miles should be doing, let alone 200,000 miles.
Originally Posted By: GMFan
I have friend that drives a 2008 Sentra. He has 20,000 miles on it and the engine knocks when it is cold. I mean a loud knock...like it has a bent connecting rod.
He brings it to a shop every 3,000 miles that uses bulk Castrol GTX 5w30.
He doesn't know much about cars and thinks I'm overreacting, but it always sounds real bad to me...and not something an engine with 20,000 miles should be doing, let alone 200,000 miles.
That is totally unacceptable and he needs to get that taking care of under warranty.
I have friend that drives a 2008 Sentra. He has 20,000 miles on it and the engine knocks when it is cold. I mean a loud knock...like it has a bent connecting rod.
He brings it to a shop every 3,000 miles that uses bulk Castrol GTX 5w30.
He doesn't know much about cars and thinks I'm overreacting, but it always sounds real bad to me...and not something an engine with 20,000 miles should be doing, let alone 200,000 miles.
That is totally unacceptable and he needs to get that taking care of under warranty.
My 2008 Altima 2.5 SL (4 cyl, 17,000 miles) is definitely noisier during warm-up in cold weather - not at all in warm weather. It's not a distinct valve tap or clatter, just overall noisier. No change switching from factory fill to M1 EP 5W-30+.
Tom NJ
Tom NJ
After the crank, the VQ35DE hits 2500 rpm and then settles down... This is what i observe from 3rd gen Quest...
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. From what I'm am told, the Nissan engines do not use hydraulic lash adjuster, but all the valve clearance has to be set with shims. I don't know if that has something to do with it? Also, as someone noted, all of the filters I've seen are sideways mounted. Also, the Nissan filters (made in china) looks like a denso knock off or something. I don't know who makes them, or their actual quality, but they do not look that great. The filter material (looking in the filter, not cutting it) just looks like some yellow paper or something. I have not done a search to see if anyone has cut them open or not. But they have a black adbv so I'm assuming that it is not silicone.
My 83 nissan pickup pickuphas that same thing, once warm and at idle and afterabout 2000 miles on the oil i get a little knock, but so far so good, when the z24 motor goes, V6 time baby
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. From what I'm am told, the Nissan engines do not use hydraulic lash adjuster, but all the valve clearance has to be set with shims. I don't know if that has something to do with it?
No I don't think that's it. Of all the Japanese manufactures Nissan uses hydraulic lifters the most (Mazda does as well) and was one of the first to go to hydraulic lifters. Most all other Japanese cars use mechanical followers. However its possible that there more cold start noise because of the hydraulic lifters and not because they don't have them.
Quote:
Also, as someone noted, all of the filters I've seen are sideways mounted. Also, the Nissan filters (made in china) looks like a denso knock off or something. I don't know who makes them, or their actual quality, but they do not look that great. The filter material (looking in the filter, not cutting it) just looks like some yellow paper or something. I have not done a search to see if anyone has cut them open or not. But they have a black adbv so I'm assuming that it is not silicone.
Yeah I agree here. They probably don't have good oil filters. And the black ADBV wouldn't be a silicon one. I wonder what kind of bypass and at what setting they are running?
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. From what I'm am told, the Nissan engines do not use hydraulic lash adjuster, but all the valve clearance has to be set with shims. I don't know if that has something to do with it?
No I don't think that's it. Of all the Japanese manufactures Nissan uses hydraulic lifters the most (Mazda does as well) and was one of the first to go to hydraulic lifters. Most all other Japanese cars use mechanical followers. However its possible that there more cold start noise because of the hydraulic lifters and not because they don't have them.
Quote:
Also, as someone noted, all of the filters I've seen are sideways mounted. Also, the Nissan filters (made in china) looks like a denso knock off or something. I don't know who makes them, or their actual quality, but they do not look that great. The filter material (looking in the filter, not cutting it) just looks like some yellow paper or something. I have not done a search to see if anyone has cut them open or not. But they have a black adbv so I'm assuming that it is not silicone.
Yeah I agree here. They probably don't have good oil filters. And the black ADBV wouldn't be a silicon one. I wonder what kind of bypass and at what setting they are running?
Originally Posted By: Petrou
My 83 nissan pickup pickuphas that same thing, once warm and at idle and afterabout 2000 miles on the oil i get a little knock, but so far so good, when the z24 motor goes, V6 time baby
If I had an engine knock that wasn't piston slap when the engine is hot, I'd probably use a heavier oil lol!
My 83 nissan pickup pickuphas that same thing, once warm and at idle and afterabout 2000 miles on the oil i get a little knock, but so far so good, when the z24 motor goes, V6 time baby
If I had an engine knock that wasn't piston slap when the engine is hot, I'd probably use a heavier oil lol!
My mom's Altima '03 2.5S with QRD25 is quite loud in cold weather, I mean sub zero or 32F, but at 130,000km it sounds like it did when new so far negligible oil comsumption (less than 0.5L in 5,000km)and overall good engine performance. When started up it sounds just a bit louder for less than a minute,so I would nat say it is much louder at start up.
When I used Texaco Ursa 15W-40 HDEO it was quieter even when fully warmed up. Just changed the oil in it today for winter I filled it with 3Litres GTX 5W-30 and 1.25Litre GC 0W-30 and it seems louder.
Also drained and refilled tranny, I put in Valvoline MaxLife previously it had Castrol Import prior to that Mobil 1 DexIII, now the shudder at 1500 rpm is almost gone, for those of you who experience shudder it might be worth a try.
When I used Texaco Ursa 15W-40 HDEO it was quieter even when fully warmed up. Just changed the oil in it today for winter I filled it with 3Litres GTX 5W-30 and 1.25Litre GC 0W-30 and it seems louder.
Also drained and refilled tranny, I put in Valvoline MaxLife previously it had Castrol Import prior to that Mobil 1 DexIII, now the shudder at 1500 rpm is almost gone, for those of you who experience shudder it might be worth a try.
I run M1 5W30 in my '95 Pathfinder and I am starting to get concerned over the noise (250,000 Kms on her).
Upon cold startup, it sounds like someone has thrown a handful of marbles into my engine, and fwiw, I always use Napa Gold (Wix) filters on it.
I will say though that once the engine warms up, it purrs like a kitten, and the noise is only on some mornings, not others.
I think I'm going to move to GC 0W30 and see how things go.
Upon cold startup, it sounds like someone has thrown a handful of marbles into my engine, and fwiw, I always use Napa Gold (Wix) filters on it.
I will say though that once the engine warms up, it purrs like a kitten, and the noise is only on some mornings, not others.
I think I'm going to move to GC 0W30 and see how things go.
I have an 04 Altima w/ 2.5. I try to park either on level ground or so that, the car leans toward the passenger side a bit allowing the oil filter to stay full. This way when I restart the engine after a long shutdown(overnight/after work), I don't have to listen to the start up rattle from the oil filter not holding oil. I've used filters w/ silicone ADBV and it doesn't help. Also, when it's cold out side, during my first couple of minutes of driving, I can hear the timing chain rattling so, I dirve easy until the noise goes away. Yes, I find these things unacceptable though it doesn't happen every single day, it does happen enough. I tried different filters/oils and the only thing that reduces the noises(plural), is diligence!...Diligence without too much fuss! Good oil, good filter, park with a slight lean toward on passenger side of the car(pass side lower that the driver side), and let the engine warm up for a minute or two in the colder temps. THAT'S IT! What else you gona do! Everyone has one noise or another with these Nissan engines. In almost 6 years of ownership, this is my only complaint, and Im not really complaining.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Johnny248 said:
Our 08' Sentra 2.0L is as quiet as it gets. I have never noticed any noises from it.
I have owned Datsun/Nissan since 1977, they all sound loud at start up, my 1980 1957 engine and 1987 24zi engine had high choke settings of about 1800 rpm in -40C, they roared like plane engines at start up and loud, huge tick on upper end, soon as fast idle done drive off, goes 100's Ks like this in extreme cold climate here.
I owned a 2001 KA24, a 2003 QR25DE and 2005 QR25DE this decade so far, they sound like diesels at startup idle, after a while one gets used to that as charactoristic, no problems to date.
Nissan also uses steel timing chains that last 320K kms, these chains attribute to some rattle cold too. I use a 0-30 XD3 HDEO, CI-4/SL, group 4 POA, -45 pour point all year round, this greatly quiets down the engine, I also believe it lubes that chain quick and effectively to quiet it down, Nissan engines love a thicker oil and my Nissans love XD3.
To note, in driving Nissan for 30+ years now in extreme -40 climate here I have always marveled at how Nissan winterizes vehicles for cold climates, they start with only 2 hours block heater in extreme cold and long before -45 C syn oils arrived too, they idle fast rpm and warm quick especially with all aluminum blocks, the older cast with aluminum head jobs take longer but give sufficient fast idle.
Cyprs
I owned a 2001 KA24, a 2003 QR25DE and 2005 QR25DE this decade so far, they sound like diesels at startup idle, after a while one gets used to that as charactoristic, no problems to date.
Nissan also uses steel timing chains that last 320K kms, these chains attribute to some rattle cold too. I use a 0-30 XD3 HDEO, CI-4/SL, group 4 POA, -45 pour point all year round, this greatly quiets down the engine, I also believe it lubes that chain quick and effectively to quiet it down, Nissan engines love a thicker oil and my Nissans love XD3.
To note, in driving Nissan for 30+ years now in extreme -40 climate here I have always marveled at how Nissan winterizes vehicles for cold climates, they start with only 2 hours block heater in extreme cold and long before -45 C syn oils arrived too, they idle fast rpm and warm quick especially with all aluminum blocks, the older cast with aluminum head jobs take longer but give sufficient fast idle.
Cyprs
How does that Cummins do in -40 weather??
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