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258 Posts
It's fine it can happen but they shouldn't fight you when it does.
Consolidated VR30 Block Replacement Thread
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20 Posts
2017 Premium
45k miles
Having to add coolant daily. 1 bad missfire with blinking CE light for about 30 seconds but never happened before or after that day. Drove fine right after, was out of town had no choice but to drive it back the rest of the way home.
Water pump replaced Yes
Both turbos replaced Yes
Not sure if spark plugs were replaced doesn't say on the invoice for some reason.
Jb4/ Muffler delete
Been using 5w30 instead of 0w20 since I bought it less than 9 months ago (about 2 oil changes) thinking it would be better for the engine was I wrong?
How soon should an oil change be done after an engine replacement if anybody knows. Service rep said normal 5k but that doesn't sound good given the circumstances.
45k miles
Having to add coolant daily. 1 bad missfire with blinking CE light for about 30 seconds but never happened before or after that day. Drove fine right after, was out of town had no choice but to drive it back the rest of the way home.
Water pump replaced Yes
Both turbos replaced Yes
Not sure if spark plugs were replaced doesn't say on the invoice for some reason.
Jb4/ Muffler delete
Been using 5w30 instead of 0w20 since I bought it less than 9 months ago (about 2 oil changes) thinking it would be better for the engine was I wrong?
How soon should an oil change be done after an engine replacement if anybody knows. Service rep said normal 5k but that doesn't sound good given the circumstances.
Joined
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997 Posts
0W20 and 5W30 are both fine, no harm done there. Under normal driving, the 30 weight isn't "helping" but it's certainly not hurting either. No biggie.
For fresh engines, I change the oil right away, then change it again after 1,000-2,000 miles to get the assembly lube and break in particles out of the oil and filter. After that, 5,000 mile intervals are kind of the accepted norm.
^this & consider sending an oil sample to Blackstone for analysis
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20 Posts
Thanks, will probably be moving back to 0w20 as I've read about people getting their claims denied for much less. Definitely will have to change the oil soon for the peace of mind. Just surprises me they advised me not to no sooner than 5k.
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20 Posts
Yes, I considered getting one before I even had Infiniti determine I had a blown head gasket. It'll be interesting to see what the results are on a fresh engine.
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3,999 Posts
That is why I am reluctantly using 0w20.
I have an extended warranty and intend it use it if needed.
all oil changes are now done at the dealer.
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997 Posts
The results will probably show higher iron, aluminium, silica, and moly because it's a fresh engine. It's not going to be alarmingly high, just a bit higher one the first oil change. Then, a little less each time until 2-3 changes down the road.
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997 Posts
If possible, keep an eye on oil temps. So long as they're under 240 degrees, there's nothing to worry about.
Though a 20w is less viscous than a 30w, it has more than enough film strength at normal heat ranges. A cooler 20w can/will be thicker than a hotter 30w depending on the temperature delta between them.
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3,999 Posts
I have no way to keep an eye on oil temps. I could in my 2015 WRX though.
I probably should check it when it warms up again.
When they told me I must use 0w20 or take a chance, I decided to have a 2500 mile OCI.
The same dealer used to put 5w30 in there but no more after several failures and dealing with corporate.
I do check the oil every so often. I am on my second fill of 0w20. Up to a 2500 mile OCI, it didnt look horrible. Smell was ok. I know color can vary depending on oil, so I am not looking for an amber color.
What were your symptoms when you took it in? Also can you or others post your price, so those of us that are modded, or out of warranty stand to know what replacement cost is at the dealer.
Symptoms
I had the issue pop up twice.
The first time, my car started running hot (and I lost warm air) so I got it to a local shop after seeing the coolant tank running low, assuming it was a simple coolant hose leak. You can see more at this thread I made at the time. Shop filled it with coolant, and I was golden for about 3 weeks.
It happened again about a week and a half ago, but the car refused to hold coolant this time. I made this thread and started looking into the matter further. Threw cardboard under the engine with the skid plate off, and nothing came out even though the car lost a full tank of coolant in a couple minutes. I decided to take it to the dealership, and I hadn't get decided if I was going to drive it or flatbed it (my dealership is 45m away). Decided to replace the stock muffler before I brought it in, and when I started it, the exhaust smelled extremely sweet. Decided at that point to arrange a flatbed with AAA at the advice of people in the thread.
I should also note, I checked all of the other standard things you check for VR30 coolant loss. My multi-way valve had no signs of leaks or residue, I couldn't find any coolant residue on the engine or skid plate, and the car didn't let out a single drop while it was chugging coolant(with A/C off).
Service Center
My car has been in the service center for a week and a half, and they just got around to diagnosing it yesterday. I had to be pretty persistent to actually get on the phone with someone who knew what the deal was with my car. When I got hold of a higher up service tech (he informed me he was in charge of major repairs), he informed me that they diagnosed the engine and found that coolant was being lost and it needed a new engine. Even though I pushed, he wouldn't say it was porous block, but that they instead just stopped diagnosing and approved the new engine. While it's the only logical explanation, I thought it strange that they didn't give a straightforward answer.
As for what the service center needed: nothing. My dealership (Hoover/Birmingham, AL) didn't ever contact me for oil change history (which I don't do through them) or any questions. I had to reach out and ask what my car's status was, and by then it already had a new engine approved.
Pricing
My repair was covered under powertrain warranty (which I have until September, and then I have extended warranty coverage after). However, if I get an invoice with the repair numbers listed, I will gladly post them here.
Suggestions for anyone (potentially) in my shoes
- Honestly, go with your gut if you have concerns about coolant loss. I had this issue crop up a month and a half ago, and I just wish I booked an appointment. If I had done that, I would be in the same situation I am in now, but with a loaner and not cutting it this close to my warranty cutoff date.
- Have a record of your service history. While this wasn't ever needed or asked of me, I had my local oil change place print off copies of each oil change receipt since I bought the car at 40k miles. If needed (other dealerships might not be so easy), this would have showed I was getting full synthetic oil changes every 3-5k miles since I bought the car at 40k. I left the documentation in the glove box in case they requested it.
- FIND YOUR IN-SERVICE DATE ON YOUR OWN IF YOU'RE CUTTING IT CLOSE ON WARRANTY!!! One of the reasons I decided against making the hour long drive to Infiniti is because I was told over the phone by my dealership that my car had no powertrain warranty. At the advice of someone here, I called an Infiniti in California (because mine was closed and Cali is in a time zone where they were still open), and asked for my car's in-service date (instead of warranty status). Even though it was a totally random dealership that had never seen my car before, they were able to lookup my in-service date and informed me of my car's in-service date and then confirmed to me I still had powertrain coverage. I thought I was on my own and better off paying non-dealer prices until I did my own research.
- Be ready to wait. Shop tech informed me that they ordered the engine which is supposed to take three days to arrive, but his last one took 12. He also informed me the install can take an additional 2-3 days. I took the service centers advice and have been calling back every couple days checking on available loaners.
Either way, this is a shitty situation for anyone to be in. On the bright side however, I am coming out of this with a brand new engine! I just got a few mods in the mail that I can install and play with once the engine is broken in a couple thousand miles, and it's gonna be great to be able to start fresh without the 40,000 mile gray area of the previous owner.
Added
2016 Red sport
79k miles (Bought car used with 27k in 2019)
Had to refill engine coolant every other day.
I want to say the problem may have been getting worse as time went by since I did notice small amount of coolant missing every month in 2021(didnt go below min. mark, but I know coolant level shouldnt be going down at all unless there's an issue), no leaks, pressure tests conducted 2 times that year, all passed, no white smoke, oil analysis done in July of 2021, negative for coolant in oil.
May('22), loosing coolant every other day. did an oil change, noticed oil was creamy, white cream built on the filler cap, sent sample of oil for analysis. Car didn't overheat, but fans kicked on more frequently, brought into dealership beginning of June for diagnosing.
Sadly, I had over 75k miles at this time, but had warranty with a company, which did make things difficult. After 2 inspectors and inspections by different Infiniti techs, it was determined that I had a porous block & bad turbos...engine internals and block had no cracks/signs of extreme wear, no metal shavings, etc. Oil analysis came back positive of coolant mixed in.
Total bill came to 32k (long block, turbos, labor). Had to pay 5k, warranty company wanted to replace using a used motor, but after arguing(infiniti service writer helped) new motor was determined. Dealer did hook me with all new engine components (wasnt included in original RO), didn't charge me the loaner I had for over a month, gave me extended warranty and other small goodies that made paying 5k worth it since the repairs did cost more than what the car was currently worth. I just got the car back on July 25th, brought it in June 7th. Once things were approved, took 1 week.
Mods - JB4 (disabled unless I was going to "race" someone, or when i wanted to have a little fun). LDPs, Y-pipe, AMS intakes.
79k miles (Bought car used with 27k in 2019)
Had to refill engine coolant every other day.
I want to say the problem may have been getting worse as time went by since I did notice small amount of coolant missing every month in 2021(didnt go below min. mark, but I know coolant level shouldnt be going down at all unless there's an issue), no leaks, pressure tests conducted 2 times that year, all passed, no white smoke, oil analysis done in July of 2021, negative for coolant in oil.
May('22), loosing coolant every other day. did an oil change, noticed oil was creamy, white cream built on the filler cap, sent sample of oil for analysis. Car didn't overheat, but fans kicked on more frequently, brought into dealership beginning of June for diagnosing.
Sadly, I had over 75k miles at this time, but had warranty with a company, which did make things difficult. After 2 inspectors and inspections by different Infiniti techs, it was determined that I had a porous block & bad turbos...engine internals and block had no cracks/signs of extreme wear, no metal shavings, etc. Oil analysis came back positive of coolant mixed in.
Total bill came to 32k (long block, turbos, labor). Had to pay 5k, warranty company wanted to replace using a used motor, but after arguing(infiniti service writer helped) new motor was determined. Dealer did hook me with all new engine components (wasnt included in original RO), didn't charge me the loaner I had for over a month, gave me extended warranty and other small goodies that made paying 5k worth it since the repairs did cost more than what the car was currently worth. I just got the car back on July 25th, brought it in June 7th. Once things were approved, took 1 week.
Mods - JB4 (disabled unless I was going to "race" someone, or when i wanted to have a little fun). LDPs, Y-pipe, AMS intakes.
Sorry to hear! Added.
Glad to hear it worked out better than it started out!
I want to update that the exact source of the coolant mixture was due to bad core (freeze) plugs on both cylinder heads. I didn't think about it at the time, but wish I had asked for pics before they sent the bad motor out.
About the core plugs, I recall when doing a DET swap in my P1115yrs ago, a friend recommended not to just replace/upgrade hard to reach parts and gaskets/seals, but also the core plugs, before dropping it in. He mentioned the extra and constant pressure built up from force induction can cause the plugs to fail prematurely, specifically with built motors. So, replaced them as a safety net since those used motors are usually outside exposed to weather and who knows how the last person was to the motor. He also did remind me about Mazworx, they thread in plugs they make, when they do engine builds.
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