2004 pathfinder engine shot, nissan won't cover it - Please help

[broadview]

I have a 2004 pathfinder with 55k miles and the engine is shot. I have had problems throughout the past 2 years with a real loud engine knock intermitently. It has also been flying through oil. The car died on me and I had it towed in. They said that the engine needs to be replaced but there was MAJOR sludge buildup and if I didn't have the service records for oil changes every 3k miles they aren't covering it. I have changed the oil on time. I am seeing other people that are saying it could be a valve cover issue that is affecting others as well. Has anyone else had this problem or heard of this? I have no idea how to get them to cover it, and I know it's not a lack of maintence issue. Please HELP!!!!!!

[bmlawless]

If you have been having the oil changed at a garage or service station, see if they can pull up service records. If you can get at least partial records, try again. Keep moving up the chain until you get to the person who has the final say.

As Clark Howard says, "Never take a 'No' answer from the person who can't give you a 'Yes' answer."

[KoukiS14]

Welcome to NICO, even though the circumstances suck. It's probably the power valve screws. The VQ35DE powered R50s (01-04) had a problem where the screws would back out and get sucked into the engine.

So far I haven't seen a case where Nissan covers it, even though they should. It's a pretty big problem.

zerothread/304263

[88pathoffroad]

The oil consumption is also a known problem, the PCV system allows oil to be sucked back through the engine. They have a fix for that: a revised-design valve cover with an extra baffle on the inside the prevents oil from freely entering the engine.

[timmack]

which, like the power valve screw issue, they will not issue a recall for.