HELP! My QR25 Rings are bad....Donate it to charity VS get Nissan to replace

[yeahno]

The Car:2003 Nissan Altima 2.5100,000 milesVIN #: 1N4AL11D43C183205

So here's the applicable vehicle service history:

1/19/04 R3007 (NTB03-070 EXHAUST PIPEHANGER PIN AND PRE-CATALYST) Recall repair

10/9/07 R0606 (ECM Reprogram) Recall repair

10/9/07 Crankshaft Position Sensor Replaced (Error Code: P0340)

9/30/08 Crankshaft Position Sensor Replaced AGAIN! (Error Code: P0335)

Last week I got a service engine soon light. I used a Scangauge II and got a P0301 (Misfire in cylinder 1). I certainly noticed the misfiring (rpms below 2,500) and the exhaust began to show blue smoke (oil). The car also began to stall when idling. I drove it to my mechanic and he ran a compression test. He told me that the rings were going to need to be replaced.

What's really going on here? I've searched all over the internet and especially this board. Obviously this engine hasn't had the greatest track record. Being that I've had the Nissan dealership repair all the outstanding campaigns, should the rings be giving out at 100,000 miles? This car's only worth $4-5k and my mechanic said replacing the rings will involve an engine rebuild, costing a few thousand dollars.

Is there anything I can do to get Nissan to replace the motor? Perhaps I'm just totally out of luck like everyone else complaining here about the QR25 motor. Right now my car is sitting at my mechanics garage and I'm stuck between trying to follow up with Nissan Consumer Affairs or just calling a charity to have the car picked up and donated. Any advice here would be greatly appreciated!

[Q45tech]

Those that believe modern cost constrained engines are designed to last like the old robust durable engines of yore [pre 2000] are in for a rude awakening.

Any MIT engineer knows a high rev 4 banger with more than 2.2 liters is already overstressed brand new. Same applies to V6 larger than 3.0 liters.

It is not just the light weak rings but the narrower non lead bearings all designed to boost power TEMPORARILY.

Nissan did have ring supplier problems [coupled with the ring engineer problems] and too many interations on the cost cut computer.

Replacement rings and bearings might be a tiny bit more robust IF the expert engine rebuilder is able to charge you enough to do the job correctly with factory precision................check the bores they may have become oval due to floating design.

Has the engine ever been even slightly overheated in the 100k?

[yeahno]

I've never had any reason to think so (no idiot lights and no unusual fluctions of the oil temp gauge)....

at the moment, I'm working with Nissan Consumer Affairs to see about a good will repair

thanks for the advice!