Is the Y51 known for burning oil?

[Ilya]

Is the Y51 known for burning oil, etc. like the Y50 was (mostly the M45)?

I've noticed (since my car is white) I have some black 'soot' or 'smog' or what have you around my tail pipes area...but yesterday I saw it in my mirror for the first time in the late evening. A minivan was on my arse so I punched it and I could see, based on his headlights, something like smoke or condensation coming out of my car as I pulled away from him.

I don't see to be having any leaks, etc. and to be honest I hardly ever check the oil level as I change it religiously at 5k anyway (using Synthetic). Should I be worried?

[beachbum718]

I use synthetic and change my oil every 3700 miles as well as my filter.nothing dark comes out my pipes

[Debonair]

No soot on my bumper but I wash often. The outside of my exhaust tips do get VERY dirty with soot though.

[Ilya]

I guess I'll keep an eye on it.

I do need to go to the dealer to have the car looked at overall...it just seems to be a big sluggish as of late (multiple re-fills of gas, etc.) and I don't know if it's the heat (it's been in the mid-80's for a while now) or what. It ran much better in the winter/spring. Especially, as other users have reported in other threads, with the initial power off launch. If I'm trying to make a turn at an intersection real quick to beat traffic, the car takes a legitimate second or two before it gets the signal for power. It's almost like the TCS or something is thinking I'm going to spin out with the power input I'm asking for so it delays it. It's annoying as hell.

[Altered]

Not sure about smoke and soot, I have none of that with mine. But as far as the sluggishness does Sprint Booster have a product for your car? May help with the throttle response...

[Frog]

It has to do with the direct injection gasoline engine. No gas flows over the valves. So they get carbon build up. It isn't a prob with the m37. Only the 5.6 engine. It's normal. Just punch it a bit more often. Keep it cleaned out. It's not oil related.

[Ilya]

It has to do with the direct injection gasoline engine. No gas flows over the valves. So they get carbon build up. It isn't a prob with the m37. Only the 5.6 engine. It's normal. Just punch it a bit more often. Keep it cleaned out. It's not oil related.

Might be worth running a can of Seafoam through the intake manifold then to get some of that carbon crap out of there.

Thanks.

[biggie]

Known for running rich, that's the black on back bumper. Especially rich when the engine is cold.

[Ilya]

So once I get UpRev'ed (eventually lol), this will balance out the A/F and I should be good?

[dmclone]

Mine will blow smoke during hard acceleration.

[stm37s]

I have a white M37s with the stillen exhaust and don't have this problem. Like some stated in an earlier post the 5.6 are known to run rich. An uprev tune would be a nice add on.

[Ilya]

Good to know, I do have a tune on my list of things to still do. Need to get coilovers, tires (for my wheels that I've had for like 8 months lol), exhaust and a tune still.

[Will Power]

How's everyone's M56 doing? No engine oil burning like VKs and old VQ35s? No major carbon issues with the direct injection? Reached 100K miles with no issues?

[DFW2011M56S]

How's everyone's M56 doing? No engine oil burning like VKs and old VQ35s? No major carbon issues with the direct injection? Reached 100K miles with no issues?

I burn a quart every 2,000 miles like clock work. Been running Mobil One 0w40 since I got it at 76K. Same oil consumption rate as both of my Titans ALWAYS had. The intake manifold itself was dripping wet with oil. I changed both PCV valves and it did seem to help a bit but it is hard to tell. I had a major carbon buildup on the intake valves at 92,000 miles that I cleaned with walnut shell blasting and carb cleaner. I am at 99K at the moment and will reach 100k by May. Had the timing chains changed by Grubbs Infiniti last summer at 88K. Other than the fact they broke my engine cover, destroyed some of the wiring harness protective looming and lost my windshield resivoir cap after breaking its attachment strap it is running well. Even with the Uprev tune running at 12.6:1 AFR I still see soot when I get on it with headlights behind me. Just the nature of the beast I am afraid. New exhaust got sooty black in less than 1,000 miles when I put it on.

[DFW2011M56S]

This is my intake valve/port pics thread.

intake-valve-and-port-pictures-t612859.html

[TomL5]

Mine burns a bit of oil as well. Probably something like 0.5 quarts per 1000 miles. I've now gotten into the habit of checking the oil level every 2 weeks or so. I usually have to had a bit to get oil dipstick line to the middle.

Funny you mention the engine cover. I bought the car from Lynnwood Infiniti north of Seattle last Oct at ~70k miles. They had just gotten the car as a trade in and performed a bunch of maintenance including the timing belt chain recall. They also managed to break the engine cover (snapping off one the plastic studs), knocked off the Infiniti emblem on the cover, as well as snapped a bolt off of the passenger side air intake box. Other than those relatively minor things, everything seems to be OK (knock on wood).

[armybrat]

Yeah I really didn't pay much attention to the oil levels until I saw this thread. Since I've had the car, the dealership used Mobil1 5W30 at 60K and 64K. At 70K, I decided to try the Mobil1 0W40 and do it myself. When I went to drain the 5W30 out, it filled my catch pan twice. 5K miles later, which was last Friday, I changed it again. Autozone had 5 quarts of Mobil1 and a Mobil1 filter for $29.99. When I drained it, I noticed that it only filled the same pan only once. I'm thinking that my car seems to burn through the 0W40 more than the 5W30. I will monitor oil usage every 1K miles. I will go back to the Mobil1 5W30 after the next change, and do the same thing just to compare...got me curious now.

[DFW2011M56S]

Yeah I really didn't pay much attention to the oil levels until I saw this thread. Since I've had the car, the dealership used Mobil1 5W30 at 60K and 64K. At 70K, I decided to try the Mobil1 0W40 and do it myself. When I went to drain the 5W30 out, it filled my catch pan twice. 5K miles later, which was last Friday, I changed it again. Autozone had 5 quarts of Mobil1 and a Mobil1 filter for $29.99. When I drained it, I noticed that it only filled the same pan only once. I'm thinking that my car seems to burn through the 0W40 more than the 5W30. I will monitor oil usage every 1K miles. I will go back to the Mobil1 5W30 after the next change, and do the same thing just to compare...got me curious now.

If anything mine has burned slightly less running 0w40. Definately not really that noticeable either way.

[DHCrocks]

Yeah I really didn't pay much attention to the oil levels until I saw this thread. Since I've had the car, the dealership used Mobil1 5W30 at 60K and 64K. At 70K, I decided to try the Mobil1 0W40 and do it myself. When I went to drain the 5W30 out, it filled my catch pan twice. 5K miles later, which was last Friday, I changed it again. Autozone had 5 quarts of Mobil1 and a Mobil1 filter for $29.99. When I drained it, I noticed that it only filled the same pan only once. I'm thinking that my car seems to burn through the 0W40 more than the 5W30. I will monitor oil usage every 1K miles. I will go back to the Mobil1 5W30 after the next change, and do the same thing just to compare...got me curious now.

the M56 takes 6qt-12oz of oil not 5 qts . if that is all you put in then that's why it was low. 0W40 is a thinner oil then 5W30 so that also could be why it burns off more oil. On high mileage cars with a burning oil problem it is common to use a higher weight oil so it does not seep past the worn rings. using a thinner oil will only make things worse.

[Ilya]

I just changed my oil with 0W-40 and moved to a new apartment where my parking is level...so I'll be checking it more frequently. My OCI is 5k and, correct, it's 6.5qt of oil, not 5.

[armybrat]

the M56 takes 6qt-12oz of oil not 5 qts . if that is all you put in then that's why it was low. 0W40 is a thinner oil then 5W30 so that also could be why it burns off more oil. On high mileage cars with a burning oil problem it is common to use a higher weight oil so it does not seep past the worn rings. using a thinner oil will only make things worse.

M56x calls for 6qt-16 oz US and 5qt-12oz IMP (with filter change) I mentioned the 5 quart jug and filter deal just as a heads up in case anyone else is looking to buy some. I actually bought 2 jugs and two M110 filters for $59.98 plus tax. For the previous oil change, I had bought a 5 qt jug plus an extra quart and a filter at Walmart because I goofed up and ended up using the IMP measurement which is why I was short this last change, but it looked like I was a little more short than just a quart + 4 oz. I still had the left over 20 ounces which I ended up using towards the correct 6-1/2 qt capacity this time, so we'll see how it goes.

There are several threads and articles on the whole 0W vs 5W vs 10W, etc. I have read through a bunch of them, and have come to the following conclusions. Based on what I have read, I believe that either oil will work fine in the M56/M56x, depending on your driving habits and location. I do not flog my car around like some folks here do. I am not ragging on anyone who does, to each his/her own. My car is my primary transportation, so I need to take care of it as I see fit for my driving habits. From what I read, the 0W40 is great if you drive your car hard, WOT, redline, drag racing, etc. I don't drive my car that way. A lot of your performance gurus seem to prefer it over the 5W and 10W. I like it in the colder months because the 0W lubes faster at start up. I'm just not sure about the hotter months though. I know that the previous owner used the 5W30 synthetic up to 53K miles, then I continued with it up to 70K. It has always run great since I've owned the car. It seems to run fine now with the 0W in it, but I'm not sure if having to add 2 quarts between every oil change is worth it, based on my location and driving habits. I don't recall the 5W30 burning oil like that.

[Malbec 56 Beast]

I believe when you go to wide open throttle that the car riches up in fuel and that is what your seeing. Go online (YouTube) and watch videos and almost every car does that.

My.02

Andy

[armybrat]

So once I get UpRev'ed (eventually lol), this will balance out the A/F and I should be good?

Yes you should...when I had mine Uprev'ed, it runs a lot better, leaner now, a lot less soot. Like someone else here mentioned, I believe that these cars run a little rich from the factory. I believe that this is why you hear about cat failures on this forum...the soot has to go somewhere. Also, burning oil can cause premature cat failure, which is why I will probably switch back to 5W30 if I find that I have to add some during my trial 0W40 run like other folks here have had to do. I have another 400 miles or so before hitting the 1000 mile mark so I will check it then. I know when I first switched to 0W40 and drained the 5W30 I filled my 5 quart drain pan and had to put the plug back in so that I could dump the pan out to catch the rest. When I drained the 0W40 out it didn't even fill the pan to the top the first time. That's unacceptable to me; just my 2 cents.

[DFW2011M56S]

So once I get UpRev'ed (eventually lol), this will balance out the A/F and I should be good?

Yes you should...when I had mine Uprev'ed, it runs a lot better, leaner now, a lot less soot. Like someone else here mentioned, I believe that these cars run a little rich from the factory. I believe that this is why you hear about cat failures on this forum...the soot has to go somewhere. Also, burning oil can cause premature cat failure, which is why I will probably switch back to 5W30 if I find that I have to add some during my trial 0W40 run like other folks here have had to do. I have another 400 miles or so before hitting the 1000 mile mark so I will check it then. I know when I first switched to 0W40 and drained the 5W30 I filled my 5 quart drain pan and had to put the plug back in so that I could dump the pan out to catch the rest. When I drained the 0W40 out it didn't even fill the pan to the top the first time. That's unacceptable to me; just my 2 cents.

Like I said before in my case 5w30 and 0w40 really made no difference in oil consumption.

[armybrat]

Like I said before in my case 5w30 and 0w40 really made no difference in oil consumption.

In your case, based on how you push your car, I concur