Trailing Arm Questions/ Oil Pan Questions

[99Qx4GroundUp]

Hey guys,

Trailing Arm:

So I bought 2 trailing arm bushings from rockauto.com and I realized that I should have bought 4 total.

On the website it doesn't specify which go in the front and which go in the back, so my questions are:

Are the bushings the same size for the front and rear?

Would I be better off just getting brand new Trailing Arms?

Oil Pan:

I have a small leak somewhere and I havent been able to find the source. I changed my oil and right at 2,000 miles into the change, my oil light came on and I can hear a faint ticking sound coming from right behind the distributor (as best as I can locate with sound). I have looked for oil pans and can't find any for the 1999 Qx4s anywhere, all I seem to find is oil pan gasket and gasket maker...

Does anyone know where I can find the oil pan? I have checked E-bay already.

Could I get away with just putting the two rubber gasket looking parts on the oil pan? I don't see any cracks or damage to the oil pan but I also have never pulled it off, and doubt that the previous owner did since I've had to replace so much on this vehicle already...


Thanks as always,

Javin

[Brian VT]

No help finding a new pan for you but I had one leaking (Dodge pickup) and couldn't find the leak until I took it off to inspect and I could just barely see light passing through a minute hole in side of the pan.

[EdBwoy]

This is a general comment, not particular to your vehicle. The oil light coming on cannot be good news, especially since it was followed by the tick.

Following this point, I would hold off on the trailing arm fix. But to answer your question, all 8 bushings that you would buy for the 4 (left & right, upper & lower) rear trailing arms are the same

[99Qx4GroundUp]

Thank you for the bushing clarification EBwoy.

Regarding the oil situation, I was hoping that someone that sees this has replaced their oil pan on the Qx4 specifically, and could tell me where they got it and how they got the gaskets to go on. I have never replaced an oil pan and from what I hear its not a hard job, except when I look for the parts I need for the Q, I come up with nothing. Only thing I see are 3.5L pans.

And the ticking noise is never a good noise, that I do know... What I don't know is how to go about fixing the problem. I need to get this leak taken care of, when I add enough Mobil 5w30, the tick goes away. What is making that ticking sound specifically? Would it be smart to remove the head and clean everything out? I doubt its ever been pulled

Thanks!

Javin.

[01pathfinder7]

I've heard our lights won't turn on until zero oil pressure is sensed. How often do you check your dipstick? A leak large enough to cause your oil to drop low enough for the light to come on must leave a huge puddle?

Oil pan is usually where fluids end up collecting and looking wet. Even if you spill a little when adding it'll eventually get down there.

As edboy said adress the oil issue before throwing to much time and money into suspension. There is an upper and lower component to the oil pan. Which one do you think I leaking and why?

Could be the notorious pathfinder oil consumption causing your oil to drop so quickly. As for the tick maybe try some "quaker state defy" oil. I haven't used it myself but a few friends have and the zinc additive really silenced alot of engine tick.

[barnaclebob]

Is it possible to patch a hole in an oil pan if you cant find a replacement? Seems like a welding shop would be able to patch up a crack or small hole.

You may need to go to a junk yard to find a replacement.

[99Qx4GroundUp]

@01Pathfinder7

I didn't check my dipstick after my oil change until the oil light came on, being that I never had an issue with it before. Now I am checking it ever few days. I checked it when I heard the ticks and I added a quart of oil and it stopped so I didn't check it again until the tick came back and the dip stick was dry as a bone. I have no large oil stains on the street, I have a driveway that is two lanes of concrete with grass in the middle so it is difficult to see any oil until the grass starts to die I suppose. I'm not sure which component of the oil pan is leaking but I don't see any oil anywhere around the engine bay. I keep it pretty clean from what I can reach. I did notice oiled plugs when I changed them a month ago, some worse than others.

Do you think I should take the heads off and clean all the gunk out? I'm sure its never been done before...

Notorious consumption is a little excessive for every 2,000 miles don't you think? I will try "quaker state defy" next oil change and see what happens, what weight do you think I should use?

@barnaclebob

I'm going to try to find a hole or crack and I'll weld it myself if I can find it. I'll get a replacement if not.

Thanks again for the information.

Javin

[MisterH]

Why do you think the leak is coming from the oil pan? In your posts you don't cite anything specific with regard to locating the source of the leak. This is one of those occasions where it's best to get the car on a lift and get under it with a flashlight and examine it carefully (or have a professional do the diagnosis) before you start taking things apart. If it is indeed a hole in the oil pan you can always find one in a salvage yard.

P.S I'm surprised you couldn't find an oil pan on ebay.
I found new Nissan OEM replacement part on eBay within 30 seconds of searching. $115.

[EdBwoy]

It's possible to fix a cracked oil pan with even jb weld, but the key is to make sure it's clear of debris and is very clean as basic prep - which would circle back to you figuring out how to remove the pan.

BUT WAIT!!
Did the 3.3 engines have oil burning issues? Check around the tailpipe for the black gunk and even on the bumper. Or have someone jab on the throttle aggressively while stopped and you'll be able to tell if oil comes your way.
If yours had a timing chain, I would say that the oil activated chain tensioners would cause a rattle of some sort when you're low on oil... but that would only attempt to explain the noise, not why you're losing oil.

I recommend going to a self-service carwash and bring your best knee pads with you. Clean the underside of the vehicle pretty thoroughly but watching out for electrical harnesses. After getting rid of the oil and gunk, then just check later and you'll see where your fresh leaks are.

Do you intend to keep this vehicle forever? If not, I'd recommend strongly that you do not dig into the head work. It will cost a lot of money to just deal with the heads, bolts and gaskets... which would be unlikely to fix the oil issue.

Also, low oil causes worn bearings. If you could record a video of this noise, we might be able to pinpoint what is going on. What sounds like a tick to you might be a tap to me and a knock to someone else.

[01pathfinder7]

Oops 3.3. However this does sound like oil consumption and not a leak. Do the 3.3 have an oil cooler? They were a common leak on 3.5 auto. I have a 3.5 manual so I'm not too sure. But no puddle or major stains doesn't seen like a leak.

Your going to want to start checking your oil daily. I just fixed an oil consumption on my 3.5 manual by changing the pcv valve and haven't used a drop since. I had no major smoke other of my pipe but yes was adding oil almost daily. So 2000miles doesn't surprise me it was dry. A two hour drive used to require me to stop and add half way it was that bad. Beyond happy I fixed this issue.

Removing heads and all this major engine work sounds like you are very comfortable with a wrench and engine internals. That is major work and isn't to be take lightly. Cleaning alone isnt going to fix any damage. Lifters. Valves. Seals. All may need replacing and re setting. Make sure you diagnose your oil loss before tearing deep in the point of no return. Just use 5-30 if you live in a winter climate maybe 10 -30 if not.

Also maybe check your coolant for signs of oil. It's got to be going somewhere.

[01pathfinder7]

. I did notice oiled plugs when I changed them a month ago, some worse than others

I'd look more into this. Pull them again. Sparkplug seals from the valve covers? Are they changeable? Sorry again don't know the 3.3 well. Does your oil smell of gas?

[99Qx4GroundUp]

@MisterH

I don't have much knowledge on fixing oil leaks, my first idea is to drop the pan and inspect it for any cracks or bad seals. I have a small leak from somewhere near the oil pan. Regarding finding one on Ebay, I was looking for a good while and found plenty of pans for the 3.5L, I'm not sure if thats what you saw, but I can't use it. I did find one for $65 at the local salvage yard.

@EdBwoy

I would have someone rev for me but my muffler exploded and I have yet to fix it. Would that cause oil consumption? I'll go by the wash today and get a bunch of degreaser and powerspray the undercarriage, then report back when some visible evidence shows up. I do intend on keeping this vehicle and getting a secondary newer Q model. I have a bad feeling that the previous owner(s) didn't do any maintenance on the vehicle at all. So I planned on doing head work anyway because I had an overheating problem previously that I fixed. I will have to upload a video to youtube or facebook and give yall the URL for it.

@01pathfinder7

I do not have an Oil Cooler, I am getting a PCV valve today and will install it after I get off of work today and report back after a couple days to see what has come from it. I hope it will fix the consumption problem like it did yours. I can't phathom that I leaked that much oil and didn't notice it. I park in the same spot everyday at work and haven't noticed any oil spots, just a small power steering leak that I'll get into later on another thread if I can't get it fixed myself. I have the luxury of having a large car crew in town that consist of a lot of very seasoned mechanics that are more than willing to lend a hand at any time. I live in central Texas so with my next oil change coming up, I will switch to 10w30 and see if that will slow the consumption/loss. I do believe the spark plug seals are interchangeable. I'll look into that.


Thanks to everyone that has put in some input, It's greatly appreciated!

Javin

[Upgrayedd]

If you are in the Austin area, the LKQ pick-your-part salvage yard on south Congress has a handful of R50's there. I was there this weekend and saw them. At least two of them had the 3.3L engines and I'll bet their oil pans are still there. I would think they are cheaper than $65 since you would have to pull the part yourself.

[cr4west]

1. Trailing are bushings are all the same size. Loads of fun getting the old ones out. Check the other posts covering this topic.
2. First find out exactly where your leak is. Use the fluorescent dye leak detector stuff if necessary. It could be the front or rear crank main seal. Valve cove gaskets can leak down into some very strange places as well so check those too.
If needed oil pan gasket replacement is pretty straight forward, just download the FSM from this site and follow the directions. On 4 wheel drive models you have to drop the front axel and or jack up the engine to get enough clearance. Not sure about 2 wheel drive models. You can weld up a hole in the oil pan using a wire feed welder and a piece of scrap aluminum as a backing plate to shape the molten weld puddle. Grind it smooth and paint. Depending on engine total mileage (150k to 200k) consider doing the front main seal, oil pump o-ring and the oil pump while you are in there.
I've been there. It's a project but it can be done.

[99Qx4GroundUp]

Hey guys sorry for the delayed response, have been busy.

Here is a link you can go to to view the video for the ticking or knocking noise

https://m.facebook.com/infiniti.qxfour?ref=bookmarks

[99Qx4GroundUp]

I am also going to post a few pictures of the oil leak suspects as well.

Thanks for the suggestions and input

[99Qx4GroundUp]

Bump

Also...

With my muffler still being exploded open, would that be another cause the excessive loss of engine oil?

I'm looking to get the FlowMasters Super 44 Series... But I am not sure what the Inlet/Outlet of our exhausts are. Or what would be a safe size to weld it.

Thanks,

Javin

[McFalconPunch]

I had a Flowmaster 70 series installed on mine. It had 2 1/4 inlets and 3 outlet. The guy that did my exhaust used adapters at the inlets to drop them down to 2 inch. I had to have everything after the cats replaced anyways. Just used pipe where the resonators were at.

[99Qx4GroundUp]

Update:

I went to work one day and parked at a sort of slopped down parking spot, after an hour I grabbed an item out of the vehicle and noticed a oil accumulation about 4 inches in diameter that was not there when i parked, I got under the vehicle and noticed that in between the oil pan and bell housing that there was indeed a bad leak. I immediately checked my oil again (was weekly) and It was low, so I added some cheap oil and bought some 10w30 Quakerstate Defy. Changed it that evening (third time in 1,000 miles) and added some Bars Stop Leak and Marvel's Mystery oil. The knock/tick subsided but came back about 4 days later. I had a well known mechanic here in town come by and check it out, his diagnosis was bad lifter(s) and not a rod... Good news in light of thinking of having to motor swap or overhaul...

If I'm not mistaken that is the rear main seal?

I'm doing research on the re-installation of the seal, seems like quite the task.

Also going to be digging into replacing all of my lifters while I'm tearing the top of the motor off...

Anyone have a how-to thread they know off top that they can link in this thread? I'd be grateful as I often have time navigating threads

Always Thanks,

Javin

[EdBwoy]

This came up as I was looking up oil consumption threads. It has been a while, but did you manage to address the issues?