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Farily new car requiring new engine


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LongHawk
New User

Feb 7, 2023, 7:51 PM

Post #1 of 6 (2399 views)
Farily new car requiring new engine Sign In

Hi,

Vehicle: Nissan Maxima
Year: 2017

Recently heavy smoke came out of both exhaust pipes, so I took to a mechanic. He replaced some kind of gasket but issue persisted. He recommended that I take it to a dealership, who told me that I have heavy sludge and debris in my engine, therefore, I need to replace the entire engine. I'm getting another opinion before pulling the trigger.

As the car is fairly new, I wonder if my recent action may have caused the problem. Before the winter I topped off the reservoir with a coolant that is premix. Prestone 50/50 mix. I wonder if that caused the problem. I worry because I did that to my other three vehicles.

I'd appreciate any comment about the necessity of a new engine and my action of adding coolant may have caused the problem.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 7, 2023, 7:55 PM

Post #2 of 6 (2397 views)
Re: Farily new car requiring new engine Sign In

There is one cause and only one cause to a sludged engine................Lack of oil changes.

Adding coolant didn't cause any harm unless you mistakenly added it to the engine oil.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Feb 7, 2023, 7:56 PM)


Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
Sidom profile image

Feb 8, 2023, 3:02 PM

Post #3 of 6 (2350 views)
Re: Farily new car requiring new engine Sign In

A bit of clarification would be good "heavy smoke" and "some kind of gasket" could mean anything from something not too bad to something major.
When I read your post, my 1st though was a blown head gasket. But if the problem is still happening after the repair, then either the repair failed or there is something else going on.

How many miles is on the engine?

As HT said, one of the main causes of sludge is a lack of oil changes.
Another thing that can contribute to sludge build up, is the engine running too cool, either due to having too low of degree (on missing) thermostat or lots of short trips not allowing the engine to reach operating temperature.

Is your engine using coolant now and/or overheating?

Definitely get a 2nd opinion. Let us know what you find out


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 8, 2023, 3:53 PM

Post #4 of 6 (2347 views)
Re: Farily new car requiring new engine Sign In

Just some thoughts and notes of this for you.

Any 4 stoke engine depends on motor oil or wouldn't last a mile if zero lube.

A warning should have come on if real sludge happened is cooking it so hot you get fudge like good or worse hard chunks of junk. Ports in engines distribute it where need most first and so on.

It cleans out minor sludge or beginning of a real bad burned stain of it till hard, clogs an port for oil to go then items fail and fast.

Oil itself is stable the additives to make it work, clean and flow at reated SAE #s are additives. Those don't renew thru a filter. If never consumed it then it was fuel or other (condensation?) from air all depending on how it's used + where it's parked the most.

Only answer is lack of lube real sludge is easy to get as oil can't be what it was new.

IDK a non-exotic car with real dual exhaust rather dual tailpipes so one thing makes it to both.

Was it oil at all that made what you saw?

High miles and incredible care you can crank up so high miles on an engine you still change out oil this bull it will last a year 25,000 miles is bull as it normally get contaminated a bit?

It could be oil used was all wrong also.

If this was all of a sudden and you did change it out on time I guess cheating on what was really in the oil used wasn't that??

Other things can make a smoke issue. Oils burning appear blueish if with gas mixed quits lubing.

IDK dealer checked or other if it still drives OK another tech not involved checking it out a good idea. New engine doesn't mean it's new again for many as so much doesn't come with one or it's remade from a core all the other "stuff" all over the thing goes on new.

IDK - Been a while I've like known and checked matching used recently sent to salvage for another reason - find out if any which way you choose plus the shop and tech(s) that know how to do it right.

Big bucks, something went wrong without warning if fast or if oil changing sent out or "while you wait" a problem happened with what went where then??

By even the 6 years old surprised without symptoms building up, performance lowers just not long before the owner neglected it or you did.

IMO it's past back luck or a defect rare yet once in a while it is just that - can't know for sure,

Tom



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 8, 2023, 3:57 PM

Post #5 of 6 (2345 views)
Re: Farily new car requiring new engine Sign In

The OP appears to be another "hit and run".

Posted days ago with very little info and never came back.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 8, 2023, 11:21 PM

Post #6 of 6 (2334 views)
Re: Farily new car requiring new engine Sign In

You hit back instantly on that 1st post and no answers from OP? Yup, spew that same all over the web see which one you like.

At least define what sludge was found? Abuse or full of magic in a bottle to avoid doing anything to a car choked it to death.

So probably does need an engine job at some outrageous cost just out fishing for more magic trick - no rabbit in most hats, Tom






 
 
 






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