Check this before your powertrain warranty is up!

[slz]

Word of advice. If you find this problem and you ARE under warranty, don't clean the oil from the coil pack, or anywhere from the tube before taking it to the dealer. I took things apart a couple of weekends ago (lovely weekend here in Maryland). Found oil on the driver-side rear coilpack. Wiped it off before putting it back together. There was very little oil pooling around the plug, it was all on the coilpack tube. Took it to the dealer, who inspected it and said that they could only find "oil residue" and that wasn't sufficient to perform a warranty replacement.

I have a few months left on the warranty. They encouraged me to bring it back before the warranty expires so they can check it again. If they see the oil, they'll replace it at that time. I can understand their point. (Not that I agree with it. But, why take a customer's word for something, right?) It's a PITA to have to go around twice on something I know is a problem, but can't be proven to their (or Infiniti's) satisfaction.

[SteveZ]

Originally Posted by slz

If they see the oil, they'll replace it at that time. I can understand their point. (Not that I agree with it. But, why take a customer's word for something, right?) It's a PITA to have to go around twice on something I know is a problem, but can't be proven to their (or Infiniti's) satisfaction.

That's absurd, it may have taken 6 months to accumulate. I'd drain a teaspoon or two of my used oil from the drain plug, pour it back in the plug hole and take it back in a week.

Unethical, sure, but if they are going to call you a liar, which essentially is what they're saying, may as well be one.

[slz]

"Two wrongs don't make a right." Heard that somewhere, have always tried to live by not stooping to the other guy's level. It's worked out pretty well for me.

Anyway, the oil will show up again. I made sure that this issue/complaint is "on my permanent record." Since the complaint was registered before the expiration of the warranty I expect Infiniti will cover it, regardless of when we finally "prove" it. I'll pitch a fit at that time, if they don't.

[SteveZ]

Originally Posted by slz

"Two wrongs don't make a right."

No, they don't - you have one wrong against you already, i.e. denial of legitimate warranty service. If/when there is not enough oil that the problem shows up well after your warranty is up (it may have taken 30k miles to soak the coil pack), and they turn you down for being out of warranty, that will be your second wrong. You're correct, add those two wrongs together, they don't make a "right".

The time when you should "raise a stink" is when you found the oil. If other people are getting this problem fixed under warranty they have precedent to use their discretion and although warranty comp for dealers is far from 100% they have leverage to claim the problem. They chose not to side with what you told them, and are setting you up to get screwed. If you are a truly valued customer and told them what you found, that you cleaned it out, and they choose to base their decision on what's left after you've cleaned it up, then they're not acting in your best interest.

Put it another way, if you came in with that story first time out of warranty, they would have likely said, either

a)"We're not sure you need to do this, we don't want you to spend your hard-earned money on repair work until we're sure" if they are honest, or

b) "Just to be safe, and based on what you found, we can replace the covers and it will cost you $1400, you're probably going to have to get this done now or later - your choice."

Lemme think, which is more likely?

Stooping to "their level" would be faking the problem from the beginning, just in case it might ever happen and duping the dealer into doing work under warranty that may not ever be needed. That's being a slimeball.

Your car has a problem, you know it, and it's covered - getting it fixed under warranty is your right, not "stooping". Raising a stink after your car is out of warranty raises the stakes for the dealer, too, as they lose their leverage with NNA getting reimbursed at least in part. If you wait until the warranty is gone, you're not doing them a favor, either. You should talk it over with them as you get closer to your warranty end period.

[bocatrip]

By the way.......If this is truly an issue, how long after replacement of the valve cover gasket can we expect to have to do the same repair again?

[FinallyGotaG]

Originally Posted by bocatrip

By the way.......If this is truly an issue, how long after replacement of the valve cover gasket can we expect to have to do the same repair again?

From what I've been told by a bunch of different Infiniti techs, the replacement covers are a higher grade aluminum that doesn't warp like the original covers.

[OCG35]

^^^ ??? they are plastic

[bocatrip]

Originally Posted by OCG35

^^^ ??? they are plastic

Correct. And do they improve on plastic anyway?

[OCG35]

Originally Posted by bocatrip

Correct. And do they improve on plastic anyway?

my post was a statement questioning his statement that the are aluminum...

Originally Posted by FinallyGotaG

From what I've been told by a bunch of different Infiniti techs, the replacement covers are a higher grade aluminum that doesn't warp like the original covers.

[FinallyGotaG]

Hey thats what they told me. I guess I was fooled by them. Either way, whatever they did, fixed the problem.

[NetNinja]

This is the same stuff I ran into when I had a Ford Tarus SHO.
The engine was made by Yamaha and it was supposed to be a boat engine.
Man I loved that engine but what a PITA it was to work on it.

After 60K what happens is the rubber gets hard and oil will eventualy leak into the Spark plug well. For extra insurance you can put a light bead of RTV but you have to remember when you squish those pieces together the RTV will ooze out and evenutaly flake off into your valve area. You have a good chance that it may clog up an oil passage.

Here is my suggestion at 60k I would replace the gaskets. You seriously do not want oil in the plug wells. There were some pretty nasty pics of what happened when you negelected the 60K maintenace interval on the SHO. Spark plug wires melted, Coil packs destroyed. I lost 1 coil on my Coilpack I drove on 5 cylinders for over a year. I don't dog my cars so I never saw the performance loss.

Rubber has only so much of a lifespan. You have to realize that with all that heat and then cool down and that happening everyday for however long it takes to get to 60k the rubber will loose it's sealing properties.

Do the right thing don't chance your car to an oil leak in the Spark Plug well.
The gaskets can't be that expensive.


I believe I read somehwere on like the 8th page that the valve covers are made of Plastic? The SHO's were made of aluminum it doesn't make a difference what the material is it still leaked.

Be safe

[SinCityFD]

I have 69300 Miles on my car just checked this out and I do have a Bit of oil on plug. I think I may have an oil consumption issue also funny thing is the car is Auto. Funny thing is last couple of days at very low speeds or idle the car feels like it has a miss fire no check engine lights tho. Strange dealership on monday it is.

[phoenixg35drive]

what about for a 04 infiniti g35 coupe. It has 54 k miles and I have a problem with the belts, every time i turned it on it makes a weird noise. Do u guys think i should just take it to a mechanic or am i covered by a factory warranty? thanks all help will be appreciated because im kinda short on money lol..

[SteveZ]

Originally Posted by phoenixg35drive

what about for a 04 infiniti g35 coupe. It has 54 k miles and I have a problem with the belts, every time i turned it on it makes a weird noise. Do u guys think i should just take it to a mechanic or am i covered by a factory warranty? thanks all help will be appreciated because im kinda short on money lol..

Belts are wear items and by that mileage it is time to replace the serpentine belt. Not covered by warranty. I'd do it myself, but if you don't tension it right, you'll glaze your new belt, or worse.

Go to the dealer to have this thread's topic checked out.

[SteveZ]

Netninja, despite your otherwise sound advice you are so missing the point:

Do the right thing don't chance your car to an oil leak in the Spark Plug well. The gaskets can't be that expensive.

Like hell they are not, read the thread (again?)

We cannot buy the "gaskets" separately, they are built into the VC's, which means at least $500 in parts for replacing what would be two $20 gaskets on most any other DOHC V-6. If you can't do the work yourself, and it's not covered, the job runs $700-800 or more.

They CAN be that expensive, that's why this sucks so badly. No one here is too cheap to spring for <$100 of replacement gaskets, or if they are, they surely bought the wrong car.