****************Update*****************

So its been 3000 Miles since this has happened and Im happy to say that everything seems fine. No weird noises, no overheating, no massive oil consumption, no loss of power. Engine is super smooth. I was extremely lucky!
Apparently the oil pick up works well in this engine. Im sure there was negative affects, but they dont seem to be too prevalent, at least right now.
I'll keep this thread updated.

*****************************************


So, the story goes...
We just bought a 2003 G35 from a place about 300 miles away from us.
After we bought it, we immediately stopped for gas not even a mile away.
As we were getting gas I checked the oil via the dipstick and there was oil all over the dipstick. I cleaned it up and inserted it back in, same thing, oil everywhere, I was thinking...is there too much oil? I saw a oil change sticker on the windscreen and it said that there was 1000 miles left before the next oil change or due by 9/1/12.
The car was in excellent condition in and out so I thought, oh yeah, everything's good then, lets go home.
So I let my wife drive the car to work and such for the next week and a half until I finally had a chance to fully inspect the car. She loves it, says it runs very smooth until...Yesterday morning she tells me the car was making a weird noise as she turned it on and was like that for about 15 mins before it stopped making the noise, same thing on the way home. As soon as I got home I checked it myself, and sure enough it sounds like clicking/klacking, like if its the valves. I stop the car and check the oil, oil all over the dipstick (the dipstick is such a pain in the *** on this car!) So I decided to go under the car and see anything out of the ordinary that may rattle, like exhaust shielding ...etc. Nothing, everything checks out. I then decide to change the oil anyways. As soon as I drop the oil from the pan it was evident. There was barely anything in there! So I feel like a complete *** for not making sure 100% that there was indeed oil in there. I should of done it even though the window sticker said there was 1000 miles left. Gosh dang that oil dipstick! On all my prior cars if I turn off the car for a couple mins I can get a great read on the oil, with this car, apparently you have to leave it alone for about 10-15 mins.

Anyways, after I put in 5 quarts of new oil/filter, the noise is gone completely. I dont hear any residual noise, its completely smooth.

Anyone have experience with these engines on how they could handle this situation?
Major permanent damage done?
Im going to do a compression test this weekend. Anything else I should look for or test?
Also, why in the hell didnt the oil light come on? with only 1 of the 5 quarts in there you would think the oil light would come on to say there is low oil pressure.

I sure hope everythings ok. Im going to be checking if it burns oil too.

******Update********

So its been 3000 Miles since this has happened and Im happy to say that everything seems fine. No weird noises, no overheating, no massive oil consumption, no loss of power. Engine is super smooth. I was extremely lucky!
Apparently the oil pick up works well in this engine. Im sure there was negative affects, but they dont seem to be too prevalent, at least right now.
I'll keep this thread updated.

 

The low oil sensor on these cars is worthless, it is in the bottom corner of the pan IIRC. If and when it does come on, there has most likely already been damage done. Mine came on once when I was low on oil (~2.5ish qts.) in the middle of a higher G corner. Scared the **** out of me. That was the day I figured out my G is a pheen for oil..

When you do your compression test, you might find oil pooling in the spark plug tubes. It's a common problem on these cars and is only remedied by replacing the whole valve cover. There is a aftermarket company named L-Fab who has reworked the OEM design with better o-ring gaskets and has modified the stock cover to accept o-ring gasket replacement. That is the problem with the OEM valve covers, the gasket is built in and non-replaceable.

As far as damage, I couldn't tell ya. You might want to send some oil samples to blackstone labs. They can give you a better idea of what's going on inside your engine, wear wise that is.

 

On my 03, I noticed when doing an oil change at ~130k that not much oil drained out - measured it and it was only 2.5qt. Scared the crap out of me, as I had just completed a 1k mile roundtrip before that. Started all of a sudden, never noticed a smaller amount of oil draining out of the car ever, and I have done oil changes on it since I bought it in 03.

I now have to check and top off the oil every 1k miles or so. My guess is you will have to start doing the same. My car also looks and runs FAR better than you'd expect from a 9-year-old car with 140k+ miles - but it does now consume oil. I believe the only real solution is to replace the engine. As long as it keeps running great, I'll just have to put up with checking/topping off the oil. It's not that big a deal.

 

I add about 1 quart of oil per 3000 miles. It's pretty consistent.

But yet, park the car, come back 30 mins later and then check the dip stick. Doing it after the car has run is worthless

 

Why didn't you immediately change the oil?

I always change the oil within 100 miles of purchasing a car, just to be on the safe side. Some used car dealers might change the oil for you before you drive off the lot, but I want to either be there to witness it or change the oil myself after I get the car home.

 

so OP doesnt knnow how to use/read the dipstick?

 

That was my instinct, which I failed to follow. My wife really wanted to drive it (its her car)
and she was telling me "its fine, its fine, the oil sticker says its due in 1000 miles"
so I just gave in and let her drive it. So yeah, ultimately it was my mistake.

 

^ur ultimate mistake was not knowing how to use a dipstick

 

The dipstick in the VQ35 is a pain.. you really do need to let it sit for at least 10 minutes, then pull the dipstick, wipe it off, dip it again, sometimes several times until you can get a good reading. Even when re-filling the engine with oil, it seems the oil runs over the dipstick tube when filling and takes ages to drain off properly.
There is no way you can get any kind of decent reading in a couple of minutes when you refuel, like you can with most cars.

 

As stated earlier, when I checked the dipstick, oil was all over the stick...as in oil was literally like a foot up the stick and everywhere. wiped it clean, put it back, checked again, still all over the stick. I read the manual yesterday which says you need to turn on the car, let it run, then turn it off and wait 10mins to get a reading.
So yeah, my not knowing this was a big fault.

 

^are u new to cars?

 

what makes you ask?

 

^seems like it.

 

Check oil 1st thing in the morning before you start it.

 

^thats wat i normally do or after the cars been sitting for couple hours. i get the best and clearest reading that way.