# Frontier using oil



## iflyasa (Feb 25, 2007)

I have an 02 Frontier 2.4 liter 4 cylinder, with 102,000 miles. For some reason it's using alot of oil. It's using about 1 quart per 2000 miles. This is not normal. There is no oil leak. It can sit in my garage for days at a time without a single drop of oil. There is no oil in the antifreeze either, and it doesn't smoke. I'm getting about 26 mpg on the highway. I also use Mobile 1, 10W30. 

Does anybody have any suggestions? Someone mentioned a bad PCV valve could cause this. I just bought one and will change it soon. 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## golfer (Aug 21, 2006)

Check your spark plugs to see if they are gunked. It may be the valve guide seals.


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## BTF/PTM (Oct 19, 2006)

One quart of oil in 2,000 miles is not an extreme amount of oil consumption.

If you're using Mobil1 synthetic oil, try switching to a non-synthetic oil. Many engines burn synthetic oil faster than normal oil, the simple (but not entirely accurate) reason is that it's "more slippery". It has to do with the size of the molecules and a lot of other stuff. But in any case, try that and see if it helps. Switch back to a non-syn oil for three oil changes and see if the oil burning is lessened.

*edit* gunked spark plugs are not necessarily related to leaking valve guide seals.


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## frontier206 (Feb 21, 2007)

BTF/PTM said:


> One quart of oil in 2,000 miles is not an extreme amount of oil consumption.
> 
> If you're using Mobil1 synthetic oil, try switching to a non-synthetic oil. Many engines burn synthetic oil faster than normal oil, the simple (but not entirely accurate) reason is that it's "more slippery". It has to do with the size of the molecules and a lot of other stuff. But in any case, try that and see if it helps. Switch back to a non-syn oil for three oil changes and see if the oil burning is lessened.
> 
> *edit* gunked spark plugs are not necessarily related to leaking valve guide seals.


i had the same problem with my 2006 2.5l frontier. but i was not consuming as much oil. you might want to check the Positive Crank Case Ventalation Valve. that might be the cause of your problems


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## azrocketman (Oct 5, 2005)

iflyasa said:


> I have an 02 Frontier 2.4 liter 4 cylinder, with 102,000 miles. For some reason it's using alot of oil. It's using about 1 quart per 2000 miles. This is not normal. There is no oil leak. It can sit in my garage for days at a time without a single drop of oil. There is no oil in the antifreeze either, and it doesn't smoke. I'm getting about 26 mpg on the highway. I also use Mobile 1, 10W30.
> 
> Does anybody have any suggestions? Someone mentioned a bad PCV valve could cause this. I just bought one and will change it soon.
> 
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Are you fouling the plugs or having problems passing emisssions tests? If so then you have a problem that needs to be fixed. You can replace the PCV valve (have fun, it's a pain to change) and see if that reduces the oil consumption. Also, are you overfilling the oil? The engine only takes about 3.5 quarts on a change. Extra oil can be thrown on the cylinder wall and burned.

In reality you do not have a problem. I would not start worrying about oil consumption until I started using a quart every 1000 miles (of course my experience is with Corvairs and Chevy small blocks, neither of which are known for good oil control).

Steve


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## BTF/PTM (Oct 19, 2006)

azrocketman said:


> Are you fouling the plugs or having problems passing emisssions tests? If so then you have a problem that needs to be fixed. You can replace the PCV valve (have fun, it's a pain to change) and see if that reduces the oil consumption. Also, are you overfilling the oil? The engine only takes about 3.5 quarts on a change. Extra oil can be thrown on the cylinder wall and burned.
> 
> In reality you do not have a problem. I would not start worrying about oil consumption until I started using a quart every 1000 miles (of course my experience is with Corvairs and Chevy small blocks, neither of which are known for good oil control).
> 
> Steve


Ain't it fun when something as simple as a PCV valve swap is a job so freakin complex that you'd rather just dump in a new engine?:lame: 

A quart every 1,000 miles is nothin', man. I had a CRX that burned a quart a week. It was great, I didn't have to crack the oil drain plug for the first year I had it, I just dumped in a quart of oil each week and slapped a new oil filter on it every 3,000 miles  Then I finally had enough money saved up for a cheap used replacement engine. Life was a lil more complex after that, I actually had to do real oil changes


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I use a half quart every 3-4,000 miles on my KA24DE Frontier with 253k miles of city delivery driving using 10W 30 Mobil 1.That being said, are you sure you have no leaks? I just changed the original PCV valve in mine this year (235k miles), and have had a few leaks I have had to repair that were minor and did not drip much, but they still were causing an oil loss of a quart every 1-2,000 miles.The front crank seal seems to fail on every Nissan from the 90's I have worked on when it gets past 100k miles.Maximas, Altimas, Sentras, Frontiers, Pathfinders, etc. Every one I fix usually needs one. Usually after replacing the front seal oil consumption goes down by 50-80%.My particular truck had small leaks at the front crank seal, rear crank seal and the oil pressure light switch located on top of the oil filter boss on the passenger's side of the block. 
Oh, and Yes-The PCV valve is one of the worst jobs you will ever do on this engine.


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## iflyasa (Feb 25, 2007)

himilefrontier said:


> I use a half quart every 3-4,000 miles on my KA24DE Frontier with 253k miles of city delivery driving using 10W 30 Mobil 1.That being said, are you sure you have no leaks? I just changed the original PCV valve in mine this year (235k miles), and have had a few leaks I have had to repair that were minor and did not drip much, but they still were causing an oil loss of a quart every 1-2,000 miles.The front crank seal seems to fail on every Nissan from the 90's I have worked on when it gets past 100k miles.Maximas, Altimas, Sentras, Frontiers, Pathfinders, etc. Every one I fix usually needs one. Usually after replacing the front seal oil consumption goes down by 50-80%.My particular truck had small leaks at the front crank seal, rear crank seal and the oil pressure light switch located on top of the oil filter boss on the passenger's side of the block.
> Oh, and Yes-The PCV valve is one of the worst jobs you will ever do on this engine.



On my 2002 frontier, I still can't find the PCV valve. Is it the same as described from the 99 Frontier??


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

iflyasa said:


> On my 2002 frontier, I still can't find the PCV valve. Is it the same as described from the 99 Frontier??


 It's in the same spot.All KA's in a RWD application have it there.You will not find it unless you first remove the power steering pump.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

My KA24E uses about one quart every 3700 miles w/ over 200000 on her. She never used any oil between oil changes until after she hit 120000. 

That being said, things to check are the PCV operation and the integrity of the rings. In addition to replacing the PCV valve and inspecting its operation, you may want to have a compression and cylinder leakdown test performed. Switching back to "dino" oil to see if it has an affect is also a good idea.


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## frontier206 (Feb 21, 2007)

you might want to go and have the short and long block looked at. i just took my 06 frontier with 26,000miles in to have the short block replaced because the all of the seals and rings went bad from the factory


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## vixmiramontes (May 28, 2021)

iflyasa said:


> I have an 02 Frontier 2.4 liter 4 cylinder, with 102,000 miles. For some reason it's using alot of oil. It's using about 1 quart per 2000 miles. This is not normal. There is no oil leak. It can sit in my garage for days at a time without a single drop of oil. There is no oil in the antifreeze either, and it doesn't smoke. I'm getting about 26 mpg on the highway. I also use Mobile 1, 10W30.
> 
> Does anybody have any suggestions? Someone mentioned a bad PCV valve could cause this. I just bought one and will change it soon.
> 
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## vixmiramontes (May 28, 2021)

T hbd e oils going out your exhaust. I watched out my side mirror and I can hear a ticking start when there is a whitish smoke that starts to come out that's my oil I thought I needed a new engine and I just might because it's pretty weak in my opinion for V6 but I have an '03 frontier and I changed out the PCV valve it's in the valve cover by the way and it made a hell of a difference and it stopped consuming so much oil I used to put in like one quart every hundred miles and it's not anywhere near like that anymore.


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