Why is my 2005–2006 Nissan 350Z burning oil?

Short answer: The 'Rev-Up' version of the 3.5L V6 used in 2005 Anniversary and 2006 manual 350Zs is known for burning oil. Owners and forum members blamed piston rings. Some cars burn almost nothing, and others go through a quart in under 1,000 miles. Check the dipstick often and keep it topped up. If it's burning a lot, a dealer oil consumption test and a compression or leak-down test tell you how bad it is.

Symptom: The oil level drops between changes with no leak, you smell oil after hard driving, or the oil light flickers in hard corners when it's low.

What to check first

1. Check the oil every fill-up, on level ground with the engine warm and off a few minutes. Write down quarts added and miles.
2. Know which engine you have. The Rev-Up is in 2005 Anniversary Edition and 2006 manual cars. 2007 and later use a different engine.
3. Ask a Nissan dealer about an oil consumption test if you're under any warranty.
4. Have a compression and leak-down test done if it's burning a quart in 1,000 miles or less.
5. Look for leaks too, so you know it's burning oil and not dripping it.

Likely causes

1. Piston ring problem on Rev-Up engines. Forum members described it as a ring issue tied to a supplier.
2. Hard driving and high rpm. Owners say oil use goes up with track days and heavy throttle.
3. Oil leaks. Rule these out first.

What it usually costs

Keeping spare oil in the car costs little. Owners said Nissan's test had strict limits and few got a new engine. A rebuild or replacement engine is a big job, and we don't have reliable prices from these threads.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Yes, if you keep the oil full. Running low in hard corners can starve the engine of oil and damage it. Verify with a mechanic.

DIY or shop?

DIY for checking and topping up. Compression testing, rebuilds and engine swaps are shop work.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• No recall for oil consumption: Owners on My350Z discussed a Nissan service bulletin and oil consumption test, but we didn't find a recall for this. NHTSA's recall list for the 2005–2006 350Z had no matching engine recall when we checked.
• NHTSA complaints: 17 keyword-matched complaints for Nissan 350Z 2005–2006 (of 136 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-21; keywords: oil consumption, burning oil, oil loss, low oil, quart, piston ring, oil light). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In Rev up oil consumption questions on My350Z, a buyer asked if the oil burning on Rev-Up engines leads to failure. Several 2006 owners said theirs used no oil. Others said 2005 and 2006 manual Rev-Ups have a high chance of burning oil, that one owner went through four dealer oil consumption tests and was told it was within limits, and that 1 quart per 1,000 miles was the line for a new engine. A member said the Rev-Up had a supplier-related ring issue.
• In Worst oil consumption yet (page 3) on My350Z, an owner in Italy said a Rev-Up was using about a liter every 1,000 km and that the problem was widespread on Rev-Ups, while another owner said their 2006 used only half a quart in 3,000 miles even with track days. Members pointed others to the main Rev-Up oil consumption thread and told 2005–2006 owners to watch their oil level.
• In RevUp oil consumption TSB and discussion (page 238) on My350Z, owners kept a long-running thread comparing oil use, dealer tests and repairs.

Quick tip

If you're buying a 2006 manual Z, check the oil level before the test drive and ask how often the owner adds oil. A straight answer is worth a lot.

Vehicle focus: 2005 Anniversary and 2006 manual Nissan 350Z with the Rev-Up VQ35DE.

Safety / mechanic note

Low oil can ruin the engine, especially in hard driving. Verify with a mechanic.