FX Engine Crisis: Metal in Oil & Multiple Failures

Hi there! I've had some experience working on cars and dealt with something very similar on my 2007 Infiniti EX35 last year. Those symptoms sound really familiar. Had the same issues power loss, rough running, and those worrying valve noises. Took it to my regular workshop and turned out it was a faulty valve servomotor. Cost me around 405€ to get it sorted, including parts and labor. The fix made a huge difference car runs smooth as silk now. What's your mileage and have you had any recent oil changes? Also, have you scanned for specific error codes? This info would help determine if you're dealing with the same problem I had.

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I'm at 147076 KM and just had my service done last month. To be honest, those metal shavings in the oil really got me worried. Your valve servomotor fix sounds promising was there any metal debris in your case? The symptoms match up pretty well with what I'm experiencing.

Hey again! Thanks for following up about those metal shavings that detail definitely rings some bells. Yeah, when I had my EX35 problem, I actually did find some metal particles in the oil too, though not a huge amount. It was really similar to what you're describing. In my case, the worn valve servomotor had caused some extra wear on the camshaft components, which explained the metal debris. Once we replaced the servomotor, my mechanic recommended doing a couple of oil changes pretty close together to flush out any remaining particles. Worked like a charm! With your mileage being around 147K, it's right in the ballpark where these issues tend to show up. Mine was at about 155K when it happened. Have you noticed if the metal shavings are fine particles or bigger chunks? In my case, they were pretty fine, almost like metallic dust. Tell you what before you dive into any major repairs, get those error codes read if you haven't already. That'll help confirm if you're dealing with the same thing I had. The error codes I got were related to camshaft timing, which pointed us in the right direction. Just trying to save you some headaches since I've been through this myself! Let me know what you find out about those codes.

Thanks so much for all that detailed info! It's actually a relief to hear someone else went through something similar. The metal particles in my oil are pretty fine too, just like you described more like dust than chunks. That's making me feel a bit better about the whole situation. I'll definitely get those error codes checked first thing tomorrow. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, especially about the follow-up oil changes after the fix. That's super helpful advice I wouldn't have thought about. Fingers crossed it's the same issue as yours that repair cost sounds way better than what I was fearing. Will update once I know more about those codes!