New Nissan 370Z:Is This A Good Plan ?

[Dwight_Frye]

I have a new Nissan 370Z with about 800 miles on it. I understand that these cars run hot in regards to oil temps and a synthetic is a very good idea. I also read a bit about the special ester oil that Nissan developed for the 3.7 VQ engine and they do recommend that oil but do not require it in the owner's manual. Well the Nissan oil is $11.99 per quart and there is nothing about it that suggests you should run it beyond the usual 3-4K OCI's. So my plan is this: I am going to change the oil for the first time at around 1000-1200 miles, and refill with the Nissan ester oil and use the slightly oversize Mobil 1 110 filter. After another 3500 miles or so of breaking it in I want to switch to a full synthetic and I'm thinking Redline since it also uses some ester technology (?)
It's much cheaper than the Nissan oil and I would probably not take it beyond 5K OCI's after that. Would I be just as well served using Pennzoil Platinum which seems to receive high marks, and not pushing the OCI's past 4K or so ? I drive a mix of city/freeway and only put about 10K miles per year on my cars. I've been running Castrol GTX in all of my cars for the last 25 years and done oil & filter changes religiously at 3K miles and never had any engine problems, but this Nissan VQ engine is a whole new ball of wax and I want to treat it right, especially in regards to the known high oil temp issues. Thanks for everyone's opinions, I'm enjoying the site so far.

 

[Hezz]

I wouldn't overdo it, the VQ may be the most bulletproof engine being built. I am closing in on 200k on mine ('96 Maxima) running 5-6k OCI's on Mobil 1. Have seen more than a few 350k Maximas. Run a good synthetic that you can get at a good price and change it every 4-6k and I'd imagine you'll see a lot of enjoyment out of your car.

 

[Finklejag]

What you posted is what most would tell you what to do. You are thinking like a Bitogger already. The Nissan Ester oil is just dino oil with Esters in it, way overpriced!

Change @ 1,000. Then just run GTX until 5K, then switch over to Redline or Motul (both are Group 5 ester oil).

 

[Steve S]

Doesn't the engine management cut power when the oil gets hot?

 

[aquariuscsm]

You could run a good dino in that engine and it would last forever.

 

[BuickGN]

I definitely agree with the plan. If Nissan wants some esters in there, Redline seems like the obvious choice.

 

[JonfromCB]

Dwight, I just bought a G37X Sport and have the same dilemma.
We're in new territory with the VHQ 3.7. The 3.7 has over
33% different parts from the 3.5. The 3.7 is a considerably
different animal than the 3.5 so I would't put alot of stock
in what the "3.5 guys" have to say...I was one until I traded.
The 3.5 is bullitproof as long as you change the oil.

The 3.7 likes esther on the top end.
I too, plan to run Redline 5w30 after breaking it in on the
Nissan Esther for the first 5k. Will do my first OC next
week around 750 miles, another at 2500 and then Redline at 5K.


I've been watching Nico, and "my G" sites
and have seen numerous posts of going into "limp" mode when
the oil reaches 390 degrees...."victims" say it happens without
overheating the cooling system. I'm anxious to see some UOAs
from the 3.7 so we can learn what works. Let's stay in touch. ....Jon sends

 

[chevrofreak]

390 degree oil? That's just wrong.

 

[FZ1]

Just get the PP and take it to the dealer for warranty compliant,documented oil changes. Do what you want after the warranty expires.

 

[bubbatime]

390 degree oil sounds like a design flaw to me...

 

[GMZ]

When I had mine I dropped the factory fill @ 1K and filled with el cheapo dino from WM. The plan was to put Redline in it at 5K but I got rid of it before then. Something about not wanting to go back to jail for speeding. I wouldnt take it to any dealer for an oil change. Many of the guys on the 370z forum are running RL with great results. IIRC it will go into limp mode when the temp gauge reaches about 260ish, and there might even be 2 levels of limp mode from what some of the guys have experienced. Mine would get up to 220-230 with spirited driving. If you dont plan to track it then you should be fine, but the guys who race will need to add an oil cooler. Stillen and GTM make some nice kits. I was planning on going with the Schedule II maint with OCI @ 7500K with the Redline(with UOA to check TBN), anything less is waste IMO. Agree that this is a different beast than the 3.5, I had a couple of those myself.

Oh and Redline doesnt have ester technology. It -for lack of a better word and to make this simple- is ester.

 

[Craig in Canada]

I would put (a little) less thought into obsessing about which oil and concentrate on adding (or improving) oil cooling such that it doesn't reach these crazy temperature in the first place.

See if anyone makes an air/oil thermostat controlled cooler and install one. If not, perhaps an oil/coolant heat exchanger (this would speed warm up too).

I know BMW's 3.0 twin turbo N54 runs some high oil temperatures and within the first model year an oil cooler was made standard across all models that contain it. How is Nissan making the oil that hot in a normally aspirated application AND not doing something about it?

At least the Z should have a sturdy air/oil cooler.

 

[il_signore97]

^All Nissan VQ's already have an oil/coolant heat exchanger (both 3.5L and 3.7L engines). The issue is that when driven hard for prolonged periods, the oil/coolant heat exchanger can't keep up with the heat production in the oil, and temperatures steadily increase thereafter. It's not big enough for hard driving / track use.

For anyone who drives hard for prolonged periods, the only way to ensure proper oil temperatures is to add a thermostatically controlled oil/air cooler in addition to the stock oil/coolant heat exchanger as was stated above by GMZ. That way, under normal driving, the oil/air cooler does very little and the stock cooler would effectively maintain oil temps. But after hard driving, the oil/air cooler would augment the cooling process.

 

[mechtech2]

Is that 390 a typo?

 

[GMZ]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Is that 390 a typo?


I think so, @ 280 its in limp mode for sure. And I got my oil up to 240 in 7 city miles so you dont need prolonged driving to do it. The 370Z community is pretty up in arms why as to why as oil cooler isnt installed from factory, or even an option.

ETA: The oil coolers are not thermostat activated, they just route oil through a small cooler core via an adapter plate screwed onto the oil filter inlet/discharge.

 

[FZ1]

Warranty compliance is very important in a new vehicle with known problems.

 

[SteveSRT8]

that's virtually a design flaw!

 

[GMZ]

Whats funny is that when Nissan gave the 370 to some mags for testing the "honest" guys they are installed an oil cooler!!! Im too anal these days to have a sports car.

Under normal driving conditions you would be hard pressed to put it in limp mode. The highest I ever got was almost 250 and that was a spirited highway run of about 25 miles, but itll only last 1 or maybe 2 laps at the track before it limps.

I would still feel safe putting in Redline FWIW.

 

[Corvette Owner]

Using a name brand synthetic oil and changing at 7500 miles is fine. A guy just posted UOAs on his Nissan Murano and that is what he did with great results.

Going only 4,000-5,000 miles with synthetic is a waste. Doesn't your warrenty allow 7500 intervals? My Nissan Murano does.

 

[Dwight_Frye]

The consensus so far on the oil temp. issue seems to be if you are going to track the car, add a cooler. I am not. Most owners are also reporting that the somewhat high observed temperatures drop a bit after the car has a few thousand miles on it. My car only has about 800 miles on it and the highest temp. I have hit yet was 224 on a 100 degree day and I wasn't pushing the car hard at all. At ambient temperatures in the mid-70's, a blast down the freeway at 75 MPH will only bring the temp. up to around 180-200 but high RPM's and relatively slow speeds as in an autocross where there is not a lot of air flow through the front intake are what seem to be putting the cars in the limp mode.
It looks like Redline will be the drink of choice after I hit about the 4-5K mark on the odometer. I guess I'm still old school and may find it hard to go beyond 5K OCI's even with a premium filter. I'm not putting a lot of miles on the car so the extra cost of shorter intervals doesn't mean a lot in the grand scheme of things. Thanks for everyone's advice.