2010 Nissan Altima V6-- Ester Oil Recommended?

[The Critic]

So, I was looking in the owner's manual of my mom's 2010 Altima 3.5SR V6 and discovered the following information below the capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants chart (which can be found on page 9-2):

"*2: NISSAN recommends for the VQ35DE engine, Genuine NISSAN Ester Engine Oil available at your NISSAN dealer."

I did a google search and found lots of information about the need to use the ester oil on the Maxima and G37 vehicles, but I was unable to find any information about needing to use it in the Altima.

Puzzled, I went to the NissanUSA website and downloaded the manual for a 2009 Altima. In the 2009 owner's manual, there is absolutely no recommendation of using "Genuine NISSAN Ester Engine oil" in the VQ35DE engine. Clearly, the recommendation for Ester oil is something new for the 2010 model year.

In a way, this makes sense. Nissan has been recommending Ester Oil for the 2009+ Maxima's VQ35DE, which is essentially an enhanced version of the VQ35DE in the Altima. I'm sure the new recommendation for Ester oil in the Altima is merely a change that was done to ensure uniformity in oil recommendations across the board for all VQ35DE engines. However, there have been a number of reports on the G37 board of the Ester oil being very effective at curing start-up noise.

With that said, Ester oil is merely recommended, not required. In other sections of the owner's manual, such as on page 9-5, it only describes the importance of using an energy conserving oil that carries the starburst symbol and an API SM or later rating. Of course, just because it isn't mandatory does not mean it does not provide significant benefits-- as obviously, a number of people on the G37 forum have found that Ester oil cures some knocking noises.

Anyway, I have sent off an e-mail to Amsoil to ask what they recommend for this application. Exxonmobil has their response posted here and they recommend using their Mobil 1 5w-30 and Mobil 1 EP 5w-30 products. Redline's 5w-30 contains large amounts of POE, but is on the expensive side.

Clearly, Nissan is slowly moving all of their VQ35DE applications to the Ester oil. I am assuming that if Nissan recommends it, the engine already comes factory filled with it, right?

So, what oil do you guys think I should use?

Thanks!

 

[buster]

Quote:
Road & Track is switching from Nissan Ester to a cheaper oil in their long term test car.
They wanted to use a less expensive oil to determine if there was a perceptible difference in engine noise.


http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-general-discussions/3530-nissan-ester-oil-14.html

 

[hominid7]

Interesting... On the mobil1 site it says that Mobil1 is the factory fill on the Nissan GTR. It would make sense that they would use the same in your Altima since they are calling for "Ester oil". I'd be nice if you could use Mobil1 for the sake of availability and price.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Factory_Fill/Vehicles_Filled_Mobil_1.aspx?pg=2

Edit: I just read that they are using 0w40 in the GTR, since yours takes 5w30, it's harder to guess.

 

[Boomer]

Interesting that the VQ40, a derivative of the VQ35 that is used in the Nissan Frontier, calls for 5W-30 oil with a Starburst. Nothing more.

 

[Cyprs]

I got my new 05 X-trail Nissan in 05, QR25DE, I have used group 1V POA 0-30 XD3 in it since new, great results. When I took the specs of this XD3 0-30 to my Nissan Service Manager in 05 to see if it would effect my warranty the Service Manager INSISTED that I use it and that if I had ANY engine problem whatsoever that I was covered by his service department at the dealership, small town dealership. Those were days when Nissan in manuals frowned on syn oils.

This was a great Nissan service manager, when I went in with a 03 Altima starter that on rare occaision would hesitate or drag he simply took my word for it and replaced it. This is not a common trait from what I here of Nissan Stealerships.

Cyprs

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Boomer
Interesting that the VQ40, a derivative of the VQ35 that is used in the Nissan Frontier, calls for 5W-30 oil with a Starburst. Nothing more.


I think Nissan is slowly moving to Ester for most of their applications.

I may just decide to use Amsoil SSO 0w-30 and change the oil once-a-year. Of course, that would probably void my 3rd party extended warranty, not that I care.

 

[G35_TX]

The new VQ37 in the G37 and 370z have a different valvetrain requiring the use of ESTER oils. The VQ35HR which looks like the same engine didn't need it and ran fine on any oil. Due to noise issues and possibly wear Nissan requires the Ester which has stopped the noise on some cars that were trying to use regular oil.

 

[The Critic]

OK. I have an update.

I called another local Nissan dealer and they referred me to their shop foreman.

The shop foreman was surprised as well, and contacted their dealer technical specialist, who then was able to contact an engineer at Nissan.

Apparently, the Nissan Ester Oil is being recommended for the Altima V6 beginning in 2010 because it was used during the EPA certification process for fuel economy. I guess the ester oil helps with friction reduction and can potentially improve fuel economy and since they used it during the certification process, they are probably being forced to recommend it. Just like the Ford and 5w-20 deal.

So no, according to the dealer tech specialist, the ester oil is not required, but only recommended.

 

[buster]

Thanks, I figured as much. It's not really an "ester" oil either.

 

[BuickGN]

Interesting. Not really related but I not only use Redline in the TL but also in the Murano since I buy several gallons at a time and they share the same weight. I figured at the price Nissan was selling their "ester additive" oil I could just run an ester based oil for the same price. Valvetrain seems quieter especially when cold but I can't really contribute it just to the oil since I changed weights too.

 

[G35_TX]

Just use any good Synthetic oil in your Altima. The only cars that started this Ester are the G37 and 370z and Nissan decided to use it in all of their manuals. The Altima engine will work just fine on regular oil. But the same can not be said for the two cars I mentioned above.

 

[G35_TX]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Interesting. Not really related but I not only use Redline in the TL but also in the Murano since I buy several gallons at a time and they share the same weight. I figured at the price Nissan was selling their "ester additive" oil I could just run an ester based oil for the same price. Valvetrain seems quieter especially when cold but I can't really contribute it just to the oil since I changed weights too.


You seem familiar. Are you I hate cars on Acurazine?

 

[G35_TX]

It's only required on the two vehicles I mentioned above. And don't trust what a dealer says. Most of the time they don't know anything when we know more than them.

Originally Posted By: The Critic
OK. I have an update.

I called another local Nissan dealer and they referred me to their shop foreman.

The shop foreman was surprised as well, and contacted their dealer technical specialist, who then was able to contact an engineer at Nissan.

Apparently, the Nissan Ester Oil is being recommended for the Altima V6 beginning in 2010 because it was used during the EPA certification process for fuel economy. I guess the ester oil helps with friction reduction and can potentially improve fuel economy and since they used it during the certification process, they are probably being forced to recommend it. Just like the Ford and 5w-20 deal.

So no, according to the dealer tech specialist, the ester oil is not required, but only recommended.

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: G35_TX
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Interesting. Not really related but I not only use Redline in the TL but also in the Murano since I buy several gallons at a time and they share the same weight. I figured at the price Nissan was selling their "ester additive" oil I could just run an ester based oil for the same price. Valvetrain seems quieter especially when cold but I can't really contribute it just to the oil since I changed weights too.


You seem familiar. Are you I hate cars on Acurazine?


Yes sir. Who are you over there?

 

[Zedhed]

Who makes Nissan Ester oil? Motul? I know that Motul makes Kawasaki Ester oil.

 

[Ben99GT]

Nissan ester oil isn't an ester oil at all.

 

[buster]

Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Nissan ester oil isn't an ester oil at all.


Thank you.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: G35_TX
It's only required on the two vehicles I mentioned above. And don't trust what a dealer says. Most of the time they don't know anything when we know more than them.


I would agree with you that the dealer is often misinformed when it comes to these subjects, but this time the information is coming directly from Nissan Engineering through the Nissan Dealer Technical Specialist.

However, the word from Nissan Engineering is basically the same as yours-- regular 5w-30 will work fine in my VQ35DE and the Ester Oil is optional.