Oil Nerds Info

VCuomo

OK, I listened to you. And you happen to be wrong. There is "something" required - namely, using an API-certified oil is "required" if you want your warranty to remain in force.

Now perhaps you will be so kind as to listen to this: What a number of us are saying is that the Nissan Ester Oil with it's nanoparticles is not a magic elixir. Using it will not make your engine last 500,000 miles. If Nissan had compelling objective evidence that their oil really does have a significant advantage over other API-certified oils, then they would say so and publish the evidence - but they haven't (and I bet they never will).

My guess is that Nissan "recommends" their Ester oil because Nissan makes money when you buy it, not because your engine will last longer if you use it. It's called marketing.

Feel free to use whatever oil you want - it's your car and your money. Peace.

blackflag

Ok, now listen to me. You could use non-API oil, and you probably won't have a warranty claim for an engine problem. I suspect if you don't change your oil at all, and just keep it topped off, that you'll make it past the warranty without a failure.

The question is what is the best "preventative" maintenance in the long-term? They're telling you doing the bare minimum changes with API is good. Doing more frequent changes with their oil is better.

Does it matter? Maybe depends on how long you want to keep the car.


Ok, I listened. Now kindly listen to this: It's not magic, and it won't make 500k miles. But there's likely a difference. 150k miles versus 200k miles before valvetrain failure with the friction modifier? I don't know. But their engineers spec'ed it for a reason.


Publish what? Why? They don't care how you maintain your car after warranty. That's your business.

In fact, I'm think they would rather not publicize that their engine should have special oil...because it might turn some people off. It could be the engineers fought to get this in the manual for people smart enough to heed it. Maybe not. Who knows.


Engineers don't care about marketing oil. But I bet they're interested in making their tricked out valvetrain last. And I doubt Nissan cares about getting into the oil business.

I mean, it's kind of like the argument for using synthetic. Will your Corvette engine fail in the warranty period if you don't? No. But it's preventative. And there's not even anything so tricky on the Corvette engine, as there is on this engine. So the "nanoparticles" combined with this tricked-out engine gives me pause.


Thanks, man...I appreciate your permission.

VCuomo

Please show me where Nissan has stated that "doing more frequent changes with their oil is better."

Please show me where Nissan has ever said that "there's likely a difference". The only technical reason I've ever seen from Nissan regarding the use of their ester oil is that in some 370Z engines valvetrain noise may be reduced with use of the ester oil - and reduced valvetrain noise does not equate to longer engine life.

Again, if their ester oil is proven to extend engine life, they would have hard data to that effect. And since everyone (even non-Nissan owners) would be beating their doors down to purchase this miracle oil that signifcantly extends engine life, they would (1) make such a claim and (2) publish the objective evidence to back the claim up. They have done neither.

Or for people dumb enough to believe it will extend their engine life even though Nissan has made no such claims and there is no evidence to suggest that it does. Maybe not. Who knows?

It's true that the engineers don't care about marketing oil, but Nissan surely does (because they have the Ester oil product and make money off of it).

Anytime!

blackflag

That's my own rule, but let's not muddy the water. They have said, in terms of maintenance, that their oil spec is better. I mean, do you think they added a friction modifier to this oil for no reason?

In my world noise means wear - especially in valvetrains.

This engine hasn't been out long enough to have a bunch of owners over 100k miles, has it? And reducing friction in their high stress valvetrain does not equate to extending life in all engines.

It's in the maintenance section saying it's the recommended lubricant...you think it's there because it has no effect on maintenance of the engine?

I don't know that they're making much money on a $12 quart of oil that nobody's buying. The markup on their parts is way higher than that, percentage wise.

Wrd.

Red370

I just wanted to chime in and say that I highly endorse RP and all their products, heres my free plug RP, now please send me some free products.

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Trips

Well put! Ak

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SB350z

It's the Nutswinger smiley. It means you're a nutswinger for Nissan Ester oil! ROFL

Jordo!

Sorry to reviive this from the dead, but I was just curious to see if there was any data posted for Redline vs others, given that lots of folks on here seem to like Redline...

After reviewing the tables and taking into consideration the limited number of samples, I'd have to say that Castrol syntec (really, all three tested Castrol oils performed very well) looks to be the most promising, with QuakerState Q being a close runner up (although, only a single sample).

I was disappointed to see Mobil 1 didn't do so well... have used that for years, and now I'm rethinking the meaning of the slight cam wear I had noticed on my old car's motor...

On that note, why are folks particualry enamored with Redline? Did it make a little more power on the dyno or something? I'm not dismissing it out of hand, just wondering if this is something of a "bandwagon" or if anyone actually compared a few Blackstone tests...

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wishihadnav

RL is a group V with esters..people seem to like that..I'm running mobil 1 0w/30 and the VQ seems to like it just fine.

cossie1600

Amsoil!

wishihadnav

Yeah SSO 0w30 is good

AK370Z

Are we still looking at this thread?

/\ I'm gong to requote myself because a mom driving to the grocery store will certainly have a different oil analysis than me who often says "hi" to the 7500 RPM rev limiter. However, my oil analysis will certainly be different than lets say RCZ, Travis or Killerbee370's oil analysis as they DRIVE hours after hours at the track constantly redlining the heck out of their engine! Unless you're doing these in a controlled environment using EXACT car (same mileage + wear/tear), EXACT driver, EXACT driving condition, EXACT driving habit, EXACT weather conditions - that thread on my350 (and it's copied content here) has NO significant value other than confusing the living heck out of you. Start doing your oil changes and send your oil sample to Blackstone after each change. Keep a track and they will guide your though.

As for me, I simply flipped a coin and went with Redline. I was debating between Redline and Motul. I don't think there's any "bandwagon" going on here. Just go with your gut feeling. You won't be disappointed. I certainly wasn't with Redline (but again it's MY personal choice)

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Jordo!

^^^ okay... while I'm not disputing your Blackstone findings or your personal choice (although, what were your lead wear values?), my gut tells me that empirical data should be interepreted conservatively but not disregarded entirely.

I didn't find it to be confusing. What I find confusing (and possibly misleading) are the various specs reported from oil companies that may or may not translate into improved wear protection for a given engine -- on the other hand, these data for the VQ35 are exactly that.

At worst, these data are imperfect (no data are 100% free of error), but I don't think they ought to be dismissed out of hand either.

I don't know that we'd see wildly different wear characteristics on the same motor for the same sports car driven by different drivers (all of whom are probably car enthusiasts, and not especially gentle on their car), although some variation certainly might crop up, it shouldn't be enough to make the data worthless.

As to Redline being Ester based, that is a good point -- however, I have yet to discover a reason Nissan recommends their Ester oil other than it allegedly being good at reducing valvetrain chatter. Whether or not it does, and whether or not it matters for engine longevity, is unclear to me.

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Matt

Take a look at the criteria that most of us want in an oil:

- Designed for high performance engines.
- Good high and low temperature protection.
- Ester based or Ester additives.
- Fully synthetic

Add in the the old saying, "You get what you pay for.", and then take a look at all the oils available. When you take a look at the entire lineup, there are only 2-3 that fit all the criteria.

Now, if you go to each of the manufacturer's site, they almost ALL seemingly meet the criteria. But will you get the warm and fuzzy feeling when you go to Walmart and spend $2.18 for a quart of "special formula, almost-synthetic, 'great value' oil"?

At the end of the day it's what YOU want to put in your car and you want to feel good about it. Redline fits all the criteria above while remaining "affordable" (albeit to some, it's still too much to spend). For me, spending $120 on oil every year is certainly affordable. Someone driving 30k miles in that same period may not feel the same, of course.

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KillerBee370

Now that's thinking with your dipstick... JIMMY!!