Nissan Motorsports Oil Coolers

kenyonscs

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum and find this to be a wonderful site for the ins and outs of the 370Z. I have anew Z on order from the factory (which I'm sure will be delayed). It's probably my last sports car since I just turned 63. I've owned 3 Porsches and and a 1991 240SX that I loved and just lost last year.

My new 370Z is going to be 6MT Touring with Sport Package and Navigation. And all of the other stuff. I'm quite concerned about the oil temperature problem. I burned the rod bearings on my first Porsche 356B Super because the oil temperature got too high. I never had any problems with my 356SC or my 911S (Which had a dry sump and took about 9.5 quarts of oil on a change). My 240SX didn't have any oil problems either, but I did have to replace the head gasket at around 200K.

In reading these boards, it's clear that the new 370Z's have an oil cooling problem. I'm an engineer and a pretty good mechanic. If the oil temperature gets to breakdown levels there will be engine damage from metal to metal contact. 300 degree oil temperatures? That's ridiculous. The ECU shutdown is a lame solution. Nissan made a mistake when they computed the heat transfer rate from the lubrication system to the overall engine cooling system. The heat transfer from the oil system to the water system is proportional to the temperature difference. If the water system is running at 200 degrees, there will be no oil cooling until the oil temperature reaches this level.

From what I've heard, everyone is having oil temperature problem. This will lead to engine destruction.

Is anyone NOT having oil temperature problems? If so, do you drive the car in a "spirited" manner? Driving a 370Z gently will probably keep you from having engine damage problems. Don't exceed 55 MPH.

The engine needs a better oil cooling system. It could be that Nissan has improved the oil to water heat exchanger, but I don't think so. I'll find out when I get my new Z, but I don't expect any changes.

Again, I would like to hear from 370Z owners who have NOT had problems. What air temperature? Driving Style? What altitude? Going uphill?

In the meantime I think that there are two solutions. Install an oil cooler. I've heard that Nissan may void the warranty if you do, but I don't believe it. They would have to prove that the oil cooler caused an engine failure. Fat chance. The other solution is to change the (water) thermostat to a lower temperature. This would not help if the car is driven hard enough to open ANY thermostat.

Thanks for letting me express my concerns (anger?)

Steve

ChrisSlicks

I never had problems with temperatures as far as street driving goes, very spirited driving would get temperatures to about 240F. But the climate up here in New England is fairly mild, it will vary with ambient temperatures obviously.

On track oil temperatures reach extremes pretty quickly, within 2 laps if you're pushing it. For this and oil cooler is a definite requirement. On the street an oil cooler probably isn't necessary unless you push it on a regular basis.

FYI - there is no oil to water heat exchanger (like most performance cars would have), Nissan relies on indirect heat transfer from the oil to the engine block to the water in the cooling passages.

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kenyonscs

Thanks Chris,

I've asked my dealer to quote me on a "dealer installed" oil cooler but haven't heard back. Maybe I'll wait until I get through break in and see how things look. It can get pretty hot in the DC area in the summer, so maybe I'll have a problem and maybe not. I have also heard that using very slippery oil helps keep the temperature down. That makes sense to me. From what I've read on these boards 260F seems to be the limit on safe operation.

Steve

jeffreyfranz

My dealer has offered a 20% discount, Parts & Labor, on the Nissan Motor Sports oil cooler, for a total of "at the most" (his words) $800. Part of a Valued Customer promotion. I don't know anything about quality or performance on, say, Nissan Motor Sports (I'm going to abbreviate NMS hereafter) vs. Stillen. Just going on a #-of-rows vs. #-of-rows, and total cost, the quote I got from Josh at Stillen seemed like a better deal. Of course, the dealer is right here, and Stillen is about 350 miles away. And if the oil-cooler transplant causes a problem, some people might feel safer with a Nissan dealer on the hook for repair and replacement. Trade-offs, trade-offs, as always.

Kenyonscs, you and I are the same age and have personal histories of multiple sports cars over many years. I'm curious what motivated you to go in the direction of a 370Z after three different Porsches, including a 356SC (gulp) and a 911S with the dry sump (gulp-gulp).

BTW, I live in Central California, about 35 miles from the ocean. My local temperatures in summer can get well into triple digits, while the coast can be fully 30-40 degrees cooler (e.g., Cambria, Hearst Castle). My 370 easily gets up to 220 degrees driving smoothly and modestly down the coast in 60-degree weather. On the other hand, I don't recall going over 240, maybe 260 worst-case even in the dog days. Like so many others, I do feel the car heats up much too easily.

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cjr1881

Hey just wanted to let you know thst it isn't nearly as big of problem thst you seem to think it is. I haven't had any problems at all. Haven't taken it to the track but I get on it every chance I get and it may have gotten as high as 240 perhaps. So when you are saying do not drive above 55 that is ridiculous and wouldn't help anyway. If you are going to be going to the track you might want to consider and upgrade but if not I wouldn't even worry about it. Get yourself behind the wheel and you will realize you were worrying for nothing.

daisuke149

getting on it whenever you can isnt even close to spiriting mountain driving where you get on it for long times.

and spirited mountaing driving is nothing in comparison to a proper track day

Your idea of getting on it shouldnt bake the oil to 280 and pretty much everyone has accepted that. but if your cruising down the highway at 80mph and your oil hits 230-240 then theres a problem. And again, as many people have said in many many many many many many threads, that some poeple have it worse than others.

roy'sz

just with me in traffic when i first got it it would hover at 240. it was 105 at the base of a mountain i do some carving on. started at 235 and within a minute i was at 250. well put man well put! I wonder what nissan's explanation is on the varying problems if there is any.