Nissan Motorsports Oil Coolers

BrandonT

I agree that if you personally don't see an issue with either up or down facing nipples, than you will also see no reason for side mounting. But for those of us who do have issue with the previous methods, what is wrong with what I'm proposing? You could also route both hoses up similar to the upright mounting (proposed as safer by some). The only issue I see is adding additional points for leaks, and I'm not sure that these type of connectors even have caps available.

SPOHN

To me it would be easier to mount upright and just remove for each oil change. To do what your saying there's a good chance you'd have to remove the front clip anyways. Which wouldn't add to much time to do. Small price to ensure all is well. Funny how some people are such in a rush to do maintence on a car. Take the time it needs. I'm not saying that about you. Just in general.

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BrandonT

Haven't done my first oil change yet (just bought it) so yeah it could be tight, I haven't looked. Good point. Maybe a drain line off the lower fitting? An upper fill hose may add too much complication (or maybe not). If you didn't use it you would still have the disadvantage of the down mount fittings in having to fill the cooler on startup after an oil change, starving the engine for a bit longer. On the other hand it would automatically air purge the cooler similar to a top mount fitting. I don't think people take the air pocket issue as seriously as they should. This is always an issue with exchangers, many industrial exchangers have vents or "burp" lines just to alleviate the problem.

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

brucelidat

Josh,

I have been thinking of getting a 370z, but the oil issue is a concern to me. If I get it, can I take it to Stillen's location in Costa Mesa to have the oil cooler installed? Can I get a quote for parts and installation for both the 19row and 25row race versions? This mod seems like a must so i want to factor that cost in when considering buying the car.

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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alan93rsa

It's interesting that the oil temperature debate is still going on. I got frustrated with my 370 and went back to Porsche. However it appears that some of the new P cars are subject to high oil temps. My current car, 09 Carrera S, showed an oil temp of 250F on track with the ambient air at 60-62F. That would be considered by many to be way too high for an air cooled 911. So I added a third radiator to the front for insurance. The water cooled 911's use an oil/water cooler. The next track day the air was 95F and I never saw anything over 240F on the oil. The interesting thing was the oil temperatures in a friends car which was identical to mine with the exception that his was equipped with a PDK transmission and he hadn't installed a third radiator. He was seeing oil temps of 270F after 20 minutes on the track. In his case there was no limp mode.

It's funny that both Mobil and Castrol formulate specific oils to combat shear for air cooled V Twins due to the oil in their rear cylinders running in the 250-270F range. I'm switching to Motul 300V for the summer and will go back to Mobil 1 0w40 for the late fall.

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ChrisSlicks

I think the small oil to water cooler that was installed on the middle east cars would have been adequate for most people in the US as well (well maybe not on-track). The radiator in the 370Z is massive and is the sole source of cooling for the AM Performance 370Z race car using a larger oil-water heat exchanger.

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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.

roy'sz

yeah sure get behind the wheel, and forget that normal operating oil temp never exceeds 220 in a normal car. Don't forget you are frying the oil just going down the high way. No thanx. My dad gots a 350 that has 175000 on mobil 1 and didn't have as nearly bad of heat problems as the 370 does. The car has heat excavating problems from the factory. Read the car and driver magazine article about it. Lot of us enthusiasts would agree that a minimal 19row cooler would have been awesome as a integrated part. 19row takes off 10 deg. 25 takes probably about 25. I live here in so cal and it was 111 today in san jacinto/moreno valley. With my 34 row cooler my oil temp was 200 in city traffic and when I hit the hwy it dropped to 185. Oil will last longer, engine will last longer. So when I turn the key, I have no worry. don't know what this guy is referencing to above me.

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.

cossie1600

The 350 doesn't have a oil temp gauge, how would you know what it runs. If they never installed a gauge, you wouldn't even know about it.

roy'sz

Lmao, from another thread, one who did install the temp guage and had it calibrated. After spirited driving it ran 230. and if im not mistaken it was on a 350 website that had similar stories for heat problems. Also was forewarned by other 350 enthusiasts that if I was going to purchase and modify it the first thing would be to get a oil cooler. Wasn't a mystery in the 350 and is more obivious in the 370. If you think 220-240 is ok for normal oil temp then more power to ya.