Is it normal
 

to see that your oil dipstick's reading gets lower? I have right under 2,300 miles on my car, had it for a little over 2 months; when I first got it, it read 3/4 full for oil on the dipstick, when I checked today, it read 1/2.

I always check my oil when the car is cold, on level ground, or if it hasn't been driven for several hours at least.

Does the VQ37 burn oil, consume oil or what? Does this thing think it's a Wankel?

During break in period, it's normal to burn oil. Just fill it and see if it still burns.

Everyone is crying about the oil temp, but my 370 better not be a lemon. I'll be mad if Nissan let this car out "under-engineered!"

Who's crying about oil temp? Simple concept: street driving = no modification needed, track driving = get an oil cooler. If you think 370Z is an "under-engineered" car then ..... well.... I rest my case.

Moving Engine/drivetrain.

270 degree oil temps in traffic is normal?

NO.!

i always thought you were to check the oil when the car was warm...... am i wrong?

^^


Warm oil check is the tranny fluid, no???

The oil needs to settle in order to get an accurate measure of how much is actually in the engine.

That's why the 1st time you pop the dipstick out is to clean it and put it back and then check the level.

Is this your first car? Engines burn oil. Some more than others. You're burning it at a rate of a quart every 9000 miles. Hardly an issue. When it gets to a quart every 1000 miles go see your dealer (but most manufacturers consider a Qt per 1K completely acceptable)

My Subie burned 1qt per 1K and it had perfect compression its entire life. My Accord did not burn a drop, ever. And, my G hardly burns any at all either so I am hoping the same from my Z.

While we're on the topic of checking oil and such, I have a question.

Has anyone here ever observed some black residue coming off the dipstick whenever you pull the dipstick out and wipe it off the 1st time prior to checking the oil??

Everytime I check the oil, I wipe the dipstick off and noticed black residue (looks like powdered metal to me) on the dipstick. Its not carbon deposits and its not oil...it looks to me like metal stuck to the dipstick. If our dipsticks are magnetized, then that's fine...it's just iron particles and is normal. But if I go a longer span of time between checking the oil, there's a larger buildup of that stuff on the dipstick. Black/dark gray in color, it is. I have 7800 miles and the last oil change was at 4000mi. Engine runs great and I get 28mpg with conservative driving. No bizarre noises or anything else abnormal.

I'm getting ready to switch over to synthetic oil. I ran the factory oil until 1500mi, then ran Mobil 5000 until 4000 mi, and currently have Castrol GTX in there. I think I'm gonna switch to Castrol Syntec 0W-30 in a few hundred miles.

Either way....tell me what yall think bout that.

Late,
Trav

No, I've owned close to 10 different cars (mostly used ones) prior to this 370. My 2005 Accord (I had since new)which has under 30,000 miles never burns oil because I do my own oil changes, and of course check the dipstick about once a month.

I thought if a NEW car, regardless if it's a sports car, truck or passenger car "burns" or consumes oil, then it means the engine isn't properly sealing i.e. the piston rings, gaskets, and the likes?

The only motor I know that consumes oil normally is a rotary and one with a lot of mileage.

I thought that maybe Nissan rushed this VQ37 (it is relatively new) just to introduce the 370...In other words, I thought Nissan botched or winged this motor for the sake of having a hot new model.

That seems kinda weird... I've had clean oil. When did this start?

Most of you with oil concerns obviously are either in your 1st "TRUE" Sports cars
Or You don't realize that oil consumption differs from your standard 6000rpm redline cars
And/or concerned about how many oil changes u may have to perform meaning cost???.
My advice is switch to synthetic n don't mod your cars till u understand your vehicle fully.
The VQ is not rushed. Its been in production since 2007 and had been in testing since 2005.
In 4 months it will be in its 3rd model year.
VQ engines are high performance motors occasionally retrofitted into normal cars. Not vice vera like many other cars but it is far from a lemon. As the engine breaks in you will see all the quirks disappear.
Like all 1st year cars you will have to see the dealer for an issue here and there. But I guarantee it will mainly be in the computer where problems may lie. Not in the cars parts.
Maintenance takes slightly more effort and certain aspects of the car will vary as this car is technogically unique to other sports cars. There are quirks, and sounds that are unique only to this engine.
Lastly... even Ferrari has 1st year issues. Every company has 1st year quirks.

Don't flame.

EDIT:
You don't have any proof that these are "people's first true sports cars." Also, cars can consume oil regardless of their age or type or use.
Even if cars are different from the Z, you don't even own a Z yourself. Because of this, anything you say is mostly moot, and completely inapplicable to you. The Altima doesn't even run the same engine as the 370.

As stated in a previous post about hondas. I use to own a 1996 Honda civic that finally died at 329,000 miles on it. Never burned oil at all now we have 3 civics and a element in the drive and none of them burn oil as well. I understand what you are saying some burn more than others BUT should a new car with that low miles even if it is being broke in?

You are absolutely 100% correct with what you are saying.

Many folks in this day and age don't make the make mental separation between the act of average daily driving v. racing NOR do they understand the implications of when something is "NEW" and what that really means. The act of owning anything that is new and fresh of the production press is seen as something very monolithic and a foreign concept to these kinds of folks.

Then we have to read and listen to their senseless complaining all the time while they antagonize the dealers with frivolous BS which causes the dealers to have to jack the prices of things up to cover the cost of placating these morons as the dealer attempts to mitigate their bitching, moaning and groaning and generating of a bunch of stupid falsehood myths about the car.

To these simpletons I would love to say :gtfo2:

So when someone informs you that IT IS NORMAL why the hell don't you take their word for it and leave it at that? Not all things in life have to have a Rosetta Stone associated to them so that a simple concept as this can be diciphered and understood.

Excuse me, but there are many here who have documented 260 to 280 degree temps in spirited street driving, most live in hot climates. We are not whining nor are frivolously complaining........ and we are definitely not "simpletons"! With all due respect, we are concerned with the longterm reliability of our engines. Don't be telling us to gtfo. You need a lesson in civility and manners my friend.

John

so because the g sedan has the vq37vhr, it makes it a TRUE SPORTS CAR? Also, consumption has nothing to do with "standard 6000rpm cars". I have a car that revs to 8500 and doesn't burn a single drop. Also if they did so much r&d on the vhr, y does it run so hot? I'm sure the engineers sat down and said "oh gee golly wiz i think we should specifically engineer this engine to run hot for some good apparent reason but we just don't know what it is yet!" Do you also "guarantee" that the problem is in the computer and is not attributable to the physical component design of the car? Dude you make some valid points but geesh, it's so misleading.

And you whiners :crying: need a lesson in that everything in life is not going to be perfect...so why don't you folks just get over it once and for all, accept it, grow a pair and finally just suck it up for once in your valley-girl pampered lives!

You need to take your sorry attitude back over to "my 350Z" with the rest of the a**holes, because you are definitely one my friend!!!

John

yea whatever....Let's just find something else to bitch, moan and groan about so we can just so you can be all gleaming and happy...wha...wha....wha....wha... :crying:

Okay this is starting to turn into a personal feud. We need to stop this.

I suppose a lock would come soon too. We're not here to make personal attacks.

Don't worry, I am sorry I lowered myself to his level, but I hate to see people here attacking our members. Won't happen again. Now I doubt that he can let it go, I am sure he will call someone a whinner again.

John

What's worse is that he doesn't own a 370Z...

People that own 370Zs need to be separated from the pack of wannabes. Sure, maybe you know more about cars, but you can't possibly understand when you don't own it or drive it!

:iagree:

I think the "other" Z site sent him here to stir things up :rofl2:

John

Everyone is gonna like the car they own more than cars they can only dream of or not own... in most cases, anyway.