Oil Overheat IMPORTANT UPDATE

SoCal 370Z

I am more interested in how the process will transpire after this data collection (not even remotely as extensive as real mules). There is a system in place, both culturally and corporate, and this process that can be expedited if someone from corporate Japan is here. This is a fact, not fiction as the true hierarchy of decision-making will not reside in the US.

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370sed

Do any of you involved know if this will be a slipstream manufacturing upgrade for new cars sold, or will this be on an "as requested by owner but charged for" accessory install?

TheWeatherman

My rep said the Japanese would be involved. I didn't even ask either. I may have to pay for this and if I do, I do! I'd have to go and buy one anyway. It's just something good for the current and future owners of the car. If they have the option of buying an optional oil cooler, it will be nice. I would've loved that option. We'll all have that option coming up shortly here. All of us know that if we open up our car for just a few minutes, our oil temps go flying up. Patience O' Z fans. I still love my car, even without a cooler.

In2Deep

I just called Nissan Consumer Affairs, and got a case number myself.
Wish I didn't have this issue.
I2D

chubbs

I agree that this is looking promising - well done Spearfish and all the others who have shouted from the rooftops of this forum (Musashi, etc, etc).

However, don't get so excited that you lose sight of the fact that currently the car isn't 'fit for purpose'. Nissan will need to do 2 things...

1. make the oil cooler standard on all new cars.

2. offer to fit an oil cooler free of charge to all cars that have been sold without one. You should NOT have to pay a cent and you should NOT have to fight for it.

Hopefully Nissan have already decided to do these things.

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TheWeatherman

Here's the problem about what you say about this, which I do understand your side. If you own a Jeep, go off roading, jump it off some small hills, or hit some rocks hard and knock it's alignment and suspension off, does that mean Jeep has to provide you with free alignments and tougher suspension hardware? It's kind of a devil's advocate question. Where do you draw the line if you're them? I know what we'd like, but what's realistic?

wstar

This is why I'm not really clamoring for a free upgrade from Nissan. Most people in most climates, driving like most people do, aren't going to limp mode their car. They probably won't even break 260, or if they do it will be very brief and the car will recover temps on its own. I'm fine with having to shell out some $$ for an oil cooler addon, I just think this should have been a warrantied factory option, and that Nissan should acknowledge the issue and reassure us they aren't going to go out of their way (in the legal sense) to blame anything on people installing aftermarket oil coolers in light of the lack of their own at launch.

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SoCal 370Z

The issue is that we have everyday drivers running into heat issues—driving as normal and not as an enthusiast (not that the Z is an enthusiast automobile or anything like that).

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TheWeatherman

Loved that part! I do understand, but am not expecting a miracle.

SoCal 370Z

My motivations are probably different that others here as my concern is with my wife driving it with her elderly parents. I do believe that Nissan screwed-the-pooch on this one. However, all matters can be remedied. Regarding coming out-of-pocket or not I am more interested in a resolution—and soon—that will not impede existing factory warranties or extended factory warranties. I have no interest in having our 370Z's engine overheat because at that point I will get rid of it. I would put an oil cooler on today, but I am not quite happy with the current solutions—including Nissan's and would much rather go along the lines of the Fluidyne Ultralite, but again, I do not want to hassle with Nissan or some Service Department idiot trying to explain to me how I voided a warranty because of Nissan's issue in the first place (small claims court is much better at handling this situation). Time-is-of-the-essence...summer is fast upon us.

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Lug

Remember that the issue is that the upper rev limits are being reduced at a certain temperature point, there is no evidence of damage to the engines or engines shutting down. For all we know the 350Z does the same thing but just doesn't have the protection circuit built in. If your wife is going over 6500 RPMs with her parents in the car, she's probably shortening their lives as it is!

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spmcpa

FWIW, I have the means and motivation to buy, but will not until this issue sees some kind of resolution.

Nissan clearly had some idea as to the issue from its test mules - that's why all of the media cars were equipped with oil coolers, even for the differentials. BTW, just saw last night that 0-60 magazine had a 370z that went into limp mode after no more than 1-1/2 laps(!) of a North Carolina track.

Perhaps Nissan has not heard about this from its dealers - just because a member of this group complains to their dealer about the issue does not mean that the dealer forwards the complaint to Nissan.

Let's face it, Nissan is not all that worried about those of you that track your cars or use them in timed events. Such use is clearly beyond typical passenger car usage, even for an enthusiast vehicle. However, what concerns me is the number of cars in the sample reaching 260+ while sitting in traffic - believe me, that is not a situation that should result in high oil temps (those cars shouldn't even be hitting 230). It's not much different than leaving the car idling in your driveway.

Under normal usage, there is little reason that oil temps should not stabilize somewhere near the coolant temperature of these motors until they are pressed hard. It seems likely that oil temperatures are rising under typically low heat load conditions as a result of the VVEL set up.

Finally, I'm not an engineer but have nearly 30 years of automotive repair experience and I've also had more than 25 years and 250,000 miles to observe oil temps in my 1982 280ZX turbo under just about any conceivable conditions...my $30k+ stays in my pocket until there is at least a factory certified optional cooler available at reasonable cost...

alan93rsa

Not to be overly negative: Prior to retiring I worked as an engineer investigating claims. I was always interested in the problem and made sure the customer new I felt that way. However, the bottom line was if the product met the standard for it's intended use the claim was denied. Frequently I could see their point of view but the material was good for the intended use. That is where the great sea of grey area emerges.

And that is why the people with the day to day issues will be key to solving this issue. If one mentions track in their conversations with Nissan their listening level will be turned down if not off.

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In2Deep

I would be happy to be a test subject for Nissan officials, here in Austin, where it hit 96 degrees yesterday. I watched oil temp carefully during my drive home (normal driving as always). Avg temp around 225, but with average driving, 20 mins or so elapsed, temp rose to apx. 230-235. I've seen 250, without overly aggressive driving.

I don't believe I've gone into 'limp' mode -- but my comfort level begins to erode when normal driving and seeing temps north of 235-240. Perhaps I'm misguided.

I2D

wstar

That roughly jives with about what I see. In hotter weather maybe it will be a different story, but if I had a Nissan guy in my passenger seat the few times I hit 260 so far, I don't think he would agree that I was driving anywhere close to reasonable or normal.

In the weather we've had in Houston so far, I don't think any normal driving in normal commuter traffic is going to reach 260. Perhaps 240, but that temperature is within reason. I still want an oil cooler though, and I still think it's disingenuous of Nissan to market this as a performance car and a trackable car, and do press events at tracks with "optional" oil coolers that aren't actually available. I'd have no complaints if there was a $500-ish factory option for the cooler available at the dealer at purchase time and recommended for those that drive the car harder and/or in warmer weather. However, we're months past that point in time for most of us posting here.

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