Another look at possible oil issue...

[ZKindaGuy]

I would like to ask something. My 370Z - I drove its first 3800 miles which was all highway driving. This was over a 4 week period and while driving on average 60 MPH. Highest temps I reached was a single time in the first week of driving of 240 degrees for about 5 minutes. Then it dropped to around 220 degrees and stayed there. I did the 3750 mile oil change and it showed a half-quart of oil loss.

I had Nissan ester oil put in. I am presently at 4876 miles which is over a course of another 3 weeks of highway driving averaging between 60 to 70 MPH with some additional time spent in short periods of 80 to 90 MPH.

I pulled the stick this morning after the car sat all night and before starting it today. It showed a full compliment of oil and the oil was still clear. Since that one 5-minute period my 370Z has not gone above 230 (not 240) degrees and has mostly settled into a rather normal 220 degrees most of the time. The 230 occurs while in rush hour traffic which was always in the high80 to low 90's in outide ambient air temperature.

So I ask why is my engine NOT burning the amounts of oil that are being reported here in this and a couple other thread in this forum? If the oil of other owners is being burned as fast as is being reported in the various posts found in this forum then one has to stop, step back and take a moment and think to examine how they each drive their 370Z.

It stands to reason that if a person is more often than not either stomping on the accelerator and making quick starts and stops OR is not driving at prolonged highway speeds where the engine's cooling is assisted by the airflow coming into the front air-damns then the engine is going to be subjected to much longer sustained periods of heat buildup as a result of not having a continuous flow of air available for the cooling of the engine. In such a scenario where the engine is "air-cooling" starved and is running continuously "hot" like an oven, then increased oil consumption of 2 quarts would be expected.

I suspect that most of those owners reporting the oil losses are perhaps pushing the pedal in their cars more often then they really realize. If this is the case then the increased amounts of oil burn are actually going to be the resulting artifact of their driving habit or at least be exacerbated by it and are par for the course for that type of driving.

Just some food for thought folks...