Original poster already said he is using 91 which is the highest you can get in CA without spending 6.00 a gallon for 101 or 110 I forget what is available at special stations.

Then oil is next. 91 should be fine.

Just out of curiosity, what would switching to ester do to get rid of the ping?

He is thinking you are hearing the vvel system and not ping as it is known to be a noisey valvetrain. I was on the assumption you guys are already running a high grade oil (I hope).

Yes, as Jhill has described. The VVEL was designed with the idea that its components surface coating ( Nissan calls it Diamond like coating) would actually interact, on a molecular level, with the Ester oil and provide a "constant" film of lubrication to prevent this "tick" "chatter" "interference" or what ever you like to call it.

It was more apparent in the Infinity Cars with the VQ37VHR engine, because the cars had better sound insulation than the Z, so the theory is, those owners picked up on it versus us deaf Z drivers. :bowrofl:

Just did. :inoutroflpuke:

Joking aside, do tell your experience.

A quick google search and looks like more Snake oil.

No thanks, don't believe in additives not engineered to be in the formula to begin with. The claim is it is a generic fiction reducing coating on sliding parts which really isn't the same thing as what ester oil is for. The theory of esters is they bond at a molecular level with a pos and neg charge. If you were really concerned about it only being a friction reducer you can just buy a high grade synth oil made for flat tapet cams (has a high zinc content).

Personally I use amsoil which is a POA base synth but have heard it has esters and have heard it doesn't so don't know who to believe but have used amsoil forever with no issues and always ranks among the top. If really concerned about the ester oil then redline and Motul both make an ester based synthetic. Nissans is a conventional oil with esters added I believe so not as good as a high grade iv or v synth.

Pros and cons to both, supposedly the esters don't do as well if on a longer service interval as the POA.

Can go to bobistheoilguy and get lost for hours with tons of good info.

You do know it WAS NOT me who suggested Motorkote? I fully agree with what you have said.

Yea my mistake I realized after typing it all. Figured people would know who I meant.

we use Mobil one full syn 5-30.

it is definitely not the vvel based on the condition it occurs as stated in the original posts.

You guys don't know about a one of a kind product .....so you start badmouthing it? I have a Doctorate in Chemistry......do you???????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIEZ58wnUyM

its not an additive really, you add it to your oil but it blends with metal not oil. they put it with oil and it still coated the metal while they added lucas oil additive to same oil and nothing doing. THIS STUFF DOES NOT STICK WITH OIL! it coats the metal.

and no you dont add it every oil change. every 4th oil change they say to add it again to have it work the best and for $20 you get like 10oz and you add 2oz of that stuff to every quart thats in the engine, it can also be used in the transmission and other parts. but there is also a 32oz bottle for $32, which is what i got. once the stuff is added its there, it will never come off unless some kind of cleaner is used. but they still say add it every 4th oil change, which means 4 oil changes before adding again, so it performs at its best.
__________________

No offence meant, nor bad mouthing intended. I simply implied that it's "snake oil" .

I'm not a chemist, but I've been around the block a few times. Worked with Synthetic oils for over 25 years.

We've seen and heard it all. All sorts of advertisements, videos, blogs, etc etc etc.

From Slick 50, SynLube, Camguard, Zmax, to false advertisements by big oil that they are 100% synthetic. There is literally 1000's of threads on this topic.

They all say they coat the metal. So some or most of us have become Skeptical over the years.

No one has ever witness this miracle solution for themselves. ALL WORDS.

I fully respect your profession and your understanding of the chemistry. Its all great on paper, but without independent review and proof, it's just that, a piece of paper.

Good oil, with proper additives is all you'll ever need. Specially one that is engineered by the designers of the engine.

Sorry for the thread jack OP. My intentions was to see what oil you are running and that you are aware of the VVEL issue. It seems that you are and can say the noise is not from there.

Besides trying to get a higher Octane gas, I am out of suggestions for you.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

I used to use "Slick 50" in my Datsun 1600 (180B "worked" motor) back in the early 80's on advice from the mechanic who built the motor. (I think a Slick 50 sales rep did a job on him). It did seem to lubricate the motor better as the revs at idle went up and had to be adjusted. It was also claimed that if you lost oil pressure or your sump ran dry for some reason, it would allow the engine to keep running for some minute without damage! Luckily I never had to test that. :driving:

:iagree:

That is not an answer to the question that I asked...................

I don't know, nor will I pretend to know. If it works for you, and you have a scientific explanation for it, great.

I had a 1996 Nissan D21 4x4 pick-up truck with 310,000KM's (192,600 Miles) !!! It was recently in a car wreck and the Insurance company would not repair it due higher cost than vehicle.

I had that truck for 20 years. After the first 5000 km on Conventional oil, I switched to Mobil 1 10W30 Synthetic. Changing every 5000km with new Nissan filter for 20 years

Never leaked oil, never burned oil, never made metal, and compression remained the same as day 1 !!!!! Looking inside, under the rocker cover....No sludge, just normal used oil color.

Was it the oil?? Don't know. Was it the engine quality? don't know. Trust me, I did not baby that engine as far as driving goes. Just changed the oil and regular maintenance.

However, it would be fair for me to say that my diligence with oil changes and use of a "Higher quality" oil, had something to do with it. No additives, no mystery. Not going to show proof, just my experience.

I'm sure Motorkote is a fine product, but personally, I think you are wasting money. Get REDLINE 5W30 if you want to spend more than Valvoline.

I think if you do the math, a quart of Valvoline and your Motorkote will probably be equal or more than a quart of REDLINE or Nissan Ester oil.

They have the same wizardry for Piston Airplane engines: Aviation - Camguard

They all say the same thing.

BTW, are you a glider pilot?

Just can not answer that can you ???????? And Yes I am a sailplane pilot........

I've never used Motorkote but their web site screams "snake oil." Found a link to request an "SDS", hoping it would be the same thing as an MSDS, but was sent to some kind of messaging page that made my malware protection squawk.

Ok.. motorkote may take care of the vvel noise.

Let's get back to the engine ping condition....

:iagree:

I did: I don't know the answer.

Back to the engine ping.

Are you able to get higher than 91?

Do you know any airport that sells Auto or "MOGAS" at small airports? They are (Should be) Ethanol free and usually 92 Octane or higher.

Don't worry, it's not jet fuel or Avgas, but plain old car gas. Just no Ethanol and usually higher than 92. Not sure if it's possible in California. But check.

Maybe a quick drive to Oregon, if they sell higher than 91.

Use whatever you wish it's just my opinion to buy and oil and pay more to add stuff to it when you could just buy a top grade oil that you can ensure all additives are blended to work together.

Just doing some light digging there is some speculation that there is chlorinated parrafins in motorkote (from independent lab test on bobistheoilguy) which can cause corrosion.

https://www.expeditersonline.com/for...bricant.49273/

Scroll to existenz post for links to other relevant data.

If you believe in it and think it works then great go ahead but I'll just rather stick to something developed with all additives working together and have multiple long term test data to back up claims.

Have you guys ever gone to an airport to get very high octane fuel ? That is what is causing your ping........low octane fuel..................

To the OP, about the pinging -

Do you have a cold air intake? I do, so I'm not sure how this applies to the stock intake, but if you monitor your Intake Air Temps, (on something like the Torque app for android or Dash Command for iOS) you'll notice that when you sit in traffic for a while, intake temps skyrocket. Other times when I've noticed this was when I'm running errands and I park the car for a couple minutes and get back in it.

What happens is the intake pulls from the front of the radiator, or somewhere in the front of the car. It's designed to pull colder air when the car is moving, but when you stop in traffic, all of the underhood heat spills out wherever it can, and ends up going into the intake. This is heatsoak. I've seen intake temps in the 120* range in traffic or in a drive through on a 70* (ambient) day. It sometimes takes a minute or so to drop back down once you get moving. So your pinging is probably because of a +50* difference in air temp. If this happens enough, then your ECU will adjust to the temp spike under those conditions, and adjust the Long Term Fuel Trim, so it should go away eventually.

Ok this post has gone far enough I think and is becoming a bigger deal than it really is. As others have said if you want to "test" if it is pre ignition there are stations in California that will sell 100+ Lead free octane, it's super expensive but if you just want a test to confirm it will work. If it is pre ignition the pcm will not "learn" and adjust long term fuel trim for it, fuel trim is strictly an adjustment based on AF sensor feedback. PCM won't "learn" a timing advance, they have a base table with modifiers based on IAT/ECT and other variables but will always try to go to that "calculated" base timing, if severe enough knock is detected it will reduce timing to a certain degree determined by another table and then creep back to the calculated base map when the condition is no longer present. It will keep doing this dance and is constantly fluctuating much more rapidly than any LTFT.

Interesting - I'm basing my post on first hand experience with an 08 G37, is the ECU different on the Z? If it's det/preignition, increasing octane isn't the fix, it just let's you know that it's a combustion problem. What happens if the octane booster stops the pinging? It will only stop it until the tank is empty again. And unless the OP wants to run octane booster at every tank, it'll come back on the next tank. ...Unless the ECU has a way of adjusting for it. And the ECU isn't going to adjust for it unless it sees the problem, which it won't if you're running octane booster.

Between STFT, and LTFT, the ECU has a VERY wide range of compensation. So first it adjusts the STFT, and then if it keeps riding the same compensation when the same conditions are present, then it starts turning that into LTFT. And as far as ECU compensation, my understanding is that it pulls timing based on the knock sensor (so knock pulls timing, while closed loop adjusts fuel based on it targeting stoich). The conditions described by the OP - light throttle, idle, light load, all point to closed loop operation. So the ECU would be adjusting fuel if it's lean. At least that's what I've seen.

Who ever said increasing Octane was a fix? I said TRY IT!! and who said use Octane booster? Not me. I said get higher octane gas. Stuff that will always be in the tank unless you run dry in which case the car won't run!!!

Please read the whole thread/comment.

keep drinking your Kool-aid. :koolaidwall:

I don't see you coming up with suggestions otherwise don't criticize others.

the car is completely stock and it is an 09 g37s with 7AT.

you're correct about running higher octane (race fuel). it only masks the potential issues and certainly impractical.

It's pita because it is intermittent and can't be reproduce at will. Some of the explanations made sense about engine is tuned for 93 octane and with higher mileage, perhaps it is near the borderline with the highest available 91 octane fuel here in socal.

Are you saying that the ecu should adjust for the lean condition eventually? We have this intermittent ping issue for a long time now.

It has compensation for fuel trim based on AF sensor feedback (not knock) but it is a much slower learning process and once learned it will store and save that memory untill reset. This is why it would not be a fuel "trim" issue as it would have been learned already and would have to be running pretty damn lean to cause pre ignition (more than likely DTC set). This is why it is more than likely normal and just the ign map pushing the system to the edge of efficiency and having to pull back a little when/if it knocks as timing is not a "learned value" and constantly changes and tries to stay in the base map.

All the higher octane recommendation is to either proof true or faulse if it is pre ignition. It is a test not a long term fix, unless you wish to run higher octane all the time. Cheaper route is to either go with a custom tune for 91 or just accepte that it is pushing timing to the edge at light throttle tip in.

In my experience, it should. If it's intermittent, then my guess is that it's related to the change in weather, and it will adjust to it. My car is doing that here in Socal. If it's taking a long time to make those adjustments, then maybe you have a front O2 sensor beginning to go bad. When it runs in closed loop, it reads off of the front O2 sensors, so if it's getting slow readings, then it would make slow adjustments. But again, this is just my experience and what I learned when I tuned my car. Some folks here are getting all heated about it, so take my suggestions as just another fella on the internet. Best of luck!

Cheaper route is to either go with a custom tune for 91 or just accept that it is pushing timing to the edge at light throttle tip in.[/QUOTE]

:iagree:

I've accepted my similar condition and am not worried or believe it's causing any damage at all to the engine. :driving:

Reread the problems statement... sounds like some knock at 600 RPM under load. I think this would be pretty normal for any high revving engine. You want it to go away, get a higher stall torque converter.

I have been using 100 percent ethanol free high test gas in all of my Cars for at least 25 yrs........and btw *******.........you criticized my posts about motorkote.........and you don't know anything about it.......so shut up

I feel like I would trade this guy for madeinjapan.

:koolaidwall:

I wouldn't go that far, but for a guy who claims to have a doctorate, you would think he would be better with this whole written communication thing.