Z Oil Change: Miles or Time?
 

I will hardly drive my three week old Z 3750 very gentle miles in a whole year, let alone 3-6 months. (I have an Altima coupe for DD) So should I nevertheless change the oil based on time elapsed (3 months from delivery) rather than miles driven (which will be only about 300 per month)?
Also can I go to Mobil 1 for the very first oil change?

I'd just do it Spring and then Fall. Call it good.

You can go any 5W30 you'd like, including Mobile 1. Just know, its not a FULL synthetic. If you want one of those, the recommended brand would be Redline, due to the ester additives that these VQ motors like apparently.

Since the middle 90s I've been changing my 5W30 Mobil 1 every 7,500k or once a year, whichever happens first. When it comes out, it's cleaner than the regular/dino oil I used to change every 3,000k. I do agree with MightyBobo regarding the ester bit on 370s. But 350s take any synth' oil with no problemo. So, to be on the safe side, go the ester route.

M1 Extended Performance 15K is a full syn...it's what I've used...including their filters.

Even then...I don't have any reason to think M1 won't deliver as good or better when compared to what is also commonly available (ie, walmart).

With redline and such, I worry about the ester base absorbing too much moisture and so on, that they were designed for 1-2 races before being changed out. I know races are hard on the engines, but, my point being is that, for the long term (3750 or more miles / 3 or more months), that it won't do as well as something like M1 or similar oils.

Bingo!

Also, Mobil1 oil is fully synthetic...

Mobil 1 5W-30

I had a cobra (garage queen) that was driven maybe 1-2k mile a year. I changed the oil with mobil one every 6 months. If I remember correctly you need to wait to switch to synthetic to let the engine seals break in.

Ester absorbing water is based on its % which is why its blended the way it is in the Nissan Ester oil. That oil in not designed to be changed out after a very short usage period.

A good rule of thumb though regardless of what oil you use is to change twice a year regardless of milage. This is to avoid moisture build up (dino or synthetic). Typically people do this Spring/Fall as most light useage vehicles are driven more frequently or only during the summer months so a change at the begining of the "driving season" and the end is prudent.

Should I then wait for the fall (second) oil change (maybe 3500 miles on the odometer by then) to go to synthetic, right?

I always waited until 5-7k miles to switch to mobil 1. I'm sure it won't hurt to do it earlier. I have 2700 on mine now and it's on its 2nd oil change. I'm going wait until 5k and go mobil 1.

The Redline Racing oil is designed to be swapped out frequently. The regular Redline synthetics (such as 5W-30)are intended for street use and, as such, should be fine for typical synthetic change intervals. I have been using Redline for years (first time was 1988) and have been very satisfied with every 8000 miles/once per year. My Z is a seasonal car. Last week, before the Saturday night storm in the Northeast, I changed it out prior to going into hibernation. Every two weeks or so (when the streets in my neighborhood permit), I will cruise around for ~30 minutes. This routine has worked for me for a long time. Gets rid of flat spots on the tires and runs long enough to burn off moisture, etc. I have never pulled the engine apart for empirical evidence, but my engines have gone 100k plus with no issues.

BTW, FWIW, after I put Redline in, it was definitely quieter than before. Less of the annoying valve train chatter.

Miles. I think the whole thing about every 3 months is a sham..... Does anyone really know how long the oil was sitting in the container prior to you purchasing it, and dumping it into your engine? Oil doesn't just break down because it sits around (if it does, it is going to be so little that you will never see a difference). You already said that you drive it easy, so if it looks in good condition, just go with the miles, and don't worry about the months.

Very interesting analysis. I would self-impose a 12 month timit, though, of maximum between changes though, irrespective of how few miles. I'm sure you would agree.

3K / 3mo is a sham. That said, once you introduce your oil to your engine, and all that it goes through...it's not unreasonable to say that it needs to be changed at least once a year, if not 2-3 times.

I read somewhere that the time to change your oil basically goes around the winter months if you drive it a lot. Late fall, early spring, since that's when the oil will collect and retain moisture due to the colder temps not letting the oil get hot enough to burn it off.

Yea 3k 3months is not the way to do it. If you must change the oil only once per year at least do it right before the "driving season"

Has anyone here done a before and after dyno test of switching to full synthetics? In a mustang magazine a few years ago they took a 100k mile mustang GT and switched it over to mobil 1, it gained around 4-5hp from switching to synthetics.

If the car is not a DD I would go with months instead of miles.

Dino engine oil is not as hygroscopic as synthetic oil. Regardless, the amount of water absorbed by the synthetic oil won't do any harm such as corroding the engine's internal components to the point where it will fail as long as the oil is changed on a regular basis, even if it's yearly for synthetic oils. That said, then why not just use dino oil that doesn't readily absorb moisture? The oil debate is over stated because even the cheapest dino oil that truly meets API specs will effectively lubricate your engine under normal use and when changed regularly will probably outlast your ownership of the vehicle. Car manufacturer's want you to change your oil more frequently, at your expense of course, as a little bit of reassurance that the engine will not fail prematurely and avoid a warranty claim as well as make more money for the dealership's service department. I doubt there is any scientific evidence for engines lasting any longer by changing the oil more frequently but members here are welcome to present the facts otherwise.

I once owned a plain jane '67 Camaro that sat in an unheated garage in Newfoundland, Canada (all kinds of moisture laden air in that place) from 1981-1983 with used dino oil. Started her up and away it went. The only damage caused by neglecting her for two years was the valve seats dried out and cracked. I know this is not scientific but based on that experience I don't waste my money on specialty oil companies such as Redline, Amsoil, Royal Purple, etc as there is no added protection or proof that will make my engine last longer or perform better for the length of time I will own my vehicle. Now if I raced my car and 1/4 mile or lap times were reduced solely on the type of engine oil then I would use the specialty oil. So, ask yourself this in your decision to buy oil - do all NASCAR team owners use the same oil? If they do then I'll buy that brand because it's obviously the best out there. If not, then it really doesn't make a difference what oil you select especially for normal street use.

I for one will save my money and change the oil according to the manual for my type of driving i.e. every 7500 miles. When the vehicle is out of warranty it will be once a year with synthetic provided I don't exceed 15000 miles or so.

If this is true, then why are some new autos delivered and sold with Mobil 1?

The debate will rage on and on, with "tests""and "proofs" from both sides. I just don't take any chances with my beaZt: Only synth' oil goes in her. Since I've had such a great experience with Mobil 1, I'm sticking with it, not only 'cause of its "proven" qualities (here we go again!), but because it goes on promo' more often that any other brand, and I can get it for $4.95/bottle. Until I experience sump'n different, it's 5W30 Mobil 1 for my monZter!

I do agree. I would say twice a year. Only reason I know is from the fire department, where we purchase the actual 55 gal. drums of oil. Those things have been sitting around for years, and we still use them on our rigs. Keep in mind, our application is usually much more intense than the average Z driver... Start up and run them hard, and shut them off. Granted, you probably wouldn't want to treat your Z like we do to the fire trucks, but you get the point, heavy abuse, and old oil have yet to make any type of signifcant impact!:tiphat:

The offical oil of NASCAR is Mobil1! Simple choice!



(yes, I know it doesn't mean squat to what's used, just making a joke)

Because the oil company wants to tie up with the car makers,like Ferrari with Shell..

Wow, I always thought it was because Synthetic oil is extremely shear resistant, but I could be wrong!

For me its every 5k miles or twice a year.

The oil doesn't break down it gets moisture in it. Take a jar and some oil and water and shake it up. Emulsified oil doesn't lubricate well. I think the basic point here is if you drive 2000 miles a year you still need to change your oil at least once a year but most would recomend twice.

It all depends on the conditions but the worst is on cool days and short trips where the temperature doesn't get hot enough to drive the moisture out. If its sitting in a garage out of the elements its going to have less moisture than if its taken to the grocery store to pick up some milk (unless the grocery store is in the next city). Condensation is also going to be a problem in those same conditions.

For me I only put on about 5K miles on my hobby cars driving in light traffic so once a year on M1 silver cap is more than plenty.

Oil Life in Months or Miles?
 

If one doesn't put many miles on a car in a year, is it safe to run synthetic oil based on mileage instead of months? Thanks!

In aircraft we use hours of usage as the main measure for maintenance rather than flight miles or time after last installation/rework. If needed, the maintenance intervals in hours are increased or decreased to suit the level of severity of typical usage for that aircraft.

I've often thought of using running time on the Z to measure oil life rather than miles--highway miles are easy on the car but make it look like maintenance is needed right away if you use that figure. On months, you may want to ask Bob the oil guy or another expert. I would figure a year or two wouldn't hurt the fluid, but that's a pure uneducated guess.

The goal is to change your oil and filter out before the oil becomes ineffective as an engine lubricant/etc. The maintenance schedules given to consumers are conservative because people don't follow them terribly closely and they poeple doing the recommendation have to assume a usage spectrum that covers everybody.

If you really want to know a hard and fast rule, look into what breaks down, get an oil analysis of your used oil, adjust your cycle, and then get a second oil analysis to confirm you're good to go.

IMO it isn't worth the battle with Nissan if someone happens to your car. $40-50 every three months isn't a huge setback for most people. Can you extend it to 4 or 5? Sure but if something happens to your engine there is a descent chance Nissan will want records of your oil changes to warranty and that might come up.

Warranty aside, my Chevy Trailblazer specifically said in the manual to change the oil either when the oil life monitor said to, or every year, whichever comes first. It did hold 7 quarts vs our 5 though.

Every other type of measurement is in engine hours. Boats, pumps, motors etc. are all measured with run time not storage time. Something to remember is if you keep your car stored in a tempature that stays the same and is a dry or dryer climate then you can stretch your time of oil changes. If it gets hot and cold cycled often you will have a little bit of moisture build up but you should start the car and let it get up to operating temp atleast every other week to ensure the seals don't dry rot on you and you don't get hard spots in the tires. That is my 2 cents worth.

whichever comes first

The "normal" maintenance schedule is 6 months/7500 miles.

If it's been 8 months and 2500 miles, I'd laugh in their stupid faces if they even tried to insinuate it was an issue.

i have said it before, i think oil changes should be measured by RPMs not miles. I believe this is how Hondas oil metering works, the computer counts the engine revolutions and when it reaches a certain number the "change oil" reminder starts blinking. I saw a Honda truck go over 10k miles before the reminder turned on, and Honda stood behind it. They said change the oil only when the truck tells you to.

I change my oil (mobil 1) every six months but i only drive 10k miles a year. Last time i had it changed, the oil came out a nice gold color, and it was still transluscent.

If you only drove 2k miles a year would you still change it every 6 months? Doesn't that also mean you should check the date on the oil when you buy it? What if its been sitting on the shelf for like 6 months? :tup:

Also, on the Honda item I'd be shocked if it uses RPM's - I'd bet it uses miles because my indicator drops to 15% at precisely 6k miles each time. I've been sending the oil into Blackstone Labs and have gotten to the point where I run the oil for almost 8,500 miles and it could go further (this is just basic Honda Oil) - so I have to believe that I could run Redline longer than that in a 370Z.

I suppose I could take a sample of the oil from the 370Z and send it in without changing the oil. I've had this car for 2 years now - I changed the oil once with Nissan Ester at 1,100 miles and switched to Redline at 3,100 miles on 3/5/2011 - the car now has 5,900 miles but I haven't changed the Redline oil yet. Seems kinda sad to spend that much on oil and only use like 35% of its life. Guess I'll send it in to Blackstone Labs and ask them how it looks. I'll report back what they tell me.

Exactly!

The time recommendation is based on the idea that if you go less than 1,000 miles a month, you are probably doing lots of short trips and never warm the oil up.

I drive my car at least 30 minutes on the highway at 70+ MPH every time I drive it, it's not a problem.

I never thought about checking date on oil bottles ...what's considered bad. I do oil changes twice a year (when I take it out and when I put it back in storage) but I buy oil once a year because bulk is cheaper.

[QUOTE=LinPark;1639485]If you only drove 2k miles a year would you still change it every 6 months? Doesn't that also mean you should check the date on the oil when you buy it? What if its been sitting on the shelf for like 6 months? :tup:

It doesn't matter how long oil has sat on a shelf, being that it is vaccum sealed from factory it wont collect moisture. HOWEVER, when you open the oil and remove the seal and don't use all the oil (1/2qt) that is when moisture will build up.

there is the issue...we need 5 and 1/8 qts which means you will always have remaining oil sitting if you do your own oil changes

hmm, i do 5 solid and never use the "1/8" and it is always at the high mark dead center in the middle of the drilled hole. honestly the 1/8 doesn't matter.