Do I want PAOs?

ChrisSlicks

No problem.

Yes, it's not the viscosity "value" just the SAE rating index. The oil must exceed a certain viscosity index in order to qualify for a specific SAE rating. The lower the rating, the thiner the oil.

The split ratings such as 5W-30 simply imply that at 0F the oil behaves like a straight SAE 5 oil, and at 210F behaves like a straight SAE 30 oil. SAE ratings are always at 210F so yes I can see where what I wrote above might confuse some. Despite how much "stretch" the oil has it will always get thicker as it gets cooler, it's just a matter of how much.

The other thing to consider is to generate a large stretch such as 0W-40, many different base oils are mixed together to give it this characteristic. At very high temperatures the base oils used to generate the low temperature characteristics can break down, degrading the oil's performance and lowering its flash point.

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Volcom370Z

So I know that a 0w will help someone in cold weather, but how could it not also help someone in warmer weather? Thinner oil is easier to pump right? Therefore a 0w should be suitable for just about anyone? sorry if I sound dumb on the matter... just trying to figure this thing out

ChrisSlicks

Correct. A 0W weight is a thinner viscosity than a 5W or a 10W and hence even at warm temperatures will be better for your engine at start up. But as I said before the light weight oils are the ones that break down first at high temperatures, so if you are canyon carving and your oil temp is hitting 260+ on a regular basis then it might not be the right choice for you even though it might be the right choice for a commuter car.

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Volcom370Z

So, what do you recommend? I know its personal preference, but what would be a good oil that I can do a little bit of everything with?

ChrisSlicks

Go with a quality synthetic containing PAO, and preferably some esters in stock weight of 5W-30. There are thousands of different esters so it is impossible to tell which brand uses which ester base, and none of them may be the ones that Nissan is using but they are all good at reducing wear in some way.

I'm not going to recommend any specific oil, but I would avoid the standard M1 oil in any high temperature engine. If you want to use M1 use the EP oil.

As for filters, the following are the best in terms of construction and filtration:
Puralator PureOne
K&N
Mobil 1 Extended Performance
Bosch Distance Plus

__________________
Hotchkis ARB | Stillen CAI | Art Pipes | Berk CBE | Stillen AP Racing Brakes | AE Performance Oil Cooler | BC Racing ER Coilovers | Doran Control Arms