Good fawkinnng game nissan. That is absolutely ridiculous....i cant wait til us socal people are sitting in traffic with hot oil on a 100+ degree weather. This should be VERY interesting. The sad reality is that 95% of the people won't even know that the engine's gone into limp mode since they won't be pushing the car enough to hit lowered rev limiter.....and they'll drive the car in 300 degree oil temp a big chunk of the car's life, essentially reducing engine life without even knowing it at all.

there is a second limp mode... if you continue long enough at that temp it drops again - I recall 2,500 (http://www.the370z.com/track-autocro...eally-bad.html)... that'll get their attention !

Just though I would share...

I’ve had my 370Z since early January 2009 and have about 4,200 miles on it. During that time I’ve taken a couple of long trips where I’ve generally traveled about 10 miles over the posted speed limit (at least when traffic permits) which for most of the states I travel that's in the 80ish MPH range and I’ve autocrossed my car twice so far. I’ve also, as you know if your read my earlier post, taken my car to the Dragon and the Skyway recently.

<o></o>As hard as I’ve pushed my vehicle, the oil temp, according to the onboard gauge, has only reached the range of 240 up to near 250 degrees. A few days ago, I discussed this issue with the owner of Crawford Z Car in Nashville – he’s been repairing, and modifying and racing Zs in particular and Nissan’s in general for over 35 years…there are few people in the country that know more about the Z car than he and per him, if I understood him corectly, we shouldn't have to worry about oil temps until they hit the 260-280 degree range and that 220-240 is just about the range you want your oil to operate in.

<o></o>One thing that neither he nor I know is exactly “where” the onboard oil temp sensor is in the 370’s engine…if it’s in the pan, it’s going to be hotter than at other places (which is pretty normal) per him.

This pretty much puts the issue to rest for me...my feeling now is that if you are going to track your car or routinely thrash it and run it to the edge every time you are behind the wheel then get an aftermarket oil cooler installed…other than that, the oil temp should not be anything to be overly concerned about…just keep you oil changed regularly.

The Oil Temperature Sender is item number 10 in the diagram below:

http://www.the370z.com/members/socal...loded-view.png

It gets its reading right at the oil filter engine housing mount (I suspect at the point of entry oil channel into the oil filter). The picture is rbatton's.:

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/n...9-img_0724.jpg

It is reassuring that the engine temps being picked up are the hottest, I agree...

But Autocross runs are usually 1 min or so... not the best to use for gauging potential to overheat IMO

Also, this one is a 7AT - most of the problems we've seen are with the 6MTs

If I understood my racer/friend correctly, temps in the oil pan will be significantly hotter; especially when racing/tracking...if the sensor is there then I don't see this as a big problem.

It would seem to me, in fact, that the EMS is being a little "over protective" if it's kicking in at the 208 range and that temp is coming from near the pan.

I'm no mechanic so I'm certainly no expert...that's why I make friends who are...just doing a little theorizing here! :)

I also agree, an autocross should not significantly impact oil temps...the runs just aren't long enough even on a very hot day.

Robert,

As others have stated the oil can get hot in short order if pushed. My experience was 2 laps at modest speed, 2 laps in traffic and 1 hot lap to hit 275F and climbing. Out of 170 cars I was the only one that had to stop due to oil temp issues. That is pathetic.

Nissan needs to stop allowing any journalists to drive this car on anything other than a loop around town. As it stands now they offer the enticement to drive the car on a track. I believe they know this can't be done without exploring the outer edges of seriously shortened engine life.

As for your mechanic's thought on oil temp I'd buy 220 maybe 230. Over 240 and anyone driving a Porsche on the track will most likely be hitting the pits to find out what is wrong.

Speaking of Porsches I bought the Z because it 'looked' like a good alternative to a Cayman S. I'm not so sure anymore. Six Caymans were at Mid-Ohio last weekend and not one pulled off track. A friend ran four sixty minute stints on Friday in his Cayman S without a single issue. He's had this car for two years and he flogs it with regularity.

I'd suggest you take your car to a track and have someone drive it that knows the track. My guess is that you would be asking them pull off the track in a very short period of time.

If I had wanted a Hyundai I would have purchased a Hyundai! As it stands I purchased a car that needed an oil cooler but the factory didn't want to complete the job. At the least they could have included instructions on how to install one in the owner's manual, don't you think?

Or maybe a warning sticker on the speedo:

Please do not attempt to pass a Hyundai

Robert, remember the displeasure isn't directed at you my friend... we just don't want anyone to read this thread and go away thinking the issue is resolved

BTW, Caymans and Boxsters notorious for overheating steering pumps... no steering pump cooler in my '02 S! I blew two of them !

I don't have any intentions of tracking my car; if I did, I'd be installing an oil cooler...I really don't see a problem.

I would think, given the price differential between a Cayman S (especially what a Cayman S can get up to) and a 370, you should have enough money left over to buy as many additional oil coolers as you could want. :)

If the oil temps are getting dangerously (for the engine) high for normal driving/conditions that's a problem that needs to be addressed...if, however, it's primarily an issue when tracking the car then I don't see it as something Nissan is obligated to address.

I do hope that Nissan makes additional coolers (engine oil, differential, etc) available; at least as an aftermarket product if not as a factory installed option for those who want/feel they need them.



Edit: Maybe this isn't the thread for this but a though on tracking street cars...
Most street vehicles intended for the public and for public roads; even high performance "sports cars" are not race cars. If you take a street car to the track you are engaging in an activity that the vehicle was NOT intended for (regardless of whatever hype various manufacturers like to hit us with) and it's an activity that WILL put more wear and tear on all your vehicle's components/systems than normal driving.

Tracking your car is fun...no one can deny that...who doesn't like to pretend to be a race car driver for an afternoon but a street car will never be a purpose-built race machine.

I'm sure there are some stock street vehicles out there at/near the Z's price range that may, in regards to certain components/systems, hold up/do better (when tracked) than the Z...I suspect there are other components/systems on the Z that might hold up better that those other vehicles too. A mass produced vehicle is always a collection of compromises no matter who makes it; at least that's going to be the case unless you are willing to spend lots and lots of money for your vehicle.

I'm really not trying to start an argument here or ruffle any feathers...it just seems as if there are a lot of people these days with expectations of a modestly priced sports car that just aren't very realistic...then again, maybe it's just a function of my age and how I've seen automotive product change and improve over the past forty years or so...I know first hand how far vehicles have come...how much better they are in just about any category you could name. Those who have been around a bit less time that I may think 0-60 times in under 5 seconds and top speeds in excess of 150 have always been commonplace. :)

Thank God they don't build them like they used to!

Ok...soapbox put away now.

Robert,

I think alan is trying to tell you that the principle is what matters at this point, not the fact that the car is faulty. Nissan forsaw the problem hence they installed parts not available to public on test cars to "hide" the problem. Like he said, if Nissan had addressed even on the manual stating that the oil can get hot under aggressive driving and to purchase an oil cooler, that wouldn't have been as bad. We all know we're getting a good deal on such a high performance car. All we want is some sort of a transparency from Nissan revealing the vehicle's tendency to overheat rather than completely bandaiding the problem where we find out anyways.

I've read through this whole thread. I'm still deciding on whether to buy this car. I think everyone has valid points.

Robert's message makes a lot of sense though. Its a production car. There aren't any advertisements out there that say the 370z is track ready (at least i didn't see any). If there are ads, please post them. Then I'd say there's more reason to be upset with Nissan.

The Nismo 370z, however, is being called an out-of-the-box track car. Now if that car has overheating issues on the track, I'd be a little more pissed off about it.

What to do, what to do??? I think I'm going on another test drive this weekend...

I just don't see it that way, at least not based on what I know now.

If the engine oil temp is a problem primarily or only for those tracking their car (or who drive the same way even when not on the track) then I don't see it as a problem although I do think Nissan needs to get some Nismo products out there for those who do want to track their car.

If there is a problem with people on the street under normal use/weather conditions then that's quite another story. However, based on what I've read and experienced and discussed with people, I am doubtful that this is going to be an issue for people away from the track.

I'm really not sure what you feel Nissan has done to bandaid the problem? I think it more a matter that Nissan doesn't think this is a poblem, at least not for other than those putting their cars on the track.

I guess we'll just have to see what happens....it gets pretty hot here in the summer time so if it's going to be a probem on the street I'm sure I'll experience it.

Thanks for sharing your experience and info. I feel better about the oil issue after reading your post. Change oil and filter at short intervals should provide adequate protection.

This issue whether real or not has just curbed my wife driving it to see her parents this weekend where she will be dealing with road grades, high elevation, and heat. The last thing either of us wants is to her stranded two-hundred miles away and having to deal with an overheating problem. After careful consideration and the thought of recording an overheating issue for use in a lemon law first filing we both decided her safety was too important. Since it is the first time we have encountered having to make this decision Nissan gets a reprieve, but there will no second time as summer is approaching and if 370z's are overheating this car will be gone using the lemon law. :mad:

^ I dont know. I've had the car on many multi-hundred mile trips already and to me it just feels like a new car (read: reliable). I think you might be over-worrying just a tad too much, SoCal

You need to tell that to my wife as she is one who driving it alone on the trip. I can tell you from experience that when my wife is done with a car she leaves the keys for me (versus leaving them in her purse) at that point she never drives it again; she just states they we need to purchase another one.

Here's a better pic:
http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/t...TempSensor.jpg

Summer will tell the story....Hang on guys. Justice will be served as always - it seems like we have a pretty strong voice here being that we will all back each other up once something happens. I will pick up my z in a few weeks now and hopefully everything will work out. Socal, HAHAHA that sounds pretty familiar. My gf - once she doesn't like something, she will just abandon it. ROFL

We had 90+* this week in cali.... Well, on the freeway with NO traffic and windows down, saw 265 on the gauge....... Don't want to think about what it would have hit in stop and go traffic. :stirthepot:

That's scary if it was casual driving. Was this 6MT or 7AT? We're you playing around in the higher revs, or just cruising in top gear?

We've had a few almost-hot days here in Houston lately, but nothing close to what it will be like by mid-summer. So far I don't think my oil temps will be an issue in the summer for casual driving, based on what I've seen. Not-so-casual driving, even on the streets, may prove to be an issue in the Houston summertime though. We'll see how it goes, it's hard to predict what truly hot weather will do.

Obviously, you need a new wife (or none at all) :)

Well, you could let her drive the car and when she is done you could convince her that you're sure she would like the GT-R better.

There seems to be some implication, at least, that this alleged problem is more prevalent in manual trans cars but I can't think of any logical reason why that would be.

Does anybody have any idea why a manual transmission car would be more likely to have an oil temp issue than an auto trans car?

Here's what I posted today over in Wstar's journal...
Honestly, I have no data to back this theory up... other than an observation that folks on this board with 6MT seem to be the only ones overheating to the point of limp mode (so far!)...

WStar made the reasonable point that it should be rev limited even with the clutch in... my car's in the shop so I can't test that, but I seem to remember that mine shot above 7,500 w/ clutch in... anyone willing to check?

Will have to be a 6MT person I think. On 7AT, I've never actually tried putting my car in neutral on the freeway and revving, but sitting at a stop it rev limits at like 5K in neutral, you can't go higher unless you're in gear and moving.

Travis,

I was using 6900 as a shift point at Mid-Ohio last week when I hit 275. At the time the ambient temp was around 65.

I think every one pretty much understands/assumes at this point that if you are going to track your car you need supplemental oil cooling.

That does make some sense but when I'm doing something like running the Dragon, I'm in manual mode and "shifting" just about as much as anyone with a 6MT would be so it still would seem like a bit of a mystery. :driving:

We had temps around 90 here yesterday and I only saw around 225 on the interstate and that was with the AC on (6MT here BTW). Is it possible that Nissan has made some change (even as simple as recalibrating the temperature sensor)? Based on my VIN number (51XX) I'm guessing that my car was produced fairly recently and I haven't had any problems, granted I haven't pushed my car yet to the extent that I would on the track or even auto-x.

I think us Phoenix residents are going to be the canary to the summer overheating problem. we are already hitting 100 degree days. Highest temps i have seen is 220-230. I am still in the break in period and rarely shift over 4k.

I've seen 240 on a 75 degree day here in Ohio. That is also pretty close to the temperature I saw in my 335i.

I believe your are correct, Phoenix may be the canary.

Good luck.

Ok, so what is the "danger zone" temperature. I know the Z manual says 280 and up, but what is the consensus on the forum? Is it that anything in the 240-260 territory is red zone?

Being worried at 280+ sounds about right. The reason myself and others are concerned when we see 240-260-range is because we're seeing those in relatively light conditions/driving.

According to my guy (in my post a page or two back), temps in that range in/near the pan (which appears to be where the sensor is taking the temp) would not be a problem.

Yep, I saw that post Robert. Thanks.

Running up the I-5 this week from Sylmar to Santa Clarita at 80+ with the A/C on up the grade through the Newhall Pass. Same weather...never got above 230. Go figure. :ugh2:

How many miles on your 370Z? Thanks.

I likely have one of the first 370s in the country and am not, in my view anyway, having a problem. So I don't think the theory that something has been quietly changed works.

even a basset hound needs more than a couple data points to make a conclusion - smart as they are! :)