One the break in question...doesn't the factory run each engine up to redline on a rolling road or dyno before they even install/ship it out? It's best to just follow the user manual. Engines these days are incredibly well built and should last 250k miles without a rebuild if kept in good oil. It wasn't like that 30 years ago.

The factory way is fine but we are doing a HP related break-in. More like when you are trying to get good numbers on a dyno, right before you start modding and mod from there. Sqeezing a measly 3-5rwhp for a dyno means something to some of us. Lol. :)

I have owned many cars in my 52 years, including a rock solid 350Z that never needed the Oil checked..

I love my 370Z, but if it needs the oil checked at every fill up, or constant monitoring, then the new engine has flaws that the the 350Z did not..Like oil burning...

I haven't experienced it yet, but if it gets to be an issue, bye , bye Z car...plenty of Cars that are sweet that don't need that constant monitoring..

i hope you guys are wrong, but I will be ready...If the engine goes, they will replace it without charging me..

The 350Z would go like a rocket and never need the Oil checked. Just regular services, and it ran like a Timex watch...

Again, i hope you are wrong, but i will not baby the 370Z...I have the extended warranty for 7 years , and I will use it...I will keep records of all the Oil changes, and I would like to see them blame me for low Oil...

But I hope for the best, but Thanks for the heads up...

No. They didn't do it with my Z06, at least. Unless some lot-tech who loads your car gets happy with it, it's not going to see redline until you do that.

Obviously my Z06 isn't a 370Z, but...


Dyno at around 2,000rpm run on natural gas to verify hp.

That's it.
Other than the 4-wheel alignment which has a max rpm if about 4600 or so, IIRC before a notification is received electronically to the big boss man and a phone-call is placed to Bowling Green and someone gets it. My car saw something like 4200 on it while I watched. That's it. Just going through the gears to get to cruising.

You are correct. When assembly is completed, each car is put onto a four wheel rolling road and tested. The cars are then taken out onto a closed test course around the assembly plant to bed in the brakes and test other functions, systems. After a few laps the cars go back into the factory for final inspection, detailing and preparation for shipping.

I visited the Tochigi assembly plant while in Japan back in November 2010 and saw this with my own eyes.

That would be sweet especially if you got to see them build your own car! I know for some other cars companies will let you see it/take it right off the line! Sounds like a cool trip though.


Sorry to hear about the guys having engine failure and or oil consumption. So far I have been lucky with my 370 and my last Nissans and have had no oil consumption issues. I hope when into get mine outta storage in a couple weeks everything stays ok for another season.

Did they redline the car? I highly doubt it. Tests like you mention are normal, but I have never heard of them redlining the car, and I can tell you for a fact that my 370Z arrived with an engine that was far from broken in. I actually wiped semi-clear looking oil out of my tail-pipes the first time I detailed it at about 50 miles on the odometer. With 1200 on it, now, the tail-pipes are bone dry save for a tiny amount of soot. For what it's worth, my Z06 was very similar, except there was just a TON of black stuff in the exhaust tips instead of actual oily residue. Maybe it was just condensation + a ton of soot in the 370Z, but either way, it definitely isn't near as cruddy as when I bought it. The rings are seated, now, and they sure weren't before. In either car. Both burned about 1/4-1/2 a quart during break-in, or so.

My z almost ran dry
 

I run synthetic oil in my 2009 370Z. Is it me or do they burn oil faster than any other car? After changing it the first time I noticed the oil level was pretty low, hmmmm. My oil light never came on either.

Steve:icon14:

May be a defective engine. There is a tsb for your year.