not sure... nissan must be idiots cause the internet PROFESSIONALS state it's a MUST DO or ring blows up and shitt... lol

I suppose you haven't changed anything that I listed, since the manual didn't state as a "requirement"?

Quoted you directly. The Internet Expert said you should change the fluid. You were distressed because the manual hadn't warned you of this. Nissan should be at least as smart as Chuck33079

http://www.the370z.com/2803433-post6.html

Anything you'd like to come out and directly say? Have you changed yours? What condition was it in? When I changed my diff fluid at 15k, it was filthy and the magnetic plug had a bunch of metal on it from break-in. That's plenty of reason to change it early. You don't have to, but it certainly can't hurt. It's cheap and it's good peace of mind considering how it looked at 15k.

i changed my G's at 9yrs 32k miles. it wasnt that dirty. some shavings on the magnetic plug but nothing of concern.

I figure that the manufacturer, who is also on the hook for warranty claims, knows better. You're correct. I follow the recommendations in the manual. I see no reason to try to second guess Nissan, no matter how dirty the oil "looks".

After that amount of time the lube was not performing up to spec, even if it looked good. Maybe still good enough for a grocery-getter (most trans/diff lubes are pretty tough) but not what I would want in a sports car, especially if driven hard.

It's a good idea to change all lubes after a short break-in period (say, 1000-1500 miles for motor oil, 10-20k for MT and diff).

But opinions on lubricants (and car audio) are like a**holes - everybody's got one. ;)

But the manual says different. It's obviously the final word on everything and you can't possibly do better and anyone who says anything different is just some jackass on the internet. :rolleyes:

It's impossible to judge lubricants by any of our senses. I've seen good looking/feeling lubes test bad and vice versa.

Yes, manufacturer recommendations for specs and change intervals are usually good enough to get a vehicle past the warranty period. But they aren't gospel and they aren't the best plan if you like mechanical things and want to treat them right - especially if you like to run them hard.

You can't change lubes too often (after break-in). The worst you are going to do is waste a little money and you might end up saving a critical part. When in doubt, change it.

I changed my diff oil at 12K or so. I knew it didn't "have" to be changed, I changed mine because it was fun! My diff oil had a lot of suspended material in it (was not clear as new), and the diff plug had ferrous material on it also. I've never changed the diff oil on any car I've owned (or truck) but I did so on the Z for the first time. The drained oil actually looked dirty when it came out. I didn't change the fluid to prevent damage.

How would u know? Oh yah, you're are the professional, unlike Nissan. Lol:icon17:

Changed my diff oil at 5 miles... screw all of you I make my own rules and decisions!

The oil was so dirty that chewbacca himself poured out of the drain plug and onto the pan.

Blah blah blah... I actually respect fountain's post cause he's honest
It was fun for him to do the work. :D

:icon08: :gtfo2:

:rofl2:

:inoutroflpuke:

If you will re-read my last sentence, you will see I am not claiming to be a professional, just stating my opinion. But I do have a lot of experience with lubricants in an industrial setting. I'm definitely not an expert but I do know a little bit more than the average bear. ;)

The only professional recommendation that really matters is nissan's. Not the dealer even, Nissan the manufacturer.

People will make up many unnecesary things to do on their cars. If they are having fun doing it, great.

This is the same Nissan that issued a recall for steering lock unit to replace them with another faulty unit? And the same one that will not recognize a problem with a CSC with plastic internal components? It is? Ok just checking ;)

:icon17:

:shakes head:

I think JARblue addressed that.

Yes, Nissan's recommendations are good enough for most DDs and the people that drive them. But many of us who have maintained equipment for a living know that ofttimes going a little above what the manufacturer calls for can greatly extend equipment life and contribute to the overall efficiency of the system. Especially with equipment that tends to get pushed hard.

I guess that all depends on one's definition of "unnecessary". I think the little bit of extra I spend on changing more frequently than recommended is money well-spent in the long run. YMMV.

FWIW: I think the 3750 oil change interval that Nissan recommends is on the conservative side and, for many drivers, could be extended to 5-6k with no problems. But, once again, that's just my opinion.

:tup:

that's wat ive been saying. even the very basic maintenance is fine for most weekend only driven cars.
if you track your car that's outside nissan's normal routine so it'd be wise to do more frequent changes.

most people dont track their Z's...

this thread is redundant and stupid

Update from what the Nissan tech (10 yrs experience) told me today.....

After changing the differential oil, he said its turning brown and "not that bad" @ 44000 miles. Of course he recommended to change it often if I plan to keep the car long term.

Btw I DD my car like I stole it

OMG people do unnecessary things to their cars every day, often based on nothing more objective than a logo on the car of the current NASCAR points leader. Or maybe based on advice their pappy told 'em back in the day. Chuck is right. If spending a few bucks unnecessarily buys you some piece of mind, no harm in going for it. Good lord, people go to chiropractors every day. Never underestimate the placebo effect.

:tup:

:iagree:

It's fine. Oh but if you don't want to have problems later, I'd change it. If you're gonna sell it, who cares about the next owner :shakes head:

Granted I think this way about our leased Acura when it comes to cosmetics (like when I fit a lawnmower in the back seat and scratched up the trim forcing it in). But not maintenance. In fact, the dealer won't even put the recommended full synthetic 0W-20 oil in it, so I just do it myself since I can use Mobil 1 0W-20 for the same price they charge me to put in blended 5W-20.

I change fluids more than the recommended intervals on the Z just because I can. There are plenty of both dumb and smart people on the internet. There are plenty of dumb and smart people working for Nissan. I take the information provided by all of them, try to become more knowledgeable in the matter, and do my best to come up with my own logical conclusion. Blindly following Nissan's (or anyone's for that matter) recommendation isn't my style. To each their own. Just my :twocents:

:iagree:

well, mr, jar...let's not forget you were the one that couldnt figure out how to do the base pad swap, not me. :icon17: oh?

:icon17:

Tweet! Flag on the play. Ad hominem attack. 5 yard penalty and loss of down.