A pretty good thread about oil here:

LINK EDITED BY MOD>>DO NOT POST LINKS TO COMPETING FORUMS

I just called my local Infiniti service and they do not use ester as their standard oil, they use Shell 5W-30. They said they only use ester on engines that are making the knocking sound some have complained about. I was suprised to hear they use plain regular old oil if ester is supposed to be used in our engines. I have an 09 G37S coupe and wish there was just a straight foward answer to keep the engine running good. I've heard pretty good things about Penzoil Platinum, but it doesn't have ester so who knows???

lucasnlee wrote:A pretty good thread about oil here:

LINK EDITED BY MOD>>DO NOT POST LINKS TO COMPETING FORUMS

I just called my local Infiniti service and they do not use ester as their standard oil, they use Shell 5W-30. They said they only use ester on engines that are making the knocking sound some have complained about. I was suprised to hear they use plain regular old oil if ester is supposed to be used in our engines.

You really have to look past what dealers say or do. They will buy bulk oil, non-synthetic, and dump it into cars that require synthetic. I've had 20W50 dino oil pumped into a twin-turbo Audi by a dealership, in the middle of winter! I've had an Audi dealer add "Z-max" (aftermarket fraud) in the oil without even asking me.

You have to be your own advocate and manage what they do. Same thing with so-called "scheduled service." They make up the intervals and insert senseless tasks. Spend 45 minutes with your owners manual and make sure the dealer stick to what it says.

I

Potomac-Greg wrote:
You really have to look past what dealers say or do. They will buy bulk oil, non-synthetic, and dump it into cars that require synthetic. I've had 20W50 dino oil pumped into a twin-turbo Audi by a dealership, in the middle of winter! I've had an Audi dealer add "Z-max" (aftermarket fraud) in the oil without even asking me.

You have to be your own advocate and manage what they do. Same thing with so-called "scheduled service." They make up the intervals and insert senseless tasks. Spend 45 minutes with your owners manual and make sure the dealer stick to what it says.

I decided to go with Penzoil Platinum and puralotor pure one oil filter. If my engine ever knocks I'll switch to ester but not problems so far.....

[QUOTE=lucasnlee]A pretty good thread about oil here:

LINK EDITED BY MOD>>DO NOT POST LINKS TO COMPETING FORUMS

I just called my local Infiniti service and they do not use ester as their standard oil, they use Shell 5W-30. They said they only use ester on engines that are making the knocking sound some have complained about. I was suprised to hear they use plain regular old oil if ester is supposed to be used in our engines. I have an 09 G37S coupe and wish there was just a straight foward answer to keep the engine running good. I've heard pretty good things about Penzoil Platinum, but it doesn't have ester so who knows???[/QUOT

^^^ If there is good info relating to our cars and engines other than this forum it is very silly not to be aloud to share it...

lucasnlee wrote:^^^ If there is good info relating to our cars and engines other than this forum it is very silly not to be aloud to share it...

has to do with advertising money... i would assume... makes since to me...

im do for an oil change... i use RP... i will be calling the nissian dealer next week and asking about this ester oil... i want the best in my G35x...

I have gone the way of Mobile 1 for my G37 and just recently to Mobil 1 EP.from what I can tell there is an increase in performance and better MPG using the Synthetic oil.This also could be because of breaking in as the car has only 18k miles on it at this time.

I was averaging about 19+ MPG on regular oil for first 12.5k milesUsing Standard Mobil 1 Synthetic about 21+ MPG changed to at 12.5K

switched to Mobil 1 EP which has been in for less than 1k miles 23+ MPG changed at 18K miles.

same driving habits mixed highway and non highway.

So it's been several months since many of us have visited this topic. Since my last posting here I have started to try ester oil in many other applications in varying dosages. In the last month or so a buddy of mine came to me with an 06 M35 with ~30k that sits while he travels on business he does not like the rattling noise on initial startup after a few days of sitting. So we tried a quart of ester, two months later he just reported back that he has yet to hear the noise.

In my shop we had a VQ37VHR replaced (non warrantable insurance claim, sorry no further information allowed) after the tech was done I took the valve covers off to take a look for my own sake. Under the valve covers lies a suprisingly complex setup that (in this car that had only ester) there was a small layer of oil coating everything. It was a bit strange and we (as a shop) all stood around for a while investigating further, as would any group of skeptics. There "appeared" to us, in our casual observations, that there was something differrent about this stuff.

Today I changed the oil in my wifes Acura rsx with a KA20 that has a bit of a valve train tick on cold startups that I don't like. Instead of following Acuras 5,000 mile service interval I change it at 3750 with tier 1 synthetic always. This time I did a few things differently and have seen instant results that seem an improvement. Instead of the OE Honda filter I used a 9E000 Nissan filter and 2qts or ester mixed with 2.5 qts of M1. The first startup was much smoother than I have heard that car start since it was new (6 years and 58k ago). Time will be the judge of what happens. In order to have a completely blind test supject I have not informed the wife that anything is different this time, we'll see if she notices anything different.

Ester may be worth the price to some it may not to other. Everyone is a little different. To some it makes sense for the piece of mind if nothing else, I am one of those. Here is to the true car enthusiast.

ESTER FTW!!!

The thread is still alive!!!I wanted to put in my 2 cents on the warranty issue. There was a statement earlier that use of anything other than the ester oil would threaten your warranty. Based on my reading of my documentation, that is just not the case. The ester oil is recommended not required. Oddly, the objective standard cited for the oil is actually fairly low (API). Other cars I own and owned (German) have very specific manufacturer-specific standards. My wife's Benz diesel has a rating that only TWO motor oils commonly sold in the US actually have.

I would have NO guilt or hesitation to use a first quality, full synthetic in 5W30 or 0W30 in my G37. But if the Magic Ester Oil is not significantly more pricey, and I can pick it up nearby, I'll use that.

True, ester is recommended, not required. But once Mobil and Quaker and maybe Pennzoil have their own esters on the market, ester type will probably become a requirement for future vehicles. I'm using exclusively ester in Dad's EX35. Its good stuff.

I did the change with Mobil 1 5W30. I've got about 75 miles on that oil and I do not hear any new noises or any change in performance. I am surprised at how short the oil change interval is. Many modern cars call for synthetic oil and oil change intervals of 7,500 or even more. I tend to go for 4-5,000 in any event, but the recommended 3,750 is the shortest interval I've seen on a modern car.

It really is an easy job. I have a topside oil sucker/pump, but since I needed to be down under to get the filter off, I went ahead and drained the pan from below. As a shortcut, I just jacked up the left front of the car and put a jackstand in there. That tilts the car to the right and gets the oil full drained from the pan. Four 10mm bolts on the rear lip of the belly pan, and it folds forward revealing the oil pan and filter.

Why the hell are there FIVE steel bolts holding the plastic cover on the top of the engine? I've had four prior cars with plastic engine covers. Two of them (Mercedes) just snapped on like Tupperware, and two had plastic 90 degree clips (Audi). Nissan surely has the most secure engine cover on the market!

hi guys, im looking in the pic for a "nissan" oil, just correct me if im wrong, but why would i use a nissan, toyota, honda oil if there are not such manufacturers or refineries in the oil industry with that name. if the top brands as castrol, mobil, liqui moly, etc arent making that oil its even worst because a small company is doing it...

in my area i used to go for the castrol rs 10w-60 the best oil for me (price/specs) but i think the price/demand got it discotinued now i using liqui moly 10w-60 (more expensive) and when i cant find it i go for the mobil sync 0w-40 which is a fine oil too

i used to know that the 1st number is to start the car, to reach every part of the engine has to be as liquid/thinner it can (thats the number closer to 0)but when the engine is running (weather aside even in hot areas) the heat makes the oil inside thinner so it will have to be a very thicker one to protect the engine vital parts. (ex. like honey when heated thats why i go 50-60 if i can)

please tech guys what variables i m missing???

SteveTheTech wrote:Hi there all G37 owners.

I want to let you all know that there is a new oil available to resolve any noise issues and lost performance from conventional or synthetic. I have performed this change on a few vehicles now and have noticed improved performance and no noise one part throttle acceleration. This is the oil that the engine was designed to use and it actually works.

I'm sure Nissan "designed" the oil and it is made by a reputable manufacturer. And Nissan's not a small company in any event. As to alternatives, I would not stray from the recommended viscosities. The gut impression of oil "thin-ness" or "thickness" is way too simplified and every modern car engine has features that dictate a type of oil. New Acuras call for a 0W20 oil, which would seem crazy under high heat conditions, but you have to assume that they know what they are doing. I'll stick with 0W30 or 5W30, and maybe stray to 0W40.

Potomac-Greg wrote:but you have to assume that they know what they are doing.

That sums it up perfectly.

3750 seems weird for a mileage increment but it's 5,000 kilometers. Toyota and Honda and ir respective lux brands all exceed 10,000 miles for services and I feel that that is excessive, although many Infiniti owners feel that once a year is still too often to change their oil but to each their own.

I forgot who makes it but it uses a nanoparticle bond that adheres to the VVEL assembly reducing friction. Whether you the owners feel or notice seems to be a case by case basis (depending on driving). Personally I drive these all the time and notice the difference, however this is what I do for a living.

If you don't plan on keeping the car forever than I would say use whatever you can afford, just don't take that approach to gas. If you wanna take better care of your car but don't feel like buying $12/qt oil try adding 1 qt per oil change (bear with me there is a method to my madness) Most of the customers I see in my day to day travels buy some of the smaller services from the dealer and they come with some oil and fuel additives that people pay $15+/ea for these without questioning their benefits but instead but a qt of ester and put that in. I remember in the old days my old man would put a can of Marvels Mystery oil in for any type of noise or ailment, this stuff works like that in some slight way. The weather here has been bitterly (for below the Mason-Dixon or to me) cold and a bunch of Ms and Gs with DE engines I am seeing are making noise on cold start ups, a qt of ester help slightly. Starting the car cold...really cold, think so cold the oil is congealed and the car knocks from the upper end that is one of the most common times when something gets worn ever so slightly. Pardon the mini rant, just my one sided conversation over an after work beer.

To the Ohio guy, welcome. What are you running 60 weight oil in?

hi potomac, if what i know is right, multigrade oils means thinner for starts and thicker while running because with heated oil tend to get thin and not being so protective, thats the common rule, dont know other variables besides weather to argue about viscosities...

nissan is a car MANUFACTURER for most of the parts, i never said that nissan is a small company but oil/gasoline comes from REFINERIES, products tested in the formula 1 for example. im not sure that they really design that oil but ask for a fine enveloped with their logo or at least you know the real brand behind that. with that logic infiniti oil will be better and maybe bugatti (vw) oil the best right???

Hi stevetech its true what you say about some owners appearance against their car maintenance but why buy a luxury car when you cant mantain it, makes no sense... if you cant/wont use the better synthetic oil and additives (5-7.5k) to keep in good shape ur own active then buy a yaris/echo, use mineral oil and fill it with the cheapest gas you can find.

i use 10w60 in any top brand i could find but now im using mobil sync 0w-40 which is a super oil too but not my first choice cause of the viscosity...

about my car, i just got a g35x standard http://forums.g35club.org/zerothread?id=461507

Potomac-Greg wrote:I'm sure Nissan "designed" the oil and it is made by a reputable manufacturer. And Nissan's not a small company in any event. As to alternatives, I would not stray from the recommended viscosities. The gut impression of oil "thin-ness" or "thickness" is way too simplified and every modern car engine has features that dictate a type of oil. New Acuras call for a 0W20 oil, which would seem crazy under high heat conditions, but you have to assume that they know what they are doing. I'll stick with 0W30 or 5W30, and maybe stray to 0W40.

I notice here that people are comparing the "severe" schedule for the G (3750 miles) to the "normal" schedule for other car makes (10,000 miles for Honda/Acura/Toyota). Just to do apples-apples comparisons, check your maintenance book - the "severe" schedule for Honda/Acura is 5,000 miles and the "normal" schedule on your G is 7,500 miles. Not that big of a difference.

Steve, would you recommend using a quart of Ester oil mixed with Royal Purple? I was going to have the dealership use Ester for the 1st oil change @ 1k miles, then mix in a quart of Ester when I change it at home.

Thoughts?

Better to use 2 instead of one.

but it's cool to mix with synthetic right? I might just have them mix whatever they use for the free oil change and mix in 2 quarts of Ester.

Why not just go 100% ester?Ester is the new RP...It is specially designed for this engine. How much are you getting RP for these days?

I would rather see you stretch your interval to 5k and use 100% ester. No one will tell you to actually go 5k but if you are not going to beat the car the pros outweigh the cons when it comes down using the right oil for these cars.

I think on an old post a while back I mentioned that to you...Just use the 5 qts of ester and have a 4500 or 5000 mile interval. but if you don't want to spend the extra $$$ then 2 or 3 qts with the regular 3750 interval

g35parts.com has 5 qts + filter for $49.95. does that seem reasonable? also, i hear some of you are doing your first oil change at 1000 miles, not at 3750 miles? i have 350 miles on the car now.

Wow. So much confusion in this thread. Let me try to address some of it:

1. Nissan Ester oil is not a true ester-based Group V synthetic like Motul or Redline. It's either a conventional oil or a Group 3 semi-synthetic with an ester additive. Many oils have ester additives.

2. The VQ37 engine was not designed to use this oil. It was designed to use any API-certified 5W-30 oil.

On the contrary, Nissan developed this oil to do two things for the G37, which it does very well. First, the proprietary ester they use carries nano-particles of carbon or diamond dust that adheres to Nissan's plasma coated (DLC) engine parts to reduce friction between those coated parts allowing them to raise their fleet mileage in CAFE standard testing.

Second, because they use a solid carbon based friction modifier instead of a petroleum based friction modifier in their oil, it does not burn and change into a measurable pollutant that comes out the tailpipe. The carbon particles that do pass through the engine simply come out the back end as a non-pollutant.
This has allowed Nissan to lower their emissions and raise their fleet mileage....all by simply using their oil.

Third, the oil helps with an engine noise issue found in early VQ37 engines.

That said, here are the problems for the consumer:

A. Nissan Ester oil doesn't stand up to the heat generated by the engine (which can be substantial at full throttle), resulting in extremely high wear metal counts (lead, copper, iron, aluminum) in Used Oil Analyses at oil change intervals of 3750 miles or less. These high wear metal counts are not a good sign for potential engine life.

B. Nissan Ester oil shears like crazy out of grade at the recommended oil change intervals, down to 5W-20 from 5W-30. Nissan wants 5W-30 oil in the engine for a reason. It doesn't want 5W-20 oil in the engine.

C. It's ridiculously expensive.

Statements like "This stuff works," and "If you plan on keeping your car for more than 8 oil changes, use Nissan Ester oil," sound like sales pitches to me. In my review of the evidence, Nissan Ester oil should NOT be used for people on Schedule 2 maintenance. You'd be crazy to drive 7500 miles on this oil. And people on Schedule 1 who want to use it will probably want to change their oil at lot sooner than 3750 miles after looking at the evidence.

Or, you can go find an API-certified 5W-30 oil that can stand the heat of the VQ37, won't result in high wear metal counts, and won't shear even at extended oil change intervals (according to published UOAs). If that oil happens to be cheaper than Nissan Ester oil, all the better.

Regarding the Nissan Ester oil:
My opinion (and it is just that - an opinion) is that a good synthetic such as M1 is good and contains esters. Mobil 1 has some good info in their forums
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... ction.aspx
and you will NOT void your warranty if you don't use Nissan oil - read the manual! It's clear. Should be 5W30, API service SM. On the other hand, don't cheap out on your oil either - on some cars using M1 may be a waste of $, but seems like the G37 engine could use this full synthetic (with esters). Note that M1 recommends Mobil 1 for ultimate protection, no blends, not Mobil 1 EP, etc. I don't want to sound like a Mobil commercial and it's not cheap, but much cheaper than the Nissan oil and meets factory requirements.
Just as important to use a good oil filter. I use a Purolator PureOne filter.
Interesting to see Nissan got a European patent on their oil. Not sure if they filed for a U.S. patent, but should be noted that in Europe, patents are given to the first to file, not first to invent. Sounds to me like smart marketing by Nissan, particularly in Europe where they may have been the first to file.
Regarding the actual act of the oil change:
My '09 G37X has an access panel (or flap) w/ 2 bolts that can be removed to give access to the filter. Problem is it allows you to access filter without removing the whole plastic cover with 15 bolts, but it gets in the way when oil spills out of the filter. Some oil tends to run into the cover and out one of the drain holes - a little messy but not too bad. Looks like some of the other years/models may require you to remove the whole cover. Manual is very poor in this regard, but I think Nissan wants to give their dealers the opportunity to make $ off maintenance. I like doing my own oil changes because it's becoming the one thing the average guy can still do on their own car, it forces me under the car to check for any damage or leaks, and I don't trust some kid (even at the dealer) to put the right oil/filter on the car.
BTW, I am a degreed and licensed mechanical engineer, but not a tribologist.

No trust with the dealer? thats terrible. I'd never cheat one of my customers. A reputable dealer will always give you a higher level of service. I know most guys that are dealer employees are good people too. Like Steve.

If I knew Steve or yourself was doing the oil change, then yes, I would trust them. Usually the dealer is not putting his best mechanic on oil changes, and an oil change is something the average guy at home can do and this is expected. For real repair/maintenance, yes, we should all establish a relationship and trust the dealer.

I've had a vw dealer change my oil on a Jetta I had and apparently they did not tightened the drain. Long story short, 2 weeks later, my car had no oil in the car and had to be towed in.

There is some good stuff in here. I cannot believe the dates that are on the first page of this thread. It's been a long speculative road fellas. Some of the info on the first few pages is not accurate anymore.

Instead of debating the cost v benefits anyone looking to this thread should really consider purchasing an Infiniti Elite maintenance package. It covers ester with no question and will pay for itself within the first 30k.

There is a ton of apprehension when it comes to servicing ones car. Everyone has a bad story, hell I have had a few bad days and left a drain plug or two loose. S happens, where any facility should graded is on their response. I have driven out to customers houses on my own time to address. That is why I tell everyone to not bring their car in on a Saturday, while you are almost guaranteed to not get the technicians full attention. But that is another thread.

I know I have personally said "this stuff works" on more than one occasion. My basis for this is not an oil analysis. I have a trashed vvel engine out on the floor and even after sitting for over a month and the cams still had a perfect coating of oil, unlike the several other engines I have disassembled where the top rotating parts get dry. A carbon analysis and remaining chemical composition test will never tell you details like that. I have noticed idle quality difference when switching, whether the ECM learns to adapt to that one I return the car to it's owner they are not this is one of those things that you use your senses to prove.

Any mechanical engineer should be able to agree that lowering the µ and thermal energy displaced in a normal internal combustion engine will improve efficiency, and economy as well as parasitic loss. We all know that an ic engine runs <30% efficiency on average, while gasoline is full of potential energy. One of the the many ways Nissan is doing this is providing owners with an ideal oil.

It would not really make sense for Nissan to make their own fluid if they could just get some from Motul or Amsoil. There is a bunch of money in that type of agreement. It is not something they appear to be marketing like Porsche and MB do with M1. I am skeptical of the comment that was made in regards to this oil not being used during the design and emissions testing of this vvel engine, everything I have heard goes the opposite way. The vvel technology is a new set of rotating parts added to the cams, that in itself might require special lubrication. Nissan has also been using special finishes on cams and cranks for years, in an attempt to be on the leading edge of efficient technology.

I love a good educated debate, but it's funny that one thing that polarizes people worse than politics is oil.

I saw this picture a while back and thought that it would fit this thread perfect. lol, have a good weekend y'all

My dealer (Infiniti of Thousand Oaks) quotes a $29.95 price for an oil/filter change. That is not close to the prices mentioned in this thread. Do you suppose they are not using the Nissan oil? You can bet I'll ask when I have my first oil change.

David