By "ticking" are you guys just talking about the "snap crackle pop" type ticking noise you hear mstly after turning the car off while it's cooling down after a spirited drive especially? I thought that was normal? Is that the VVEL?

 

The rice krispies sound you mention I think is just the heatshields crackling. The VVEL actually comes from the engine area, but I personally haven't heard it (or know exactly how it sounds).

Given the the history of oil consumption on the VQ's, I'd be very hesitant to deviate from what nissan recommends incase they attempt to deny any warranty claims. As far as what non-nissan branded ester oils are ok'd by them, that is something I'd like to find out soon...

 

I just got this done a few days ago. I actually went in for my 7500 mile oil change but I had a very light tap coming from what sounded like a lifter or something. They made an adjustment, replaced it with ester oil and reset the ECU and the tapping is gone. Best part is that because I put the car in for the tapping noise which is covered under warentee, I got the oil change for free.....w00t!

 

Which, in the long run might prove more expensive. Once you have the Nissan Ester (conventional - not synthetic) oil in your crankcase, the Infiniti service departments are supposed to inform you that you are not supposed to change back to any other oil. If you've never used the Ester oil, all Infiniti can do is recommend it. If you don't have any problems, you can always say your car runs fine on non-Ester oil and you want to keep it as is. But, once you've changed, Infiniti may very well tell you they can not guarantee no noises if you do not continue to use the Nissan Ester oil. Then, they've got you and you have to pay $12/quart for ever more.

 

Please let us know when you find this out.

 

I have the ester oil in my car. It is $17 a quart!!!!!! I'm only trying it this change, as they recommended it for a problem I have. This occurs after everything is warmed up and hot. I'm in 1st and start off, the engine bogs down like it isn't getting enough fuel. After rpms are above 2000 it takes off. When the air is cold and the engine is cold this doesn't happen. They changed the software for a newer version, engine runs better, but problem is still there. I was nearly rear ended because of this problem. If I slow down to turn a corner and have 2nd selected and step down below 2000 rpm it bogs down. I had a G35, Coupe 6sp, never happened. I currently have a G37S.

 

So what it the general feel for this new oil? Are most owners going to use it? I think if I was leasing - I would use regular oil. But I bought this one and would like to make this engine last... but at $100 an oil change (and per SM dealer, they still require every 3,750 miles) - this is going to be expensive.

 

Yes, Ester motor oil is superior to regular synthetic, it bonds with the metal.

History of Engine oil.

SYNTHETICS IN THE USA. @1996 rewrite ~2000©

In the USA there are a few different types of synthetic base stocks used in engine oils. We will just touch on two in this technical / sales paper.
The word Synthetic is confusing; it describes a process, not a material. For example, White sand is synthesized into glass, but glass is never called "synthetic sand". Most people think that all synthetic oils are made of the same base, This is wrong! For most of the USA, there are mainly two types of synthetic oils (or as we like to say, synthetics are designer oils).

The most common is a PAO, short for poly-alpha-olefine, or easier to understand, it is synthesized petroleum oil. It is refined in a special process, or in simple words "synthesized". It still starts out by being pumped out of the ground. PAO’s are better than regular petroleum oil for handling heat, oxidation, low temperature startups and higher film strength. Drawback: PAO and petroleum are dynamic types of oil, you have to build up oil pressure and have rotation before a film is produced. Better said, you have to hydroplane the engine parts like you hydroplane a car in the rain, to create a film (or in the case of water-skiing, you have to build speed for the skier to get up and plane on the water). PAO’s are not very expensive because they are made from crude oil and produced in large quantities. You can usually tell when PAO’s are the main ingredient used as the cost of the 100% synthetic oil is less than $7.00 per quart.

The other main type of synthetics are synthetic esters, (diester, polyolesters, polyesters and complex esters). Motul® uses esters in its products. Esters are mostly made of vegetables, minerals, and animal fatty acids. Motul’s® esters contain a lot of coconut derivatives. Esters are much more expensive because the ingredients all have to be collected from natural resources and synthesized (a very expensive process) in smaller quantities. Esters have all the advantages of a PAO but more of them. Esters can handle heat better than PAO’s and when burned, esters leave far less coking deposits. Esters are static types of oils and are attracted to metal parts with an electro-chemical bond. This means no more metal to metal start ups. This also means that a film is there before the oil pressure light goes out preventing premature wear of high-stressed parts like cam lobes. The film created is up to 5 times stronger then petroleum oil.

The number one reason to run an ester synthetic oil is bond. The electro-chemical bond is made because the ester molecule is polar. Sort of like a refrigerator magnet. It is attracted to metal and sticks.The PAO molecules are neutral and act like a piece of plastic placed on the fridge. They just fall off. All commercial jet plane flying, use an ester synthetic of some type and not a PAO. You need to run an ester of some sort for maximum protection.

There are some companies calling level 3 petroleum base stocks synthetic. This oil is a good Petro oil. But it is not what we call a synthetic. The end result is that some oils are labeled incorrectly and are very inexpensive.
Let’s explain why handling higher running temps is important.With petroleum oils there is a much better risk of failure from volatility problems than with synthetics. Why?

Have you ever burned butter while cooking? Yes, everybody has burned butter! The running temp or maximum temp is low. When butter reaches its maximum running temp it starts to evaporate (volatility) then it carbonizes and then it sticks to the metal pan. Now compare butter to vegetable oil in which you deep fry french fries. The only way to heat vegetable oil so hot as to make it carbonize, you would almost need a direct flame.

Petroleum oil is like butter as far as handling heat! Synthetics are like vegetable oil - synthetics won’t burn up and stick to your engine parts or go out the breather as fast as petroleum oils will. Remember esthers leave almost no deposits if they do burn this is the second reason to run a synthetic oil. Because you’re not supposed to have extreme heat problems everyday.

 

You may have misinterpreted this information. The Nissan Ester oil is conventional oil with ester additive(s). Most major label conventional, and synthetic/synthetic blend, oils have ester additives. The Nissan oil may contain more ester additives or greater quantities of the "same" ester additives. I don't know what or how much more ester additive(s) Nissan adds to their oil because they haven't said.

But, the Nissan Ester oil is NOT an ester-based synthetic, like RedLine, Motul or Eneos.

 

Yea its very difficult to find detailed information about the differences. I didn't realize Nissans ester was a conventional ester, I smell rip off. After looking at this piece of info, 4-ball wear test i think I'm going to go with Amsoil 5w30 and take it to my local nistech shop. Significantly better oil and less cost.

 

After reading RedG37SNC last post, I did a search on Bob is the Oil Guy attempting to learn more about manufactures of ester-based motor oil as an alternative to the Amsoil 0w-30 SSO and 75w-90 SVG, I presently use. I found a thread discussing various ether based oils such as Motul, Redline, and RLI BioSyn. Not knowing the last one, I did another search on Yahoo and was directed to the manufacturers web site. I discovered that their version of 0w-30 kicks my beloved Amsoil in the a** and it is ester based! The base stock and additive package was personally formulated with the assistance of Terry Dyson, one of the most respected lubrication consultants in the industry. Some of you may have had a oil analysis performed by Terry, as I have. At my next oil change, I am giving this a go!

Here is a link to their website that describes the benefits of their oil formulation:

http://www.renewablelube.com/motoroilshobs.htm

Below is the physical properties document of their 0w-30 and links from Bob is the Oil Guy and an M3 forum Group Buy thread about Renewable Lubricants, Inc Bio-Synthetic:

Physical Properties Test Results:

http://www.renewablelube.com/pdf/Bio...W30%20PCMO.pdf


Bob is the Oil Guy link:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...893022&fpart=1


M3 Forum .Net link:

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=172664

 

Nice find, this does look worth a shot!

 

Yeah, if I'm going to start paying $12 a quart for oil. It's like paying for a high end call girl, you want to get as much as I can out of it! I plan on changing my oil and diff fluid to RLI Bio-Syn. I will consult Terry to find out what oil filter he recommends (presently prefer Donaldson/Amsoil nanofiber) and make sure the reminents of the Amsoil will play okay with an ester based oil. Also to see, if I need to discontinue the use of LubeControl and FuelPower products recommend to me by Terry back in 2003. Additionally, I will run this oil a standard OCI, have an analysis performed (preferbly an additional analysis by Terry) and provide the results to the forum.

 

do any of the high end oils contain ester? I usually use redline or royal purple fully synthetic in my cars.... how can we know?

 

I would use the ester oil if you bought the car rather than a lease. Infinit has a TSB recommending using the ester oil. Why use ester oil? Well the oil is magenetized and will stick to the engine parts rather than dropping into the oil pan. On cold starts and while the engine is warming up this is very important on these engines. I was changing my oil myself with Mobile 1 extended and did not know about the ester oil... Well, the first cold day here in NY i drove two blocks gave the car some gas and the engine went.
My car also had a oil consumption issue 25 quarts of oil in 10 months. Something is up with these new G37 engines trust me, use the ester based oil.