B@lliZtiK:
"Actually I was reading what you posted here ...
http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=69753
... and that seems to have answered some of my questions. Everyone else would do good to read this too."
Thanks for searching for, and linking to, that previous thread.
I don't have any experience with the VG30 but I like reading what I wrote months or years ago and seeing if I'd still say the same things today ... or if the industry has changed and I feel the need to point certain things out.
I still like those prior recomendations but I'd like to mention two things:
1) Even mineral 10W-30s are shearing down rapidly these days. The better 10W-30 formulas used to be good to stay in grade for 5,000 miles or more ... but now they are shearing significantly in 2,000-3,000 miles.
2)The latest formula Chevron Delo400 15W-40 now has an additive package which looks a lot like the Pennzoil Long Life 15W-40 I used to rave about. But you have to look for the absolutely
latest bottles from a month or so ago (date printed on the back). The bottle should have some modest "anti-wear" label/flag on the front of the bottle. I've seen one on a gallon container in a local Walmart which looked like the newest stuff.
One thing you can do is use Chevron 10W-40 ... then bump it up a touch with 1 quart of their Delo400 HDEO mixed in with the rest of the sump. This will enhance the already strong anti-wear additive as well as add some oil which is more resistant to shearing than a mass market PCMO.
The other thing is to just use
any mineral 10W-40 ... then change it often, knowing that the stuff will shear down quickly. But even sheared down, it's
still a 30 weight at temp ... safe to use, for sure. The problems with 10W-40 sludging up engines was fixed well over a decade ago (unstable VII - Viscosity Index Improver) so don't worry about that.
Or (my personal choice) you could use Schaeffer Oil which resists shearing down like few others. Heck, my thrasher QR25DE with its counter-weighted egg beaters went 5,000 miles using their 5W-30 synthetic blend (~20% PAO) and the stuff STAYED IN GRADE!
Anyway, I'd dare anyone to try their 10W-30 blend and shear it down in less than 5,000 miles ... even with some track miles mixed in.
The manual for my SpecV (QR25DE) says oils up to 10W-40 are fine, if given warm conditions. So, I'm thinking any oil which is a 30-40 weight at temp will work very well. Heck, I might even use Mobil 1 15W-50 because it is a really
thin 50 weight oil.
What gauges do y'all have? Can you install the ones you don't? For any track car, I'd want oil pressure and oil temperature - a good gauge, marked in degrees connected to a real (variable degree) sending unit.
Look for average oil temps and KNOW THIS NUMBER. Also see if there is a temp where the oil pressure begins to drop off. This will help you see where the oil is falling short ... and if you are talking to a guy like Dave Granquist at Red Line, he'll want to know this kind of info when helping you select a proper weight.
And lastly, do UOAs to confirm that the oil you chose is working well and holding up after hard use.
