27 replies to this topic

[NickTO]

Here we go!  Let's keep this thread updated with pricing info on Nissan "Genuine" OE maintenance material as well as aftermarket alternatives.

[NickTO]

I found Mobil1 0w40 at a nearby Wal*Mart, but it's not stocked everywhere.

The Canadian Mobil1 reseller is NOCO Oil in Toronto, I bought my oil there directly on a cash account.

I paid $48.48 for a case of 6x 1L 0w40 bottles.

This comes out to $6.06 a bottle; cheaper than what I saw at Wal*Mart.

I have contact information if anyone wants to call them to buy some.

Edited by NickTO, 02 April 2009 - 02:29 PM.

[cacou]

I was told a Canadian Tire close to my house (Montreal) has it in stock.  Apparently, only some stores carry it.

[NickTO]

I also bought the following products and picked them up at the Amsoil depot in Toronto.   Due to decrease in the price of oil, there's been a pricing adjustment on March 1.

Amsoil Severe Gear 75w140 EP  differential oil.     Paid $16.70 a quart (946ml), is now $16.10

Amsoil EaO-12 engine oil filter.  Paid $17.40 ea , are now $17.60

Edited by NickTO, 03 April 2009 - 07:25 AM.

[Gdzilla_]

Nissan OEM tranny fluid in alberta is 112$ per liter..

compared to Pentosin FFL-4  at 27.15$ per liter..

Motul gear oil 300 75-140   runs 27.95$ per liter...




hey nickto... what's your thoughts on using Motul 300 75-140  to Amsoil Severe Gear 75w140 EP differential .. compared to the OEM Castrol SAF – XJ  full synthetic SAE  75-140 ...

Amsoil gear oil apparently is more economic...

[NickTO]

Gdzilla_, on Apr 3 2009, 01:29 PM, said:

hey nickto... what's your thoughts on using Motul 300 75-140 to Amsoil Severe Gear 75w140 EP differential .. compared to the OEM Castrol SAF – XJ full synthetic SAE 75-140 ...

Glad you asked... Take a look at this and let me know what you think (it's lengthy, but explains my choice):

http://www.nagtroc.o...mp;showentry=28

Essentially, both Motul and Amsoil appear to be fairly equal product, and both superior to the Castrol SAF-XJ .  The main aspect is the foaming tendency of the Castrol product which I think is a critical differentiator given the front diff small holding capacity.  The big difference between Motul and Amsoil is price.

Edited by NickTO, 03 April 2009 - 11:51 AM.

[descartesfool]

Where did you get pricing on FFL-4? I can't find it.

[Gdzilla_]

descartesfool, on Apr 3 2009, 03:39 PM, said:

Where did you get pricing on FFL-4? I can't find it.

Bavaria BMW in Edmonton...  its 30$ retail but nick in parts would do trade price at 27.15$ when you by a case (12 one liter bottles)

[Road Rage]

I would be wary of Amsoil's oil filters - if they still use Hastings filters, the flow rates may not be what are needed in the GT-R. Speed of oil flow is important to cooling, and also what PSI the oil bypass valve opens at. If the Hastings/Amsoil is off on either, their wear is possible. I have found that Mobil 1 filters and STP filters are identical, down to the stampings and hol;e locations/number. So the STP is a good deal if you think M1 filters are good.

Motul tends to use esters in their products - Group V synoils similar to Red Line's. Very shear stable and heat tolerant. Amsoil uses G-IV polyalphaolefins. Additives are similar in all these products and are really the key components in gear lubes meeting GL-5 spec for EP fluids.

Other than winter use, I do not see the wisdom of using M1 0w40 past break-in period. 0w40 has a lot of VII's - these will break down in the high RPM world over time, and then that 0w40 becomes much thinner. Note that Nissan allows 10w40 use, which is dumb since hardly anyone makes that anymore. Duh!

I think the 5w40's are a better choice by far - first, you get a wider choice of better synoils, like Valvoline, Red Line, Motul, and even M1's "extended perf" products. 5w40 is typical "European formulation" these days, and meets Porsche, M-B, Audi, etc. specs. By better I mean the base stocks and/or the add packs have higher levels of anti-wear materials. Also, note that the 'SM" API spec, while current, has not been embraced by some of the better oil companies. SM was pushed onto the industry by the car MFRS, mostly to extend the life of their catalytic converters and avoid EPA wrath at the 60k+ mileage range of service. This forced the oil comapnies to lower the ZDDP levels (proven anti-wear - AW additives) , and go to other AW elements that do the job, but do not yet have the proven track record of ZDDP. For my engine and my money, I go with the companies that show the best UOA's, or the best track records - and I have seen cars with major oil company graphics on their cars pouring Red Line in the pits. It is the phosphorous in engine oils that can cause problems with cats down the road, by which is cheaper - a cat or an engine? The MFRS do not care about your getting 100k of service from your engine, as long as they do not have warranty claims on emissions systems.



But what do I know??



RR.

[Gdzilla_]

NickTO, on Apr 3 2009, 11:41 AM, said:

Glad you asked... Take a look at this and let me know what you think (it's lengthy, but explains my choice):

http://www.nagtroc.o...mp;showentry=28

Essentially, both Motul and Amsoil appear to be fairly equal product, and both superior to the Castrol SAF-XJ . The main aspect is the foaming tendency of the Castrol product which I think is a critical differentiator given the front diff small holding capacity. The big difference between Motul and Amsoil is price.

excellent diagnoses...  and i was going to order some Motul from Calgary..  well my FFL-4 tranny fluid has arrived and you've sold me on the Amsoil over Motul....

which retail outlet do you find the Amsoil at?  and are you going to utilize the Amsoil slip-lock additive? i guess it wouldn't hurt anything by doing so...

[Gdzilla_]

Road Rage, on Apr 3 2009, 04:48 PM, said:

I would be wary of Amsoil's oil filters - if they still use Hastings filters, the flow rates may not be what are needed in the GT-R. Speed of oil flow is important to cooling, and also what PSI the oil bypass valve opens at. If the Hastings/Amsoil is off on either, their wear is possible. I have found that Mobil 1 filters and STP filters are identical, down to the stampings and hol;e locations/number. So the STP is a good deal if you think M1 filters are good.

Motul tends to use esters in their products - Group V synoils similar to Red Line's. Very shear stable and heat tolerant. Amsoil uses G-IV polyalphaolefins. Additives are similar in all these products and are really the key components in gear lubes meeting GL-5 spec for EP fluids.

Other than winter use, I do not see the wisdom of using M1 0w40 past break-in period. 0w40 has a lot of VII's - these will break down in the high RPM world over time, and then that 0w40 becomes much thinner. Note that Nissan allows 10w40 use, which is dumb since hardly anyone makes that anymore. Duh!

I think the 5w40's are a better choice by far - first, you get a wider choice of better synoils, like Valvoline, Red Line, Motul, and even M1's "extended perf" products. 5w40 is typical "European formulation" these days, and meets Porsche, M-B, Audi, etc. specs. By better I mean the base stocks and/or the add packs have higher levels of anti-wear materials. Also, note that the 'SM" API spec, while current, has not been embraced by some of the better oil companies. SM was pushed onto the industry by the car MFRS, mostly to extend the life of their catalytic converters and avoid EPA wrath at the 60k+ mileage range of service. This forced the oil comapnies to lower the ZDDP levels (proven anti-wear - AW additives) , and go to other AW elements that do the job, but do not yet have the proven track record of ZDDP. For my engine and my money, I go with the companies that show the best UOA's, or the best track records - and I have seen cars with major oil company graphics on their cars pouring Red Line in the pits. It is the phosphorous in engine oils that can cause problems with cats down the road, by which is cheaper - a cat or an engine? The MFRS do not care about your getting 100k of service from your engine, as long as they do not have warranty claims on emissions systems.



But what do I know??



RR.

i do agree with you there..i'm using the M1 0w40 just through the break in period and then its up to the M1 5w40 grade after that.... or perhaps Royal Purple.. i use the RP in my tuner Solstice cause its supercharged with meth injection..and its good stuff...

[NickTO]

Gdzilla_, on Apr 3 2009, 06:56 PM, said:

excellent diagnoses...  and i was going to order some Motul from Calgary..  well my FFL-4 tranny fluid has arrived and you've sold me on the Amsoil over Motul....

which retail outlet do you find the Amsoil at?  and are you going to utilize the Amsoil slip-lock additive? i guess it wouldn't hurt anything by doing so...

I order it online at amsoil.com , I got a 6mo membership, I think for $15, which gives dealer pricing directly.  Since I'm in Toronto, I picked it up at their depot so I don't pay shipping charges.   I think they ship UPS otherwise.

As for the slip lock, I did buy it, but I'm not going to use it right away.   I'll wait for a cold day and see if the rear diff still experiences binding, and if it does, then I'll add it.

[Gdzilla_]

lol..funny story.  i just got off the phone with Amsoil online.. and i'll be picking up my order at the Edmonton warehouse,  pretty decent pricing with a 6 month membership..  i'll have to stock up

thanks for the help nickto.. have a great weekend...  

[davidm_sh]

Road Rage, on Apr 3 2009, 04:48 PM, said:

Other than winter use, I do not see the wisdom of using M1 0w40 past break-in period. 0w40 has a lot of VII's - these will break down in the high RPM world over time, and then that 0w40 becomes much thinner. Note that Nissan allows 10w40 use, which is dumb since hardly anyone makes that anymore. Duh!

Since you seem to have done a lot of research into oils in general (I have been on bitog.com a bit but I only have so much time [heh]). I was wondering what your opinion on the Mobil1 10w-40 oil is?

0w-40 data sheet - http://www.mobil.com...bil_1_0W-40.asp
10w-40 data sheet - http://www.mobil.com...Mileage_Oil.asp

[celsius]

How is the FFL-4 working out?  Also, anyone know the P# for the K&N Filters?

[NickTO]

Just a quick update, that I'm using the Amsoil oil filter  EAo13, not EAo12.  The application is the same, but the EAo13 is 1" taller and matches the casing of the Nissan OE Filter.  I use the EAo12 on my wife's Sentra Spec-V.  I'll post up a side by side by side picture of the filters

I also use the Amsoil  Dominator 15w50 Race Oil ( https://www.amsoil.c...front/rd50.aspx ) for track events, at about $12 a quart, certainly not cheap, but I feel necessary as I wouldn't track my GT-R on 0w40 for extended periods.

Edited by NickTO, 28 April 2009 - 06:29 AM.

[Touge.ca]

anyone try
LiquiMoly 0w40 -Group 5, 100% full synthetic oil before?

we carry those.  0w40, 5w40, and 10w60 as well.

[1Day]

This is a great thread. Almost digging it out from  the dead. Any more info on this that others might want to add?

So did anyone successfully try the pentosin with tracking? Even if you have to change this oil within third the period of willall it would make it so much cheaper.

[Codzilla]

So...
in your opinion what would be the best engine oil combo to run?

motul 300 v  0-5 w 40-50

mobil 1 whatever grade

amsoil 15 w 50 ( turbos like thin oil on start up ? )

what else???

[Interiorman]

Just found out that my front brake pad is cracking while the car was at the dealer.  I was quoted $1650 for a set of OEM brake pads  

I have no idea what in hell Nissan Canada is up too.  My pads had 18500Km with two track days (where I was still feeling out the car and did not drive it so hard).   Even my service advisor was shocked by the price and suggested that I look at aftermarket.

Nissan needs to pull the head out of their A#% because if they keep this up, everyone will abandon the dealers for any type of service.   My big concern is how can $1650 brake pads fail so easily?   If Nissan wants to charge such a premium, they need to have the quality to back up the premium they ask for.  The car is such an amazing piece of technology for the money, but the value stops there.  Get into maintenance and it's crazy.