Do you use synthetic motor oil?
 

I'm curios what other people are using for motor oil in there 350Z. I have a 2005 and using as the manual recommends 5W-30 standard oil. My friend is pushing me to use synthetic, says car will run cooler. If using synthetic what weight would one use?

Yes

no.

I only run 10w-30 or 5w-30 synthetic Mobil 1. From previous experience with other cars, synthetic just lasts longer and doesn't break down in harsh driving conditions. This topic has also been beaten to death on this forum since 2002.

You can use conventional or synthetic (5W-30, 10W-30, 5W-40, and 10W-40). At the end of the day it really depends on how often you want to change your oil (synthetic lasts longer, thus prolonging change intervals) and the climate in which your vehicle lives. You can read up on all the motor oil lingo and technical data at bobistheoilguy.com

The caveat to this is how much oil your engine does or does not burn. If you are unfortunate enough to have a VQ that burns oil, then stick with the cheaper conventional and check/change your oil frequently (~3.5k miles). If your engine is running clean and doesn't burn/consume much oil (<0.75qt) use good quality synthetic and enjoy longer change intervals. Which brand you choose is entirely up to you.

Driving habits will factor into this along with mods. But assuming this is a nearly bone stock Z used as a daily driver with occasional spirited driving stints, then virtually any good quality conventional or synthetic oil will do just fine.

I've been very happy/impressed with Pennzoil Platinum Pureplus 5W-30 since I started using it, expensive stuff to be sure, but works great. I used to be a Mobil 1 fan.
-Icer

Fortunately, this site also contains an excellent thread on used oil analysis to help you make an educated decision on oil brands and types specific to the VQ engine:

https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-...-and-info.html

Based on the great data in that thread and my own UOAs, I use Mobil 1 0-40 FS.

I had a bad experience with Mobil 1 synthetic on my last car so I only use conventional oil on my Z. Only time I ever went dangerously low on oil.

Plus I barely drive my Z so I change the oil before I hit the miles anyways so no point in using more expensive oil if I'm going to change it just as frequently.

Same here. Switched over to Mobil 1 once I got a turbo Eclipse in '96 and have trusted it every since.

I use synthetic in everything, have yet to see a downfall.

I was stuck in a tight situation many years ago, long story short, I had to temporarily use conventional oil in a NA-Turbo car. It literally broke down after 500 miles. The turbo struggled to spin, engine struggled to rev, boost didn't build up readily. Changed it out to synthetic M1 and everything was fixed, held up to 4k miles before I changed it out again. Never using conventional again, especially on a modded car.

Yes to synthetic and no the car does not run cooler.

+1, 4Runner, generator, snow thrower, Z, the hinge on fence gate to the back yard, some of my ARs...

5W30 in the Z, change at a set interval, don't care about mileage or 'pennies on the dollar' brand or timing. Cooler? Have not observed that.

Try some 5w-30w Royal Purple you'll Love it!!!

Ill be running Brad Penn oil in my Z. Used it for years in my Turbo DSM, and that motor saw a lot of AX abuse and tons of boost on E85. When she finally let go, after 4 years, the motor was surprisingly clean as well.

Brad Penn has a lot of additives for performance cars, extra Zinc is a nice touch.

5w-30 / 5w-40

Yes.

Used to use Shell Ultra Helix 5W40 (Same Ferrari stuff that Penzoil supplies)

But have now upgraded to Fuchs GT1 5W40...which is much better match for the machine. I had zero oil burn on a very hot 40 lap track day session, which was also a 400km round trip. The Helix Ultra would burn when the engine was pushed.

Of all the expenses a sports car entails, I see no reason to skimp on oil, given the duty the engine goes through.