Infiniti Q50 (VR30DDTT) | can't make up my mind on oil...

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Jun 11, 2022
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Hi all,

Background:

This thread is for my Infiniti Q50 but I will also talk about our daily 16 Kia Soul for contrary purposes....

I purchased a 2019 Infiniti Q50 (VR30DDTT (twin turbo GDI)) right at the beginning of the pandemic but ended up not driving the car all that much due to working from home (didn't know that was going to happen). It came with 25,488 miles. I do my own oil changes, so I changed it on:

  1. 05/01/2020 at 25,800 mi
  2. 08/21/2021 at 26,799 mi
Current mileage is 28,217 mi and I am getting ready to do my next OC. As you can see, I've been hardly driving it, hence my OCI was done annually. I've been putting Valvoline 5w30 Advanced Synthetic in it (as well as into my 2016 Kia Soul 1.6 GDI) but after looking into the most recent UOA that I did on the Kia (thread - https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...lvoline-5w30-advanced-fs-2-784-mi-6mo.355998/) I was pretty disappointed with that oil's performance to say the least.

I am a novice when it comes to oil properties and all other related engineering aspects of it but I continue researching when the time permits. It's hard to explain but since I got pretty disappointed with the results given that oil was only 6 months in service with less than 3,000 mi. So, before anyone says something, I understand that this is not apples to apples but I now have reasons to believe that I may need to stop using that oil not only in the Kia but most certainly in the Infiniti; I just don't have same level of trust anymore and I will try to justify that in this thread.

Looking at Kia's UOA, I was pretty disappointed how thin it became and how much of it was burned. I checked the most recent Valvoline's Advanced Full Synthetic's Product Information Page at https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...3793b338/31d6eae3-48fd-ea11-b7fc-48df3793b338

1659903320616.webp

...with Noack being shown at
Enough about Kia.

I looked at other threads related to Q50 with VR30DDTT. Looks like other have used Valvoline ME, which is now discontinued and replaced with Extended Protection. Correct me if I am wrong, but it doesn't appear to be much different from the Advanced above:

1659905940885.webp

The main objective is to find the oil that will provide excellent levels of protection given that I don't drive the vehicle often but when I do, those tend to be short trips in traffic. I am in the mid-south; with close to 100 degrees in the summer and 30s in the winter. To protect my engine from CD, I am looking towards LOW SAPS type of oil along with lower Noack as well. The owners manual doesn't really say anything of value when it comes to engine oil:

1659906566755.webp

1659906581423.webp

I've been going back and forth on the following article - https://www.valvoline.com/en-eur/low-saps-lubricants/ where it states "C1 and C4 are considered to be low-SAPS oils, while C2, C3, and C5 are mid-SAPS oils." I am having issues finding C1 oils; something tells me this is sold in Europe and not in the US. It appears that C1 Low SAPS are 0.5% ash; that would be perfect if I could find something close to that.

Valvoline's European Vehicle Full Synthetic 5w30 is priced at $41.99 while 5w40 is $29.99. I have yet seen anyone use these oil in the Q50 though. So, the 5w30 seems to spec as an older SL formulation (VW 502/505, LL-01, MB 229.5) while 5w40 seems to be a newer mid-SAPS type SP formulation (VW 504/507, LL-04, MB 229.51/2, Porsche C30).

Should I go ahead and try the Euro 5w30 on the Q50 with VR30DDTT engine?
 
You can always try the OVERKILL Blend:

 
A few knowledgeable folks here have moved to Mobil ESP 0/5W-30
for performance beyond an ILSAC Energy Conserving lubricant.
Valvoline also markets a European Vehicle lubricant. I would not run 0W20 in that engine.


 
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I would try PP Euro L 5w30 if you wanted to use a 5w30 oil. Ran it in my son's C30 that had usage with other oils and it stayed full for 7k miles, good oil. But any other 0,5/40 Euro would suit the engine fine. QSFS would be my choice but use any you could find. QSFS was $18.98 for 5qt jug off and on at walmart.com and regular price is $22ish I believe great value for the quality
 
A few knowledgeable folks here have moved to Mobil ESP 0/5W-30
for performance beyond an ILSAC Energy Conserving lubricant.
Valvoline also markets a European Vehicle lubricant. I would not run 0W20 in that engine.



I'll look into Mobile 1 and I briefly mentioned about Valvoline Euro in my original post. For some reason 5w30 cost more than 5w40 though.

Update: unless I do it wrong but these numbers don't really look like low saps oil to me:

1660025088479.webp

and according to https://www.valvoline.com/en-eur/low-saps-lubricants/ - C3 and C2 oils are mid saps oils.
 
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A 3 liter engine that makes 300hp via forced induction in a USA summer, would be crazy to run thinner than a 0w-40/5w-40.
My Nissan dealer in germany filled 5w-40 in my Nissan VQ series engine a 4.0L V6 which is much less stressed.
 
A 3 liter engine that makes 300hp via forced induction in a USA summer, would be crazy to run thinner than a 0w-40/5w-40.
My Nissan dealer in germany filled 5w-40 in my Nissan VQ series engine a 4.0L V6 which is much less stressed.

Well, 5w40 is too thick for a daily car once warmed up and in the Q community it is used by those who track their car or make crazy power, so most stick with 5w30.

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I know what the US market manual says.
But it is written to optimized fuel economy ins the short drive EPA tests.
This has been well established.

My VQ40 is 5w-30 in US and 5w-40 in Germany
 
Nothing wrong with a good 0w20.
The general consensus is that 0w20 oils actually have a greater proportion of PAO/GTL/G3+ in the blend compared with 5w30 etc
A 3 liter engine that makes 300hp via forced induction in a USA summer, would be crazy to run thinner than a 0w-40/5w-40.
My Nissan dealer in germany filled 5w-40 in my Nissan VQ series engine a 4.0L V6 which is much less stressed.
Try 400hp.
 
Nothing wrong with a good 0w20.
The general consensus is that 0w20 oils actually have a greater proportion of PAO/GTL/G3+ in the blend compared with 5w30 etc

Try 400hp.
Some of them do. Some of them don't. TGMO 0W-20 is/was a super light Group III base oil with a boatload of VII in it. I would suspect that Kirkland/Supertech are also just "whatever the cheapest is" Group III, as would be pretty much all the oils at that price point.
 
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