Redline 5W-40 vs 5W-30 for 2014 Infiniti Q50 3.7

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Hi all, I have a 2014 Infiniti Q50 AWD 3.7 with the VQ37VHR motor and with 70k miles on it. I do about 65% highway and 35% city, I drive somewhat aggressively but usually not too crazy. I do all the required maintenance including 5k mile oil & filter changes.

Up until very recently I've been using Redline 5W-30 w/ half a bottle of Liqui Moly MOS2 Anti-Friction Oil Treatment with good results, but I would notice that after about the first 1k miles of the oil change the engine wasn't as smooth & quiet as it was within the first 1k miles, so that plus reading that the VQ37 is notoriously hard on oil and often causes premature shearing & seeing my mileage is beginning to accumulate I figured it might be a good idea to at least try Redline 5W-40.

About 1,200 miles ago I went with the Redline 5W-40 and my usual half-bottle of Liqui Moly MOS2 oil treatment and all the while that I've been running it I've noticed the engine does seem a little smoother & quieter than it was with the previous RL 5W-30 (I'm assuming the thicker oil viscosity is cushioning the engine internals better?). My real concern is since Nissan/Infiniti recommends 5W-30 for the VQ37 applications could continually using the 5W-40 cause any kind of engine issues or any other reliability issues? Does anyone here have any experience with regards to the VQ37 and oil viscosity?

I no longer have to worry about factory warranty claim denial but I'm planning on keeping this car for the long-haul so I don't want to do anything that would compromise my powertrain reliability. Also, can anyone else with a VQ37VHR using a 5W-40 oil comment on their experiences with it? And is it true that the VQ37 is hard on oils and can shear oil more than usual?

Sorry for the long post! I am new to this and wasn't sure how much information I needed to give in order to get proper responses...
 
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Only a UOA will tell you if the viscosity is holding up. I have a sample of M1 5w30 with 5k miles waiting to be mailed out. Its from my 2011 G37 with 60k miles. I'm itching to try M1 0w40 but, I'll wait till I get my UOA report back and decide from there..
 
I started using the Liqui Moly with the Redline 5W-30 before I discovered this forum and found out that Redline 5W-30 already has a good amount of moly in it, and I continued using it when I switched to their 5W-40 after I discovered their 5W-40 has barely any moly in it so I could continue to get the reduced NVH, reduced friction, and improved fuel economy benefits of the MOS2.
 
The Nissan VQ series is sort of funny in that you read a few UOA reports and it sheared oil into water in no time then you can read a few reports where the person drove the living snot out of one for 5,000 miles and it turns in a fine UOA?

I own a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder VQ40DE V6 so same family and if I don't tow my camper my UOA show just fine results with any 5w30 but hook up my 5,000 pound camper in the summer heat then tackle a few long hills it will deplete the oil quite quick. Many VQ owners in Pathfinders and Frontier pick up's have seen this for many years now. In the summer I run Mobil 1 0W40 and it actually runs better then anything in my truck it is noticeably smoother. I also know many people that run 40 weight oils in there VQ40's without issue all state smoother running. I just met a guy the other day who has used VWB 10w40 for over 250,000 miles and his truck runs great.

I would have no worries about running a 0,5,10w40 in your VQ I would run it without question.
 
Welcome to the forum.

I have no experience using 5w-40, but in my wife's 2007 M35 (bought new), I have stuck to 4,500 to 5,000 OCI's and have used a blend of 40% synthetic and 60% conventional 5w-30. I've used both Conoco Phillips and Quaker State oils. Engine has 97K miles and runs strong, quiet and clean. I'm a believer in following the owners manual recommendations.
 
Originally Posted By: Camprunner
The Nissan VQ series is sort of funny in that you read a few UOA reports and it sheared oil into water in no time then you can read a few reports where the person drove the living snot out of one for 5,000 miles and it turns in a fine UOA?

I own a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder VQ40DE V6 so same family and if I don't tow my camper my UOA show just fine results with any 5w30 but hook up my 5,000 pound camper in the summer heat then tackle a few long hills it will deplete the oil quite quick. Many VQ owners in Pathfinders and Frontier pick up's have seen this for many years now. In the summer I run Mobil 1 0W40 and it actually runs better then anything in my truck it is noticeably smoother. I also know many people that run 40 weight oils in there VQ40's without issue all state smoother running. I just met a guy the other day who has used VWB 10w40 for over 250,000 miles and his truck runs great.

I would have no worries about running a 0,5,10w40 in your VQ I would run it without question.



So I'm not the only one that's noticed a smoother running VQ V6 when using a 40-weight oil.
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I thank everyone for the replies. My VQ37 seems to be running pretty well with the Redline 5W-40 & half-bottle of Liqui Moly MOS2 so I guess I will stick with it, at least for now. My main concern was if regularly running the 40-weight would cause any engine issues since Nissan recommends 5W-30, but from the info I've gotten from you and several other sources I would say it's unlikely.

I always assumed the smoother & quieter running with the RL 5W-40 was an indication that the increased viscosity was providing improved cushioning between the metal surfaces. But if other VQ V6 owners have reported the same reduction in NVH with the 40-weight oil that we have seen then maybe these VQ V6's just prefer a heavier-weight oil as they age and wear over time?
 
Originally Posted By: Charlie2015
Redline 15w50 for more cushion. Skip the liqui moly additive.



That was what I figured, the extra cushioning between the metal surfaces that the Redline 5W-40 provided over the 5W-30 is at least partly responsible for the reduced NVH I saw in my VQ37.

But wouldn't Redline 15W-50 be going overboard with the viscosity increase? I was worried about going up to 5W-40 since Nissan recommends 5W-30!

Just out of curiosity, what's with the hate for the Liqui Moly MOS2? I know a lot of people that have been using it for years with every oil change and have reported reduced NVH and increased fuel economy. I've always read that MOS2 is one of the very few anti-friction agents with proven science behind it and with no known side effects.
 
Keep in mind that Redline oils run heavy for grade (HT/HS). For example, their 5w30 has the same HT/HS as Mobil 1 0w40- 3.8.

As for the additive, generally speaking it's not needed with a quality, properly formulated oil. Unless analysis says otherwise, it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
 
My worry would be excessive oil pressure stressing the paper gasket on the rear timing cover, causing it to leak internally. This is a known issue on the VQ37VHR engines.

On my G37 with 5W30 the oil pressure will exceed 120 PSI during warm up, and 100 PSI when over 4,000 RPM when at 85 deg C. It would be higher with the 0W40.

Just something to think about
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I'm not a fan of additives. Note that the Red Line oils have a higher HTHS within the grade than other examples. The only comments I'd have are to be cognizant of the specs you're using when under warranty. Whether or not that concerns you is for you to decide. I went a bit out of spec before the end of my warranty. Do note, however, that there are higher HTHS 5w-30 options within the SN regime that would still fulfil warranty requirements, should you be seeking such a thing.
 
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