Must have upgrades to the VR30 motor?

[hipertec]

Wanted to see what are the best must have upgrades for a new Z that will help maintain/durability of the VR30 motor?
Are there any upgrades that should be done to the VR30 motor? Oil Catch Can, Heat Exchanger, etc?
I figure since the Z is new, better to add any parts if it will help the longevity of the engine.

 

[VR30Z6spd]

for sure

heat exchanger is first

AMS/CZP/Z1 all similar

catch can

intakes

lower down pipes or full

tune will make it really wake up

i swapped the factory oil from 0-w20 to 5-w30 motul right

 

[Thefunk]

oil cooler if you plan on tracking it

 

[5thZ]

oil cooler if you plan on tracking it

CZP has one but not sure if anyone else does.

I have read an oil solenoid plug is helpful. There is some info from jzilla and Sonic about it. I think pride auto has them

 

[Thefunk]

CZP has one but not sure if anyone else does.

I have read an oil solenoid plug is helpful. There is some info from jzilla and Sonic about it. I think pride auto has them

What's the purpose/function or benefit of an oil solenoid plug?

 

[5thZ]

What's the purpose/function or benefit of an oil solenoid plug?

Something about the solenoid failing causing catastrophic failure so plugging it instead and correcting the error CEL via ecutek. I haven't read about in a while so I don't remember too much

 

[up4speed]

What's the purpose/function or benefit of an oil solenoid plug?

If I remember correctly when I read about it, the solenoid controls the oil pump pressure which is variable. So if the demand and RPM's are lower, it can lower the pump pressure safely. The problem is if the solenoid fails, it fails at low pressure instead of high pressure. So if you rev the engine with a failed solenoid, the oil pressure may be too low for the engine's requirement, causing oil starvation. If you unplug the solenoid, it will keep the pressure at full pressure all the time.
If you ask me, that's a terrible design. It should failsafe at high pressure instead of low!
All that said, I left mine stock and didn't unplug the solenoid, and taking a chance, lol. Since I'm not sure why Nissan decided to set the car up that way, and not sure of any negative effects of having full pressure all the time, I didn't want to play engineer, and left it stock.

 

[kevinbonds]

If I remember correctly when I read about it, the solenoid controls the oil pump pressure which is variable. So if the demand and RPM's are lower, it can lower the pump pressure safely. The problem is if the solenoid fails, it fails at low pressure instead of high pressure. So if you rev the engine with a failed solenoid, the oil pressure may be too low for the engine's requirement, causing oil starvation. If you unplug the solenoid, it will keep the pressure at full pressure all the time.
If you ask me, that's a terrible design. It should failsafe at high pressure instead of low!
All that said, I left mine stock and didn't unplug the solenoid, and taking a chance, lol. Since I'm not sure why Nissan decided to set the car up that way, and not sure of any negative effects of having full pressure all the time, I didn't want to play engineer, and left it stock.

From what I have read, their are some new updates coming to the ECU Tec tuning, which will allow them to monitor oil pressure and tune in safety parameters to protect the engine if low oil pressure under load. Not sure when all the updates will filter down to the Z, but I am waiting for my tune until those final updates are ready to go.

 

[Thefunk]

If I remember correctly when I read about it, the solenoid controls the oil pump pressure which is variable. So if the demand and RPM's are lower, it can lower the pump pressure safely. The problem is if the solenoid fails, it fails at low pressure instead of high pressure. So if you rev the engine with a failed solenoid, the oil pressure may be too low for the engine's requirement, causing oil starvation. If you unplug the solenoid, it will keep the pressure at full pressure all the time.
If you ask me, that's a terrible design. It should failsafe at high pressure instead of low!
All that said, I left mine stock and didn't unplug the solenoid, and taking a chance, lol. Since I'm not sure why Nissan decided to set the car up that way, and not sure of any negative effects of having full pressure all the time, I didn't want to play engineer, and left it stock.

What are the caveats of leaving the oil pump at full speed or pressure all the time?

 

[up4speed]

What are the caveats of leaving the oil pump at full speed or pressure all the time?

I'm not sure, that's why I left mine stock.
I just did a generic search of potential problems from high oil pressure, and here is what came up. Keep in mind that It's an AI answer which may be accurate, or may be completely worthless and wrong. Also, what constitutes high oil pressure? Is "too much pressure" considered higher than the Nissans pump at full capacity, or is it too much to be at Nissans full capacity, when that amount is not needed for the engine, hence "too much" pressure? These are questions I can't answer since I'm not an automotive engineer. But figured I would list it for food for thought:
(out of all of those, I can definitely see how the oil can foam if the pressure is higher than the engine needs)

• Oil Leaks:
  Excessive oil pressure can force oil past seals and gaskets, leading to leaks around the engine, particularly at the crankshaft and camshaft seals.
  
  
• Oil Filter Failure:
  The oil filter and its gasket can be damaged by high pressure, potentially causing leaks or even filter rupture.
  
  
• Bearing Damage:
  High oil pressure can erode the protective coating on main, rod, and cam bearings, leading to premature wear and potential failure.
  
  
• Oil Pump Damage:
  In extreme cases, high pressure can damage the oil pump itself, including its drive shaft.
  
  
• Hydraulic Lifter Problems:
  High oil pressure can affect the operation of hydraulic lifters, leading to noisy valve train operation.
  
  
• Engine Overheating:
  If oil cannot circulate properly due to high pressure or leaks, it can lead to increased friction and engine overheating.
  
  
• Crankshaft and Connecting Rod Damage:
  Too much oil can cause the crankshaft to hit the oil surface, creating foam and potentially damaging the crankshaft, connecting rods, and other internal components.
  
  
• Spark Plug Fouling:
  Excess oil can find its way into the combustion chamber and foul spark plugs, leading to misfires and rough idling.
  
  
• Engine Knocking or Bang Noise:
  High oil pressure can cause knocking or banging noises due to various issues like oil entering the combustion chamber or increased friction.
  
  
• Foaming of Oil:
  The crankshaft hitting the oil surface can cause it to foam, reducing the oil's ability to lubricate effectively and potentially leading to pump cavitation.
  
  
• Catastrophic Engine Failure:
  In the worst-case scenarios, excessive oil pressure can lead to complete engine failure, requiring a rebuild or replacement.

It's important to address high oil pressure promptly to prevent these potential problems and ensure the longevity of the engine.

 

[NocturnalEmber]

I think a lot of the concern with the oil pressure solenoid comes from the Q50/60's; they lack a natural oil pressure gauge, which we as Z owners have. Provided that gauge isn't horribly delayed or inaccurate it likely isn't much of an issue (provided people pay attention.)

 

[up4speed]

I think a lot of the concern with the oil pressure solenoid comes from the Q50/60's; they lack a natural oil pressure gauge, which we as Z owners have. Provided that gauge isn't horribly delayed or inaccurate it likely isn't much of an issue (provided people pay attention.)

It’s a problem for us that own Nismos, unfortunately they don’t show oil pressure for some reason, but we have oil temperature on our gauge. It’s kind of ridiculous. So it’s basically impossible for me to monitor, unless I add a gauge.

 

[VR30Z6spd]

From what I have read, their are some new updates coming to the ECU Tec tuning, which will allow them to monitor oil pressure and tune in safety parameters to protect the engine if low oil pressure under load. Not sure when all the updates will filter down to the Z, but I am waiting for my tune until those final updates are ready to go.

this already is available, and you can monitor everything on your phone

 

[kevinbonds]

this already is available, and you can monitor everything on your phone

You can monitor it, but it cannot be tuned for in ECU Tec yet. Their future release states tuner will be able to use low oil pressure as a parameter for tunning.

 

[dogunbound]

I'm not sure, that's why I left mine stock.
I just did a generic search of potential problems from high oil pressure, and here is what came up. Keep in mind that It's an AI answer which may be accurate, or may be completely worthless and wrong. Also, what constitutes high oil pressure? Is "too much pressure" considered higher than the Nissans pump at full capacity, or is it too much to be at Nissans full capacity, when that amount is not needed for the engine, hence "too much" pressure? These are questions I can't answer since I'm not an automotive engineer. But figured I would list it for food for thought:
(out of all of those, I can definitely see how the oil can foam if the pressure is higher than the engine needs)

• Oil Leaks:
  Excessive oil pressure can force oil past seals and gaskets, leading to leaks around the engine, particularly at the crankshaft and camshaft seals.
  
  
• Oil Filter Failure:
  The oil filter and its gasket can be damaged by high pressure, potentially causing leaks or even filter rupture.
  
  
• Bearing Damage:
  High oil pressure can erode the protective coating on main, rod, and cam bearings, leading to premature wear and potential failure.
  
  
• Oil Pump Damage:
  In extreme cases, high pressure can damage the oil pump itself, including its drive shaft.
  
  
• Hydraulic Lifter Problems:
  High oil pressure can affect the operation of hydraulic lifters, leading to noisy valve train operation.
  
  
• Engine Overheating:
  If oil cannot circulate properly due to high pressure or leaks, it can lead to increased friction and engine overheating.
  
  
• Crankshaft and Connecting Rod Damage:
  Too much oil can cause the crankshaft to hit the oil surface, creating foam and potentially damaging the crankshaft, connecting rods, and other internal components.
  
  
• Spark Plug Fouling:
  Excess oil can find its way into the combustion chamber and foul spark plugs, leading to misfires and rough idling.
  
  
• Engine Knocking or Bang Noise:
  High oil pressure can cause knocking or banging noises due to various issues like oil entering the combustion chamber or increased friction.
  
  
• Foaming of Oil:
  The crankshaft hitting the oil surface can cause it to foam, reducing the oil's ability to lubricate effectively and potentially leading to pump cavitation.
  
  
• Catastrophic Engine Failure:
  In the worst-case scenarios, excessive oil pressure can lead to complete engine failure, requiring a rebuild or replacement.

It's important to address high oil pressure promptly to prevent these potential problems and ensure the longevity of the engine.

All of the issues here only come from excessive oil pressures. With a delete, it should maintain high oil pressure 24/7, and that high oil pressure is what the engine was designed to handle. I cannot image how any of these issues can be caused by the delete.

The only concern with the delete is voiding your warranty.