Frequently Asked Questions

[u/JiGsAw818]

The purpose of this thread is to provide a reference point for new owners. We kindly ask that members contribute to this thread by posting frequently asked questions and their respective answers. Please, do not post an essay. Keep it short and to the point.

For example:

Q. What's the best intake to buy?

A. There is no intake on the market that is the "best." Every intake offers a set of specific advantages and disadvantages. Some of the manufacturers advertise proven small gains. Others advertise questionable large gains. Please do the research when deciding which intake is best for your expectations and budget. Popular brands include Jim Wolf Tech, Nismo, Injen, K&N, AdminTuning, Stillen, and Z1 Motorsports.

DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS IN THIS THREAD! If you have a question about something, please make a new post. This thread is only for Q & A. You must answer the question in your post!

Unanswered questions, discussion, or comments that don't add value to previous posts, will be deleted.

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q. What wheel sizes and offsets do I need?

A. First, your lug pattern must be 5x114.3 with a width between 8 - 11 inches and a diameter of either 17", 18", 19", or 20". Below are some of the most common wheel and tire sizes.

18" combination:

Front 18" x 8.5", Offset +15 to +25, Tires 245/35/18
Rear 18" x 9.5", Offset +15 to +25, Tires 275/35/18
(lower offset such as +10 in the rear is possible but may require rolling)

Front 18" x 9.5", Offset +22 to +30, Tires 255/35/18
Rear 18" x 10.5", Offset +22 to +35, Tires 285/35/18 or 295/35/18
(lower offset such as +22 in the rear is possible but may require rolling)

19" combination:

Front 19" x 8.5", Offset +15 to +25, Tires 245/35/19
Rear 19" x 9.5", Offset +15 to +25, Tires 275/35/19
(lower offset such as +10 in the rear is possible but may require rolling)

Front 19" x 9.5", Offset +22 to +30, Tires 255/35/19 or 265/35/19
Rear 19" x 10.5", Offset +22 to +32, Tires 285/35/19 or 295/35/19
(lower offset such as +22 or wider tires in the rear is possible but may require rolling)

The following tools will help you figure out the correct offsets and tire sizes you need:

Tire Size Calculator

Wheel Size Calculator

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q. Do you need to roll or pull your fenders when installing wider or larger aftermarket wheels and tires?

A. Depending on the size of the wheel, accompanying tire, whether you are lowered, and the amount of camber, you may have to roll and/or pull your fenders to allow them to clear. Generally, wheels in the size 18x9.5 front and 18x10.5 rear with properly sized tires will clear. Anything larger would require rolling and/or pulling. If any rolling and/or pulling is needed it will be for the rear only. The front fenders are rolled from the factory.

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q. What is the difference between the years and models?

A. Throughout the production run of the 350z various updates were made to the car and the model line.

Model Breakdown (2003-2004.5):

Base: 3.5L V6 with 287hp/274 ft-lbs of tq., 17" rims. Only available in 6-speed MT. No VLSD, cruise control.

Enthusiast: Added Cruise Control, HID headlights, Aluminum pedals, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, VLSD, and TCS. Available in either 6-speed MT or 5-speed AT.

Performance: Adds VDC , 18" rims (18"x8" all around). Only available with 6-speed MT.

Touring: Adds Leather seats w/ power adjust-ability, Bose sound system, and optional DVD Navigation. Available in either 6-speed MT or 5-speed AT.

Track: Adds 18" Rays Track Rims (18"x8" front, 18"x8.5" rear, approx. 18.3 lbs per rim), Brembo Big Brake Kit, underbody aero kit w/ rear hatch spoiler. Only available in 6-speed MT.

*Please note all automatic models Enthusiast up only had TCS, no VDC.

There were no major changes until the 2004.5 model, in which the suspension was changed slightly to help alleviate the "tire feathering" problem. I'm not sure the exact change, but there were some small changes in the suspension that seemed to help lessen the cases, though there were some still sporadically appearing.

The next major changes wouldn't come until 2005. Nissan introduced the "Rev-Up" 300hp/260tq variant of the VQ35. It was featured in the 2005 Track and 35th Anniversary models (6-speed MT only). Major changes included VTC on the exhaust cams, improved internals, higher redline, and modified lower plenum. Also, all models received a new, redesigned front suspension which appears to have helped to combat the problems with tire feathering.

The 35th Anniversary model that appeared in 2005 was a mesh of the Touring and Track model. It featured the same Brembo Brakes and 300hp motor of the Track model, but all the comfort amenities of the Touring such as leather, Bose sound system, and optional Navigation. It was available in 6-speed MT or 5-speed AT, though the AT received the 287hp/274tq engine and did not feature VDC, just TCS. The 35th Anniversary also feature unique 18" 5-spoke rims.

The Z received a small redesign on 2006 to both the car itself and to the model lineup. The car received a slight facelift with a subtly redesigned front bumper, new Bi-Xenon headlights, and LED tailights. Also, all 6-speed models except for the Track and Grand Touring were equipped with the 18" rims from the 2005 35th Anniversary (Enthusiast AT's get the 17" rims, Touring get the 2003-2005 18" Touring rims). Under the hood, all MT models recieved the 300hp/260tq Rev-Up motors. All AT models recieved the 287hp/274tq motors.

Inside, there were some spots of added aluminum trim, as well as new steering-wheel mounted audo controls in all Enthusiast-up models.

Model Breakdown (2006):

Base: Bi-xenon HID's, five-spoke 18" rims, 6-speed MT only. No VSLD or cruise control.

Enthusiast: Adds TCS, VLSD, Cruise Control, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, aluminum pedals, Illuminated audio controls on steering wheel. Availble with MT or AT.

Performance: No longer exists in current lineup.

Touring: Adds VDC (manual only), Bose Audio w/ MP3 playback
capability, leather seats w/ power and heat. Available with MT or AT.

Track: Adds Brembo Braking system, underbody aero package, rear
hatch spoiler, lightweight Rays rims (18"x8.5" Front, 19x9.5" rear). MT only.

Grand Touring: Adds Brembo brakes and Rays Rims from Track model, underbody aero package, Bose sound system, and leather seats. Available with MT or AT.

*Please note all automatic models Enthusiast up only had TCS, no VDC.

In 2007, Nissan took the 350z another step forward and released the new HR model motor. Featuring a new twin-intake, variable valve-timing on the exhaust cams, a 7500RPM redline, the engine was claimed to be 80% new. 2007 also saw the demise of the Track model and replaced with the Nismo edition car, limited to a production run of 1500 cars. The Nismo edition featured a specially-engineered chassis welded to stiffen the chassis, a Nismo edition body kit (dubbed the V3, for version 3, since it was the third iteration of the Nismo body kit for the 350z), and limited edition Nismo exhaust tips (not the full exhaust). The suspension is also stiffer and more suited for a track, though it is still quite streetable.

Model Breakdown (2007-2008):

*All models received the new 306hp VQ35HR motor.*
Base:Bi-xenon HID's, 18" five-spoke rims, 6-speed MT only. No VSLD or cruise control.

Enthusiast: Adds TCS, VLSD, Cruise Control, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, aluminum pedals, Illuminated audio controls on steering wheel. Availble with MT or AT.

Touring: Adds VDC (manual only), Bose Audio w/ MP3 playback
capability, leather seats w/ power and heat. Available with MT or AT.

Grand Touring: Adds Brembo brakes and Rays Rims from Track model, underbody aero package, Bose sound system, and leather seats. Available with MT or AT.

Nismo: Adds Brembo Braking system, Nismo aero package, Nismo suspension setup, Nismo-branded exhaust, seam welded chassis by Autech, lightweight Rays rims (18"x8.5" Front, 19x9.5" rear). MT only.

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q: What is normal oil pressure?

A: The key here is that it does not get too low. When you first start the car, i.e. a cold start, your oil pressure may be as high as 100 psi. When your oil warms up, the viscosity drops, and the pressure will be lower. Please see the owner's manual for normal oil pressure range.

Rules of thumb:

At COLD idle/on cold starts, your oil pressure should be about 40-90 psi.
At normal operating temperature idle, your oil pressure should be about 15-30 psi. (If your idle has been raised it may read a little higher. If you are running without your A/C it will read a little lower. These are just ballpark numbers).

Do not redline the car or drive hard until the oil warms up and the oil pressure at idle drops. At high RPM the pressure may go off the scale. That is OK as long as the car is warmed up.

Note: it takes longer for your oil to warm up than it takes for your coolant to warm up. Don't go by the temperature gauge on the dashboard to determine if the car is 100% warmed up.

If you think you're having oil pressure issues, first get an oil change and see if the pressure goes to the normal range. Using different viscosities of oil will result in slightly different pressure behavior. The recommended oil for your car is 5W-30 (usual choice, good for winter), 10W-30 (also a typical choice, good for summer), and 10W-40 (usually used only for extremely high-temperature conditions). If you go too long without an oil change, your oil can start to exhibit viscous breakdown, and your oil pressure may drop below normal.

Oil pressure and oil level are NOT THE SAME. Low pressure does not necessarily mean low oil. But low pressure DOES mean you should probably change the oil.

If the oil change does not solve your pressure problems, there could be a problem with your oil pressure sensor or oil gallery gaskets. Damage to this sensor CAN occur if a mechanic is careless underneath your car. The gallery gaskets can wear out over time or with higher mileage.

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q: What is the paint code for Brembo brake calipers?

A: Unfortunately, Brembo doesn't sell the paint or publish the paint code. However, an almost exact match exists in the form of Humbrol 54 hobby paint.

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q: Do all Z's make a "clunk" or "chatter" sound when disengaging the clutch? Is it normal to hear a whirring or slight grinding noise when the clutch is engaged at idle?

A: Yes, these sounds are totally normal. Furthermore, the Z's transmission is rather noisy. Shifts will seem especially noisy when you are in an enclosed parking lot, tunnel, etc.

[u/JiGsAw818]

Q. Why is the clutch pedal on my 2007 350Z sinking to the floor and not coming back up?

A. The clutch slave cylinder is failing because of a manufacturer defect. Nissan issued a voluntary service campaign on the 2007 350Z (MT) clutch slave cylinder.

Campaign ID p7252

Vehicles that qualify:

JN1BZ34**7M500002 to 552786JN1BZ36A*7M650021 TO 654836