|
Home
| |
Oil Change Intervals
For normal street use, I recommend you change your oil and filter as follows:
Petroleum Oil: 4,000 miles or 5 months, whichever comes
first.
Synthetic Oil: 6,000 miles or 7 months, whichever comes
first.
You can actually use the built-in service indicator if you wish, just figure out how
many "bars" will disappear by the required mileage. From others on
the 'net I understand the indicator simply relies on total fuel used rather than making a
complex calculation as the factory seems to indicate.
It should take about 7500 miles to lose all the bars.
Oil Grade to use
Grade of oil to use depends on your local climate. A 0W-30 or
5W-30 is good for a very cold climate, 10W-30 for a mild climate, and
5W-40 or 15W-50 for a warm or hot climate. Use the table provided
in your owners manual for specifics, where synthetics are called "special"
oils. Keep in mind the 8-quart sump capacity will not warm up much
in cold weather. Don't be too concerned about selecting the right
grade - I've never heard of an engine failing due to the "wrong"
oil weight. If in doubt you are better to use a thinner oil as most engine
wear occurs during starting and the first few seconds of a cold start.
Cold, thick oil is reluctant to flow quickly through the filter and oil
passages.
By all means use a synthetic oil, it's worth the minimal extra cost just for peace of
mind. Often recommended is BMW brand synthetic, a 5W-40, ideal for year-round in
mild and warmer areas, and known to be specially-developed for BMW by Valvoline.
Currently I am using the BMW Synthetic 5W-40, locally sold for $3.50 / quart, or 3.15
/ quart in a box of 12 quarts.
Purchase an OEM oil filter (11-42-1-745-390) from your dealer or parts house. I
wouldn't advise using the only aftermarket filter I've seen, a Purolator.
How To Do The Job
Allow about one hour for this easy task. The oil drain plug can be removed with
a 17mm socket and expect to catch about 7 liters (7.5 quarts) of oil.
Remove the old oil filter while you are waiting for the oil to drain.
You will need a 36mm socket and 1/2" drive handle to remove (and
replace) the plastic oil filter housing cap (located at the left-front
corner of the engine.) If the cap doesn't budge with application
of moderate torque, apply a suitable filter wrench (or strap wrench) to
the outer portion.
Replace the oil drain plug with the new sealing washer that comes with
the filter, or preferably purchase a bag of special single-use 12mm copper
washers from your local Nissan dealer.
Hand tighten the plug with an 8mm hex wrench. I also put a dab
of Permatex High Tack Adhesive Sealant on the threads. If you do not
use the Permatex or similar, be careful using solid plastic or aluminum
washers. In the case of plastic, you will find the plug is loose at your
next oil change. Aluminum is simply too hard a material for this purpose.
Install the new filter and fill the housing with as much fresh oil as you can get it
to absorb. Clean the cap and replace the O-ring with the new one supplied with the
filter. Tighten the cap lightly - it does not rely on tightness to seal against oil
leakage. A not-to-exceed torque value is marked on the cap.
Add the remaining quantity of 7.5 liters (8 quarts) total oil to the engine via the
filler cap.
Check for leaks after your first few miles driving.
Resetting the Service Indicator
After your oil change, or when it becomes otherwise necessary, you will need to reset
the dashboard service indicator.
Open the hood and locate the service receptacle near the firewall. Remove the
cap and look at the pin numbers next to each individual socket. Place a 390 to 1k
ohm resistor (or less-preferably a wire jumper) across pins 7 and 19. Double-check
the pin numbers before proceeding.
Switch the ignition key to the "on" position without starting the engine.
After 3-5 seconds remove the resistor (or jumper) and then switch off the key at
your convenience.
If an "inspection" indicator is lit, wait 12 seconds to perform a reset of
both "oil" and "inspection."
Replace the receptacle cap.
|
