Ask away...

 

What would those questions be?

 

man this server is just plain annoying i may have to find another hobby if they dont fix the server

ok let me try this again.

this is all on a 2k2 Maxima 6 speed

first question is(stupid or not)
i am at work right now so cant go out and look, but where is the oil filter located exactly and whats the easiest way to access it???. I just wantto save some time get home and do a quick oil change

second question
i went to the stealership and purchased some Nissan Oil Filters for my max and they gave me some copper fittings to go with them, the guy said it is for the drain plug???? anybody know what this is and if i should use it???

also not really important but will save me sometime, what socket size is the oil drain plug on the 2k2 maxima???

 

Drain plug is 14mm.

The oil filter is above the oil pan and a little to the right. It's above the opposite side of the pan as the drain plug. It's almost directly behind the front right wheel. The easiest way is to park the car and turn the wheels all the way to the right before you start. If you lay down and slide under the car a little bit you can reach your hand up along the side of the oil pan and reach the filter. There is a plastic piece blocking your view that you have to reach around. (You slide your hand up between the oil pan and the plastic piece.) The way I do it is to remove that plastic piece and then the oil filter is right in front of you. It's the black plastic splash guard type piece right behind the front right wheel, really easy to get to with the wheel turned right. It takes 30 seconds to take off and put on. It's held on by 2 10mm bolts and 2 plastic push screws. I leave the top push screw in and take off the rest. That way you can just swing the plastic piece out a little bit. Makes it much easier.

 

I think the copper fitting for the drain plug is actually a washer that you are supposed to replace each time you change the oil. I just bought my '02 SE 6-spd (used), so I haven't had to change the oil yet, but I was reading somewhere that you are supposed to change the washer on the drain plug at each oil change.

Has anyone here changed their oil and NOT replaced the washer? Will it leak if you don't replace it?

 

yea i changed the oil and didnt replace that washer...i think ur supposed to but it hasnt leaked and i changed it about a month ago.

 

i have 2 oil changes going in for my third friday and a private shop has done them both and i don't think they replaced that washer but i've had no leaks

 

Change a washer on each oil change? thats insane!

 

well if thats what they say to do then i guess it should be done but i haven't taken mine to a dealer for a change and i've been to lazy to do it myself so i had no idea there was a washer there in the first place and i don't think the shop replaced it anyway. and it hasn't been leaking

 

I think the maintenance schedule says to replace the crush washer every second oil change.

 

thanks for the help guys

well i changed the oil, actually went fairly smooth took about 10 minutes including clean up

i put the new washer on as the old one was crushed, but still wasnt leaking(hey good peace of mind)

i like how they put the oil filter on the side of the engine, where as on my 3rd generation it was right on top of the exhaust and would always have burning smell and smoke after oil change

also the Nissan oil filter looks really nice, and it is made in Japan, so cant go wrong with that. from now on both of my cars run Mobil 1, yipeeee

 

Private shops or any other shops will never replace a washer unless you tell them too.

 

Well, I remember when I used to work Lower Bay at Jiffy lube, I would always replace the washer if it was bad (old, rusty, cracked, etc.) Its part of the job, And we had to make sure the car wouldnt leak oil after it left. In some cases we would even replace the oil plug, cause as$holes would strip the $hit out of it. We would only charge for the plug which was like $3.00 not for the washer.

*Its absolutely unecessary to change the washer each or every 2 oil changes. I used to drain, and replace filter to atleast 60 cars daily for 2 years. So im speaking from experience.*

 

It's too bad looks are deceiving:





Notice those nice cardboard endcaps.



If you insist on OEM Nissan filters, insist on the 15208-9E000 for your VQ, it is still quality made:

 

So there is more than 1 type of OEM filter that we can put in the 3.5 VQ?

I went and overpaid for an OEM filter at the dealership this weekend just because I couldn't find any brand other than Fram that made a filter for the 3.5. I wanted either a Purolator Pure One Microfilter or a Mobil 1 filter. The guy at the dealership didn't give me a choice with the OEM ones, he asked what year I had and handed me a filter. NT2SHBBY told me today that the Mobil 1 filter for the 3.5 VQ is part# M1-110. I'm still not sure if Purolator makes a Pure One Microfilter for us or not.

 

The 15208-65F00 is the crappy OEM filter for late 2k1 VQ30s and all VQ35s and several other Nissans (SR20, etc.)


The 15208-9E000 is the original VQ filter and should be used in all VQs due to its much better construction quality. Cost isn't any different either.


This was a cost cutting production move by Nissan.

 

Is this true for both the 3.0 and 3.5 VQ? I guess what I'm asking is...will the 15208-9E000 work in a 2003 SE with a 3.5? Because I know the K&N oil filter that I bought for my 2000 is a different part number than the one for the 2003. I thought they were a completely different size.

 

15208-9E000 should be used on all VQs. The 15208-65F00 is not a well constructed filter. They are quite different in size, although the filtration area difference between the two is not known.


Stick with the 9E000.


Aftermarket filters are gonna be the same story. Stick with the larger ones for the VQ30s. They will work on all current VQ35 Maximas as well.

 

where can u purchase the crush washers?

 

 

at the stealership

 

Ugh, figures.

 

I use the Walmart SuperTech filter on my 2k2 Max. I cut one open and it's a quality filter with metal end caps and the element nearly fills the canister, unlike some others. The number is the same as the fram, PH7317, and it's the same size. This is somewhat larger than the Bosch and STP. I haven't compared any others. The SuperTech line of filters are highly regarded on other forums and for $2 it's hard to go wrong.

 

Crap, that sucks!! Even Nissan is getting the Fram-syndrome. How about the 15208-00006 filter (currently sold by Courtesy Nissan). Is that one also crappy as the 15208-65F00?

 

I was under the impression all SuperTech filters are designated by "ST", with the same 4 numeric digits as Fram & STP.

I also didn't know a ST7317 was available. My local Wal-Marts would only have ST6607 filters, which are thimble sized. Currently, all of my local Wal-Marts have stopped selling most foreign-car application SuperTech filters. In addition, a recent cut-open of some made in the past couple of months have revealed production and cost-cutting changes in manufacturing.

The most aggravating part of filters is the way manufacturers are changed on a dime.

 

Not with Amsoil's filters

 

FYI Mark: I'm using a SDF-20 right now. Works fine.

 

IF Nissan discontinues the 9E000, I'm switching to an Amsoil or Mobil filter.


BTW, Bill I have a VERY good Mobile 10W-30 analysis from the Sentra and ANOTHER bogus looking sample of virgin Redline 10W-40 from OAI. I'm just about due on the Redline 10W-40 in the Max, so I'll send all three to you at once.

 

Um, ok, whatever.


































I'll expect them sometime this year.

 

Hey now! I'm not as bad as say, *cough**Kev**cough*.

Also, I'm debating taking a sample of my MT-90 at 25K and then dumping it according to that analysis. Blackstone recommended sampling at 25K, but I'd rather wait until 30K so both the OEM and MT-90 had 15K on them for comparison.

Do you think I HAVE to sample at 25K or should I just wait until 30K? That's what I'm leaning towards, since Redline has to hold up better than the OEM crap MT fluid.

 

Well, just gotta say that Ice got

 

 

You don't HAVE to do anything.




I doubt it matters much