DivaGal

Y'all forgive me, but I've my poor gal for just five months. She's an 01 SE automatic, with 110,000 miles on her. Unless it broke, I dont think the previous owner gave her anything. I bet they ran 87 cheapy in her instead of 93, never gave her new plugs, filters, oil, nothing. So, basically, I'm rebuilding her, or at least gathering information to do that when I can, little by little.

Ok. I've read that the NGK are the best plugs to get for my gal. Question I have now is, WHICH?? There are the 1.99 ones, then they have nickel, racing, iridium, platinum, whichever. Iridium and platinum are the same price, 9.89. Under the iridium description, it says it's stronger than platinum. I haven't a clue.

Then there's the whole matter of oil. I'm thinking I should go synthetic, not really sure why, but ya know, I read stuff, and that's what I see to be best. What do you guys use? And, what is the best filter? I saw an NGK filter, I think.

I assume I should get her a NGK air filter too? Or, do you guys not recommend NGK at all? Is there something better?

Oh, while I'm here, how about struts? Her drivers front, it's gone. If I replace that one, do I need to, or should I, replace the passenger side, although it is ok? What should I buy?

Just getting a feel for the basic maintenance stuff. I know she was treated badly, I'm hoping with some TLC she will come back around, show me what she's got and last me a good while longer. I look forward to tearing up a few highways with her ASAP!

Y'all have fun, I hope to see lots of opinions from those with experience in this car. My husband, he's a domestic guy, Fords and Chevys all the way. Every time he turns around, I go and buy foreign. But this gal, she yelled at me, hey! I'm pretty and I run! Which is just what I wanted,

jowo9

iTrader: (1)

NGK Plugs are best, like you said. Either Platinum or Iridium... Both are good and will last a long time. And I say go with Mobil 1 fully synthetic.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

The Z forums contradict your preference for Mobile 1 (at least the 5w30 and 10w30) in the VQ35DE. Can't say I wasn't surprised either when I read the thread, I had been using M1 5w30 for 30k miles... Looks like 0w30 german castrol (castrol syntec in green or gold bottle) is the best performer for this engine when NA or stock. Those guys love the 0w40 mobile 1 for boosted engines, though.

http://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-d...-and-info.html

edit: platinum or iridium for longevity, but coppers are just fine if you don't mind the shorter service interval.

rroderiques77

iTrader: (45)

What he said

rroderiques77

iTrader: (45)

I used to run Mobil 1 fully synthetic (5w50). I never had any problems with it.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

I never said there were any problems with it, I used it for over 30k miles without a hitch. Most oil related problems that you can tell with your butt dyno or naked eye result in catastrophic failure. However, the M1 5w30 and 10w30 oils result in higher average iron wear and also shear more easily and more quickly than many other oils in our engine, even the castrol GTX dino oil performs better. UOAs don't lie

Not that I'm trying to prove any of you wrong, just spreading helpful information to the OP much earlier than I saw it after buying this vehicle.

jowo9

iTrader: (1)

Really?! Who would have thought? I'll have to look in to that...

kbohip

Over at the BITOG oil forum, their favorite oil is Pennzoil Platinum. Apparently it's been getting rave reviews because of the good results of oil analysis's being done on various engines. Personally though I think any decent synthetic oil such as Mobil 1 or Pennzoil is more than good enough for our engines.

BoDenKai

iTrader: (1)

I <3 Pennzoil. Never had a problem with it, though i was told it was bad by 1 member and they were never going to use Pennzoil ever. I used Penn Plat in my N2O Sentra just fine runnin about 1.5 cans of Nitrous every other weekend. Had to show those Rustangs what JDM engineering can do. Though the motor was built in my city.

As for oil filter, no nissan products, no fram, anything else is great. Mobile 1 filters or K&N Filters cuz they easy to take off with a wrench.

Air filters, any air filter is fine. I'm running on my Nissan ones cuz I have them in bulk(for free) but i do also have the K&N one for those days when I wanna feel fast and badass.

I would recommend getting Iridiums. The tips are not as fragile as the platinums and last long. DO NOT GET MULTI TIP ONES!

If 1 strut is dead, might as well get all of them replaced, they're bound to die soon anyways. Order me some too!

I am in a worse boat than you are, i also had my baby for about 4-5 months now. The lady before me never took care of her. I had to DEEP DEEP clean the carpets, leather, motor was crazy fail with battery acid leaking from the terminals hard. I am going to replace all my plugs coils gaskets, fluids, new struts, new fog light housings(both cracked), new front and rear bumpers. just bout everything

zero2sixtyZ

iTrader: (30)

Awesome. Been using M1 5W/10W30 since purchase. Guess I'm switching next interval.

To the OP, I'd recommend just getting the OEM NGKs. I ordered mine from DaveB, your best resource for OEM parts. He works at Southpoint Nissan and discounts our orders. 1 (866) 941-2048

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Generally you want to stick with UOAs from the specific engine you are using to get a better picture as each engine will have different results. Not to say that Pennzoil is bad or that the BITOG oil forums don't know what's up, but just pointing out that using VQ specific UOAs is more accurate for our specific application. The Pennzoil Platinum does look pretty good judging from the UOAs that have been submitted to the Z forums thread.

One of the worst looks to be royal purple 10w30... lol

jowo9

iTrader: (1)

So is it just the 0W-30 that is German?

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

As far as I know, yes. Just the 0w30 in green or gold bottles.

J-Rod

iTrader: (1)

Oil:
Mobil 5W-30 (full syn) leave in for 1 yr or 15,000 miles

Oil filter:
Mobil M1-110 change when you change oil

Air Filter:
Fram CA4309

Plugs:
NGK coppers change them the same time you change the oil

PCV Valve:
Fram FV373 myswell change this while your at it...

Struts:
KYB, good replacment, good price and will work with your stock springs. Change both fronts or all four.

like these: http://justsuspension.com/nissan-max...2-kit1357.html
all 4 for $312 and change + shipping.


This is all you need....

03VQMAX

iTrader: (46)

Mobil 1 5w-30 like everyone else says, M1-108 matching oil filter, and I just installed the NGK Iridium LFR5AIX-11. I will be switching to Amsoil come the next oil change.

trooplewis

iTrader: (1)

Pennzoil Premium hands down over Mobil 1 since Mobil changed the formula for its base.

rroderiques77

iTrader: (45)

That comment wasn't directed towards you. I was just merely telling y'all that I used Mobil one with no problems.

Sneaky Green

Pennzoil Platinum Been using it every since it hit the market in my TL Type S and now my Maxima with bosch FILTECH oil filter oil last around 5k miles but i change at 3k love the stuff Maximus runs like a champ

vball_max

iTrader: (5)

Oil:
Pennzoil Platinum is definitely the best bang for the buck synthetic IMO from the UOA's (Used Oil Analyses) I have seen and based on the $21 price of the 5 quart jugs at walmart.

Oil filter:
Personally, i bought a case of the Amsoil OEA-13 oil filters. When I bought the case, they came out to be ~ $1 more per filter than the Mobil 1 filters. You can get the Amsoil filters from talkinghorse.

Whatever you do, DONT BY FRAM Oil filters!

Air Filter:
I would go with OEM air filters ordered from DaveB or courtesyparts.com. They arent very expensive. I personally use the Amsoil EA air filter.....supposedly good for 100k, but I switch it every 25k.

Plugs:
NGK coppers are ok on the 3.0 because they are much easier to change. On the 3.5 I would definitely go with the platinum or the iridiums since the intake manifold needs to be removed to replace the rear banks.

PCV Valve:

Order OEM from DaveB or courtesyparts.com

Struts:
KYB GR-2 or Tokico HP Blues. From what I have gathered, the GR-2's are slightly stiffer than the Blues.

Check out performancepeddler.com with the promo code "maxima"

ifti_sit

iTrader: (3)

I dont think NGK makes Air filters..Probably you are referring to K&N. Get Amsoil or K&N. But with K&N you get lifetime use as those are oil type and needs to be cleaned with their solution. Good stuff but costly. Heard bad reviews as the oil vapours gets inside the TB.

NGK spark plugs are used by Nissan. you can stick with Platinum tipped as suggested by Nissan (check your manual ).

Engine oil - I have used Mobil 1 Synthetic oil and had no problems at all. Recently I switched to Royal Purple and noticed a different. More quiet car now.

I will suggest if you want to spend some money :

Engine Oil ( Mobile 1 or RP or whatever you like )
Engine Oil Filter Amosil or K&N or Mobil
Air Filter
Spark Plugs
Transmission fluid change ( dont ignore this if you are not sure when was the last time someone did this )

Also check your coolant and power steering fluid.

These should be a good quick tuning to start with. you would feel the difference.

you can buy those fluids cheap from ebay or other sites and do it yourself. orelse u can go to Pepboys - they will charge you $18 for engine oil and filter change with your own oil. Not sure about the transmission fluid. (should be less than $60 ).

If money is not a problem - do ur strut works soon. those are vital.
I did my front and reat strut -shocks from pepboys. 30% discount on parts and 50 % discount on labour with Monroe . Total I paid around $400 including alignment.

vball_max

iTrader: (5)

Did you miss this? (see below)

RP has not been recommended as of late, and more so discouraged based on UOA's. Save yourself some $$ and go with PP.

Dirtyblackhoe

what weight oil so most of yall run in the vq35...the orignal owner has been running 5w-30 mobil 1 and I plan to switch to Pennzoil...5-30 or 10w-30 Pennzoil...also does it last long enough to go 5-7K on the oil change intervals (synthetic oil of course)

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Depends on climate, but I'd just stick with 5w30 unless you want to use german castrol (0w30) or mobile 1 (0w40 > 5w30 or 10w30). 10w30 is ok to use in warmer climates where it doesn't get too far below freezing in the winter.

5-6k on a good synthetic should be fine for daily driven miles. If you have much track time or consistent spirited driving, you may consider shorter intervals based on your UOAs. The best way to decide on oil intervals is to get an oil analysis on a couple of your oil changes and go from there.

Dirtyblackhoe

I live in South, GA and the coldest it has ever gotten while I have lived here (7 years) is in the mid teens 2x last year...I am just worried that the Mobil 1 isn't doing as good of a job based on hearing peoples UOA's and everyone talking so highly of the pennzoil Platinum...also the local oil change place I use is a Pennzoil place, so they always are going to recommend the PP anyways...what do most people run in the PP and can I just switch to their 5w-30?

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

5w30 or even 10w30 would be fine in the southern US. I think i'll be trying german castrol on my next oil change.

Dirtyblackhoe

thanks a lot man...just wanna get it right ya know...i read that the PP isn't good for long oil intervals, which scares me though...i plan to change it every 5K miles...

vball_max

iTrader: (5)

If you use a decent oil filter, 5k will be more than fine with PP. Some people would consider that overkill.

J-Rod

iTrader: (1)

Overkill is changing your full syn oil at 5,000 miles...........

KyleT

iTrader: (1)

I've been using Mobil 1 5w-30 since I got the car at 17k (85k now). I may try Pennzoil next time - that Z forum thread is pretty thorough!

ifti_sit

iTrader: (3)

I actually have 6th Max and been using the RP with no problems but with good results than Nissan and Mobil Fluid.
I have read bad things about RP on VQ engines - but again I have read bad things on PP and Mobil too. I think it also depends on the condition of the engine and not just the fluid. Like when I had the Mustang I changed my fluid to Castrol ATF, it ruined my Tranny. There was already some leaks but after flusing with new fluid it removes the sealing agents. But i can not blame the castrol fluid.

I researched on this forum long back and based on the positive feedback and oil analysis by Bobistheoilguy I switched to RP and got good results. Having said that I am not confident that it will work on any engines or it will not cause any issues 0it just my own experience.

homeyclaus

iTrader: (1)

OP, first off, good on you for caring about your car's maintenance. May it serve you well and long in return.

Keep in mind: Maintenance being done is probably more important than the quality of consumables overall. You can game this to death, and be second-guessing every decision for maintenance parts. I don't think it's worth it.


Oil changes:

Any brand-name synthetic will probably be fine. Pennzoil Platinum is probably the best priced one, and as other posters have stated, is just fine. I have no problem using Valvoline synthetic either. Why use synthetic? Because it reduces friction in the engine during a cold start, and that cold start friction causes 80% of engine wear. In addition, synthetic lubricants support longer maintenance intervals, or offer more peace of mind at regular intervals, depending on how you look at it.

Based on the Internet, the following oil filters are fine, in no particular order: Nissan OEM, Wix, Napa, Bosch, Mobil 1, Purolator PURE1. The Fram gold-colored ones are also okay according to people who have cut them apart, and tried them, with oil analysis to back them up. Oil change interval is 8,000 miles, although I change mine around 7500 or so. If you're going to change your oil every 15,000 miles, you'll want to use Bosch, Mobil 1, or Purolator's top-shelf part. I'd say 10k is the limit, event he new 0W20-lubed Toyotas draw the line there.

Air Filters: Nissan OEM, Purolator PURE1, are probably the most popular. NGK is fine.

Spark Plugs: Don't use regular plugs - for one, changing them every 25,000 miles is a pain on the Maxima - just use OEM ones (made by NGK, you can get NGK platinums and they're the same) and don't worry about it for another 100k miles.

As a side note, changing the automatic transmission fluid (I used Nissan's fluid, but I hear good things about the Valvoline synthetic that meets Nissan's specs) made my transmission shifting improve noticeably. There is no filter - it's a mesh pickup, so don't let the shop bill you for one.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Are you getting UOAs, or just deciding that RP has good results for you based on the fact that your car runs? Like I mentioned earlier in this thread, the butt dyno and naked eye inspection will only show results out of the ordinary during catastrophic failure. "the car feels smooth," "the oil looks good," and "quieter car now" aren't very convincing results.

The oil thread on my350z is only compiled with VQ35DE UOAs and the RP results don't look very good. There was a big discussion on RP somewhere in that thread (can't remember what page, huge thread) but it had several defenders who went and ran it then reported back with UOAs, then promptly changed to another oil.

However, when it really comes down to it, the differences between various name brand synthetic oils are quite small in the long run. Even if RP is kind of iffy for this engine and PP for 1/2 the price is better, it's not likely to hurt anything.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Not true. No matter what oil you use moisture will accumulate. You're better off changing your oil more often if you are worried about wear, regardless of type of oil.




No one noticed that he listed 2001? Not a VQ35, So the engine specific specs don't apply. Not to mention there were numeous changes made by nissan to that engine during it's production so the results aren't specific anyways, just relative.



When we did our old research on the VQ30DE on the forums, Mobil 1 was the leader in most aspects.

But I was not aware they changed the formula! I will have to look into this, I've been using it since I the '01, and with my old VQ30 as well. I just assumed it was the best still.......

Any links to VQ30DE / DE-K analysis' reports?

And on Royal Purple being garbage... And VERY expensive garbage at that.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

The VQ35DE is supposedly pretty bad about shearing oils down fast. I go 3,000 intervals on synthetic during track season when I'm going often, and 5,000 otherwise.

ifti_sit

iTrader: (3)

I am not an expert that I will do the oil analysis but yes I have looked at the oil when I drained it - and as you said - the impression was the same "dumb" impression that "it looks good". However, try to understand that I am not saying it was bad with Mobil or Nissan.
My car used to do a ticking noise at random startup - since I switched to RP - that noise is a past thing since last few months -which I updated in another thread. ( i just did the oil change to isolate the problem ).
And as far as facts are concerned - lot of guys like me depends on the analysis that was done by other people - I can not stand by them but try them - and thats what I did.
http://www.royalpurple.com/corvette-enthusiast.html
http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9482
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...lysis-results/
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...e-vs-amsoil-3/

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

You don't need to be an expert to have an oil analysis done. It's not expensive, either. I believe $25 for blackstone labs.

Why base your decision off results for other engines when results for the VQ35DE are readily available? Probably not the best idea as different engines will often have largely different results for which oils work best (different additive packages and such that benefit some more than others), even among similar engines from the same manufacturer (VQ35DE and VQ35HR make a great example).

Just looking at the oil and deciding that it looks good is not a good way to determine whether the oil is good. If the oil comes out dirty looking, that just means it is cleaning the engine well.

I'll link this 1 more time. Some good reading here and it explains everything I just said in my post much better than me. You can take advantage of it or not, your choice.

http://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-d...-and-info.html

T_Behr904

I've stuck with conventional oil because the previous owner only used that. My car has over 150,000 miles on it and I know as soon as I put synthetic in it, it's gonna leak like a bucket full of bullet holes. My engine is mostly dry, just some oil "sweating" in a couple of places. I did the synthetic switchover in the last two high mileage cars I had and they quickly developed numerous oil leaks, so I'm not going through that again! Just my 2 cents...

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

I'm sure you could get away with something a little thick like 0w40 Mobile 1. Otherwise, the Z guys give really good reviews of Castrol GTX for a dino oil.

ifti_sit

iTrader: (3)

I beleive and like this : "As Terry Dyson is fond of saying, "tear the label off the bottle and use whatever oil shows the best UOA in your engine.""

Certainly the Oil Analysis did not show good results for our engines. But again -I do it every 3K. With Filter Change.
Considering all the oil analysis - aren't we talking about the engine life -how its going to perform in 100 K or may be 150 K if we continuously use a specific fluid ? I Guess the difference is very less. The Lab results shows actual data but the deviations are practically not observed and can be observed after 100 k - my guess.
I just changed my oil from nissan - mobil to RP. And with RP one of my problem got fixed - its not just my feeling. May be the previous owner dint take care this car and changing oil every 3K ( Nissan/Mobil/RP) made the difference and may be RP is just lucky enuf to come to the last try. I am not concluding the RP is best - may be it just worked for me - and this forum is all about sharing practical feedback. So I dont want to misguide anyone that RP is best.
btw- I am going to try Amsoil next time.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Have seen decent reviews of the Amsoil products. I was just trying to point out that for the premium you are spending on RP, you could have an oil that performs better in our engines for far cheaper.