Hey guys...so I was under the hood of my new Max (only 825 miles) checking the water levels of the battery cells as it seems that is a hot issue and while I was at it I checked the oil and it is about in the middle of the hash marks. My question is does anyone know how much the range is between the top and bottom? I'm thinking probably about a half quart?? I need to go to the store and get some 5-30 to top it off...especially since I'll be allowed to go over 4k rpms in another 175 miles ha!!

 

Doesn't the owner's manual say wait until 1.2k miles, not 1k miles before you go above 4k rpms? Don't want to shorten your engine life so early.

As for the range between the two hash marks, I have no idea.

 

usually its half a litre to get it to full if youre at the halfway mark on the dipstick

 

I always thought is was 1 qt. between the lower and upper hash marks on the dipstick. Thats approx. what it was on my '03. I havent had my '12 long enough to confirm what it is, but I think that might be pretty standard for all cars.

 

I will double check but I am pretty positive the manual on my 2012 says 1000 miles...

 

Mine said 1200 miles for my 2012. I took it easy until at least 1500 to be safe.

 

Thanks for the heads up...I could very well be wrong...I will report back after my lunch break

 

Ok so I rechecked my manual during lunch and yes it is indeed 1200 miles...thanks for correcting me!

 

No problem.....I would recommend keeping it easy for a while beyond the 1200 miles. Its not like there is something magical that happens when your odometer hits the 1200 mile mark. The break in period is a gradual process. I changed my oil at ~1700 miles to get some of the initial metal shavings from the break-in out of the engine. The oil still looked brand new, so I probably didnt need to do it.

Personally, I am at 3000 miles....and I am still taking it easy. I might have hit 4k rpm only once or twice now getting on the highway.

I know that by now, going over 4k shouldnt be an issue. But I keep it pretty light on the pedal anyway for the gas mileage.

 

That is also the way I try to do things. These Maximas are very durable when treated carefully. I have driven two of them for over 200,000 miles each with no problems. All that said, 4K rpms is not that big a deal, especially after a thousand miles or so. It is the 6K and redlining that can sometimes result in unwanted problems.

As to the oil dipstick markings, since around the late 1940s, I have found them to roughly be around a quart apart. But I must admit that, in the Maximas of the last thirty years, I have never had the oil level drop to the 'add oil' level between oil changes, so can't be sure of what the volume may be between those marks in the 7th gen.

 

I assume you never owned an '02 or '03 then

My '03 did well with oil burning for the first 140-150k or so. I never had to add more than a quart between changes up until that point. The last year or so got pretty bad where it was burning a quart every 1500 miles. Thats when it was time to trade it in......along with the bad motor mount with rusted radiator support, felt the clutch chatter a couple times, water leaking into the driver side floor, and a couple other things. Ended up trading her at 173k.....so not bad.

 

I hear you guys...I'm not going to get onto the highway at 1201 miles and go wot the whole time or anything...I will however stop holding back at 4k for a few weeks...then I simply won't pay attention to it anymore...it is what it is...

As for the oil burning...I am numb to that... My 350Z burnt about a quart every 5000 miles...these vq's like to burn a little oil no doubt about it.

 

I guess I have been lucky.

I bought two 1985 Maximas (2nd gen), and have owned every gen since, and don't remember ever having to add oil between changes.

I think my driving style may have some involvement; I use a 2500 mile break-in period, and, although I sometimes drive aggressively, and have had every Maxima I have ever owned over 100 MPH (never do this on a public road unless you are in eastern Montana or west Texas or somewhere you can see for a dozen miles and there are no vehicles or homes as far as the eye can see), I almost never go wide open throttle unless passing in a very tight situation.

I also have my dealer do all scheduled maintenance on time, and change my oil every 3750 miles. But, as I said, I guess I have also been lucky.

Although Datsuns (I was driving a Datsun when I bought my first Max in Oct 1984) were not big oil burners, my Chevys and Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles and Fords (also a Studebaker and a Hudson) I drove between the late 1940s and the late 1970s sometimes needed a quart between changes.

Because of all those years when I didn't dare start a long trip without checking the oil level, I still check my oil (and tire pressure) before starting every long trip out of habit.