Is that a 2000 with an auto trannie?

 

Sorry if this is an old question, but I can't find an answer. What did you use to take the drain plug out of the transmission? Mine started to round off with a 12mm wrench. Should I use another tool, flare wrench? Any help is much appreciated, and do LSD trannies, such as in a 01 AE, need a limited slip additive? Thanks again for the productive comments.

 

I just used the wrench -- but did the change with only 30 K miles (and two years) on the car. The longer this plug has remained in place, the harder it will be to loosen and remove. You might try spraying the plug with Liquid Wrench and letting it sit on the plug over night. I don't have any other suggestions, sorry.

 

Hi all:
I used to post here back in 1995 when I purchased my new 95SE max with 5 speed MT.

Recently, my 5 speed transmission position sensor switch started leaking and was replaced by my Nissan dealer. During the job, they topped off the fluid that was lost. It occurred to me that it might be a good idea to completely replace the MT fluid - especially now that I have a blend of the OEM fluid and the dealer fluid. The dealer says they use Chevron Manual Transaxle Fluid GL-4 SAE 75W-90. According to the Chevron site this product uses ISOSYN base stacks and synthetic polymer. The dealer also had Nissan branded MT oil but it was 75-85W. They felt the Chevron was a better choice based on the higher 90W spec alone. They said they only use the Nissan oil for warranty work.

My service manual has no clear choice for SAE weight but it seems 75-90 is a good choice based on upper temperatures expected. Is the Chevron GL-4 product a good choice for a complete drain and refill job? Thanks

 

I would spend a few bucks more and replace with GL-4 fluid from either Amsoil or Redline. I used the Redline 75w90 fluid because, at the time, Amsoil did not have a GL-4 fluid -- they now do.

If you decide on Amsoil, contact Talkinghorse on this site; he will sell you Amsoil products at a discount.

 

After reading through the thread, this is the right stuff?

Amsoil 75w-90 and says its good for GL2-GL5

If not, oh well. Found 6qts on craigslist for 2$ ea.

 

You don't want a multi grade gear lubricant -- you want a straight GL4 lubricant. Anything else could damage your trannie. I know for a fact that Talkinghorse will not sell you an Amsoil product that is not correct for your Maxima. The people on craigslist will sell you anything, even if it is not correct. Don't save a few bucks on the fluid only to damage your trannie.

 

So this is not the same stuff as people earlier in the thread were talking about when they said they used Series2000 75w-90 ?
And I didn't plan on putting it in until I was sure it was the right stuff.
I'm not trying to just save a few bucks, I just saw it and jumped on it before someone else had a chance. For 12$ I can find some other use for this, or eBay it if it wont work.

 

Where can i buy mt-90 locally?.... or am i down to ordering it?... i would really like to pick this up today and get it done with instead of waiting.

 

How can anyone possibly tell you where to buy it locally when you don't state where you live?

You should be able to get it at any performance shop? I live in British Columbia and can't help you apart from that. Locally I can get it in several places in Greater Vancouver, so I'm sure you can find it if you try.

Why don't you post on the relevant Regional Forum?

 

woops... sorry... i coulda sworn i entered in the area....

anyways.... i live in Ft lauderdale FL.
i have checked autozone and advance auto parts.... nothing.

 

THis is absolutely correct!
I replaced the dino over 35k ago with the series 2000 amsoil....the logic THEN was that it was okay. I know now that was flawed logic.
I can only imagine what it's done to my tranny.....

Get the AMSOIL GL-4.
Don't bother looking locally - you WON'T FIND IT.
I found a local guy who sells amsoil, but even HE didn't stock the GL-4.
gr

 

OMG.... im trying to do this... i might be a weakling or something... but i cannot get those plugs to break loose.... is there a certain way to position car... on a jack stand or something to get more leverage....

i need help .... my car is on the stand at the front right now... with a 10mm hex on the drain plug..... need a way to break it loose.

 

This has to be finessed. Try spraying some liquid wrench in the area of the threads. Give it about 30 minutes to sink in. Then try shocking the plug by lightly pounding on the wrench handle with a rubber mallet. Make certain that the 10mm hex is fully in place while doing this.

If that does not loosen the plug, repeat the same steps above to try and loosen it with liquid wrench.

If you have enough room, you can slide a longer pipe over the wrench handle to get more leverage. But my memory of when I did this process is that there is not much room to do this (unless you are up on a high lift).

Good Luck.

PS: This is why it pays to do this change about every 25 to 30 K miles. Since I now have 35 K miles on my last change, I need to do one again before next summer.

 

ok thank you... im going to try the rubber mallot or finding a longer ratchet...

as far as the liquid wrench.. iv never heard of it.... but would WD40 be a good substitute?


and also.... is it easier to have the car on the jack (the small kind) or removing any of the wheels?...

 

I would suggest only using a breaker-bar when pounding with a mallet. You don't want to damage the ratchet mechinism in that wrench. This is the job breaker-bars were designed to do -- break loose tight connections.

Liquid Wrench is even lighter weight than WD40 and can penetrate the threads better. As a poor substitute, the WD40 may work.

I had mine up on 2 jack stands -- safer than on any jack (I have a hydraulic floor jack, but still use the stands too). If you have reasonably good light, you don't need to remove any of the wheels.

Final thought, did you go to the sites that show pictures of your trannie? I found that lying on my back looking up, it was not easy to easily identify the two plugs that needed to be removed. Check the pictures to be certain you are removing the correct plugs.

 

I got it done...

i dont have a breaker bar... so i took my ratchet and had another long wrench... used the little hole on the end and looped it through my ratched handle... and bought me some leverage... (i hope u understood what i was trying to say)

did the refill... everything....

i do think i did something wrong though... i didnt get new gaskets... and when i was retightening the plugs... i think i tightend really hard... i saw the gaskets bend...

 

I bought new gaskets from the Nissan dealer, but when I looked at the old ones, they looked just fine. Since I did not pay much for the new gaskets, I used them -- but the old ones (at 30 K miles on the car) looked like they would have done the job, too.

If you did not crack the gaskets, you should be fine.

 

Been reading a lot of threads in preparation to do this but had a few questions:

1) Does anyone have part #s for the gaskets (you need 2 of them right)?
2) Do people generally prefer amsoil or redline, or is there no real difference?
3) Assuming you use the drain plug, there is no sensor (the one people seem to break) in there right?
4) For those who order amsoil, where do you get it from. I think there is a member here (talkinghorse) but are there any other places to check?

 

1. Don't know about the part#'s, but as memory serves they're not really gaskets so much as they are crush-washers.
2. I can't comment on differences between AMSOIL and REDLINE, but I like AMSOIL. I don't remember Redline offering a GL-4 blend....
3.No sensor.
4.Talkinghorse will hoook you up, and WITH a discount. I've ordered from him, and he is FANTASTIC! I looked no further....

gr

 

ghost got it right.

I am using Redline GL-4 because when I bought the fluid, Amsoil had dropped the GL-4 product and talkinghorse would not sell me any other product that was not a GL-4. Shortly after that, Amsoil brought back the GL-4 fluid. When I do my next change, I will be going to that Amsoil product.

 

That speaks volumes to Talkinghorse's credibility as a seller.
I've been running the prev. gen. Amsoil 2000 for almost 20k miles, and the gearbox is getting crunchy.
...can't remember who sold it to me, but they shouldn't have!

I just got my Gl-4 and Power Steering FLuid (ATF) from Talkinghorse today, and I'm going to flush & swap it all today. Just in time too...it's getting cold here finally!

gr

 

thanks gr, you are the resident expert

Is there more than one "gasket" or "crush washer" that I need? Is it one for the drain plug and one for the fill plug or just one for the drain plug. Seems like it would be only one for the drain plug?

 

I am NO EXPERT!
I'm going to drain mine today - I'll let you know if there's two washers or not.
Again - I wouldn't worry about it. Not really money well-spent considering it's low pressure, and these things get removed once every 4yrs or so....your choice though.

gr

 

haha, i don't care much about the cost only a few dollars. Just want to know if I need more than one and if I do, where do they go/are they different?

 

I see you have an 01, so forget about the crush washer. You won't be able to undo the drain plug in your driveway. There's a bracket that gets in the way and it's nearly impossible to remove the plug when lying on your back. I say try it, but be ready to go the sensor route and have alterante means of transport if you need to go to the stealer to get a new one...

 

Say huh? I have done my MT fluid three times now and have had no issues. Its tight, but with the correct tools you should have no issues.

And remember, open the FILL bolt first then the drain bolt.

 

Hi all:

I understand the Chevron manual fluid GL-4 has been replaced with Delo Synthetic. Any opinions as to whether Mobil 1 gear oil or Chevron is better for my 95 Max 5 speed?

https://www.cbest.chevron.com/msdsSe...e&lbLanguage=e

 

Hi all:

There have been some posts in this thread that says we shouldn't use Mobil1 synthetic and to remove it from the initial post of this thread. but....

According to:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lub..._LS_75W-90.asp

it says that:

Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Lubricant LS 75W-90 is recommended for use in modern high performance automobiles like SUV's, Vans and Light duty trucks requiring API GL-5 and MT-1 level performance
Mobil 1

Synthetic gear Lubricant LS 75W-90 is intended for initial fill, topping-off or refilling differentials, final drives, transfer cases and other gear applications where lubricants meeting API Service GL-5 and multi-purpose or mild EP gear lubricants are recommended

Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Lubricant LS 75W-90 can also be used in rear axles where API Service GL-4 lubricant is recommended "

Do you folks think that it is really OK for a 95 Max with 5 speed manual transmission? I have the factory service manual for the car and it calls for GL4.
??

 

If it says anywhere on it that it can be used for GL-5 service -- you should stay away from it. You want a fluid that is only made for GL-4 service. Anything else will be wrong -- even if it says it can be used in GL-4 applications. Better to be safe than sorry.

Just order some Amsoil GL-4 lube from talkinghorse on this site. He gives you good prices and will not sell you anthing that should not be used in your Max.

 

 

Bumpin this up, I have both the fill plug and the drain plug cracked and ready to go.


1) I just waited an extra day to pick up the drain plug washer (gasket, whatever you call it) from the dealer. I went in there and of course they don't have it (despite telling me they have it in stock, I called multiple times). Tech says they never replace them. Should I wait to get one, or just get on with it? Is it really a special washer? Can I get one anywhere else but the dealer?

2) I just want to make sure I cracked the drain plug, have I circled it correctly in the pic attached?

 

Just do it.
I've changed my tranny fluid twice now, and not bothered to change the washer.
TOTALLY unnecessary.

I can't tell by the picture what that is.
Your drain/fill plugs should be recessed hex (five point) and I believe it's 10mm.
The drain will be lower on the trans. housing and futher towards the back of the car.

gr

 

just an "as i'm doing it update" That picture is taken from one of the writeups on the first page and I did correctly circle the drain plug as the fluid came rushing out

Oddly enough drain plug doesn't even have a washer?!

 

That's unusual. When I changed mine, the washer looked good enough to use again. Because I had a new one, I used it. But suspect that the old one would have been fine.

Without a washer on your plug, my advice is to watch to be certain that you don't develop a leak at the plug.

 

well danger averted, the crush washer for the tranny is the same as the one for the oil drain plug and I had a bunch of those around. It's made of copper and crushes when tightened on. This is for an 01 5spd

My experience (for anyone who comes after)
1) I was able to do it WITHOUT lifting the car off the ground at all (nice because it has to be level). I am STOCK though, as far as height goes.
2) I was able to squeeze and air gun to free the fill plug from it's rust weld. That made that easy
3) I was able to get the drain plug off with an open ended wrench and a little muscle
4) PB blaster/liquid wrench for everything
5) I had to take my battery out to get the fill funnel to fit in there (probably just because of the funnel I bought)

 

It was not necessary in my 04 with the proper funnel and extra tubing. (I just used the same funnel and tubing to change the differential fluid in both differentials in my 4-wheel drive Dodge pickup truck.) Get the right equipment, and you don't need to remove the battery. The funnel sat right next to the battery and the tubing reached down into the trannie fill hole.

 

Well I drove today for my first extended time on the amsoil gl-4, I have to admit I wasn't overly impressed. I figured it might not feel any better but it actually feels a bit more notchy (especially 3rd and 4th).

Does the fluid have a break-in period of any kind or anyone else experienced something like this?

 

does anybnody have a response for this? i just got an 03 6 speed with 49,000 miles on it, and want to swap the tranny oil as soon as possible.. i hope its not too late! just trying to decide between amisol GL4 and redline MT90

 

There's no break-in period with this oil. My car has an automatic, so i don't have any user-experience with the oil. However, I've supplied this oil to well over 50 of our members for use in Maximas and other applications, and the feedback has been extremely positive. I'm sure you've refilled your transmission to the correct oil level (not overfilled or underfilled). The product you have is definitely the right oil for your application, so I really can't provide any other explanation.