I own a 6th gen Max and plan on getting Mobil 10w/30 and a Mobil 1 M1-105 oil filter this weekend.

So Im making the switch to synthetic oil....

Are there any suggestions before or after I add the oil???

This is my first time doing this, i really dont want to f*** up my engine..

 

Don't rush the job. The last time I changed the oil, I only put the bolt in the oil pan back finger tight. The next day I noticed oil drops on the garage floor and remembered that I had not tightened the nut with a wrench -- dumb. You also should change the washer on this nut about every 3rd oil change or so. New washers are only a few cents from your Nissan dealer.

I like to rotate my tires when I change my oil (at 7.5 k to 10 K miles using Mobil 1). When the right front tire is removed, it is much easier to get the oil filter changed. I believe Nissan recommends tire rotation every 5 K miles or so, but its easier to do the two jobs together. It also helps to have jack stands as well as a floor jack.

When you change your own oil, you can let the pan drain longer than it can at the quick-lube shops. This gets more of the old oil out. It helps to have something to put under both the oil pan and the oil filter to catch the oil. But since the two are close, but not close enough, I will put the nut back in the pan finger tight while I remove the oil filter. Then when I've finished rotating all of the tires, I will go back and drain the remaining oil out of the oil pan by again removing the nut. After that, I'll install the new oil. Remember to shake each bottle of new motor oil to thoroughly mix the oil and the additives together.

I too use the Mobil oil filter and find that the engine takes about 1/2 a quart more than the books says (for the Nissan filter).

 

I thought I was the only 1 who did that

 

Why 10W-30? Check your Autozone and maybe you can find German Castrol instead.

 

When I worked for an oil company, I noticed there was still something in the bottom of the quart bottle after pouring out the oil (back then the bottle was white plastic, making it easier to see this). So I talked to the lubes people in the company. Their advice was to always shake the bottle well before pouring motor oil from it. That more thouroughly mixes what's in the bottle -- and assures that some additives are not left clinging to the bottom of the bottle. It only takes a few seconds and assures that all additives stay with the motor oil.

 

learn something new every day.. looks like i'll be shaking my oil from now on

 

Same here.

 

No complaints with the full synthetic. I too do my own changes ramp jack stands,socket set for the nut, and dont forget a little bit of oil around the rim of the filter and you should be all good.

 

It's better to underfill than overfill.

 

I agree, so long as the oil level is less than one quart low.

When I change my oil, I put in about 1/2 to one quart less than the book says. I then fine-tune over a couple of days the final oil that I put into the engine.

It is not good to over-fill the oil pan.

 

yup taking your time is key, a couple of tips:

1) remove the oil cap under the hood before draining the oil, it'll help the oil flow out faster
2) put the new bottles of oils under the hood, make damn sure you refill before starting the car
3) have plenty of rags around
4) Clean up the drain plug with a rag, the cleaner the better. When you put it back in DON'T crossthread it (same goes for the filter)
5) After you make sure everything is tight and get the oil in, start the car and check for any leaks

good luck!

 

Which is why I have never seen the appeal of the quickie lube shops. You go fast and you leave an important step out, or make some other mistake. Slow and certain wins the day -- and gets the job done correctly.

 

Hate to piggie back on this but I'm a newbie and need to properly break in this 08 maxima. What is the best chage intervals for this new engine and when should i make the switch to syntethics? Thanks

 

You should do the first oil change at the Nissan recommended 3,750 miles. As long as I was using dino oil, I continued to use this OCI (oil change interval).

While I changed to synthetic earlier, I now recommend that you wait until 15 K miles to switch (3 changes with dino oil). At that point you can switch to synthetic and take your OCI up to the maximum Nissan recommended OCI of 7,500 miles.

Hope this helps.