heres some links

http://www.300cforums.com/forums/genera ... ected.html

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfil ... ecommended

http://www.nordicgroup.us/oil.htm

after reading all those and the post above the 3k-3m interval looks o really be a waste of money. im i die hard 3-3 follower but think im gonna get it tested to really find out. i run 0w30 mobil 1 FS and the tough guard. the TG is the only fram that is recommended for use. i used to run mobil 1 filters to but there expensive but if after my oil test it says to run the oil longer ill switch back seeing as to ill spend less money since im changing the oil less often so the money saved can go to better filters

aren't the fram TG filters same $$ as the m1 ext perf ones?

no, here the fram TG is 4.00 the mobil one is 11.00

cruzstyle wrote:no, here the fram TG is 4.00 the mobil one is 11.00

oh wow. i swore i looked when they came out, and they were similar. i'll def check again next time. it sucks paying 11-13$ for a m1 filter. i know they're pretty good/reliable, but it just adds $$ to that oil changing cost, which shouldn't be much

has anyone found a larger filter that will fit on the R51? When i bought my first one back in March I was like "O Shit, this thing is tiny" the filter on my wife's old honda 4 cyl was bigger than the original size R51 filter and the filter on my 3.0 V6 is way larger. I would like to find one that will fit in ours that is bigger, I can't imagine these tiny filters being able to last 7500 miles and still filtering well

WheatBread wrote:has anyone found a larger filter that will fit on the R51? When i bought my first one back in March I was like "O Shit, this thing is tiny" the filter on my wife's old honda 4 cyl was bigger than the original size R51 filter and the filter on my 3.0 V6 is way larger. I would like to find one that will fit in ours that is bigger, I can't imagine these tiny filters being able to last 7500 miles and still filtering well

I have noticed that too. My little Hyundai uses the same size filter as my Pathfinder. however, the diameter of the filter can very quite a bit between filter manufacturers. I have a mobil 1 on currently and it is much larger in diameter than some fram filters I have used before.

WheatBread wrote:has anyone found a larger filter that will fit on the R51? When i bought my first one back in March I was like "O Shit, this thing is tiny" the filter on my wife's old honda 4 cyl was bigger than the original size R51 filter and the filter on my 3.0 V6 is way larger. I would like to find one that will fit in ours that is bigger, I can't imagine these tiny filters being able to last 7500 miles and still filtering well

I was shocked when I discovered that the filter wrench I have for my Focus is too large for the Pathfinder filter. Of course I didn't discover this until halfway thru the oil change laying under the Path I'm sticking with the factory recommended filter size but now I have 2 wrenches.

i still think the pathfinder's oil filter location is one of the most pain in the ass spots to get to. you have to go way under the vehicle & put your arm in a strange sideway direction to get the freakin thing out. i've hated this everytime i change my wifes oil. minor ..yes...but still a pain in the ass compared to cars i've done in the past

I just ordered a Niagara Grey SE. 2 weeks and it'll be in my hands!
anyway, the dealership here is offering me a $500cdn lifetime oil change package.

every 3 months or few thousand kilometers (whichever comes first) I can have my oil changed.

Its probably regular old dino oil, but maybe the frequency of changes will make up for running synthetic as I have my other car for it's 9 years. Maybe throw in a bottle of lucas additive if I want to help the oil out.

Also all the car washes I want too. I'm gonna make them regret offering that package. =)

Rogue9 wrote:Its probably regular old dino oil, but maybe the frequency of changes will make up for running synthetic

yep. for sure. seems like a good deal, depending on how much you drive your vehicle

Rogue9 wrote:I just ordered a Niagara Grey SE. 2 weeks and it'll be in my hands!
anyway, the dealership here is offering me a $500cdn lifetime oil change package.

every 3 months or few thousand kilometers (whichever comes first) I can have my oil changed.

Its probably regular old dino oil, but maybe the frequency of changes will make up for running synthetic as I have my other car for it's 9 years. Maybe throw in a bottle of lucas additive if I want to help the oil out.

Also all the car washes I want too. I'm gonna make them regret offering that package. =)

Keep in mind the reason they sell or in a lot of cases give away these oil change/car wash deals is to keep you coming through the door. Since you're there for an oil change they can up-sell you other stuff or at the very least you'll likely get the normal maintenance performed there.

It may be a good deal....but you're also pre-paying for something WELL in advance. Assuming a dealership oil change is around $35 there (most around here are $25 at the dealer) you've got to hit 14 oil changes just to break even. Depending on how much you drive that could be several years worth of them sitting on your cash.

One other thing...read the fine print and don't just rely on what the guy tells you. Clarify the miles and time in writing! My family used to own a dealership and many of these programs were under-written by outside sources. There's a reason they like selling these things...odds are they'll make more money on you in the long run. You're basically guaranteeing them business going forward and you won't have a choice if their service sucks. I personally would never do this but I rarely have time to mess around with dealers and in the case of my PF i've never been back.

I wish my dealership charged $25 for an oil change. The dealers in Vancouver won't even look at you for less than $39.99 plus taxes. Heaven forbid you want synthetic. That oil change will run you around $79.99 or more. That's why I do it myself.....

deezx5 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:19 pm

Old thread bump. Are most people sticking around the 3750 oil change interval? We are getting the basic oil change package from the dealer for now so I'm sure they use bulk oil and Nissan filters.

I know this is an old post but the Nissan OEM filters are quite good.
The bulk oil 5w-30 at Nissan dealers is also quite good since it was upgraded when the 3.7 liter VQ37DE came out that had hotspots and so needed a high HT/HS oil.

PS: just changed my oil after a 5000 mile interval.
Since it was synthetic oil and included a lot of highway driving I could have easily extended it.
But the oil did look kinda dirty, and contrary to habit, I had used the basic Valvoline 106 filter (nothing bad about it but i prefer premium filters) and I had time to do it and planning some long trips soon.

K&N HP1010 Oil filter and Valvoline Synthetic Maxlife in 10w-30.
Why 10W-30 When 5w-30 is recommended by Nissan?

Because the 5w thinness for cold start is not needed in the warm season that has already started here in Florida.
But going with a 10w-30 instead of a 5w-30, means there are fewer VIIs used to give the oil multi-viscosity behavior.
This leaves more "room" per quart for other useful additives.

As a result the NOACK and HT/HS numbers, if all other things are equal, are generally better with a 10w-30, than the equivalent 5w-30.
Plus with the two number closer it will stay in grade longer.
And the published specs from Valvoline bear this expectation out.

Noack 6.3% which is significantly better than the 10.3 % of the 5w-30
HTHS is 3.3 which is slightly better than the 3.2 of the 5w-30 Synthetic Maxlife.

All while having a pour point only 3 degrees C higher (warmer) than the 5w-30.

So I feel there really is no downside in choosing the 10w-30 over the 5w-30 in anything but a northern winter.

If I was towing I would strongly consider the Valvoline Synthetic Maxlife 10w-40 which has a fantastic HT/HS of 4.0 and an even lower (better) Noack while still keeping a very reasonable pour point still suitable for winter in all but the far north.

Given that I now have a nice stable 10w-30 syn and a nice premium filter, I feel I will extend my oil change interval.

PS: Given how mechanically nearly unbreakable our V6 and V8 engines are, these considerations may be academic.

Nissan is now telling dealers to use 0W20 in place of 5W30, which would be contrary to what you describe. With as tight as the clearances are in these engines, I wouldn't want to use 10W40. A thinner oil would be better for getting into the tighter space between the bearings and crank throughout the drivetrain and oil channels for the variable timing system. But, that's just my 2-cents!