synthetic oil question

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webmastir

synthetic oil question

Postby webmastir » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:23 am

im sure this is a repetitive topic, but i can't seem to find anything useful off search function due to the outdated phpbb software :roll:

anyway, i bought a 2006 path se in jan (used around 90k miles), and it's now due for its first oil change. i always have done oil changes myself on past cars, none newer than any make 03 model/make . so here's my question. i've always run full synthetic in my '03 acura tl, and i want to do the same in the path, which i think many people here do.

what's the best syn oil for these vehicles, and which viscosity is best? i live in TN so our climate is fairly average. (semi cold winters, fairly hot summers)

the manual doesn't even recommend syn oil, which i found to be a bit odd, so this is why i'm asking. 5w-30 is ok?
also, would you recommend i make the switch to syn on this vehicle given mileage and all?
i've always been a great believer in Mobile1 extended performance full syn oil (& their extended perf oil filter too). would you suggest these are ok to use on pathfinders?

you can refer to me to an older post if necessary. thanks again guys 8)

edit: if you think i should stick with normal oil, which is what it's prob running now, what do you recommend? also, after looking under suv last night, there's a f'ing cover you have to remove just to take off the oil filter? wth is that about?


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eieio
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Re: synthetic oil question

Postby eieio » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:36 am

webmastir wrote:also, after looking under suv last night, there's a f'ing cover you have to remove just to take off the oil filter? wth is that about?
that little cover comes off with 2 little bolts! :roll:
it helps keep the oil filter area clean from sand, mud, road grime, etc. :)

webmastir

Postby webmastir » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:37 am

oh, i thought it'd be a tad more involved than that, lol :oops:

webmastir

Postby webmastir » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:39 am

so after further reading on other forums about synthetic & my current 94k mileage, i should prob not fully switch over to synthetic. i suppose i can stay with the cheap oil. it's alittle easier on my pocketbook anyway

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Postby eieio » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:46 am

webmastir wrote:so after further reading on other forums about synthetic & my current 94k mileage, i should prob not fully switch over to synthetic. i suppose i can stay with the cheap oil. it's alittle easier on my pocketbook anyway
that may be the safest thing to do, with a good quality oil.
there's a lot of controversy regarding changing to synthetic oil @ advanced mileage.
might be interesting to ask Mobil about it, see what they advise.

webmastir

Postby webmastir » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:48 am

yeah. what kind of oil & filter do you use for your path?

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Postby eieio » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:55 am

webmastir wrote:yeah. what kind of oil & filter do you use for your path?
Mobil 1 since 2nd oil change, & OEM filters
I'm a "stickler" for OEM filters (air, oil & cabin).
On a different note, are you aware of the coolant/transmission oil contamination potential?

webmastir

Postby webmastir » Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:01 am

dryart wrote:
webmastir wrote:yeah. what kind of oil & filter do you use for your path?
On a different note, are you aware of the coolant/transmission oil contamination potential?
sigh...no i'm not. at this point, i'm fixing to bring it to the damn dealership here pretty soon. what happened to just being able to do a good ol typical oil change manually w/o worrying about this crap :?

anyway, care to enlighten me or point me in the direction where i could read up on it?

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Postby eieio » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:55 am

webmastir wrote:
dryart wrote:
webmastir wrote:yeah. what kind of oil & filter do you use for your path?
On a different note, are you aware of the coolant/transmission oil contamination potential?
sigh...no i'm not. at this point, i'm fixing to bring it to the damn dealership here pretty soon. what happened to just being able to do a good ol typical oil change manually w/o worrying about this crap :?

anyway, care to enlighten me or point me in the direction where i could read up on it?
Be glad to......
Not a big deal at all, really easy to prevent.
The procedure to prevent it take about 45 min and involves no new parts
or fluids at all.
For tools, only a 10mm socket, ratchet, a pair of pliers & a rag!
Be sure to take a careful look at the condition of the fluid.

The entire thread: http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=2139
(my) preferred method:
bellwilliam wrote:just did the bypass. easier done than describing it. but I did not use any additional parts. no coupler, no hose clamp (reuse original), no zip tie.

you have 2 hoses -
hose A - from external transmission cooler to radiator (passenger side)
hose B - from radiator (driver side) to engine block.


take hose A off radiator (passenger side) and plug into engine block
take hose B off engine block and plug into radiator (passenger side), forming a loop within.

reuse all the old hose and clamp. length is perfect.

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Postby BMXPath » Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:20 am

webmastir wrote:so after further reading on other forums about synthetic & my current 94k mileage, i should prob not fully switch over to synthetic. i suppose i can stay with the cheap oil. it's alittle easier on my pocketbook anyway
Dont believe all of what you hear about changing to synthetic on high mileage cars.
Read below for some myth busting...

http://www.royalpurple.com/faqs-motor-oil.html

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... Myths.aspx

Also, it aint that expensive to do synthetic oil changes if you are doing them yourself. You can get Mobil 1 on sale at Autozone, Advance Auto, Walmart, etc.
I get the Mobil 1 special from Adavnce Autoparts when they have it. 5 quarts and the filter for about 30 bucks... That is almost 1/2 price! They run that special just about every other month.

webmastir

Postby webmastir » Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:35 am

well ya, i buy my oil from walmart, always cheaper. 27$ for 5quart jug of m1 syn, but i read on another forum about other path owners having a little trouble switching straight over to full syn. they encountered some leaking. others mentioned stuff about doing a small/slow transition over to syn. i'm too impatient to take the time to do all that, if that's even necessary. this is why i was like just screw it. i don't know man.. i'm still on both sides of the fence at the moment

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Postby 08Datsun » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:50 pm

I've run Mobil 1 in the PF since the first oil change(33k now). I started using this due to our Maxima, which has the the smaller version of the same engine. It is now 13 years old and and now has 159k and uses no oil. I use the standard, longer 7500 mile interval on that car.

I changed over my old '79 F150 to Mobil 1 after 30 years of conventional oil and 141k on the original engine. It seems to like it just fine. It seeps oil from the valve covers, but not enough to hit the ground. It has not leaked any worse with the Mobil 1.


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