2007 Nissan Xterra - J-Matic Fluid 56,262k

[Coastal]

Mileage on fluid is unknown. I assumed it is factory fill.

 

[Coastal]

My mistake, if someone could move to the trans section it would be appreciated.

 

[Coastal]

Any comments?

 

[Jim Allen]

The TAN is nice and low, so you could run a lot longer in theory from that standpoint. Without a particle count, you don't know much else. You really can't tell too much from these numbers because they are all 10um.

If it were me, I'd take another sample and stow it away, install an inline trans filter and run 10-15K, then take another sample and do just TAN and a particle count on it. Bear in mind Blackstone can only do the pore blockage method (google it), so it's more "contamination analysis" than an actual particle count. It's fine (and low cost) for something like this that needs a ruler and not a microscope but not directly comparable to an optical count (which is more expensive). If you want to compare the before-fitler/after-filter contamination analysis, you can send the earlier sample in for just that test. All that will probably cost as much as changing the oil and filter, but you'll know.

 

[Coastal]

15/14/11 is the result of the particle count, the ISO cleanliness test.

 

[The Critic]

This fluid has since been replaced with Matic-S.

Matic-S is $10/qt, so a full flush is going to cost about $150.

 

[Coastal]

Yup. I'd rather just use redline instead.

 

[Coastal]

I ordered a WIX magnetic inline filter. Not sure how it compares to Magnefine or one of those, but the price is right and I assumed that since it was WIX it would be decent. The nominal micros rating is only 25 so I don't know how that fares against the competition.

 

[Coastal]

Here is the updated UOA from Blackstone with the particle count. The comments section is correct the last section at the bottom has a typo. The first 0 should be a 1

 

[Jim Allen]

That is very clean oil for 56K! The average ISO code Eletherakis and Khalil plotted for American automatics (into the early 2000s anyway) in roughly that period was around 21/16 or so. With that number and a low TAN, I wouldn't be afraid to run that oil out to 80K as is, but if you added an inline filter, you could maybe go 100K. Wonder what kind of filtration Nissan uses on their automatic. In the car industry in general, the Japanese were among the first to adopt cleanup procedures for their AT manufacturing and I think it's being demonstrated here.

BTW, Polaris Labs has a good primer on ISO Codes here:
ISO Cleanliness Code

 

[Coastal]

From what I know I think the xterra only has a screen filter in the trans. Based on your comments, I'm very pleased with the fluid. I will probably test again in 15k.

 

[Coastal]

Particle Test Information

ISO Code 15/14/11
>=2 Micron 407
>=5 150
>=10 42
>=15 16
>=25 3
>=50 0
>=100 0

 

[Ben99GT]

Nice, if that's really factory fill it looks surprisingly good.

 

[Coastal]

Now i just need to find a good spot to install the inline filter and I'll be good to go till at least next year. I don't expect to be hard on fluids because I had a good drive to work. About ~18 mi or so each way. Plenty of time for all the fluids to get up to temp.

Next up I will probably pull a UOA on the wife's expedition to see what the fluid is looking like at around 105k. I did a pan drop/cleanup and refill at about 93k. Not sure what fluid I will use on it yet.

 

[xnighter]

Did you notice if the old ATF came out cloudy/opaque? or was it still clear? How was the color compared to the fresh ATF? thanks.

 

[Coastal]

It was a deep red color. Just looked like used ATF, dirty dark red.

 

[cancov]

Our Maxima had the Nissan screen too. I didn't necessarily "see" any particulates but I didn't look very, very hard. I replaced with a WIX screen and gasket, poured in some Wal-Mart DexronIII, flushed that throught the oil line and then flushed that with the final fill of Amsoil ATF. The magnets were covered but not any worse than I've seen in other vehicles. The first time I've seen a screen and I liked it.