89 nissan z24i 4x4 oil

[89nissan]

what is the best oil for my pickup it is the z24i 4 cyl i just bought it it had fresh oil change but it looks real thin and has used a quart in about 1k miles but doesnt smoke at all waht would be best it has 188,000 i live in mississippi and mostly drive short trips

 

[Towncivilian]

I've read that HDEOs can help reduce oil consumption. Valvoline Maxlife is also another option, as it contains seal conditioners. What grades of oil are specified in your owner's manual, assuming you have one to reference?

A little off topic, but does your Hardbody have the FS5R30A manual transmission? There is a TSB affecting every FS5R30A through 1995 which states that adequate lubrication is not provided to the main and counter drive gears. Read here for more info.

 

[89nissan]

i dont have a manual but i think 5w30 is recommened its has the manual but i dunno which one it is

 

[89nissan]

i meant it has a manual transmission and i dont have the book

 

[FastSUV]

I always used Castrol GTX 10w30 in my '89 2wd w/ Z24 motor. Had 181k on it when I sold it and still going strong, just be sure to adjust the valves (or have it done) once per year.

But now that I know what I know, I will agree that an HDEO (like Rotella 10w30) or maybe even better, the High-Mileage Castrol GTX 10w30...they had just come out w/ Max-life back when I sold my old truck or I might have run a High-Mileage oil in it...

 

[Towncivilian]

Originally Posted By: 89nissan
i meant it has a manual transmission and i dont have the book

As far as I know all 4x4 D21/WD21s have the FS5R30A transmission. Check your identification plate in the engine bay, it will tell you your transmission model. Refer to the TSB to see whether your transmission case has the raised filler hole. If not, I would add some GL-4 gear oil via the shifter hole (see the thread I linked above for instructions), or better yet do a drain and fill of your transmission if you don't know when it was last done. Either way you will need to add 1.6 quarts of GL-4 gear oil through the shifter hole to be properly filled.

 

[89nissan]

i went to get some gl4 oil today and all they had was gl5 said its better than gl4 but i didnt buy it just gonna wait til i go to oreillys

 

[Towncivilian]

Good thing you denied the GL-5. GL-5 will supposedly destroy the soft bronze synchros in your transmission.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
Good thing you denied the GL-5. GL-5 will supposedly destroy the soft bronze synchros in your transmission.

That, and the EP additives are said to get in the way of synchro engagement.

Anyway, what I remember reading was that 1980s Nissan engines called for 5w30 in below freezing temperatures, and 10w30 or 10w40 in above freezing temperatures.

I would try some 10w40 high mileage oil.

 

[89nissan]

finally found some gl-4 80 90 napa oil autozone oreilly or advance auto only carried gl-5 the napa bottle said gl3 gl4 gl5 how many quarts does it hold i bought 6

 

[Towncivilian]

The transmission holds about 5.39 quarts, so you bought just the right amount. Be careful to avoid overfilling.

I don't know whether that multi-spec GL fluid is safe to use, considering it lists GL-5 on the bottle. I also believe 75W-90 is the specified grade of oil for the transmission. If I were you I would return that multi-spec GL fluid you bought from NAPA and find a GL-4 only fluid. You might not have much luck finding it locally. Perhaps try your local Nissan dealer to see what they've got, but it may be expensive enough from there that it'd be better to just get some Red Line MT90 (that's the only GL-4 fluid I know of, not explicitly trying to promote Red Line here). Maybe someone else can chime in, or you can try posting in this subforum asking whether the multi-spec fluid would be safe to use. You'd get a quicker response by posting there.

I'm also assuming you have verified that you have the FS5R30A transmission, correct?

 

[89nissan]

i looked on the door and it said f35w71c tranny

 

[89nissan]

i have changed the oil and it seems to grind a little less but still grinds sometimes going into second only other gears are fine

 

[Towncivilian]

That's weird. A Google search produces no results about this F35W71C transmission. Can you check the identification plate on the rear passenger side of the firewall?

Don't know what to say about your second gear grinding, I know next to nothing about manual transmissions.

 

[89nissan]

that plate is gone and the one i read on the door was really faded so i might have a few numbers wrong

 

[Towncivilian]

PM me your VIN (click my username -> click "Send a PM") and I will look it up in the Nissan FAST system, I think it will tell me your transmission model.