Nissan says no synthetic oil in new Altima's?

[01CivicLX]

I don't like the 0-20 and 5-20 weights.
I don't even like the 5-30.
My Pontiac calls for 10-30.
Every car should.

Yeah , and the reason why? My 01 Civic has just under 110,000 miles and runs as well as it ever has using only various brands of 5W-20 with 4k mile avg oil change intervals. Add to that the fact that I drive the car much harder than average. The Civic engine seems to be holding up very well using 5W-20 and its "inferior" lubricating properties.

 

[Colt]

quote:

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Originally posted by 01CivicLX:
I don't like the 0-20 and 5-20 weights.
I don't even like the 5-30.
My Pontiac calls for 10-30.
Every car should.

Yeah , and the reason why? My 01 Civic has just under 110,000 miles and runs as well as it ever has using only various brands of 5W-20 with 4k mile avg oil change intervals. Add to that the fact that I drive the car much harder than average. The Civic engine seems to be holding up very well using 5W-20 and its "inferior" lubricating properties.

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A civic will go 100000 miles with Vaseline petroleum jelly.
I just don't like those grades of oil.
I am entitled to my opinion,correct?

 

[MolaKule]

Run a Blend like Schaeffer's 7000 Supreme and sc...w all the manuals.

Seriously, been running synthethics in all my Nissan 2.4L and 3.5L V6's with no problems according to UOA's (except for induction leak).

frontier has been running on synthetics since 110 miles new, while PathFinder has been running since 3750 miles new.

 

[mikemc]

Yo Murphy,

. The Altima's are sweeeet so I know you will like your new ride. I can't speak for Nissan, but in general there are lots of myths surrounding synthetic oil. Go to Mobil1.com and they have a whole page dedicated to synthetic oil myths and truths. For now, a good conventional oil like Castrol, Pennzoil or Chevron/Havoline will give you good service if changed at reasonable intervals of 3 to 5K miles.

 

[Murphy]

Thanks for the fine

everyone.
I agree with Cyprs and others here that the QR25DE is a fine motor,decent h.p. for the $.
I have had to top the oil off several times in 3000 miles, so I am concerned at this point of seating the rings with Nissans plan before I switch to Sythetic.
My guess on their view of dino is they are concerned more about removing contaminants than loss of viscosity, thus more frequent changes with dino use.

 

[Colt]

quote:

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Originally posted by Murphy:
Thanks for the fine

everyone.
I agree with Cyprs and others here that the QR25DE is a fine motor,decent h.p. for the $.
I have had to top the oil off several times in 3000 miles, so I am concerned at this point of seating the rings with Nissans plan before I switch to Sythetic.
My guess on their view of dino is they are concerned more about removing contaminants than loss of viscosity, thus more frequent changes with dino use.

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Hey Murph!
Glad you made it here.

 

[Murphy]

Glad you're still talking to me..

 

[JohnBrowning]

Nissan had some issues with main seals in some of their Comerical trucks. The seals were low grade buna I belive. Any ways they had problems with some synthetic oils available in Africa i belive it was. They were 100% ester I belive and the seals were failing! So they put it in the owners manual not to use synthetic oils. While some how it got cut and pasted into all owners manuals and has been their for years now!

Now in the USA this is not a problem as few "Synthetic" oils are even synthetic. The ones that are have seal friendly formalas even the ester based ones! Their are some esters that are mostly used in Aviation that will agressively react with some automotive seal material. Molakule could tell you wich ones that would be! As seal materials are ever inproveing this is less and a less an issue any more. A lot of main seals are going to teflon and alot of them have been viton for a long time.Nitirle,Viton,Teflon are all very good and resistant to so many chemicals, solvents and esters etc... That you really should not worry here in the USA if useing a major blender or refinerys product!

The above is from memory but should be accurate. Origanaly I read this on Mobil-1 FAQ years ago!

 

[Cyprs]

Hello Murphy,

No feathers ruffled, I was going through the same delima while back on this issue with Nissan. Many challenged me on my Nissan Service Manager's advice too, I am now basically splitting difference on what is said in this forum and my service managers advice, using best of two worlds you might say. My service manager at Nissan actually told me 30,000 kms to 50,000 kms which is 20K miles to 30K miles, I always do conversion from KMS to MIlES when I see American posts.

Actually, I am being much more cautious with this QR25DE in this X-Trail, on me 2001 Altima 2.4L I went to syn at about 3,000 miles, on the 2003 (QR25DE) I changed to syn blend at 500 miles with no problem, then full syn at about 12,000 miles. On this 05 QR25DE I am going to do 9000 miles on 5-30 dino to ensure seat in, I may even chicken out and go to 12K miles considering these miles will be done in warm summer/spring. I am told these Nissan rings are tough to seat, the syn may be too slick to seat them.

Also, Nissan Micro finishes the cams and crank, Nissan calls this a "Formula One Trick", they also use Molybdenum on the pistons. This may also be factor in not needing syn oil for Nissan, I dont know, speculating.

This is still a tough issue for me on when to go to syn on a Nissan too, I am on my third new Nissan motor in 3 different Nissans no in a 4 year period, (not by choice I just totaled off my 03 Altima, I would have kept that car 12 more years, loved it). My friend bought the 8 cylinder Toyota Four Runner, Toyota told him to put in syn whenever he wanted after 1st OCI, like to see Nissan engines less complicated on oil requirements.

Good Luck Murphy,
Cyprs

 

[Cyprs]

Murphy, to note, after I talked to my Service Manager, I consulted the 30K kms to 5K Kms dino waiting period with my salesman. I told the salesman that many in this forum who drive and use syn in their Nissans recommend syn oil much sooner and have great success doing so. The Saleman replied that if there is proven success on actual experience then go for it, it will not affect warrantee. As I said, I now kinda split the difference on both opinions between forum and Service Manager on this X-Trail, I dont have patience to go 20K miles on dino but I can handle a split decision, gotta have the good stuff in there asap

Cyprs

 

[TheGreenPiston]

I've got 2 Nissan Altimas in my stable, an 02 for the wife and an 03 for myself, both with the 2.5L engines. The 02 was bought used with 11,000 miles on it and never uses any oil. The miles were put on in about 5 months so there must have been some highway miles driven. This car has been on Mobil 1 since 16,000 miles and it now has just over 37000 mi on it.
The 03 was bought new and was switched to Mobil 1 at about 4,000 mi. It was using about a quart of oil every 5,000 mi until my last oil change at 14,000 mi. In went the GC and I have not added oil since. I must note that just prior to that oil change we took it for a 2,400 mi road trip so it seems that runnimg the engine pretty hard may help in seating the rings.
So maybe all you need is some good highway miles to seat those rings either with dino oil or syn oil??

 

[Cyprs]

TGP, great cars, I had some oil consumption on my 03 Altima just prior to totaling it off at 12,000 miles. I believe it was breakin consumption as my 01 Altima also consumed in early breakin.

On the 03 I did not get into dealership with the Cat issue, the intake valve screws coming loose etc prior to accidend, I was just in process of getting that done. Did you get your remapping of computer on the 02 and 03 on warrantee or are these Altimas doing great without the remapping? Curious. (the 04+ QR25DE and later 03 models got these issues resolved, you can chech your recall on Nissan site under recalls, you can check your VIN ranges, the 02 will have warrantee issues for sure, you probably know this, just incase I am passing it on, once remapping is done for Cat purpose I guess things improve}

My wife and I got hit on highway from behind, 50-60 mile per hour impact, we walked away without injury, joints stiff 3 days later is all and in shock. The traffic cop told us the design of the 03 Altima saved our lives, he told us body bags would have used if we were driving an older car with out the safety features. We were lucky, I give God, not the car the greatest credit for sparing our lives. Anyway, I tell all 02+ Altima owners this safety reasurance for all it is worth.

Great car, that 03 Altima will go down as nicest car I ever owned, we opted for a 05 X-Trail for the AWD to get out of our acreage, otherwise I would have got the 05 Altima.

Cyprs

Cyprs

 

[KC_admin]

Used M1 syn in my 2002 V6 Altima at first oil change. (983 miles) Never had a problem with it ever. Cunsumption is negligable.