Synthetic Oil for 02 Nissan Maxima SE

[pruizgarcia]

Purchased vehicle with 27K miles (3.5 V6). Assumed that vehicle has been run only on dino oil and running 1500 Auto-RX interval with rinse to clean it up for synthetic oil. Currently have 1100 miles on my AutoRX treatment. Here are my conditions:

West Central Florida (Tampa Bay Area)
Vehicle sees 1500 miles a month. 65% highway, 35% city.
Oil changes will be scheduled between 5k - 7k.

My question is what synthetic to run afterward, since I am undecided between Amsoil ASL 5W30, S2k 0W30, Redline 5W30, or maybe even GC 0W30 since the Autozones here stock it. I leaning toward the Redline 5W30 because it did well on my old 99 Maxima SE. Thanks, and keep up the good work.

Pedro

[ December 16, 2003, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: pruizgarcia ]

 

[TooSlick]

I'd run the Redline 5w-30 or the Amsoil 5w-30 ....The GC, 0w-30 seems to be roughly equal to Mobil 1 in terms of protection and durability, ie extended drain performance ....

I'm very impressed with how well Redline Oil holds up physically and chemically. At this point, if I wasn't using Amsoil, I'd buy and use the Redline 5w-30 or 5w-40 in my two Audi's and my Toyota Tacoma ....You could run that 5w-40 in an air cooled Harley with no problems at all.

Tooslick
Dixie Synthetics

 

[buster]

Ted, you obviously know a lot more about lubrication then I do, but I havn't been impressed with Redline at all. I see TBN falling fast and wear numbers that just aren't that good. I really have yet to be impressed with wear numbers with RL. Now, if it's true that what we are seeing is not wear, that changes the picture.

 

[TooSlick]

Engine cleanliness is the key to getting 200k-300k of service, with little drop off in performance. Wear rates with even cheap petroleum oils are rarely the limiting factor in engine life .... The 3000 mile oil changes work because they minimize sludge/varnish/carbon deposits, NOT because they reduce wear over 7500 mile change intervals - they don't.

Thats why Terry and I agree 100% on Redline ...

Ted

 

[buster]

I agree with you and in fact one of my threads was that I think it's better to run deisel oils in many cases. In that case, I'm considering a Delvac 1 or HD Amsoil oil possibly.

Anyone with half a brain by now should realize that LS1 show outrageous wear yet never die. comparing wear numbers on here is an obsession.

 

[Motorbike]

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:

In that case, I'm considering a Delvac 1 or HD Amsoil oil possibly.

---

Since you drive primarily hiway miles I would like to see you try the Mobil Drive Clean plus for one interval .

In your Corolla I'm willing to bet this oil would surprise you and give you comparable wear numbers to the oils you have been using and not sludge up your engine.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Motorbike:

Originally posted by buster:
In your Corolla I'm willing to bet this oil(Drive Clean Plus) would surprise you and give you comparable wear numbers to the oils you have been using and not sludge up your engine.

---

Well-this is just an opinion-but the UOA's on Drive Clean Plus-the results and additive package have been entirely unimpressive.

If you go with Amsoil-I'm sure you got good advice. If Mobil 1 then Delvac 1 or possibly a mix of Mobil 1 10W-30 and 15W-50.

 

[Bror Jace]

pruizgarcia, do a search on the word "Maxima" in the used oil section for gasoline engines and see what seems to work best.

--- Bror Jace

 

[sHERM]

Pruiz, I'm from Tampa and cannot find the GC any where. Where do they have it? Also I would go with 10w-30 here. In this climate 10w-30 should work better than the 5w-30.

 

[John in the ATL]

Pedro,

I am running the ASL 5w-30 in my 2k Maxima. I have zero oil consumption in 8-9 month/10,000 mile intervals. I change the oil filter every 4-4.5 months/5,000 miles. If you run the ASL longer than 9 months, it will thicken up based on a UOA over a year ago from Blackstone.

In my humble opinion, the ASL 5w-30 offers the best bang for $$$ in the extended drain category and is plenty thick versus Mobil 1.

I plan on doing a Blackstone/Dyson analysis in early April at the OCI. After that, it will get the Auto RX/dino de jour treatment at 55,000 miles.

 

[nick778]

I also have a Maxima (2k3SE) and have been running M1 10w-30 and at times Amsoil 5w-30 ASL. Can't make up my mind which I like better. However, there was recently a UAO on a G35 that ran M1 5w-30 that showed high lead. One UAO doesn't make a trend but it does give me pause to consider that the VQ may like a somewhat thicker oil than the M1 5w-30. For that reason and I believe the Amsoil to be a better cleaning oil, I may stick to the ASL. BTW, almost no oil consumption with either but given the 4 maximas I've owned, the VQ traditionally consumes very little oil.

 

[shortyb]

Another to consider, Schaeffers Supreme, either the 10W or 5W-30. Its a blend but gets great UOA numbers in lots of engines and have seen it run out to 9K. Costs much less than full-syns but the tradeoff is availability. Many folks get it from Tim Mills though, he sells any quantity and is a great guy to deal with.

BTW-The VQ-35 is an awesome engine, I love the one in my 03 SE 6-spd

.

 

[mikep]

My wife's '03 Pathfinder has the same motor and I'll most likely be using Havoline 5w-30. If I'm get to feeling giddy I may spring for some Schaeffers Supreme 701 or Havoline Synthetic but more likely than not it will be straight Havoline 5w-30 dino changed at 3750 mile intervals as per the owners manual.

Mikep

 

[trey]

I have a 03 SE max and I use the amsoil asl as well, I just put it in like 2 months ago so not much info on it.

I was thinking about going 10k or 6 month intervals but not sure yet.