Oil for a 2006 altima 3.5 SE. Maybe PP 5w30?

[Baran]

Hello BITOG! I'm happy to have found you.

Let me start off by saying I knew almost nothing about oil a month and a half ago when I purchased this vehicle. Everything I know now I learned here and on a few enthusiast sites! Well, maybe I knew oil was slippery... But I'm still a real newbie.

Anyway, I purchased a 2006 Nissan Altima 3.5SE with 22k miles on it. Automatic 5 speed, not the CVT. Has the VQ35DE engine, not the HR from 2007+. I put about 500 miles on it a week, I would say 25-45% heavy traffic (commuting through Boston ) and the rest at 65-75 MPH. I like to accelerate fast, once the engine is warm (thank you, didn't know that before BITOG!), but I don't go much over 75mph, even on the highway.

I have no idea what oil is in it, but I'm pretty confident it's normal dino oil. I've put about 2600 miles on it since I got it, since I haven't been able to make an oil choice! I figure it's time to reach out and pick one.

From what I've read here and on the 350z forum, it seems that perhaps PP 5w30 would be a good choice, since I put a lot of miles on and the engine seems to have a good track-record with this oil. I would most likely be using the NAPA gold filters, since I am still not very well educated on filters. I do know to avoid FRAM, though. If I could get OEM filters I might use them as well. If I did this set up would 5k changes be too early, or about right?

However, I am not completely clear as to what I have to do to convert from dino to synthetic. I believe I have to drain the dino, run something through the engine at idle for about 10-15 minutes to clean it out, drain it, then install the synthetic? Do I have this about right? Do you have to do the same to convert back from synth to dino?

On the other hand, I had been considering keeping the car on dino 10w30 (if that's what's in it) since I'm not sure I want to keep it. I love the engine, but when I got the car I was trying to be practical and got FWD/Auto (for the snow and the traffic) but I hate the torque steer and am so bored with the slushbox. I have been toying with the idea of trading it in on a z or something else, so that was another reason I've held off on converting to synth oil. I suppose I just don't know how and don't know how huge of a loss it'd be...

Sorry, I digressed! What I was trying to get to what that the car still has about 18 months / 25k miles? of drivetrain warranty left from Nissan. I don't care about voiding it if I keep the car, but if I were to swap it, I imagine this would lower my value?

Well, I know I rambled a lot there, so you can see why I've been so hesitant. But the car is being driven and it needs oil one way or the other! The dealer said it had fresh oil in the car when I got it, but he also said he'd mail out my second key and I've not gotten it yet! So I don't really want to trust them on the oil either.

Thank you for the help and sorry for my basic questions. If you need any more info let me know. I look forward to your advice.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Baran

However, I am not completely clear as to what I have to do to convert from dino to synthetic. I believe I have to drain the dino, run something through the engine at idle for about 10-15 minutes to clean it out, drain it, then install the synthetic? Do I have this about right? Do you have to do the same to convert back from synth to dino?

I would say this ritual is completely unnecessary, considering it's practically a new engine (22k miles) and assuming it was properly maintained. Just drain the current oil and fill it with an oil of your choice (be it synthetic or mineral). Change the filter, of course, too.


Quote:

Sorry, I digressed! What I was trying to get to what that the car still has about 18 months / 25k miles? of drivetrain warranty left from Nissan. I don't care about voiding it if I keep the car, but if I were to swap it, I imagine this would lower my value?

Yup. If you can show proper maintenance records to the potential buyer, he should be more interested in the car. But a lot of times people just care about the price.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

M1 AFE 0w-30 is a good oil. I'd run a purolator classic in the BeanTown winter, not the pureone. The AFE provides great power and smoothness and economy. To change over I would drain a quart of the dino out and dump in a qt of mobil 1 5w-20 and run that for a couple days. Then when you put the M1 afe fill in, run the car pretty hard like you stole it, that will clean out all the gum and varnish that are around the pistons and rings. Then eveything should be hunky dory. Somone may tell you to put marvel mystery oil (MMO) in to clean it out. I personally wouldnt - especially on a changover to synthetic. The M1 5w-20 will do a good cleanup and will be compatible with the M1 AFE you will be putting in. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[hate2work]

Use the PP 5W-30 and sleep well. No need to flush that engine, just switch it over to syn whenever you want to.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

Use the PP 5W-30 and sleep well. No need to flush that engine, just switch it over to syn whenever you want to.


That's all there is to it.

For what its worth, I had a 2002 VQ35DE and it liked German Castrol 0w30 quite a bit because its fairly thick.

 

[Nederlander75]

PP has shown some of the better results in the VQ3.5 for a 30wt and is an excellent choice IMO. In my 06 SER I use M1 0w40. Schaeffers does very well too, probably the best overall from what Ive seen.

 

[coffee]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

Use the PP 5W-30 and sleep well. No need to flush that engine, just switch it over to syn whenever you want to.


+1

 

[RD400]

I've had an '06 G35 6MT for about a year with basically the same engine and mileage. I haven't settled on an oil yet, but am currently running Rotella T 5W-40 and Napa Gold/Wix 1356 or Purolator 14610 filters for 5K miles, which is about 6 months. Warranty is 7500 miles or 6 months. In Boston winters I'd probably go with PP 5W-30.

Also, there is a huge thread on this subject here, which you've probably already found. If you know you will sell it and want to spend less on oil, GTX 5W-30 has good UOA results.

 

[Baran]

Thank you for the welcome and all of the replies! I did look at that analysis on the 350 forums, and made what I could from it. I think my next step will be to compare the prices of the recommended oils. I'm glad to see recommendations for the purolator filters, since I had little idea where to go there. 5-7k miles is about what I'm seeing for the change period?

Okay, really dumb, newbie question. I know this can't be true, from what I've read here, but I imagine it's based on some misinformation from when synthetics were new:

I was always told you can never, ever mix dino and synthetic, since if you do it will "gum up" the engine. I thought the flush was to remove build up and to remove all of the dino so it wouldn't mix with the new synthetic. Since I've see there are synthetic blended oils and BITOG says you can just mix to break in, or just swap, I assume this is wrong. Can anyone shed any light? I was somewhat worried about changing the oil in this car with dino just in case it was synthetic already in it, before I came here.

Thank you again for the help!

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Baran


Okay, really dumb, newbie question. I know this can't be true, from what I've read here, but I imagine it's based on some misinformation from when synthetics were new:

I was always told you can never, ever mix dino and synthetic, since if you do it will "gum up" the engine. I thought the flush was to remove build up and to remove all of the dino so it wouldn't mix with the new synthetic. Since I've see there are synthetic blended oils and BITOG says you can just mix to break in, or just swap, I assume this is wrong. Can anyone shed any light? I was somewhat worried about changing the oil in this car with dino just in case it was synthetic already in it, before I came here.

Thank you again for the help!


Welcome to BITOG. Truth is you can change from dino to synthetic and back again, the two can be mixed as well. No flush needed to make the change. Engine flush and cleaning is optional, and a subject of great debate here. Enjoy your car, use the oil grade the mfg suggests, and drive.

 

[labman]

The only thing I would really be afraid of is mixing a polybase acid ester and a polyol ester. Since esters aren't used that much, I doubt that is anything to worry about.