Fixin' to change oil

Bayou Titan · 01-29-2004, 10:15 AM

I am going to change oil in my Titan this weekend and want to know from those that have changed theirs already if the process is the usual. Is the filter easy to get to? Any other comments?

Thanks,

Robert

**CaliforniaTitan** · 01-29-2004, 10:36 AM

Filter is simple to get to. If you have the Off Raod package, you have to remove an access plate to get to the filter. Look under the front bumper, you should see the small square plate.

The filter is pretty tight on there and you will be surprised at the size of it...its on the small side.

Chris

ZubbyZu · 01-29-2004, 12:11 PM

I went in for my 1st oil change and during the normal checkup routine they found a defective oil sensor unit (was leaking a little oil) Replacement part should be in today or Friday. I am glad I didn’t use one of the express oil change shops.

JetTech · 01-29-2004, 01:20 PM

Like cali titan said, the filter is on there TIGHT. Be prepared with either a filter socket wrench or I used a strap wrench like the ones you can buy at Sears. Even with that it was a pain. Also you'll need 7 quarts of whatever oil you choose to use.

Bayou Titan · 01-30-2004, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaTitan

Filter is simple to get to. If you have the Off Raod package, you have to remove an access plate to get to the filter. Look under the front bumper, you should see the small square plate.

The filter is pretty tight on there and you will be surprised at the size of it...its on the small side.

Chris

Right now I'm in the process of changing my oil. I crawled under my Titan (about even with the driver's door) to change my oil like I have done on my GMC Sierra for years. I went to put the wrench on the drain plug and when I looked closely I noticed it was the Transmission fluid pan with a drain plug.The motor oil pan on Titans is WAY far forward. I guess it's like that because the Titan has a cab forward design. The best way to go about changing your oil is to go at it from the front end of the truck. The oil pan on the Titan is very small. To me it looks smaller than the transmission fluid pan. The filter is very small also. Both of these parts look like they were sized to fit go carts. I hope size doesn't matter in this case!

Anyway, I could't find the filter on my Titan! On most cars and trucks the filter is located near the drain plug. On the titan it seems further forward than what I am used to. I looked from the side and saw it under the access plate (thanks for the tip CaliforniaTitan). However, I don't have 4 wheel drive or the Off Road package and but still have the access plate. Is this how it is on every Titan? One little tip: Before you crawl under your Titan to change oil be sure to take a 10 mm wrench with you to get the access plate off. It seems like a duh thing to me but it seems like the Nissan engineers should have made the bolts that hold on the access plate the same 9/16" size as the drain plug so that you would need only one wrench to change oil.

Also, when I looked at the oil filter on my Titan I noticed that there is a hose coming from just above where the filter screws on. Is this an oil cooler like the Tundra has?

I am useing Havoline 5w-30w. I could not find the Chevron Supreme in 5w-30w at Walmart, Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, or even a Chevron Station! They all had the other viscosities. Does anybody know where to get Chevron Supreme in 5w-30w?

I have let my Titan drain its oil for about 30 minutes now, so I will finish things up with the oil change and let everyone know what else I find.

Robert

**CaliforniaTitan** · 01-30-2004, 01:23 PM

Good info follow up on the plate. I thought it was part of the underside plates in the Off-Road package. Yeah, that filter is tiny ain't it?

Chris

JetTech · 01-30-2004, 01:50 PM

I just bought 9 quarts (that's all they had) of Chevron 10W-30 at my local Wal-Mart. You may live in a colder climate where 5W-30 would benefit you more than myself though. You may to keep looking at different Wal-Marts to find the viscosity grade you need.

Bayou Titan · 01-30-2004, 02:01 PM

You will need a 10mm socket wrench with a 4" extension to remove the access plate rather than a 10mm wrench. The front bolts are recessed a little and a socket wrench works much better.

The oil filter is on very tight. Let me repeat: VERY tight! Unless you have a capital "S" on your chest don't try to remove it by hand. I have a oil filter wrench made for small filters and even it was too big for the very small Titan oil filter! Tip: after you buy your oil filter from Nissan, go right then to an auto parts store and take the Titan filter inside with you and purchase a filter wrench that will fit it. Luckily I had a Craftsman strap wrench that plumbers use on decorative chrome pieces of pipe that I used. Even then, it was tight. I thought that the filter had left hand threads or something. I finally got the filter off, but it was on so tight that I crushed the sides of the filter a bit in the process of removing it.

One nice feature that I like: Nissan put a little "chute" next to the oil filter for the oil to run down when you unscrew the oil filter. This is much better than oil running down the length of your arm. Just be sure to move your drain pan under the filter when you remove it. A lot of oil comes down that chute.

Robert

JetTech · 01-30-2004, 02:04 PM

Are you going to do an oil sample Robert and how many miles do you have on your oil?

Bayou Titan · 01-30-2004, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetForeman

Are you going to do an oil sample Robert and how many miles do you have on your oil?

I am not going to do an oil sample test this time. This is my first oil change at about 1,500 miles. I would have liked to have changed oil sooner but we have had some rain and it made it inconveinent to change it at around 1,000 mi. There has been a lot of talk about proper oil usage, proper break in procedures etc. on Titantalk and I am a firm believer in all of that. My last four vehicles I have bought new and have been very anal about the break in period and earlier than normal oil changes while the engine has few miles on it. All of the engines on these vehicles have outlasted the usefulness of the vehicles. All of the engines had more than 140,000 miles when sold and didn't "burn" or use any oil. I hardly had to add oil between oil changes. I attribute this to very frequent oil changes for the first 7,000 miles or so and not "dogging" the vehicle until it has several thousand miles on it.

Robert

Bayou Titan · 01-30-2004, 04:50 PM

I'm finished changing my oil and want to add these final thoughts that might help everyone. First, the oil capacity is over 7 quarts, not 6-1/2 quarts like the owners manual says. Yes, I did check the oil with the Titan parked on a level surface, I did start it and let oil get into the filter, and I did allow enough time for all of the oil to find its way back before I measured it again. With this in mind, you may want to buy 3 individual bottles of oil when you buy a case so that you will have enough oil for two oil changes.

Second, If you hear a "cracking" sound when you tighten the oil filler cap, don't worry. The cap has a over tightening protection mechanism just like gas caps.

Third, I like how there is enough room in the engine compartment next to the oil filler cap to be able to lower the bottom of the oil bottle lower than the oil fill opening. This allows for spillproof oil fills.

Last, I really don't know what the purpose of the cover plate is. It doesn't seem to protect or cover anything. I wonder if Titan owners who never go offroad really need it. Could it be left off? If so, it would make oil changes easier and faster.

JetTech · 01-30-2004, 05:03 PM

I'm not sure I would leave the cover plate off Robert. It provides some protection to the ATF cooler lines, oil filter, lower crank pulley and belt. Over the years I've hit 2 tractor trailer tire carcasses on the highway and wished at that time I had some form of front engine protection because both times it caused a lot of under body damage to my vehicles. I vote to put up with the relatively small hassle and just keep it on.

Bayou Titan · 01-30-2004, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetForeman

I'm not sure I would leave the cover plate off Robert. It provides some protection to the ATF cooler lines, oil filter, lower crank pulley and belt. Over the years I've hit 2 tractor trailer tire carcasses on the highway and wished at that time I had some form of front engine protection because both times it caused a lot of under body damage to my vehicles. I vote to put up with the relatively small hassle and just keep it on.

Yes, good point Jet. Even though the stuff you mentioned is above the frame, if something you run over happens to bounce up, as it often does, it could cause trouble. I'm glad I have you guys to think for me.

Robert