I did search... wanted some fresh opinions though.

First, coming up on the first oil change. Going to do it at 3k and put in Mobile 1 5/30 with a mobile 1 or nissan filter. Which filter would you reccomend?

Once running synth. what should I be looking to do in terms of intervals? 5k mi change oil and filter. Or run the oil for 6k mi and change the filter at 3k? Recomendations?

Lastly, not that I have to do it yet but how does one go about greasing the rear axle/diff... whatever it was again, my mind is wandering. What kind of grease. What am I looking for under the truck? I am also considering just having the dealer do it since it is on the same timeline as the tire rotation (and I can't rotate tires cause I live in an apt complex).

Thanks!

I would not wait over 4k to change the sythetic unless you do mostly easy hiway miles. It going to be very nasty if you wait.

Greasing diff? You should change the gear oil in your diff(diffs if 4wd) after 30k. The post-01 model require greasing of propeller shafts which is easy with a grease gun.

Ender

Yeah propellar shaft... thats it. What type of grease and what am I looking for under the truck.

I'm talking about going 5-6k with Synthetic oil in. Not regular oil. I'm changing to Mobile 1 when my odometer hits 3k.

I wouldn't switch to synthetic until at least the 3rd or 4th oil change. Give the engine some time to fully wear in.
I change my Mobil 1 every 5000, filter every 2500.

Only the front drive/propeller shaft needs grease on the slip joint, there's a small oval plug over the port. The u-joints could benefit from some grease too at some point too, injected with a needle. Neither are anywhere near needing attention this early though, seriously.

Brent

Hmmm...my grease fitting looks like a small hex bolt head with a concave surface with no plug covering it.... I did see something that looked like a plastic-like oval plug (curved to fit on the driveshaft surface)but moderate prying didn't budge so I looked at the small bolt head again & picked at it with a small flathead screwdriver & lo'N'behold after scraping off a thin layer of what appeared to be black undercarriage paint (from the factory) I could see a small spring-loaded steel ball (~1mm diameter) right in the middle of the concave-surfaced hex bolt head....
And this is my experience with the infamous single grease fitting on the Xterra....

Whats wrong with running mobile 1 the first oil change? Break in period is first 1200 mi.

Here's Mobil's opinion, from
mobil1.com :

<<
Myth: You should break in your engine with conventional oil, then switch to Mobil 1.

You can start using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ in new vehicles at any time, even in brand-new vehicles. In fact, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ is original equipment (it is installed at the factory) in:
Chevrolet Corvette
All Porsche vehicles
Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles
Dodge Viper
Ford Mustang Cobra R
All Aston Martin cars

One of the myths that persists about Mobil 1 is that new engines require a break-in period with conventional oil. Current engine manufacturing technology does not require this break-in period. As indicated by the decisions of the engineers who design these high-performance cars, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ can be used in an engine from the day you drive the car off the showroom floor.


Myth: You don't have to change the oil as often when using Mobil 1.

While Mobil 1 has given excellent results in extended oil drain tests, ExxonMobil prefers to remain conservative with oil drain recommendations. ExxonMobil engineers recommend that you can go all the way to the maximum mileage or time frame shown in your owner's manual for oil changes when using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™. This allows the reserve protection capabilities of Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ to cover unusual or unexpected driving conditions.

Oil change intervals can be as short as 3,000 miles or as long as 15,000 miles on some new cars. Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™'s high-performance reserves can give you the confidence to go the full mileage or time frame recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ is especially suitable for the latest vehicles with extended drain intervals or vehicles with oil monitoring systems that vary oil drain intervals.
>>

Granted they have a vested interest but what they say makes sense to me.

Sigh, what to do what to do.

Change at 3k mi to Mobile 1 or do a regular change and then Mobile 1 at 6k?

suspect2

you could always run a part-synthetic, like castrol syntec, an excellent oil. that is what i have always ran in my trucks, changed it every 3000 miles with a nissan filter. personally, i think mobil 1 is great, i use it in the civic, but the truck, i have always just put the syntec into. as far as changing the filter and not the oil...
i have ALWAYS had oil come out when i change my oil and then my filter, and that's when the oil has been drained... so, if i were to take the filter off without draining the oil, i would think i would lose a lot more. therefore, when i change one, i change the other, all the time, no exceptions, cheap preventative maintenance.
good luck and just make your own decision, the synthetic is pretty good, yes, but you can buy two quarts of part-synthetic for the price of one sometimes. spend the good money on the filter, genuine nissan all the way.
see what the dealership mechanics say about going full synthetic. not to downplay a lof of the members mechanical inclinations, but we are also opinionated, myself included, the shop mechanics know the score from nissan. or at least, they should.
BTW, props to all the nissan mechanics on the board.
either way, you made the right decision, your x will be awesome no matter what you choose.
david

Suspect,

I would use regular oil until 6k then go synthetic. I found the first two oil filters from new were pretty well loaded with paint chips and other factory debris when I cut them open, so don't delay those initial changes.

Let's put it this way, you can't do any real harm by putting 10K on the engine with non-synthetic before switching now can you? I was told by a 30-year Nissan Master technician who knew the VG engines inside and out to wait at least 10K miles before going to synthetic.
As for semi-synthetic, it's a waste of money, really. Don't bother.

I change my filter between oil changes. The filter is higher than the pan so you're not going to lose much oil when changing the filter with a full pan. Depending on how long the engine has been sitting, I lose anywhere between zero and 8 oz. of oil in the process. If it's been sitting several hours, the oil has had time to fully drain back through the filter to the pan (despite the anti-drainback valve in the Nissan filter) but if it's just been a few hours or less, there's still plenty of oil to catch. I put a funnel under the filter and let the oil and filter fall into it and drain down into the basin below.

Refill the new filter nearly as much oil as it will soak up, and add a pint or so to make up for what spilled as well if necessary. That's it.

Brent

I've never understood the logic behind changing the filter only...

Really, it isn't that much more in $$ to just change all the oil out too.

And no filter is 100% effective - if there ever were such a beast it would quickly clog and starve the engine - that ain't going to happen!

Engine lubrication is the single most important thing you can keep up with on your vehicle. The only way to totally clean the oil is to change it - so do it! If cost is really an issue, then just use plain 'ol dino juice. Tests have shown, even in extreme heat, that plain 'ol Dino juice is just as effective when changed on a regular schedule. I had 130K on my 240sx, and I flogged the hell out of that engine - abused it way more than I ever will my X - and it didn't use one drop of oil between changes - and that was straight dino juice for 12 years. The critical factor? The oil was changed like clockwork guaranteeing it was clean.

I recently put Mobile 1 in - mainly because I do changes myself and the extra $6 for mobile 1 vs. dino juice aren't a big deal (still less than what I would pay someone to change the oil for me). I'll still change it every 3500 miles and go on. When I am not taking long trips, thats about 4 changes a year. Less than $50. Is $50 really worth gambling that you are leaving extra contaminates floating around in your engine for extended periods?

It's like people with 4 wheel drives in the snow - 4 wheel drive does not mean that you have 4 wheel stop. Well, synthetic oil doesn't mean that contaminates in the engine are magically "eaten" and dissapear - there are still combustion by-products, metal and who knows what else floating around in there - the only way to get rid of them is to flush 'em out with an oil change.

Sheesh :rolleyes: it's like the arguments about premium fuel with the supercharger... I guess it's all perspective...

why brent?
feel free to be as technical and informative as possible. i actually want to know because this means that my father who has been an engineer and built numerous motors and engines and cars for about 35 years is blowing smoke up my ass. and in which case, i want to know which way the wind is blowing. plus, i have been looking for an excuse to run mobil1 or amsoil, so this may be what i need, also, the 5 quart bottles are on sale at wal-mart so i could stock up since they only carry them sometimes.
thanks,
david

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BlueSky42:
[QB]Here's Mobil's opinion, from
mobil1.com :

<<
Myth: You should break in your engine with conventional oil, then switch to Mobil 1.

Engines should not be broken in with synthetic oil.

You can start using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ in new vehicles at any time, even in brand-new vehicles. In fact, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ is original equipment (it is installed at the factory) in:
Chevrolet Corvette
All Porsche vehicles
Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles
Dodge Viper
Ford Mustang Cobra R
All Aston Martin cars

The forementioned engines are "Factory Turned" which means they leave the factory essentially broken in. This is done to ensure proper break in and eliminate possible problems caused by people that don't understand engines and oil....Thus saving the manufacturer's problems/reputation damage/$$$ on the higher $ engines.....You forgot many manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini for other examples.

One of the myths that persists about Mobil 1 is that new engines require a break-in period with conventional oil. Current engine manufacturing technology does not require this break-in period. As indicated by the decisions of the engineers who design these high-performance cars, Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ can be used in an engine from the day you drive the car off the showroom floor.

It's a myth in your mind that you have a clue. Heed my warning please as you are quite dangerous and should not be advising others.


Myth: You don't have to change the oil as often when using Mobil 1.

While Mobil 1 has given excellent results in extended oil drain tests, ExxonMobil prefers to remain conservative with oil drain recommendations. ExxonMobil engineers recommend that you can go all the way to the maximum mileage or time frame shown in your owner's manual for oil changes when using Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™. This allows the reserve protection capabilities of Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ to cover unusual or unexpected driving conditions.

Oil change intervals can be as short as 3,000 miles or as long as 15,000 miles on some new cars. Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™'s high-performance reserves can give you the confidence to go the full mileage or time frame recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ is especially suitable for the latest vehicles with extended drain intervals or vehicles with oil monitoring systems that vary oil drain intervals.
>>

Fact: Synthetic oils do not have to be changed as often for two reasons.
1) There is no wax contained in synthetics which is common in petroleum oils as part of the chemical makeup. Wax content is what results in what is observed as "build up"...The black mud looking junk that you see in your valve covers on an older engine.

2) Their is no themally induced degradation as in petroleum based oils at normal operating temps and the use of synthetic oil=reduced crankcase temperature=longer engine component life=happier owners.

I do not suggest to the average driver to replace their oil with synthetic until 7,500 miles at least. Mobil 1 or Amsoil make the best filters in my very experienced opinion.

yeah hi bonesntx,
i read that when it was posted, thanks again.
my question was to brent's comment about the part-synthetic being worthless.
that was what my concern was about, not mobil 1 and why synthetic is good, i have already come to that conclusion.
i was wondering what brent was citing when he made that comment because that boggles the mind, i mean, if it's worthless, then why have it out, there should be some reason that it's on the market. if not, then there should just be synthetic and dino, and that's it.
but thanks anyway,
david

Marketing chief. Some people will think synth is too expensive but still want to do a little better than standard dino oil... they will be drawn to blends like a poor moth to flame.

I think its crap as well since part of it will degrade faster with heat than other part...

Ender

do you read orson scott card?

oh, and thank you for your opinion, i guess that makes sense.
still want the 'worthless' explanation though.

david

and if you do read card, good for you, love the signage. and love card's books

DUDE....I was not answering you and can't imagine how you thought I was. I basically agree with Brent....Why go with the half-ass product to say... "Well I got the half an upgraded product."

I spent quite a few years racing Motorcross and then Formula cars. I used to sell AMSOIL only to have it for my fellow racers at tracks and to keep a good supply for myself...Not for profit as I had that quite well taken care of several other ways. The sad stories I can tell about folks not running synthetic and the fantastic success stories of poeple that did/do use it. It's a real bummer to travel 100s to 1,000s of miles to a race and blow your engine because of oil breakdown....Ver expensive and not just engine parts if you can understand the cost to get to the race, put the crew in a Hotel for days, EAT, entertainment...etc...

We did this whole synthetic oil topic extensively about 6 months back here on XOC. It is only topped by the MPG Threads in popularity I think?

yo man.
no worries, i had a hard time seeing that you had responded with that as an answer, that's why i thought i should restate the question. and you weren't, so that's done and i understand, not why you reposted what was there, but i understand you weren't directing it towards me.
like i said, you guys are preaching to the converted, i think you are right, but i was wondering why, not why one thinks, part-synthetic is "worthless" this will be a good point to bring up against my dad in conversation and i wanted some ammo for it, that's all.
sorry for beating a dead horse, but the question i have is directed to a comment made in this thread specifically, i doubt brent said part-synthetic was worthless in the gaggle of other oil threads of which you speak.
i'll give it a look regardless,
david

oh....
and everyone re-asks questions.
sorry to be one of the bunch.
d

First oil change done 2850mi! If the Mobile 1 5qt container is accurate in terms of they actually put in 5qt then she took just less than 3 1/2qt to get her in the middle of the dipstick. I'd say about 3 4/9qt

I went with Mobile 1 after some research. I ended up getting in trouble with the apt complex. They didn't think changing your oil in the middle of the parking lot was okay. I'd have it no other way. After some explanation I was offered the nice location of the back of the lot near the woods for my next oil change.

Thanks for all the replies.

The reason I change the filter between oil changes is because I go 5000 miles between oil changes with Mobil 1. Hell, I could probably go 10,000 miles between oil changes if I wanted to, but you can bet your ass I wouldn't let the filter go that long. Same logic applies.

I say semi-synthetic is a waste of money because you get none of the benefits (higher temp tolerance, longer drain interval, etc) that synthetic provides, while you still have the shortcomings of dino oil. It's a marketing gimmick, nothing more.

Brent

cool,
that's what i needed to know.
'preciate it dude.
david


i've said it before and i'll say it again, nice truck.

My first change to MOBIL 1 was at about 3,000 miles but that should not be done by most. I know how to break an engine in, very few people on this earth do and it should not be advised to the general public.

bones -

what is your job?