Regular Maintenance and NGK's

Snakize · #1 06-13-2002, 02:00 PM

I need to catch up on my 96 Nissan Maxima SE's maintenance. The car has 70K on the clock and is bone stock. I am planning on the following

Spark Plugs
Distributor Cap
Automatic Tranny filter and fluid change

What else is important to a Nissan

Fuel Filters?

As opposed to letting the dealer bend me for $600 to $1000 worth of worthless items, I am planning to do some work and have my trusted mechanic help with the items that I am uncomfortable working on. My Question is... How important are the OEM NGK platinums ($9.89 at O'Reilly's) compared to Bosch Platinums ($2.19 Auto Zone). If there is no significant difference I can save $46. I also need a tranny filter (21.00) What type of fluid do you recomend for a daily driver? Is the fuel filter important to change or do I wait. What else do you recomend I do. I currently run Castrol Synthetic blend 10W30 and the air filter is clean. Please let me know what has worked well for you.

jayendo · #2 06-13-2002, 08:16 PM

NKG= Very important, I would not put any thing eles in a nissan I work for a dealership and it is commen knoelege not to use any thing but them they are pregaped too... the spark plugs are genalerly good for 100,000+ miles too... so replacing them now may not be worth the money
-J

mtrai760 · #3 06-14-2002, 12:25 AM

Check your NGK's out, I'd say around 60k is a good time to replace them usually.
Fuel filter should be changed every 15-30k
The 95-99 Maxima does not have a distributor cap
The Auto tranny does not have a filter, just a mesh screen... If you have pieces in your tranny large enough to be caught by this screen, your tranny is already toast... Get a tranny flush, not a drain and fill, a full FLUSH, cost around $90 depending on where you live, and don't let them tell you it is only a drain and fill, because it's not!!!
Check out your belts and make sure they are not cracking
PCV valve should be replaced

Snakize · #4 06-14-2002, 01:23 PM

After flushing the tranny, what is the best fluid to replace the old tranny fluid with? Also if they only have a screen for a filter what is included in the filter kit, just a pan gasket and replacement screen?

mtrai760 · #5 06-14-2002, 08:36 PM

I used Valvoline Syntec in ATF in mine, most places have a good ATF they can put in your tranny, and yes, the kit just comes with a new screen and pan gasket.

Quote:

Originally posted by Snakize
After flushing the tranny, what is the best fluid to replace the old tranny fluid with? Also if they only have a screen for a filter what is included in the filter kit, just a pan gasket and replacement screen?

etonic · #6 06-14-2002, 08:57 PM

You should only use Nissan D-matic auto tranny fluid. Its semi-synthetic and nissan doesn't recommend any fluid changes (But I'd do it every 50-60K). It costs about $4.50 a quart (3 quarts replaces the pan fluid). You can use other fluid...but I don't want to hear it when the trans blows....This is why these maxima trannys have a bad reputation for going bad(wrong fluid!!)...but you don't have to believe me I've only got 15+ years in the automotive business.

'

By the way...I've used Bosch platniums in all the maxima's I've owned without a single problem...just don't use ANY american plug and always use a little antiseize on the threads because of the long change interval.

Also, the recommended oil viscosity is 5W-30. I've run into some timing chain chatter on all Nissans (that have chains) using synthetic oil...If you have this problem you may want to switch back to regular oil...I've had well over 220K miles on maximas on regular 5W-30 oil!

mtrai760 · #7 06-15-2002, 02:47 PM

Nissan uses repackaged Quaker State oil, how do I know?... Because I work for a Pennzoil/Quaker State company. The oil they use is Dextron III, most Dex III is the same...
Timing Chain chatter because of Synthetic Oil???

The timing chain is not even lubricated by the oil, why would it cause chatter? Ive used sythetic oil in my max for the last 40k, and never once had a problem, with that or with my tranny fluid. Nissan also DOES recommend you change your tranny fluid at 60k don't do it and it will void your warranty...
I'm not trying to start anything with you, but most of what you said seems like bogus info to me, but hey, that's just IMHO, As long as the oil contains the correct API or SL info, it should be safe to use, granted, some oils ARE better than others, but 90% of manufactures purchase their oil from other sources, and repackage it, so you never know what your really using...

Quote:

Originally posted by etonic
You should only use Nissan D-matic auto tranny fluid. Its semi-synthetic and nissan doesn't recommend any fluid changes (But I'd do it every 50-60K). It costs about $4.50 a quart (3 quarts replaces the pan fluid). You can use other fluid...but I don't want to hear it when the trans blows....This is why these maxima trannys have a bad reputation for going bad(wrong fluid!!)...but you don't have to believe me I've only got 15+ years in the automotive business.
'

By the way...I've used Bosch platniums in all the maxima's I've owned without a single problem...just don't use ANY american plug and always use a little antiseize on the threads because of the long change interval.

Also, the recommended oil viscosity is 5W-30. I've run into some timing chain chatter on all Nissans (that have chains) using synthetic oil...If you have this problem you may want to switch back to regular oil...I've had well over 220K miles on maximas on regular 5W-30 oil!

etonic · #8 06-15-2002, 05:01 PM

Nissan C-Matic fluid is equal to Dex III ..... But Nissan D-matic is not the same fluid.

Mechanics 101- the timing chain IS lubricated with crankcase oil. Nissan had big problems with tensioners and chain rattles in the 95 & 96 models.

Do what you want...I'm just giving some advice...

redrum85 · #9 06-16-2002, 10:25 PM

hey i've heard that bosch +4 platinum plugs are bad for maximas. is this true? of so why? and how about the splitfires?

NJMAXSELTD · #10 06-18-2002, 03:59 PM

Do not use Bosch +4 Platinum plugs in your VQ motor. The high intensity direct coil ignition system will eat this plug up. It's happened to many Maxima owners and I witnessed it on an I30. You can search on www.maxima.org for plenty of info on bosch plugs. Don't use them!

It took only 15K miles for the ignition system on my buddies 98 I30 to totally distroy a set of Bosch Platinum +4 plugs. Hard starts was our firts clue something was going wrong. There was no electrode left on the plugs when we took them back out.

Your tranny fluid should be changed every 30K miles. There is an oil analysis on Nissan tranny fluid at 30K which revealed the oil to be toast. I can't even imagain what 60K on Nissan factory tranny fluid would come up like. Synthetic blends work great in the Auto Tranny. I use Pennzoil Synthetic blend in my Auto tranny and love the way it shifts.

Castrol Synthetic Blend engine oil is probably one of the worst oils you can use. All the analysis that's been done on that oil shows excessive aluminum contents and poor lubrication properties after only 3K miles of use. It's one of the worst oils on Blackstone Labs reports. I immediately took it out of my engine after seeing the proof. The regular Castrol 10W-30 is much better then the Syntec blend and this is clearly proven by Blackstone labs.

For a copy of the oil analysis spread sheet, visit www.maxima.org There is a ton of information gathered by fellow Maxima owners about maintaining your vehicle. Most of which has been tested by the community. And these guys drive their cars hard and know what performs best.

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