[fatfreddyscat]

I imagine this has been discussed in another topic but after a bit of searching, I still can't find a thread so I'm starting one -> Two separate dealerships said I can get an oil change every 6000 miles (both the guy I bought it from as well as the guy at the other dealership that did my 1000 mile service). However, the manual says every 3000 miles (or every 6 months blah)... I know that "scheduled service should be every 6000 miles" but I'm supposed to change the oil every 3000 miles, right??!! What do you guys do?

 

[MC]

if you arnt tracking it you can do 6K

 

[elp_jc]

With so little oil and 2 turbos (less than 5 quarts at the recommended level), plus a very small oil filter, I'm going to change the oil at 1K+ miles in a few days (already have all belly pans removed for the 1K-mile POS service). And 3K miles after that again, send a sample for analysis, and go from there. I change the oil every 5K miles on my other cars, but they're NA, and hold more oil than the GTR. If analysis shows I can safely go to 5K the way I drive, I'd definitely extend it to 5K and get it analyzed once more just to make sure all is well. If that's the case, I might extend the interval to 6K on my other cars, but short-distance driving is brutal on the additive package (lots of contamination), especially the acid neutralizers. Rather be safe than sorry, but it's time to invest in oil analysis and see what it says. The good news is for those of us doing our own oil changes, we're talking $30 or so for the GTR (and with Mobil1), so cheap insurance

. And yes, I recycle my oil and filters, so little to no detrimernt to the environment

.

 

[SparcMo]

^ If your able to buy some good race ramps changing the oil is very simple and easy. Like he said the oil and filter is very cheap for our cars. You can pick up 5 quarts of Mobil1 at Wal-Mart for 24 bucks or so and the filter at Nissan for like 6 bucks. Thats why I change my oil every 3k or less. If I didn't have any tools and had to have the dealer do the oil and I did not track the car, I would do the recommended 5k because I think the dealer charges around 200 for an oil change which is a lot.

 

[twinturbogodzilla]

New to the forum so please have pity on my pour soul. Its a little off topic but.... I've been apart of the 300zx/nicco forum for a long time. I recently picked up a GTR and want to know what oil/oils do most people use on their cars.

 

[Rooskey]

Both GTR tech's at the dealership I bought my car from said to change the oil every 3,000 miles. This was even after I told them that I would be doing it myself.

 

[jThor]

Ok, so I understand the mileage, but I have a question about the time recommended between oil changes. I don't DD my GTR so I keep the mileage pretty low, in fact I'm think I have driven it less than 1K miles since my last oil change. The dealership did it last time since I don't have race ramps, and they recommended I bring it back in 3 months or 3K Miles. How critical is it to follow the time (6 months according to manual) recommendation if it is not being driven daily?

 

[Rez90]

i do it every 2-3000. also depends if there was any racing done.

 

[elp_jc]

How critical is it to follow the time (6 months according to manual) recommendation if it is not being driven daily?

I'm probably going to drive the GTR about 3K miles per year (hope to be more, but won't know until I take a long trip with my wife... and she approves of the car

), and do a yearly oil change. No way in hell I'd change it every 6 months with 1,500 or so miles. It's an obsolete recommendation not even applicable to dino oils anymore, let alone synthetics. And yes, the first 3K-mile change I'll send an oil sample to a lab, and see what they say, just in case I happen to cross the 3K-mile mark in the middle of a trip. I always change the oil at 5K in my other cars, but they hold more oil than the GTR, and don't have turbos. Probably will never do more than 4K miles, even if the oil analysis suggests I do. An oil change only costs me $30 or so on the GTR, and it's a very easy DIY job. Already removed all undercover panels to do the first POS and oil change. Good luck.

 

[earico]

I change every 3k miles but I'm on e85. If I was on gas I would do it every 5-6k depending on how hard it was being driven. Everyone on e85 should change their oil more often than you would on gas.

 

[Myaddiction]

I send my oil in to blackstone labs. At 5k on the oil with 20k on the car on e85 with Mobil 1 0W-40W they said the numbers look good and could go a bit more. They said E85 is only a issue if you don't get the car up to temp to boil off the extra water from it. If you want to know the truth send in your oil after 3k and see how it looks then extend it out to 6k if it does look good. It's different for everyone based on how/where you drive.

 

[kcarpent]

I'm a Luddite, 3K oil is cheaper than engines ; ).

 

[k-ore]

I change mine every 2-2500 miles and that's only because I have a built short block & run e85.

 

[fatfreddyscat]

Got my oil changed at the dealer... ~3200 miles. $124 (apparently they were running some kind of 'special'). Checked the oil before and after -> not sure what oil they used (don't have the invoice next to me) but the new oil looks just as "dirty" as the old oil. (kind of a greenish-brown hue... when it's on the towel, it looks a little darker/blackish). Oil pressure gauge seems the same. Might start changing it myself. People have recommendations for cheap-yet-good lifts to jack the car to change the oil?

 

[tjlazer]

Damn. Hope they didn't pull a "Jiffy Lube" on you!

 

[haul s]

People have recommendations for cheap-yet-good lifts to jack the car to change the oil?

This http://www.reverselogic.us/phone/shop.html#!/RLL-80-2-RR-WC-2-Bundle/p/29511285/category=5710065

Not cheap, but way quicker and more convenient than trying to jack the front end up.

 

[elp_jc]

I have 2 home-made mini ramps out of 2 pieces of 2x8 each screwed together in a 'step', so super easy to climp up. With that clearance, I can slide my Craftsman racing jack and raise the car from the central jacking point and put Rhino ramps under the tires, and you have all the clearance to remove all belly pans and such (I removed them all last week for my service tomorrow, and to change the oil, and check the car underneath). I can also lift the car from the rear with the front tires on the mini-ramps (properly choked, of course). And 2 regular jack stands that fit perfectly on the jack stand notches behind the lift pads. That's all I need, and no more than $300 for everything. I'll never put the car under 4 jack stands, so not an issue for me. When I change tires, I remove 2 wheels at a time and get it done that way. Besides, can't fit all 4 tires on any of my cars anyway. Good luck.

 

[earico]

I have 2 home-made mini ramps out of 2 pieces of 2x8 each screwed together in a 'step', so super easy to climp up. With that clearance, I can slide my Craftsman racing jack and raise the car from the central jacking point and put Rhino ramps under the tires, and you have all the clearance to remove all belly pans and such (I removed them all last week for my service tomorrow, and to change the oil, and check the car underneath). I can also lift the car from the rear with the front tires on the mini-ramps (properly choked, of course). And 2 regular jack stands that fit perfectly on the jack stand notches behind the lift pads. That's all I need, and no more than $300 for everything. I'll never put the car under 4 jack stands, so not an issue for me. When I change tires, I remove 2 wheels at a time and get it done that way. Besides, can't fit all 4 tires on any of my cars anyway. Good luck.

I do something very similar on homemade ramps as well. Here was diff fluid change day last week. I use the ramps for my trailer too.

 

[Goonthree]

Spent a little bit of money and get maxjax. Make oil change alot easier along with brake jobs, IC install. My ceiling is only 8' 6" and it works.

 

[JayL]

Spent a little bit of money and get maxjax. Make oil change alot easier along with brake jobs, IC install. My ceiling is only 8' 6" and it works.

Was thinking of doing the maxjax too, any concerns about it?