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Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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Comments

  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    saw that you are planning to shift to synthetic oil after 9000 miles. The last time I went in for an oil change my SE had 12000+ miles and I asked the technician to put Mobil 1. He declined and told me that it is better to shift to synthetic after 20000 miles and that it takes that long to completely break-in the car. Is this true? My problem is every morning when I start it and also when it is sitting for a while, it makes a screeching noise and I was told that putting synthetic oil will eliminate that problem and not to mention higher mileage and better protection against wear and tear. My car now has 14000 miles on the odo and do you think I can put synthetic oil on my next oil change.

    Also, does anybody experience that screeching noise on cold starts. Right now my car is wonderful but I was thinking if it is bad for the engine in the long run.

    Thanks.
    Arun

    P.S: Why dont you guys post your car pics if you have them?
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,
    In response to your question, I feel that 9000 miles is plenty of miles to drive before putting synthetic oil in. Japanese manufacturers generally machine thir cars to tighter specifications, which means that it will break in quickly. This is contrary to German manufacturers...(most notably Volkswagen, which builds them with low tension rings, which allows oil usage during break-in. My 2000 VW New Beetle used oil for nearly 35,000 miles, and suddenly tapered off dramatically. This is common on the 4 cylinder Non-turbo 2.0L. Many VW owners are in a war with VW right now about excessive oil consumption. I have written a few articles to VW on their NEW BEETLE OIL BURNERS page of my experiences over the past 2 years. I have BEEN there!!! As a matter of fact, my oil consumption did not taper off UNTIL I started using synthetic oil, because the engine makes so much heat, the regular oil was getting hot enough to oxidize in the head. Synthetic oil is stable at temperatures exceeding 500 degrees, and doesn't boil as easily. The protection is definitely there at desert temperatures. For proof, at your next gas stop while the car is filling with gas, raise your hood, and open the oil filler cap. Regular oil will cause a little "smoking of the oil" out of the valve cover. This is a fact. Get rid of that stuff fast.

    On average, Nissan owners generally don't have that high oil consumption problems on new engines, and if they do, it is a few engines, not a whole group.

    The general rule of thumb is this....If after the first few thousand miles of usage, the car is still using a quart of oil between oil changes, it is still not broken in yet. A negligible amount of oil is okay...less than half quart between changes. More than a quart signals a leak or mechanical problems. Most engines use a little oil between changes, even after break in. However, I have had my GREATEST success with Japanese import engines, most notably Toyota, Nissan, and SOME Mazdas. These engines, if broken in correctly, use less oil than ANY that I have ever experienced. Most use NONE between changes. If that is the case, you can readily assume that the rings have seated once they get 5 to 10,000 miles on them.

    However, If the engine has been abused during break in.... (excessively high rpms, driving at the same speed for too long a period of time, or (the worst case...LUGGING the engine), the engine may use oil now, and continue to do so later on down the road. Lugging is really bad because it causes the oil to come up past the oil control ring into the combustion chamber. It is when you use a gear too high for the engine speed, and applying full throttle. It really damages an engine.(example..20 miles per hour in 4th or 5th gear, and having your foot to the floor for power. VERY BAD! If in doubt, shift to a lower gear.

    On my new Nissan Sentra engine, I have noticed NO loss of oil between changes..even during the first critical 3000 miles. I was really careful not to over-rev it, or to LUG it. The first 1000 miles were the hardest to drive, because I really wanted to get on it, but I did not want to make it an oil burner for the life of the engine. Because I am not using any oil, and the engine will have 9000 miles on it, I feel that it is safe to go ahead and use the synthetic at that time. I have done it in as little as 4000 miles on some cars in the past.

    Some American cars are not broken in until 15,000 or 20,000 miles because of the way the owner drives it. Babying the engine, and all city driving will take much longer to seat the rings and valves.

    One other point....SOME manufacturers (specifically GM and Dodge) on their HIGH END models like CORVETTE and VIPER use synthetic oil from the very beginning. WHY??? Because these engines were highly machined to extremely close tolerances, AND the engines were dyno tuned and adjusted as well as run-in BEFORE the engines were installed in the cars. They are ready to run right out of the box, and require very little (if ANY) break-in time, and they specifically state that the warranty will be voided if synthetic oil is not used exclusively during the warranty period. Obviously these manufacturers would not advocate using synthetic oil if their engines leaked or burned oil from the beginning would they? The tighter the engine is machined, (and parts blueprinted to fit precisely,) the less oil it will burn, all other things being equal.

    Synthetic oil is very expensive, and common sense would dictate that if your car uses oil to any large degree..leaking or burning, it would not be financially prudent to put in oil that costs 4 bucks a quart.

    Wait until your car stops using oil through the rings..after break-in, and you will be fine. Change your conventional oil regularly until you switch, and the engine will be clean enough to put synthetic oil in. Some regular oils gum up the insides due to owner neglect and misuse (all city driving, short trips, ect). I am very biased when it comes to regular oil, so I will be careful when I mention the oils I hate using the most. Many people are SOLD on the merits of Pennzoil and other Pennsylvania crude oils, but I don't like them. I can tell a "Pennzoil motor " as soon as I open the fill cap on an engine. It is not just the oil. But it is the attitude of owners who think that "oil is oil". They are the ones who skip or extend oil drain periods past recommended intervals. They have the most problems. They also get mad when their engines are gummed up. This also makes me scared to buy a used car, because I don't know how the previous owner cared for the car. They trade them and start on another car. I better move on, or I will have an angry hornet's nest of people ready to hang me out to dry.

    Bottom line is: if you want to neglect your oil drain periods..do it on synthetic oil. It is much more forgiving. My wife and daughters all have synthetic oil in the vehicle's crankcases because they don't think to check or change oil unless I mention it. I guess that it is my job to check and change it all...and I do.

    Moving right along..WHERE is that screeching noise coming from on your car, and how long does it screech? I hear a sound from my engine for a FEW seconds on a startup until the oil reaches the upper valvetrain. I really notice it on this Sentra engine. I am sure that I will get that noise until I switch over to synthetic. 5W-30 conventional oil is very thin, and drains off of vital engine parts when you stop or park overnight. It is nearly all in the pan at each start-up with the exception of what is in the oil filter. Any funny sounds should go away VERY QUICKLY upon start-up.

    I hope that this has not been too long or boring to anyone. I apologize in advance if it was or is.

    Thanks again,
    GSEREP1
  • kstephankstephan Member Posts: 41
    >>I realize that I cannot expect 1800 rpm at 70 mph like some V8 cars I have owned, but 3500 rpm seems a bit excessive.I guess that you cannot have everything, huh?<<

    GSEREP1, you haven't experienced high revs on the freeway until you've had a DOHC VTEC! The Civic Si was turning about 4000 rpms at 70 mph, and anything over 80 mph was after the valves had changed profile, so it was screaming at that point (and guzzling gas). It was kind of exciting--made driving fast on the freeway seem like blasting down the front straight on a race track--but a bit tiring. The Sentra SE is a Cadillac on the freeway in comparison!

    Thanks also for the front suspension bolt info. I'll ask them to replace all six, not just four.
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    You wrote: "WHERE is that screeching noise coming from on your car, and how long does it screech? I hear a sound from my engine for a FEW seconds on a startup until the oil reaches the upper valvetrain. I really notice it on this Sentra engine"

    The noise comes when I turn the key in the ignition and just before the engine starts and it lasts say 2 seconds or less. I guess that is the same noise you were talking about in your previous post. Is that normal. My 94 Sentra XE never made such kind of noises on startup and even after 100K miles it never consumes any oil between changes. It still runs the same way it did when it was new very smooth, no rattles though it is underpowered. hats the reason why I bought another Nissan.
    Most of the Nissan dealers in my area have a haughty attitude so I had to pick a dealer where the service is done on time and to my satisfaction. I did intact find a dealer with honest and corteous service department and I always take my car for service to their place, but the only problem being that they use "Quaker State" oil. I know that Quaker State is made by Pennzoil and according to your previous post you did not have a high opinion about either of these brands. So the alternative for me is to take my car to another dealership where they use a better brand of oil the trade off being that the service may not be as good.
    Focussing on the problem at hand do you think if I fill synthetic oil from next oil change the valve train noise on startup may disappear. I tend to keep my cars upto 10yrs/150K miles and so I want to take care of them to run that long. It is not enough to make dependable cars, Nissan should also realize that aftersale support is as important as the sale itself. I hope they understand that sales are falling due to poor dealer/service departments. Thanks
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    forgot to ask you in my previous post is, Nissan recommends 5W-30 oil and you said it is so thin that it doesn't stay in the valvetrain after cutoff. Does using a different oil weight/thicker oil eliminate the valvetrain noise. The place where I live in AL, the temperature might go upto 100F in summer and 10F in winter. Thanks
  • sentrafansentrafan Member Posts: 40
    Katraak: Sometimes when I start up my 2000 SE, I also hear a screeching noise. I read somewhere (don't remember where, and have spent about an hour searching for it!) that it's a belt to, I believe, the power steering unit, or some other such device. It's irritating, but I don't think it does any damage. If, on the other hand, it is valve clatter you are hearing, I bet if you change your oil filter to a quality brand with a good anti-drainback valve, such as Mobil, Amsoil, Purolator Pure One (there are others, but stay away from Fram) you'll notice the sound will stop. Also, synthetic oil is definitely the way to go.
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    About the noise in your car, do you hear it everytime you do a coldstart or only certain times? I hear it every morning or when the car has been sitting for a while. Per your recommendation I will switch of synthetic oil and a good filter and see if it makes any difference. Otherwise, I am happy with my SE. I was usiing Nissan oil filter all this time, I dont know if it has an antidrain back valve.
  • zhzzhz Member Posts: 29
    I'm not 100% sure but I read somewhere that noise is just fuel pump or some other pump(oil). It would stop after a few seconds with a very small click sound.
    Nissan OEM oil filter has a pretty good antidrain back valve.
    I have an unrelated question.
    2001 Sentra, passenger side door doesn't have key hole. Does every B15 sentra come with keyless entry feature? if not, it would be annoying to get in from the other side, lets say, to get something from the glove compartment.
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    Because my 2000SE has both driver and passenger side keyholes. May be Nissan removed it for the 2001 model year to save costs. I don't believe every Sentra comes with keyless entry. I guess the XE models dont have keyless entry and on GXE models it is a part of a package. I'd really be upset if I have an XE and don't have a passengerside lock. Hope that's not the case.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello again,
    I started posting a reply earlier this morning, but got interrupted. Oh well, just as well. Just as "sentrafan" said, you cannot go wrong with synthetic oil, regardless of what the service guy said. You will have extended drain periods as well, but I would not go beyond 7500 miles between changes. You have to show that oil change to keep your warranty in effect if you have an engine failure, and the manufacturer asks for documentation of the oil change. Once out of warranty, you are on your own. I get oil analysis. You would not believe some of my drain intervals using synthetic oil after my cars come out of warranty. My only engine problem came on a 1983 Ford Econoline van with 5.0L V8. I had an engine failure at 7600 miles, and I had to show that oil had been changed. I usually do all of my oil changes myself.

    As for the use of 5W-30 oil, even my dealer does not use it. NorthBay Nissan is my selling dealer, and for my first oil change, they drained the 5W-30 from the crankcase, and replaced it with Castrol 10W-30. I asked why, and they stated what I already knew....5W-30 does not provide the level of protection that 10W-30 does in hot weather. 5W-30 oil was designed to provide quick flow from the oil pan on start-up, and to provide optimum gas mileage because it is thin. 5W-30 oil is simply 5 weight oil with additives called Viscosity Improvers(VI)to pump up to 30 weight when it gets to normal operating temperatures, which usually does not exceed 350 degrees in the crankcase. The oil never wears out, but the viscosity improvers do, and when the oil gets overheated, it thins back out to what it started life as...5 weight oil. That is scary to think that this is all that separates our metal parts from rubbing together..a film of 5 weight oil. And it is conventional oil at that.

    In the Nissan Sentra manual, 5W-30 oil is indeed recommended, but that is because it gives the greatest fuel economy and is a compromise when considering the weather that the vehicle may be operated in. If you look closely at the graph, you will also see that it is recommended that for temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, both 10W-30 and 10W-40 may be used. This means that if these are used, the oils will thin out to 10 weight oil when it gets overheated. If it stays within the heat limitations it will still be either 30 or 40 weight oil, and that will give you better protection all around with the exception of start-up because it will be thicker than the 5W-30 stuff. It will not flow as easily as the 5 weight stuff. All of this means that if you operate in freezing climates, the 5W-30 oil is best because it will flow easier instead of staying in the pan. All of this logic applies to conventional oil only. The situation changes dramatically with the introduction of synthetic oil.

    Synthetic oil is man made in a lab, with super slippery additives and compounds that do what conventional crude could never do. It resists excessive heat and provides protection to engines when the oil is at 500 degrees F. Regular oil will have burned up by then and left nasty deposits in your engine. That is the burned smell you get when you smell the filler cap of a engine with conventional oil.

    The plot thickens even more...Ford is introducing an even THINNER oil in the never-ending quest for greater mileage. On the 2001 and 2002 Ford Focus and a few other vehicles, a 5W-20 oil is being used as the recommended oil. I still have not seen this stuff in stores yet. I was looking at a Focus, but when I raised the hood and saw that 5W-20 was recommended, I saw where Ford was going with this mileage stuff, and it scared me. The book also says that you can use 5W-30, but with reduced mileage. I want the protection overall because I want my engine to last. These engines are machined to closer tolerances, and they need thinner oils to get in the cracks and crevices. I am just worried about high speed prolonged hot weather operation. I am not convinced that this oil will do the job and give me maximum engine life..something has got to give.

    So I stay with a synthetic. I use Mobil 1 primarily, but I have also used Valvoline pure synthetic. There is also a move underway to go half and half. There are oils called "blends", which mix synthetics with conventional. It is done for the sake of cost, because many people object to 4 bucks a quart for oil. The oil manufacturers are trying to get more people to buy better oil, but it is hard to change the thinking of guy who is used to buying Pennzoil 10-30 for 69 to 89 cents a quart at the corner parts store or 7-11. (yes you can get Pennzoil at places other than car stores). Cheap oil will not perform as well as good oil. You get what you pay for.

    I believe that you can buy the oil of your choice and have the dealer or Jiffy lube change it for you, while you simply pay them for their labor. Give it a try.

    I am still at a loss as to that noise that you are experiencing. It seems different than valetrain noise. Having a good oil filter with an anti-drain back valve is great insurance. The filter traps the oil, and does not let the oil drain back in the oil pan. It is ready the second the engine starts, and the oil is in the head sooner.

    The Nissan Sentra engine is noiser than most engines like the Honda Civic for one very important reason. The Honda engine still has a rubber timing belt that is very quiet, but need maintenance at 90 or 100,000 miles. The Sentra engine has a steel timing chain that needs no servicing, but it is noisier. Another thing to take in consideration is this chain is self- adjusting, meaning that it tightens and takes up slack as you drive. It does this by a hydraulic tensioner that runs on engine oil. When the engine is off, there is no oil pressure, and the tensioner backs off the chain adjustment. Upon startup, the tensioner fills with oil, and tightens the chain on the gear. As the chain stretches with normal wear, the tensioner will have to move further to take up the slack, so I expect to hear a bit more noise as it gets older...ALL the MORE reason to use synthetic oil, as it reduces wear and tear on the chain, and it will not stretch as fast. PLUS the oil gets there even faster, so the tensioner works quicker. The synthetic clings to parts better, so total engine noise is reduced dramatically. I have been through Slick-50, Tribotech, STP, Dura-Max, Prolong and a host of other products in the past 20 years or so. I have tried nearly everything in hopes of longer engine life and fuel economy. I guess that I have wasted a lot of money, but it has not all been bad. I will take a synthetic oil over a conventional any day of the week. Get a good full synthetic oil like Mobil 1, or Valvoline and you will be fine. A Synthetic 5W-30 or 10-30 should be all the oil you will ever need, including turbo cars. Some heavily modified engines use thicker 15W-50, but they need more protection and are less concerned a
  • sentrafansentrafan Member Posts: 40
    Katraak: Yes, I hear it virtually every morning. zhz must have read the same thing I did about it being some type of pump or belt. I wouldn't sweat it, but if you are concerned the good thing is you know your dealer will be able to reproduce it if you leave your car there overnight.


    Concerning oil filters, this link, http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/corvette/articles/oilfilterstudy/oilfilters.html, is a great resource.


    Concerning synthetic oil, what else can be said that gserep1 didn't already say in his excellent overview? There really is no question that synthetic oil performs much better than conventional petroleum oil. Why not spend a few extra bucks and ensure that our high-revving engines have the greatest level of protection possible? And with the extended drain intervals that synthetic oil provides, the additional cost is mostly negated.

  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Sorry,
    I will make this one short. I got cut off in mid sentence. The final point that I was making had to do with using oil thicker than 10W-30. If you do not have a turbo charger, you should not need anything thicker than 10W-30. It will only cause you to burn more gasoline. Watch for, and only buy oils that have the "energy-conserving" feature on the label. That feature will be found on any 0W-30 oil (new oil made by Mobil 1), 5W-30, straight 30, and 10W-30 oil regardless of manufacturer. SAE (Society Of Automotive Engineers) only recognizes these 4 weights of oil as having the characteristics necessary to save gasoline. Any oil with 40 or 50 weight designations will cause it to lose the "energy conserving" feature.

    By the way, I tried the 0W-30 Mobil 1 pure synthetic oil in my wife's 1997 Explorer with 5.0L V8, and it really DOES give better gas mileage and protection. The engine is quieter overall, and the highway mileage increased from 17 mpg to 20.5 mpg. My wife drives sane speeds, so she will probably do better than me.

    This will be the oil I will try in the Sentra, although I could get by on 5W-30 or 10W-30 due to our mild winters. On the other hand, the 0W-30 should work great in colder climates, and because it is synthetic, it will protect in Alabama in cold climate, and give you extreme weather protection (over 100 degrees F as well.) Once I get it in, I will let you know. Don't get concerned about the valve-train noise, but I would get that belt situation looked at. I will be watching mine at about 14,000 miles or so, and see if it happens to me. I have no other noises, fuel pump or otherwise...just the sound of the loose timing chain until the tensioner tightens it up. I do hope that will be gone once I change to synthetic.

    Thank you Sentrafan for that EXCELLENT piece on oil filters. I am happy to say that I concur with their findings, and used Fram filters only in an emergency in the past, but now I won't use them at ALL! It seems like I was paid to say the things this report said. Fram and Pennzoil products are out for me REGARDLESS of what they are. NUFF SAID!

    Thanks again... Boy, this is the shortest message that I have written in a while. I think I will make them shorter from here on in.

    GSEREP1
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    sentrafan: Looks like they liked Purolator Premiumplus over Mobil 1 as they said that the latter tends to leak at highpressures. Anyideas about the Nissan OEM oil filter. Thats what I have been using.

    GSEREP1: I can't believe you get 3.5 mpg more mileage with Mobil1. Thats good news. The SE is relatively quiet at low rpms but when you push it past 3500 then there is a growl from the engine and it gets noisy. I will switch to 0W30 and see if I have any mileage improvement and if it makes any difference in cabin noise.

    Thanks.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,
    After reading that article, looks like I will be using Purolator as well. My best friend swears by them, and now I know why.

    Yes, I was also suprised by the increase in mileage that 0W-30 Mobil 1 oil gave me, but it is after all, very thin oil on start-up, and flows easily. I like the synthetic protection factor as well, so I don't have to worry about high heat. Plus people in climates that go from real hot to real cold don't have to change from "winter" to "summer" oil and back again each year. I can hardly wait for my 9000 miles to come so I can try the good stuff.

    Thanks again,
    GSEREP1

    See, even old dogs like ME can learn something new, LOL.
  • mayankhpmayankhp Member Posts: 22
    Hi my friend GSEREP1,

    Hats off to your knowledge and experience on automotive.

    Now guide me here as you know that I don't have any knowledge on Auto.
    My altima is due for oil change and having 12120 miles on it.
    I believe you and have decided to switch to synthetic oil and I will save $7.55.
    I have to change Synthetic oil at every 7500miles Am I right? And it will cost me $36.45 which is economical (savings is a difference of $44 minus $36.45) against having (conventional) oil change at dealership ($22.00 for every 3700miles).

    Cost calculations 5w30 Mobile1 $4.49*5bottles = $22.45 (prices at peps boys)
    oil filter ACDelco =$ 4.00
    Labor charge at Perfect Auto including disposal=$ 10.00
    Total $36.45

    I am going to use 5/30 mobile1 synthetic oil with AcDelco filter for all seasons at So CA, Am I right? I will save all my receipts with Perfect auto's labor charge invoice attached on it.
    I will use synthetic oil in my Sentra only after 10.000miles till then keep continue with dealer.

    Please advise me and confirm my understanding.

    Thanks
  • zhzzhz Member Posts: 29
    GSEREP1:
    How did you provide record of oil change intervals when you do your own oil change? Just receipt of buying oil, oil filters?
    I only have 8000miles on my 2000 GXE. I'll wait for a while before switching to synthetic oil.
    also, If synthetic oil can last for up to 7500, (this is what I drive in almost a YEAR), would they void warranty if you only change oil twice a year.
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    even if we use synthetic oil we have to change it every 3750 miles (Nissan recommends oil change at 3750 miles). The advantage of using synthetic is that even if you forget to change then you have a leeway of say 1000-1500 miles. Suppose if oil changes are done every 7500 miles, and there is engine damage (not necessarily due to 7500 drain interval which I believe is good enough) then the dealer might not honor the warranty because it is in violation of the Nissan service manual. So IMHO even if we use synthetic it is best to change at 3750 miles until atleast the warranty expires.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,

       And thanks again. Because (and only because my car is still under warranty), I will change the oil somewhere between 3750 and 5000 miles. That is what I do with my other cars. Even with the added expense, I gain with increased cleanliness and more power.The VW only requires oil changes every 10,000 miles after you reach 20,000 miles on the odometer. I would never go that long..especially with conventional oils. VW gives you a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, which is in effect, after the standard 2 year 24,000 mile factory warranty has expired. I have had such wonderful experience with synthetic products in the past, I know what they will do to keep an engine clean and sludge free.


      If you would like to see some more proof, please go to: http://www.mobil1.com and see what the experts have to say. Either 5W-30 or 0W-30 would be excellent for your car katraak, and would give you great gas mileage to boot. These oils will provide great protective qualities. I would lean more toward 0W-30 if you travel in snowy weather for awhile. These oils flow at 50 below 0 for the 5W-30, and 62 below zero for the 0W-30, so cold weather performance is no problem. Mobil 1 has just reformulated their oil again and they now call it "tri-synthetic" because they have added a 3rd ingredient into the puzzle. If you have the time, please read the website..especially the part that says "Why synthetics?". You will begin to understand how good this stuff really is (synthetics).
    Also try the part that talks about myths about synthetic oil. This will also help a lot. For myself and mayankhp, we can get by with 5W-30 synthetic. I am not sure where "zhz" is from, but one of these two oils should be fine. I have had such good luck with the 0W-30 in the Explorer, it will be a hard decision to figure out which one to try first. We can't go wrong either way.


       I would like to recommend another product to use on the Sentra. That is a K&N air filter. This unique filter will replace the paper one in the car with a cotton filter reinforced with a mesh screen on both sides of the cotton for added stability and strength. This cotton is oiled with special K&N oil that causes dirt to cling to the filter and not get into the engine. This will keep your intake manifold cleaner, and thus keeps dirt out of your oil. It is cleaned generally once every 50,000 miles, but I clean it a bit more often due to dusty conditions I drive in. It is fully washable, and can be re-oiled and left to dry before re-installing.


      This filter has a 1 million mile warranty, and is truly the LAST filter you will ever have to buy. I have one in every vehicle I own now, and this goes back to 1987. They are a favorite of dune buggy and dirt bike racers worldwide, and if they work for them, then they will work for us.


     You can go to: http://www.knfilters.com and see for yourself. All 2000 and 2001 Sentras need K&N air filter number 33-2031-2. It will cost from 30 to 40 bucks, but it will not have to ever be replaced again, AND it flows better DIRTY than ANY brand NEW paper filter. It is cheaper to buy these filters through a distributor, like pep boys or Autozone instead of on line, because the company gives monetary incentives to distributors to sell their products, so they pass it to us. Good deal all around. They keep the intake manifold cleaner, and thus keeps the engine oil cleaner as well by blocking so much dirt.


      I guess that I had better go now, and see if I can find this air filter, or at least get it ordered. I changed my oil at 3000 miles and used Castrol GTX 10W30 yesterday. I put in 31/2 quarts, and I hope to have this in until 9000 miles are reached. The oil was a little dirty, but not black, by any stretch of the imagination. The car starts up, and the valve train noise is nearly totally gone. I am sure that synthetic oil will help this a lot.


      Have fun, and don't forget to write when you can!

    GSEREP1

  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,
    I meant to say that I changed my oil again at 6000 miles yesterday. I did this myself, and the first change was done by the dealer at 3000 miles. The oil was really beat up, but was not black and sooty, so I am happy. If the car is up on the rack, it is easy to get to the oil filter. Mine came off without a filter wrench, which was good because the engine was still hot. I DID drop the old filter on top of the exhaust pipe going under the oil pan. I wiped as much oil as I could, and I thought that I had gotten it all, but driving home, I discovered that I had not, because my car was smoking under the hood. Very embarrassing until the oil burned off. Next time I will be more careful. I was in a hurry because the auto hobby shop on base was closing, and I only had 1/2 hour to do the oil change, clean up my stall and turn in all of the tools, as well as dispose of all of the used oil and containers. So I was really rushing, but I made it.

    I am looking forward to hearing from my friends tomorrow. Have a great evening.
    GSEREP1
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    I put a bad website address for Mobil oil. The one I gave will not work. Please use: http://www.mobil.com I know that will work. Thanks again

    GSEREP1
  • wazappawazappa Member Posts: 32
    I am just curious if anyone has gotten their windows tinted on a 2000 Sentra. Was there any problems in particular with the back window, or does it tint up just fine. How much did it cost to get it done. If there is anything else that I should know about tinting the windows let me know. Thanks in advance for your help. It is greatly appreciated!!!
  • 21672167 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 93 sentra SER (with a 2 litre engine).I have put 171,000 mile on it quite trouble free.
    But few days ago it developed a sound and I took
    it to the dealer in Pittsburgh and following are the diagnois and repair recomendations.
    1.It failed the emission test and needs all the spark plugs and filters changed for a 415.00
    2.Front brakes freed for 273.75
    3.Lt head lamp asemblly cracked for 236.00
    (Lights do work fine)
    4.Lt fog light lens cracked for 98.00
    5.Rear brakes frozen freed for 60.00
    6.Lt outer CV booth is out 190.00
    7.The sound came from the AC pump which will cost me 700.00 to fix.

    The car according to Edmunds is worth less then 3000 dolaars .The total for these repairs is 2000 dollars.My question is the car has run fine
    are all the repairs necessary ?. Is it worth it to spend this much money on a car worth only
    3000 dollars. THe brake were done last year
    but I have since moved. This is my first time going to this dealer .The lights seem to be working fine otherwise
    Any advice will be appreciated .
  • mayankhpmayankhp Member Posts: 22
    Hi,
    I would do the following, if I would be at your place,
    1. I would not repair AC, and get it fix the rest which necessary and save repairing cost
    2. I would go to some small good mechanic rather that going to any dealership for this car
    3. I would get it fix within a fix dollar amout, say $ 400 or so
    4. I would keep this car with minimum repair till it dies
    This is my personal opinion, based on car's condition, history, and market value.
    Take it easy,
    Thanks
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    Its been a while since I posted, but I've enjoyed reading your posts. Very informative. Thanks for being here. I read your posts about the faulty A/c from a while ago... is everything fixed now? I too feel that my car's AC is weak (I live east of LA), and I've been meaning to get it checked out. In fact, the AC feels weaker than the one in my 93 Mazda MX6.

    I hope mine isn't as involved as yours was. I also enjoyed reading your discussions about synthetic oils and the like. I want to use synthetic oil myself, but like you, I'm going to wait till about 10k miles. I would love to do oil changes myself, but how accessible is the filter? In my MX6 it was like right next to the exhaust pipe, and that made me a little concerned, so I haven't attempted oil changes on that car.

    I just upgraded the audio system in the car because I couldn't really stand the muddy sound the "premium" sound system was putting out. I got a new Pioneer head unit with 4 JBL 6 1/2 in speakers all around. There still isn't much bass, but the sound is a lot cleaner, and thats what I was aiming for. I don't think I want to take away any trunk room by adding subwoofers or amplifiers.

    I haven't been the best at checking up on this town hall discussion group, but I'm going to try harder...
  • lgoldinlgoldin Member Posts: 90
    I am planning to replace speakers as well. Could you describe how you've replaced front ones? What was a procedure? Also how do you take of the front panel to replace a stereo?
  • mbbstimsmbbstims Member Posts: 16
    Hi Folks,I'm new to the message center.I love to talk autos.

    Anyway,this is my dilemma: I have decided I am going to purchase a new Nissan Sentra or Toyota Corolla next Spring.I like to start doing my homework early.I have already spent many hours online reading about the Toyotas and Nissans.At this point I am leaning toward the Nissan because I have read that it is a dependable car,I like the styling and the price is right.(I think the Toyotas like the Hondas are a bit over priced.)I like the XE because I don't go for power options when I buy.The big question I have is how long can I expect the Nissan engine to last?I am always hearing how Toyotas seem to run forever,What about Nissans? help please!
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    Well, I've replaced speakers in my 93 Mazda MX6 and they were very straight-forward. I saw the directions provided by Crutchfield that somebody scanned in... here's the address:

    http://www.netwalk.com/~rberus/Pictures/2000sentra/Installs/Audio/


    Everything kinda looks involved in the Sentra. To remove the head unit, you have to partially disassemble the center dash. To replace the front speakers, you have to take apart the interior door frame. To replace the rear speakers, you have to take apart the rear deck.


    It can be done, but to me, it looked complicated, and people on the b15 sentra discussion board (the discussion board address is: http://www.b15sentra.net/UBB.html ) were saying that they broke a few retaining clips trying to pry out all the panels. I got a package deal for my system from a local audio shop, and installation was included. The install was pretty cleanly done, and the system sounds clean. You're welcome to take a look at those direction sheets and see how and if you can handle it. If you're just going to upgrade two speakers then it might be worthwhile to attempt the installation on your own, but if you want to do the whole system, I would save some time and grief and just have the store do it.


    In my MX6, the head unit just slides out of the dash, the rear speaker screws are under the grilles that just pop off. The front speakers are more involved, just like the sentra- you have to take the door frame off. Good luck, and keep us posted how and what you do.

  • lgoldinlgoldin Member Posts: 90
  • kbd2000kbd2000 Member Posts: 1
    Just signed on to the message center, I own a 2000 Nissan Sentra GXE. The information
    from everyone's posts has helped a great deal. Just had my windows tinted about a week
    ago, and so far I have not seen any problem with the back window peeling. I paid just a
    little over $130, which is a pretty decent chunk of change, but it was well worth it. Make
    certain that where ever you take your car to have it done, that they have a guarantee on
    the work. The place that did mine took their time and it looks great. Of course, I will keep
    my eye on it, because I too have heard of problems with the back window. Hope this
    helps.
  • 01sentrase01sentrase Member Posts: 1
    Hey gserep1, you seem to know what you are talking about. Can you please Tell my why my Friends 95 200SX-SER's oil filter is located on the upper left side of the engine block instead of on the bottom of the engined block just above the oil pan like mine? I have a 01 Sentra SE. Thanks.
  • mayankhpmayankhp Member Posts: 22
    Hi Dear,
    I am sure, by this time you must have made up your mind, whether to see dealer to replace your a.c. (ordered)part or to live with existing cooling tempreture. Just curious to know about it.

    By the way how is life going? Long time no message from you, what's up?

    Thanks
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    gserep1 Jul 11, 2001 2:55pm
    Yes, you have to make a practical choice with kids still in college. If you are interested in a 6-speed CL then check out acura-cl.com

    I know you'll have lots of replies to others on here when you get back :))
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello Again,
    I have been out of the area for the last few weeks, and I have not had access to a computer...(imagine what withdrawal I was going through, LOL). I have been in Ridgecrest,California deep in the Mojave desert. The average temperature last week was about 100, but it got as high as 112. I had to do some training on the operation of some new aircraft servicing generators that your government just bought. Next week I will be in the Fresno area at another Navy base. After that, I should be back in San Diego taking it a little easier.

    I am still waiting for parts for my car (if you can believe that). I talked to my service advisor just yesterday, and he tells me that the parts are still backordered. UNBELIEVEABLE on a new car, huh? It is a good thing that mine works SOMEWHAT, and that I don't live in a very hot area, or Iwould have been in bad shape.

    On my trip last week, I was provided a rental car, while mine stayed parked. Saves on the miles, but I sure missed my car. I had a 2001 SATURN with 12 thousand miles. The car was a piece of junk already. The engine was pretty peppy, and the air conditioning froze meat, but the driveability of the car was horrible. Plus it was missing all of the creature comforts...NO power windows, no power mirrors, no cruise control, no tape player (not even a cassette player), and the brakes felt like stepping on a Hershey bar...very mushy. Plus I could not get my seat to adjust to the full upright position, which caused me to drive around partially reclined. Enough about that car. I had the option to return it this week, or keep it for the trip next week....I decided to turn it in, and use my own car, as I will be driving to San Francisco next weekend anyway, and the base is only 180 miles from my home there. I will be calling NISSAN USA next week and see if I can find a way to expedite my parts. I LOVE my car otherwise. I instantly noticed the difference between the Saturn and my car. The Sentra was parked all week, and got some much needed rest.

    Thanks cyranno99, I am very much interested in getting a 6 speed Acura CL. That 6 speed will make me go ahead and buy that car for sure.

    I am also thinking of doing that audio swap as well. I need to go onto Crutchfield's web site, and see what will fit my car.

    In reply to "01sentrase", the 95 200 SX is a "rear drive" car unlike our front drive arrangement, and as such, the engine is mounted front to back, or "longitudinally", unlike our transverse arrangement. Nissan can put the filter on either side of the block when they reconfigure an engine for a specific application. My experience with the 2001 SE oil filter placement shows me that it is not an ideal place to have it, but I have seen much worse...(case in point, my 2000 VW new beetle). That filter is a real pain to get to, and quite messy, because it spills all over the lower radiator hose, and some other wires. The WORST was my 1995 Taurus SHO with the 3.2L V6. The filter was up front, but you had to be double and triple jointed in the wrists to get to it, plus it drained all over the starter when it came off. That meant about 1/2 hour of cleaning when I changed it to avoid the oil smell.

    To "narenji", thanks a lot for the kind comments, and all that I can say about filter placement is make sure that the engine is not HOT, when you do the filter. It sits just abouve the exhaust manifold pipes, and like I said before, I dropped my filter on the heat shield (which is a mesh-type arrangement, and it took a half day to get all of the oil out. It smoked like an old clunker, which was very embarrassing for a new car. I will be more careful next time for sure.

    Well, I will be quiet for now, and look forward to hearing from some of you in the very near future. I will be driving my car next week on my trip to Fresno. I don't think that I can stand another week of driving GM JUNK. Some GM cars are great, but when you get "corporate rental car junk", it is depressing. I shudder to think that in a few more thousand miles, someone will buy this thing on a wholesale rental car lot. That is really scary. I wouldn't wish that car on my enemies, it is so bad.

    To "mbbstims", I believe that the Nissan engine is every bit as reliable as the Toyota and Honda engines. They are all great, but I do believe that the Honda engines are a bit smoother, but a lot more "labor-intensive", when repair work is warranted. I plan on driving mine MANY hundreds of thousands of miles. If I care for it properly, it will last. I would venture to say that any of the above-mentioned cars will perform better than most of the "domestic" (and I use that word "loosely") cars.

    I really miss talking to you guys and girls when I am away on travel, but it is really nice to play "catch-up" when I return.

    Thanks again, and take care,
    GSEREP1
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello Again,
    How is that "screeching noise" you talked about in your earlier posts? I certainly hope that you have gotten that repaired by now.

    Oh by the way everyone, I just could not resist asking if any of you have seen the newest Nissan Sentra commercial that features the 2 crash test dummies fighting to be the first one to drive the Sentra? I thought that was really cute and very original...of course I COULD be a little biased, don't you think? I really got a few chuckles out of that one for sure.

    I will probably wish that I had waited for the new 2002 Sentra when I start seeing them on the road, but I know thatthey willbe really expensive at first. I'll live!!

    Thanks again,
    GSEREP1
  • katraakkatraak Member Posts: 33
    This board is hardly active when you are away. I am sorry that you had this awful experience in the Saturn and to think I almost bought the Saturn instead of my Sentra. My friend has a 95 Saturn that held up beautifully but I finally couldn't pay MSRP for the Saturn.
    Anyway, regarding the engine noise I was experiencing I took the car to the dealer and asked him to take a look. He told me that the noise is valvetrain startup clatter and most SR20DE's had the noise. Like you suggested I will switch to Mobil1 and Purolator PurePlus on the next oil change and see if the noise subsides.
    LOL I have seen the Sentra commercial and liked it. I guess the 2002's would be coming to dealerships in another month or so. First thing, I will test drive the 3.5 Altima and then the Sentra Spec-V. Still, I wouldn't trade in my SE as I would be taking a big hit on depreciation.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Thanks For Your Quick Response,
    I have been out of town in the desert this last week. I get the same noise in my car when I start up. I will be looking for a Purolator Oil filter with a check valve to keep the oil in the head. This will help keep that noise down. I have not been successful yet in finding this filter. When I find one I will let you know.

    I will be using my car this next week, so I will tell you how the air conditioner works in 100 plus degree weather. I will be glad to get my parts in to get this car fixed once and for all.

    I am looking forward to hearing from all of my friends this coming week. Please keep me up to date.

    Thanks,
    GSEREP1
  • mbbstimsmbbstims Member Posts: 16
    Thanks for the opinion on the longevity of the Nissan engines.Iwould like to get 150k to 200k out of my next car and I did not know if the Nissan Sentry was capable of that. had a Datsun many years ago,I think it was a B 210.I took care of the car well but it still went through 2 head gaskets before 100k.Have you,or anyone else out there heard of any head gasket problems with the ewer Nissans?

    Thank you for your help,
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    I think I'm going to venture out and get some jack stands and creep under the car to see where the filter etc are at. I will also need to get a car manual, probably haynes. I saw the Mazda's filter when it was getting serviced once. So you take your car to like one of those service places where you work on your own car, but use their tools and their equipment for a fee? I wonder where I could find one around here... After you had problems with your A/c, I checked the temperature of my car's a/c, and it seems to be putting out about 46-47 degrees. My 8 year old Mazda is putting out about 41 degrees. Of course, the Mazda has the older r-12 refrigerant, which is supposedly colder to begin with.

    So is my temperature measurement cold enough? It sometimes doesn't seem like it. When you turn the fan speed up, the temperature reading drops precipitously. It's only about 54 degrees on like 3, but the same thing happens in the Mazda as you turn the fan up. When I called my dealer and another local one, they both said that 46-47 degrees is plenty cold for a r-134 powered a/c unit. Are they being honest? Hope your car is fixed soon.
  • newsentraownernewsentraowner Member Posts: 5
    I was wondering if any of you had experienced this. When I drive around in the city my car doesn't get very cold (even with the fan all the way up) but on the highway it's so cold I can barely keep the a/c on at even the low fan speed.
    Is this normal or something to get checked out?

    Thanks.
  • zhzzhz Member Posts: 29
    I went for a 250 mile trip yesterday. The A/C work SO well that it was "frozen". I had to turn it off. It was working fine -- freezing cold air, after that. They (people from www.b15sentra.com) said that 2000+ sentras are known to have this problem.
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    Yeah, I am sure you'll like the CL. The oil filter placement for it is a breeze to change.... just like the current Maxima. Tell me about hard to reach oil filter. I had to crawl under my old Integra and reach up into a little space... there's no other way around it - partly because it was a four cylinder and partly because it is FWD. You can spill lots of oil through the filter when the engine is warm/hot. The Sentra oil filter placement is fairly easy to get to.

    Have fun on your trip :)
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    I sure hope they build some more 5sp Sentras for 2002. I can't seem to find any 01 5sp. Plenty of automatics though. I've heard that the SE will be discontinued and replaced by the SE-R. For someone who doesn't necessarily want more power and lower fuel economy, as will be the case with the new 2.5L, but still wants the good handling, you better get an 01 SE while you can.
  • jliu_2000jliu_2000 Member Posts: 7
    2 airbags of my Sentra GXE were deployed during a not-so-serious accident. I didn't have dealer fix it because they quote totally $2,000 for parts and labors for 2 airbags.

    Any one has any suggestions ? I couldn't sell the car before the airbag is fixed. Thanks
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    probably true since they will not make the 3.0L V-6 either. The G20 will run for a couple more months as a 2002 before it will get replaced by the G35 in the Infiniti line-up. So it makes sense for Nissan to get rid of the 2.0L engine.
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    Not to be rude, but I haven't heard anything about the g20 being replaced by the g35. I was pretty sure that the I30 was a dressed up Maxima and that the I35 would replace the I30. I've heard rumors that the next g20 will have the 2.5L Sentra V-spec engine standard, so I guess it would be called the G25. The Altima is supposed to get the 2.5L of the Sentra V-spec standard, with the 240 hp 3.5 V6 optional. The Maxima is to get the 3.5 V6 standard, but with 260 hp. Correct me if i'm wrong...
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    no prob.. check out www.nissannews.com - you should see a picture for the G35 on the right side. I don't think that they want a G20 and a G35 for next year, right?
  • ryuanryuan Member Posts: 1
    Hi, everybody

    I am a rookie here and also to cars. Is '96 Nissan Sentra GXE 4-dr Sedan chain belt or rubber belt? How long should it be changed? And usually how much does it cost? Thanks.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    I'm fairly certain that the 1.6L engine has a chain which needs to be changed about as often as you change the pistons - in other words, never.

    Check your manual to be sure.
  • peejaypeejay Member Posts: 2
    Hi all,

    Does anybody know how to take off the EM shift knob? I have been told to twist it counterclockwise, but I tried it and it didn't want to come loose! Any suggestions?
  • peejaypeejay Member Posts: 2
    Ooops, meant to say OEM shift knob.
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