ZZZZMe,

If you search the forums, somewhere it says that Nissan recommends only going to synthetic after something like 5000 miles.

Wags,

Awesome!!!!
I tried to find info like that for my old Maxima for a long time. I'll be printing out your post for future reference.

 

No it doesn't. Nissan makes no recommendation on this. In fact, they've responded to some emailers that they didn't even recommend synthetic (which is dumb).

The 5K/10K to let the rings seat is "accepted knowledge" that people have said for years. I really don't buy it, as some very high performance cars ship with Mobil 1 from the factory (Vettes, Porsches, AMG Mercedes, etc)

 

Do those stands go on the Jack or on Jack stands? It looks like there for the jack, but while working or changing your oil the car would be on the jack stands.

Also can anyone recommend an inexpensive jack and jack stands(or ramps that work)?

 

I was going to order some, but I decided it looked like it was for the jack, not the jack stands. It also looks like it is for those saddle type jacks, too. Mine is round with four contact points, so I'm not sure it would work for that, either.

 

Yep you right, if you do a search on the maint thread you'll see this topic has come up a few times before, and might get some insight. The Rhino ramps work for some but you have to be on the right incline or have a little lip in the drive or ??? But, what suprized me is, you really can't get the jack under the center lift points without being up on a ramp or multiple 2X4's or something. I planned on doing that and then using jack stands at the points in the pictures. Somehow, I'll get the rubber attachments to work or find someway to put the stands so they won't crush the lip. Awful lot of effort just to figure out how to change the oil... Actually I'll probably have someone change the oil, just because I have over 10 gal of used oil now that I'm too lazy to get rid of, but I want to get a procedure for getting under the car.... definately to do brake pads, I'm not paying someone to do that.

 

I changed mine the first time by driving it up on two layers worth of 2x4s. I could reach under the car enough to change the oil at that height of only 3 inches of lift (2x4s are only 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches).

I'm going to try to make a wood top for my jack stands with notches to fit the rails on the side. That shouldn't be too hard.

 

After all the talk of special jack stands and trouble with ramps I went ahead and made my own ramps. I was at Lowes getting other stuff, so I decided to pick up a 1.90 2x4. I cut it with 45 degree angles stacked two and sanded. I rolled the edge so it looks nice and will probably be easier to get the car on. I use to just drive up two 2x4's without an angle when I was in college (on previous car), so this should work fine. Here are the pics:

1

 

2

 

3

 

Have you tried the wooden ramps yet? I bought the Rhino Ramps partly because they have a 17-degree rise so that the nose won't scrape. Your ramps look good, but they appear to have a pretty steep angle, maybe 45%. They look good, though.

WayneTN

 

I haven't tried them yet, but I put my old car on ramps similar to these. I just use to stack two 2x4's(staggered) and drive up them. They didn't even have an angle. I figure driving up these 2x4's is smaller than some of the huge speed bumps in Texas and if it doesn't work I'm only out $2.

If I had a miter saw or something besides a plain circular saw I would have cut an angle less than 45 degress.

 

Good point. Hopefully they'll work, but don't take any chances on damaging your Z if things don't look right when you try them out.

Good luck, and thanks for posting the pics!
WayneTN

 

Changed my oil this weekend and I used 2: 33lbs. cast-iron weights (plates) to drive on & that created enough lift for me to use my hydraulic jack on the front, center lift area & use 2 jack stands. All went fine & I even drained the oil back into the containers to see if I drained all the oil and about 5 qts. came out ....was a little nervous that the front lift would cause some oil to stay inside