Changed my oil for the first time yesterday, the manual stated 5 quarts of oil (with filter change), it seems high, but I am gonna trust the manual.....by the way, how come Maximas and Pathfinders with the same motor only wants 4 1/2 quarts?

Anyways, here are the questions....
1)Only 4 1/2 quarts came out! It's a new car with only 1000miles on it (yeah, i know, it's **** to change the oil at 1000 miles), it did not leak or burn oil, it was driven nicely, so why so few came out?

2)So, I put in 5 quarts of Valvoline 5w30 and Nissan's filter. Now the oil pressure is at 60psi around idling and 110 psi when the engine revs over 4000. However, the psi drops more once the engine has been run for a while (50psi at idle and 80 at over 4000rpm), but still seems higer than before. I guess my question is: what is your oil pressure at various engine speed and tempeture?

3)What kind of horse-$hit oil dipstick is that? It's flimsy and soft and hard to get out. I had let the car sit for about 20 min before I "attampt" to get a reading on the stick, but I can't see anything, there are simply oil everywhere....any suggestions? Or maybe I overfilled? But how?

 

I recently changed my oil and have found that the oil pressure does just about the same thing yours does. After a while it will drop just below the first line ( 30psi ) at idle, but when I WOT and run to redline it approaches 120psi. (just short of it maybe 105-110) I didn't think that it did that before, and I just had the oil changed and put in 5 quarts of mobile1 5-30 and filter.

It was a filter I got at valvoline where they changed the oil and I watched them do everything and they didn't make any mistakes.

I too have noticed that the dipstick is lame and hard to read. I wonder if it is overfilled?

Just so you know that you are not alone.

 

I changed to synthetic at 1150 miles and although I didn't measure how much came out, I did assume some would be left inside, so i only put 4 1/2 quarts in, ran the engine, then checked it later after it had time to settle back into the pan. The top oil reading was right on the H. Perfect. Had I put 5 quarts in, it would have gone above the high mark on the stick. You did the right thing, and will be fine.

 

The oil might drain 4.5 quarts, but then about 1/4 to 1/2 of a quart is left in the filter which is removed and replaced with an empty filter. When you put 5 quarts back in your filter fills and you are left with 4.5 quarts of oil that would then drain out.

My oil is too damn clean to be able to tell where the level is on the stick. I look carefuly and I can see that the oil is of uniform thickness right up to maybe 3 mm below the H line, but splashed irregularly on the stick above there, so I assume that it is almost full. I hope I don't blow a seal.

( He said I'd blown a seal. I said "Just fix the damn thing and leave my personal life out of this, ok buddy?" Kip Adadda - Wet Dream ).

 

Yeah, I though about that. My perfect H level dipstick reading was done even after replacing with a Nissan filter and thouroughly running the engine. I have a feeling the thing holds 5 quarts total, and will need 5 quarts if you put oil in at the factory while it's being built. Once you already have residual oil in there which will never come all the way out, 4.5 quarts is what you need to add during your routine oil changes.

 

I was wondering about that oil pressure problem... thus why the search and revival of this post. I run around 4k rpm and get the oil pressure level up to 110psi... this is with an oil change fillup of 4 3/4 quarts (still below the H level on the dipstick, afraid to go the full five). At least it isn't me, and I guess that the worst that could happen is that my engine springs an oil leak from the high pressurization...

 

Not trying to be technical, but my 02 Maxima takes 4.25 quarts not 4.5. I learned the hard way my first oil change. I put in 5,
One thing I can't stand is the dipstick. Can't read the damn thing, and it fits in like a roller coaster on steroids. Anyone knnow of any aftermarket dipsticks?

 

Ok, since my original post, I've changed my oil again and made a few trips to my dealer concerning oil level and pressure.

Yes, it's 5 quarts of oil with filter change, I finally figured out how to read that thing better once my engine oil gets darker. Mine sits 3mm below the H line (after 1000miles of use).

My dealer pulled out the specs for oil pressure at various engine operating speed, 30psi at idel, 60 around 3000RPM......however, it is NORMAL for the pressure to soar when engine is cold (or should I say NOT HOT), it usually takes me about 20 min of driving to get to what the dealer is describing. Once the engine is hot, no matter how much I abuse it, it never goes over 100psi.

The dealer says that it is normal for our car to run at that kind of pressure when cold.
Hey, I don't really believe the dealer, but I do have faith in Nissan's specs.
Good luck.

As far as aftermarket oil stick....that's not gonna happen, just look at it, how are you gonna replace that stick?

 

Thanks, Jed. I feel better now.

 

I can point you to a few recent 'troll sitings' ...

... oh wait, that's probably not what you meant.

 

took me a few secs, and I just got it, LOL