I just did my first oil change on my Z and found that the Z's oil filter is super tiny (practically smaller than a lawnmower!).

1. Is this is purely for "packaging" purposes?
2. Can I use a larger filter such as the PathFinder?
3. If it is possible to use a larger filter, would anyone suggest against doing that, and why?

Thanks much !

 

u need to be super careful when youre talking about the oil filter. Seems like i read somewhere or maybe someone at the dealer told me the z has some kind of special filter that helps keep more oil in the engine before startup so theres less damage. I dont remember the exact details, i just remember thinking to myself I need to be sure to use factory filters cuz i think it effected warranty too. Could be wrong but you might wanna call ur dealer

 

i changed my filter to a fram filter at the reccommendation of a nissan tech they said the nissan filter is inferior. he also said that fram might not be the best filter maybe a k&n or something like that would work. any way my fram is just as small maybe scottycoyote got a good point

 

Everything I've read on this and other forums, says that Fram is junk. I was using Fram on my wife's car and my truck. I've gone over to Purolator for those vehicles. For my "G" and my Harley I use K&N. The recommended filter is an HP-1008 for the "G" and "Z", however I felt it to be too small. I called K&N and spoke to a Tech, who said that the HP-1006 had the same pressure specs. and was a little longer, and slightly bigger in the overall diameter. I've been using the HP-1006 for close to a year now with no issues. As an added bonus, it has a nut welded onto the end to ease removal. I believe it's the best oil filter out there. I get them on the web for $8.97 each with no shipping charge.

Lou

 

How about sharing that web site....

 

Got my K&Ns for the same price as lowrider from www.ajusa.com. Free shipping if purchase was over $18.97, so I bought 3. The only issue I had was that it took forever to get them (about 2 weeks). They said it was on back order and caused the delay. I went with the HP-1008 + AMSOIL synthetic.

http://www.ajusa.com/cgi-bin/knfilte...rt_num=HP-1008

 

Thanks. that a winner.

 

Are the K@N filters comparable to the mobile 1 oil filters?

 

Thanks Z_Coaster... ajusa could thank you for another order sold. Bought three just a minute ago

 

You can also use the '95 Maxima Filter on it.
It's bigger and mates up perfectly

 

If you can find a bigger filter with the same size base and the backflow prevention valve works the same way and fits the space, do it.

Bigger filter = larger oil capacity, larger filtering area, larger dirt capacity.

Sounds like the '95 Maxima filter is a great place to start.

No, don't use Fram. Use Purolator as your first choice for best price/performance. Blow $6 and buy a Fram and a Purolator filter for the same car, then cut them open. Your eyes will be opened!

Asterix

 

I use the Mobil M1-105.
Here's the recommendation of the oil guru on Maxima.org

Recommended oils for all Maxima engines, ranked in order of preference based upon my own observations:

Dino and "Blend" oils:

Castrol GTX 5W/30
Mobil 1 Drive Clean 5W/30
Mobil 1 Drive Clean Plus 5W/30
Pennzoil PureBase 5W/30
ULX-110 5W/30

Drain Interval: Up to 5k

Synthetic oil:

Amsoil TSO Series 2000 0W/30 Synthetic
Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5W/30
Amsoil ASF 5W/30 Synthetic
Redline 5W/30

Drain interval: Up to 10k with oil filter change halfway through chosen interval (i.e. 8k drain interval -> 4k oil filter change)

NOTE: For hot climates (i.e. south), 10W/30 can be substituted and in colder climates (i.e. north), 0W/30 can be substituted.

Oils to stay away from IF going over 3,000 mile intervals:
Any Valvoline Oil (consistent sub-par analysis results, all tend to shear down real quickly; additive packages are inferior to other brands)

Castrol Syntec Blend Castrol Syntec Full Synthetic Oil [NOT GTX] (consistent so-so to sup-part analyses results and shady marketing practices)

Royal Purple Oil (too expensive considering there are other better synthetic oil choices)


NOTE: These oils will protect fine up to 3,000 miles, they just don't represent a good value based upon their additive package and/or their oil analysis reports for Maxima-specific engines. It does not mean they "suck".

Recommended Oil Filters for VQ engines, ranked in order of preference based upon my own observations:
Mobil 1 M1-105 (fits VQ35DE only)

Nissan OEM 15208-9E000 ONLY (for all VQ30DE and VQ35DE engines)

Mobil 1 M1-110 (fits both VQ engines, but bypass valve isn't as good as M1-105 filter)

Amsoil SDF-20 (fits both VQ engines)

Oil Filters to avoid:
Nissan OEM 15208-65F00 (specified for VQ35DE by Nissan dealer; refuse to purchase this filter as it has cardboard endcaps like low quality Fram filters; insist on the dealer using the 15208-9E000 oil filter as it has a better overall construction quality)

STP S6941 (Production change in mid-2003 to Mexico has created inferior quality; Some fitment issues on VQ35DE engines, so only VQ30DE engines should use this one)

Bosch 3323 (Production change in mid-2003 to Mexico has created inferior quality; for all VQ30DE and VQ35DE engines)

Any SuperTech filter (Due to production change in mid-2003 to Mexico that has resulted in inferior quality)

Any filter made by Fram (consistently poor construction quality)

Amsoil SDF-13 (pricier than SDF-20 and smaller)

Mobil 1 M1-108 (pricier than M1-110 and smaller)

Here's the thread that it came from:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=227996

 

Good info, but how do you change the filter with the oil still in the car?

 

OK, this question has been asked a few times, the search button is your friend.....

Done some research, I use the NAPA Gold 1356, it is bigger than the stock one, it fits the 2000 Maxima. It works just fine on our car, and it has a good quality/price ratio. I use Mobil 1 synethic 5W-30.

These filters you guys bring up are different types of filters. Some filters are better for flow, and some are better for filtering out small media. Example, the K&Ns are great for flow, while the Mobile 1s are great for filtering. Depends on what you are looking for in your filter in order to find the filter right for you.

 

----------------------------------------------
Thanks much little_rod ---I just found that the 04 Nissan Pathfinder also uses the NAPA Gold # 1356.

Do you know if the NAPA Gold # 1365 (350z) & NAPA Gold # 1356 (2004 Pathfinder/2000 Maxima) have the same specs ie?:

1. Thread size?
2. Diameter?
3. Length?
4. Antidrainback valve?

Thanks again!!

 

meanwhile, my circa 600 hp "other Z" has run Fram all its life, and has never had a single issue Only recently did I make the change to Wix filters for it.

My high 11 sec 2.5 RS also always ran Fram...again, never had a single problem

Why did I use Fram? Simple - its what our local parts place would carry, and since they deliver to us....made it an easy choice

Purolator filters (excellent BTW) passes the SAE single filtration test at 96%....guess what Fram passed at? (hint: think 96%).

Anyone who recommends that you change the filter without changing the oil does not deserve the moniker of "oil guru" IMHO

My 350Z gets the "larger" filter - I forget the part number...i think it holds a whole extra ounce

I'm not saying I know any better here guys, but this is one of those cases where you'll find as much "yay" as there are "nays".

 

when running sythetic oils, they have much longer lives than standard oil...this is proven. Unfortunately, the filter is not designed for those longer intervals. So why wouldnt it makes to change the filter half way through. Synth oil is pricey..no sense in draining perfectly good oil after 4000miles.

 

Thanks for the insight on the "larger" filter, my logic is that the extra amount whether it may only be 10-15% extra capacity may help over the long run of the vehicle.

Thanks again.

 

if its that much, I would agree.....though I have not had the filters apart to check actual surface area yet.

All I know is draining oil out of a car that has been run through a dirty filter for 4k mile, only to put that oil right back in sounds like an awfully ghetto way to maintain a $30k ish car. Seems to me the dealerships could make a small mint just excersizing this practice, yet they don't. Nissan could recommend this, but they dont (they also don't recommend synthetic either, but their defininition is the car simply does not need it). I cannot think of anything that makes as little sense to me as this practice.

Nissan recommends 7500 intervals IIRC...I go to about 5k, use the "larger" Nissan filter and just straight dino oil, and its worked just fine.

 

Ok, if the oil is still clean after 4K then the filter is still clean after 4K...the problem is even synthetic oil isn't clean after 4K. Changing the filter and not the oil is how the lazy techs do things in places like Walmart - newsflash, thats not called an oil change The truth is, even after 4K the synthetic oil has accumulated some form of contamination and by tossing a new filter on a car with dirty oil you've just wasted some cash and thrown 4K worth of crap onto a 0K filter. I truly hope nobody here is maintaining their cars this way...