oil/oil filter survey

'97 Maxima 119K, '96 Pathfinder 132K, '90 Audi 80Q, 160K, '93 Ford Ranger 140K, all on Walmart 10-30W (Penzoil really) since new and cheap Fram filters. All still run perfectly.

I know... many of you are SURE the #1 sell>Just wondering what you guys are using if you change your own, oil and

Morris Lubricants Semi synth 10w/40. Genuine made in japan Nissan filters £23 for 10.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Look inside, you'll be sure too. Why take a chance when a good filter is only $3 over the sale price of the cheap one ?

Bob

1. Mobile 1 synthetic engine oil 5w-30 (I want to keep my car indefinitely).

1. Mobil 1 oil filter (partly because it's an excellent filter and partly to let service people know there is SYNTHETIC oil in the enginne and NOT to add Dino oil!)

John D.

Nissan Altima 6 cylinder

Mobil 1 SuperSyn 10W-30

and Nissan oil filter from the dealer.

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Stan Bringer

Fat chance, indefinitely is sooner than you think.

Perhaps you should review the site mentioned then first since he does more than just cut open the filters.

Here's a practical question for you: How come my Maxima rattles like a car with no oil at startup after a 1000 miles on a Fram, but goes for 5K with a Wix or Nissan filter ? (Hint: you can find out at the site where the guy cuts open filters).

Bob

Sorry...I was a bit hard on you. Overreacted. But I do believe that a car will last "indefinitely," at least as long as one cares enough to keep it going and as long as parts can be found for it.

True, cars rust out in much of the country with snow/salt conditions, or places close to the oceans, but here in the Southwest they don't have that problem.

I was talking primarily about mechanics anyway since the guy was asking about engine oil and filters, not the body, and if regular maintenance is done -- while avoiding incompetent, crooked or careless mechanics/shops -- cars WILL run much longer than most people think.

As I said, my cars may well be here after *I* am gone.

BTW, I use synthetic in my AT, too. The extra cost for synthetic oils like Mobil 1 (I find Amsoil too expensive/not readily available) and good filters (OEM or other quality filters) isn't that much and if *I* can afford it on my limited income, anyone can.

John D.

I also use Mobil-1 5W-30 and either Mobil-1 or NAPA Gold oil filter. My '94 Quest has 187,000 miles on it and still pulls our pop-up over hill and dale.

I put the same in my '95 PF but it only has about 80,000 miles on it - just getting broken in.

FWIW, I used the same on my '88 Hyundai and sold it with 189,000 miles on it - still running very well. Sometimes I will use a Wix filter.

Sure, the synth oil and topnotch filters cost a little more, but it's cheap insurance over the life of the car.

To send me mail directly, remove the xyz from my address.

Scorch

1. I don't use Mobil 1 for "savings"...I do it for my engine (and AT)!

If you want to be cheap, stick with Dino oil and $1.97 oil filters.

1. No, it's not too late, your engine is still almost new so start using it yourself.

John D.

I'm thinking about changing oil/filter myself. What filter should I use? Is Nissan OEM filter good?

Yes, it's very good.

Honda/Toyota/Nissan OEM filters are among the best.

John D.

Yep, the Nissan filter is IDENTICAL to the Purolator, or the Super Tech brand that Wal-Mart Sells.

They are manufactured on the same assembly line, and even have the same date stamps on them. The Super Tech uses a Fram Numbering system, but these are NOT Fram filters.

The Toyota/Honda OEM filters are still manufactured in Japan, so the insides are significantly different than the US made filters. I believe it they have more filter area inside the filter.

Unless the manufacture supplies the filter for FREE, you are welcome to use ANY brand that meets OEM specifications, and they CANNOT void your warranty.

If you change it at recommended intervals listed in your owners manual it really doesn't matter what brand you use.

Some brands will last longer than the recommended interval, but all will eventually clog up with dirt. This is why they have a by pass valve in them. When your filter fails, the oil is circulated unfiltered through your engine.

I have seen this in practice. I saw a Toyota Celica with a 22R engine that had the same filter for 40,000 miles. Customer changed the oil every 3 to 5,000 miles, but not the filter. I had to take the oil filter off with a screwdriver and a hammer, it was COMPLETELY clogged, and full of sludge. Engine sure ran different after it was changed.... Bypass valve worked.. :)

I believe in Synthetic oil, never seen it sludge up, because it can't.

If it can't decompose, it can't do engine damage like standard oil.

This is why most all companies have switched over to this oil for factory fill, and recommend that you ONLY use synthetic oil in the engine.

Simple test, buy a quart of your facorite regular oil and a quart of any brand synthetic. Put both in the freezer, take them out and pour. Regular oil doesn't pour well at low temperatures. Now take a small sample of each and heat it on a stove. Regular oil will degrade and smoke, synthetic will not.

You choose.. I d>Yes, it's very good.

For some more specific information on Nissan oil filters, see this webpage:

John D.

on a mopar web site some person took apart some filters and compared them. if you use your browser and find it as i recall you will never buy a fram filter again. check it out very informative. sorry i do not remember the exact URL. good luck jerome

I think it comes back to this point, and as other people have already said: If you do REGULAR oil changes on your car, don't abuse it and drive "normally," ANY filter (except REAL crap) will do the job. My

1973 Datsun 1200 has used "crap Frams," specifically the Fram PH8A -- due to my "ignorance" -- for the last 20 years or so. It's still running. It will stay on Dino oil (First Penzoil, then Castrol) due to its age, etc., and I'll probably continue using the Fram PH8A.

Were I able to do it over again, I'd have stayed with Nissan OEM filters which are among the best...as are Toyota and Honda filters. It's just that back then, we were trying to save money and OEM Datsun parts were parts were too expensive for us on a regular basis, and it's known dealer prices are often higher...so we looked for a decent alternative. Even today, for example, a gallon of Nissan coolant is about $14...a bit overpriced for me.

But my recently-acquired 1995 Nissan 200SX SE was changed over from Dino oil to Mobil 1 synthetic AND a Mobil 1 oil filter shortly after I got the car, partly because it's a good filter (although at $12 it's $3 more than a Nissan OEM) but also to indicate there is Mobil 1 synthetic oil in the engine -- a reminder -- so someone doesn't (hopefully) add Dino oil to it by mistake.

Some people will always buy the cheapest things, whatever they are. It's up to the individual...it's his/her car. But while it's not always true that the cheaper stuff is inferior, it's also not true that you always "get what you pay for"...expensive does not always guarantee quality.

John D.