2011 Frontier oil change question

[ricbrk]

I apologize for bringing up a topic that has probably been wore out long ago, but I couldn't find any posts to address my question. I purchased a Certified 2011 Frontier V-6 about a year ago. Once I talked them into fixing the rough idle when in drive it has been a good little truck. I got my last free oil change today. I told the Service writer I would be doing my own from now on. I plan to use a Nissan filter with Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic oil. Also, I talked with him about change intervals. I have been following the severe change interval with the free oil changes. It's every 3 months. I have put less than 1500 miles on the truck each change. We live in a very rural Pa. mountain area. 80% of my driving is a 40 minute drive to town. Local short runs amount to 20%. I wanted to bump the change interval to every 6 months which mileage would be about 3,000 miles. I'm retired. We did purchase a Nissan warranty which is in effect until Sept. 2018, supposedly bumper to bumper. He said not using the severe interval would probably void the engine in the warranty. Secondly, he says synthetic oil is to slippery for Nissan engines. It will not stick to the parts ? Supposedly, they've seen timing chain issues with customers using synthetic oil ? We also own a Nissan Rogue that we bought new. I've used the same synthetic oil in it since the second oil change. That "different" service manager never said that when I told him we were using synthetic in it. SO, my question is what opinion do you have on switching to the Nissan regular oil change interval, and it affecting engine warranty, and opinions on using synthetic oil in the Nissan V6 4.0. Thanks

[JB'sTitanXD]

In my frontier, I ran Mobil 1 syn and changed it every 7,500 miles and my dealer said it was fine. Personality I think your wasting money changing it every 3-6 months specially if your only putting 3k miles. Here is some information from the manual. I would follow Schedule 2 and change every 7,500 miles

SCHEDULE 1 (more severe operating
conditions), every 3,750 miles or 3
months, whichever comes first
Use Schedule 1 if you primarily operate
your vehicle under any of these condi-
tions:
●
Repeated short trips of less than 5
miles in normal temperatures or less
than 10 miles in freezing temperatures
●
Stop-and-go traffic in hot weather or
low speed driving for long distances
●
Driving in dusty conditions or on rough,
muddy, or salt-spread roads
●
Towing a trailer, or using a camper or
car-top carrier

SCHEDULE 2 (less severe operating
conditions), every 7,500 miles or 6
months, whichever comes first
Schedule 2 features 7,500-mile service
intervals; with Schedule 2 fewer mainte-
nance items are regularly checked or re-
placed than with Schedule 1.
Generally, Schedule 2 applies only to
highway driving in temperate conditions.
Use Schedule 2 only if you primarily oper-
ate your vehicle under conditions other
than those listed in Schedule 1

[BRubble]

Nissan doesn't specify Synthetic Oil,, but does specify Type and Viscosity. I don't recall Nissan even makeing a suggestion about Synthetic Oil,, one way or the other.

I've got one engine that the owners manual say's to use Synthetic Oil, and It's a Brigg's & Stratton 11hp, so I use Full Synthetic Castrol 10w30 or 10w40,, per the Viscosity Chart in the Owner's Manual.

For those that put a lot of mile's on their Vehicle's,, I personally would say the Synthetic may help, for long term durability,, if they use the correct viscosity.

I don't drive very much, so I use regular Castrol 5w30,, like the owner's manual suggest's. I change my oil @ 5000 mile's or 6 month's whichever come's first. The 6 month's usually come's way before the mileage does.

I've thought about going to a part synthetic castrol 5w30,, but so far,, I'm just hesitant to use a synthetic oil yet.

Last time I filled up(last week), my '13 v6 KC 2wd AT was getting 20.5 mpg. That's as good as the '93 Nissan 4 cyl 2wd AT was getting before I got the '13. I'm pretty pleased with the mpg,, and I figure mpg, by mile's driven divided by gallon's used to fill up, each time. I keep a little notebook in the cab, to jot down the mile's, gallon's to fill up,,and the mpg. I've driven both truck's over the same route, and filling up at the same station,, and same pump. I drive the v6 about the same as I drove the 4 cylinder.

So far,, the v6 engine is staying quiet,, and I'm glad that it is.

Until or If I am convinced to go Synthetic,, I think that I'll just stay the course that I'm on.

Good Luck with whichever oil you choose to go with, but make sure that it is the correct viscosity for your Region.

[65ShelbyClone]

3000mi is excessively frequent IMO. It may have been necessary 50 years ago, but oils and engines have improved drastically since then.

Also, miles aren't as important as how the vehicle is used. I drive mostly highway/freeway miles, which is fairly gentle on a vehicle and I have no intention of using the factory interval of 3750mi...that's ridiculous. Having to use the "severe" service intervals to avoid losing a warranty is BS and is probably a two-pronged approach by the service manager to 1.) scare you into spending money there more often and 2.) reduce the chances of the dealership having to honor a warranty claim.

If you go so far as to have a used oil analysis or two done, which is not a bad idea(better yet, get the virgin oil tested, then the same oil tested when it's drained), I bet you'll find that the oil's additive package and protection is nowhere near being exhausted when you have it changed. That's wasted money, wasted time, and wasted resources for no extra protection.

[Q451990]

I'd feel totally comfortable going with a 6 month/ 3K interval with a full synthetic - no matter what driving habits you're throwing at it. Still massive overkill with synthetic, but a good idea during the warranty.

Heath

[lilguy]

After 30 years in a dealer shop, I can say that telling a customer he must change his oil every 3000 miles or loose his Warrenty coverage boarders on consumer fraud. I'm on my 4th Nissan now, 3/6s, 1/v8 and I change oil between 5+6 thousand miles using synthetic.
If you feel better doing it more often, it's your money and peace of mind, do it.
Modern oils DO NOT breakdown at 3000 miles unless severely contaminated.
+1 ShelbyClone.

[PalmerWMD]

I'd feel totally comfortable going with a 6 month/ 3K interval with a full synthetic - no matter what driving habits you're throwing at it. Still massive overkill with synthetic, but a good idea during the warranty.

Heath

THIS

The service manager likes his oil change customers is all

[mdawg4x4]

This is a little old, but I haven't been on here in a while. My oil was changed in my 06 Frontier by a Nissan dealer every 3,000 miles since I bought it new, and I had to have my timing chain replaced at ~71,000 miles at my expense. The service mgr just wants his oil change money.
Our local dealer decided to open only 1 bay door one Saturday morning and it wasn't the one I was parked at. I went from 4th to ~7th in line and he wouldn't make it right. I haven't been back. They told me as long as I have the documentation showing oil changes, my warranty would be good. We'll see? With 3 Nissans, I don't have time to sit at a dealer all morning on Saturdays to wait on an oil change. I sat for over 2 hours the last time I was there.

[romytoss]

Just came across this now. That "it would void your warranty if you don't adhere to the oil change schedule" sounds almost like it's threatening the customer? I personally think it is a marketing ploy, there have been articles recommending you change oil every 3,000 miles. I think it still greatly depends upon the condition of your truck. Apart from that, changing every 3 mons can be rather inconvenient. With regard to synthetic oil, I have not heard nissan indicating owners to go all synthetic, I have an 06 frontier and I still use regular.