# Oil Change question...



## taylor_f (Mar 28, 2011)

Hey there again everybody. Refresh on what I got. 1993 Sentra, 1.6, Manual, Two-door. 

My question is this:

My last oil change was Valvoline Dura-blend. Advance has a new special going for Penzoil Full Synthetic. Is it okay to switch between Valvoline, Penzoil, Castrol, Mobil? Another thing I like about the Penzoil special at Advance is that it comes with a Puralator GoldOne filter, which I definitely like more than others. So does it matter to switch between the different manufacturers oil every change?

Thanks everyone.

Taylor


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Personally, I stick with a single brand...that way I know who to blame when something goes to hell. And again, personally, I run away fast from anything to do with Pennzoil.
You either save a dollar now to spend a thousand dollars later, or you spend the extra couple bucks now and keep on driving.
And get away from them damn Puralator filters...way far away.
Have you learned nothing?
http://www.nissanforums.com/b13-91-94-chassis/165763-1993-nissan-sentra-se-help-2.html


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## lobogobo (May 12, 2009)

> And get away from them damn Puralator filters[/QUOTE
> 
> X2


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## taylor_f (Mar 28, 2011)

I gotcha, it's better than a Fram ya know? So I guess I'll buy Mobil Oil then? Stay with their synthetics?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

I prefer genuine Nissan filters, put use Purolator filters, both the "Classic" and "PureOne," and have never had an issue with them. They probably make half of the oil filters on the market! They make Motorcraft and Bosch in addition to a number of others. I would stay away from the Frams, however. There's a real good article on oil filter comparisons at:

Opinions and Recommendations - Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources

As far as oil, I have a 97 Nissan HB that I've put whatever 5W30 API certified oil I could get a hold of at the cheapest price in it, replacing at 3500-4000 mile intervals. Over 200,000 miles and I've never had any engine issues (unless you count a leaking valve cover gasket and leaking front crank seal). With my 04 Toyota Tacoma, I went to synthetic due to its 5000 mile oil change intervals. WIth that, I've put 80000 mile on it using mostly Pure One filters and Walmart's house brand synthetic, which is made by Royal Shell (which also makes Rotella). A 5 qt. container for $22 is a lot cheaper than the name brand sythetics and I've yet to do anything to it's engine other than replace the spark plugs twice and clean the throttle body.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

taylor_f said:


> I gotcha, it's better than a Fram ya know?


It's the same thing as a FRAM!!!

EDIT: I stand corrected. Got my wires crossed. Thanks again for the link smj.



> So I guess I'll buy Mobil Oil then? Stay with their synthetics?


Can't go wrong...
As far as switching between brands, well, different schools of thought there.
Some will argue that oil is made to a standard. Brand A synthetic should perform as well as Brand B. And that may be 100% true. And I also believe that to be the case. And if I had to change oil away from home and I didn't have my preferred brand of oil, I'd easily go with Brand B oil as long as it was also full synthetic and the same weight oil.
However, I also stick with one brand for the reason stated above. If something fails due to the oil, I know what brand to blame (which is why I don't use Pennzoil...ever seen what that crap leaves behind in an intake valley?).
That and it takes the question out of what to buy. When I tell the wife to pick up a jug of 5W-30 for the Sentra, she knows exactly what to get. No questions.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Purolator oil filters are not the same as Fram. Fram is owned by Honeywell and Purolator Filters is a joint venture company of Bosch Group and Mann+Hummel Group.


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## chrismariscal (Jan 10, 2011)

smj999smj said:


> Purolator oil filters are not the same as Fram. Fram is owned by Honeywell and Purolator Filters is a joint venture company of Bosch Group and Mann+Hummel Group.


I think we know that. I believe what JdGrotte is referring to is the quality of them. 
They are both crap. 
Both are notorious for collapsing, which then allows your oil to pass through un-filtered, which defeats the whole purpose of having an oil filter. 

personally i stick with K&N, or if a Napa Gold works good too.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Actually, I was thinking (for a few minutes anyways) that Fram and Purolator were the same thing with a different name tag.
Other than that...ya...I wouldn't run either one unless it was a last ditch choice and then I'd likely leave the old filter in place.


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## taylor_f (Mar 28, 2011)

Alright, another question concerning oil. I'm coming up on a 3,000 mile interval oil change. I used Valvoline Dura-blend last time. Been reading up on fully synthetic oil. My car being a 1993, 1.6, with 142,000 miles on it. Will it be okay to put synthetics in it? Or will it to be thin for the car, being that it's pretty high on miles as it is. What do you all think?


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

The worries about switching to full synthetic on an older engine are things from "back in the day" when full synthetic engine oil was something relatively new on the market.
Switching an old engine to today's full synthetic oils won't hurt anything.
And synthetic oil isn't thinner than regular oil. It's the same thickness as dino- oil. But, after you put 5,000 miles on dino- oil and 5,000 miles on full synthetic oil, the synthetic stuff will just be getting started. The 5,000 mile old dino- oil will likely be used up and wasted.


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