# Best Engine Oil????



## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

Hey guys.... I have a '96 Nissan 200SX with the GA16DE motor. The engine has about 119,000 miles on it and i was wondering

WHAT IS THE BEST BRAND, TYPE, AND WEIGHT OIL TO USE?

i currently use 10W-30 Castrol GTX High Mileage and it runs wonderfully. Is there a better brand/type/weight to use?????

Also.... i am adding a TURBO this summer, running about 8-10 psi. What oil would ya suggest i use then? same one? what parts would you suggest i replace to prepare for it (other than the clutch)?

thanks guys.


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## myoung (Apr 15, 2002)

Mobil 1


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Only bad thing about the Mobil 1 in my experience has been if you switch to it in an older engine,it may cause the seals to leak because of the strong detergent package in it.A friend of mine put it in his 92 Pathfinder,and he had to replace the rear main seal shortly thereafter(but I have used it for years in my Frontier with no problems even after 192k mi).You definitely would want it in a turbo application because it is more resistant to breakdown than a conventional oil.


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## zeno (Sep 17, 2002)

> Only bad thing about the Mobil 1 in my experience has been if you switch to it in an older engine,it may cause the seals to leak because of the strong detergent package in it.A friend of mine put it in his 92 Pathfinder,and he had to replace the rear main seal shortly thereafter(but I have used it for years in my Frontier with no problems even after 192k mi).You definitely would want it in a turbo application because it is more resistant to breakdown than a conventional oil.


Agreed....Mobil 1 is the best oil but I won't recommend it on such a high mile engine unless it has consistantly been given Mobil 1 in the past. The ironic thing is, the crappy oil that people use actually sort of creates a seal w/ all the residue the oil leaves behind in the engine. Mobil 1 will clean all these crap out but as a result your engine will start to leak. You may get lucky but this is the conventional wisdom.


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## sentrapower93 (May 11, 2002)

After 10 years & 110k miles, using only Mobil 1 5W30 and a nissan oil filter has kept my 1.6 running like new...


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I've run it since it was a year old and only had 60k on it, but my friend's car had 90k and was 9 yrs old, that's why it leaked


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## Katana200sx (May 13, 2002)

ive ran mobil 1 since about 110,000. i had a front main seal that was bad...when i ran 15w-50 it didnt leak more than normal...switched to 10w-30 and it bled like hell. id recommend using any type of systhetic such as red line, royal purple, mobil 1. but mobil is more cost effective and you can buy a 5 quart jug at walmart for less than $20


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## zeno (Sep 17, 2002)

If I remember correctly, it is something like 90k when they say not to use Mobil 1 unless you have used it for most of the engine's life. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Also keep in mind that Mobil 1, Royal Purple, etc. is not cheap. I pay about $40 on Mobil 1 oil alone per oil change.


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

Mobil1 since new, 144K miles ago, runs beautifully, with NO leaks whatsoever. Changed every 5K.


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

i use Vavoline Durablend...

no problems here.


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## Gimp (Jun 9, 2002)

Royal Purple. Noticed quite a difference the first few oil changes. ALTHOUGH, I do the oil changes myself and I don't mind spending $20 for the oil and $5 for the filter.


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

Mobil 1 5w30. Havent had any problems since ive put it in. Previous owner also used Mobil 1.


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## Katana200sx (May 13, 2002)

how are you spending $40 on just oil per oil change? just go to walmart and buy it man. i havent had any leaks since i changed my front main seal.


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## zeno (Sep 17, 2002)

Mobil 1 is about $5 a quart where I'm at.


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## togenji (Oct 10, 2002)

Since the season is starting to heat up, would you guys stick with 5w-30 or switch to 10w-40?


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I might go to 10w30,but not 40. Nissan engines have tight bearing clearences and a really thick oil could cause the bearings to run dry.This was not the case in older engines which were not built nearly as tight as they are today which is why you could run, say, a 20w 50 in your 350 Chevy with no problems.


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## togenji (Oct 10, 2002)

I have one more question, I know people say change the oil every 3000 miles or 3 months, but I barely drive 1000 miles in those 3 months. Would it be ok if I changed the oil on a time period of every 4-5 months? Or would every 3 months still be optimum in your opinions?

Thanks


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## 1CLNB14 (Apr 30, 2002)

Amsoil 

I have not used it personaly, but the guys with the Skylines rave about it.


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

*amsoil??*

is that an engine oil brand name? if so,where do you get it? if it works well in skylines (twin turbo?) i dont think that would be adequate on a 8psi 4 cylinder... or do you beg to differ?


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## 1CLNB14 (Apr 30, 2002)

They sold it at a local speed shop here in Seattle.

I'm sure it would work fine....


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2003)

Castrol Oil 10w30


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## AznVirus (May 8, 2002)

Mobil 1 Synthetic Blend 5W30.


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2003)

Castrol GTX and a Walmart Supertech filter every 3k. I don't see the point of spending the $$$ on synthetic for a little econobox


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## HCS200sx97 (Jul 8, 2002)

at 72k miles, should i just stick with the dino oil instead of switching to say mobil 1 or a synthetic?

I just dont want a perfectly good engine to leak like a garden hose.


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## SilverSentra99 (Oct 23, 2002)

I started using Mobil 1 Synthetic 5-w30 at 77k and it runs great and i also did a motor flush 2 changes a go and i use Engine Restore every time and it rusn like new and no leaks ..

But I am wondering about the new Mobil 1 0-W30. dose anyone now what the purpose is for this new light weight oil?


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## krylonkoopaa (Sep 13, 2002)

im a valvoline man syntech


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

HCSsentra96 said:


> *at 72k miles, should i just stick with the dino oil instead of switching to say mobil 1 or a synthetic?
> 
> I just dont want a perfectly good engine to leak like a garden hose. *


It's not the miles I would worry about but the age.Because of that, I would stick to conventional oil instead of a synthetic for your application.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

krylonkoopa said:


> *im a valvoline man syntech *


I would not use Syntech in any engine after what happened to my friend's 5.0 Mustang engine on it.He pulled the intake after 100k of using the stuff and the valley was full of sludge!This was in a vehicle that had regular 3k mi oil changes.It also stripped the rustoleum right out of the valley in his 351 Windsor powered race car.I, on the other hand, have ahd no problems running Mobil 1 in any of my cars and would strongly recommend it to anyone who has a newer engine.


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## HCS200sx97 (Jul 8, 2002)

What about running the 10w-30 dino oil through the HS turbo kit? 97 is too old you say?


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Hmmm...That complicates things a little. A turbo is usually better served with a synthetic because of the tendency for a turbo engine to go through"coking" of the oil with standard mineral based oil.I would try it,but be ready to need to possibly replace both the front and rear crankshaft seals.You wil also need to increase your oil change interval to 2500 miles, and let the engine run for a minute after you stop before turning the engine off to cool the bearings(or just get a turbo timer)in the turbo. This will help to reduce the chance of the oil cooking in the passages of the turbo and causing premature turbo bearing failure.Remember that a turbo engine is more maintenance intensive than a N/A engine-if you want everything to give a good service life.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2003)

MOBIL 1 all the way.........


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## Lucino200sx (Apr 30, 2002)

I like Vavoline


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## Lucino200sx (Apr 30, 2002)

But you can't go wrong with Mobile. If you really really want to take care your engine,change your oil frequely, like every 1500 or 2000 miles, it doesn't really matter what type of oil you use. Trust me.


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

Castrol TWS Motorsport, sold per liter, used on M engines.....


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

himilefrontier said:


> *I would not use Syntech in any engine after what happened to my friend's 5.0 Mustang engine on it.He pulled the intake after 100k of using the stuff and the valley was full of sludge!This was in a vehicle that had regular 3k mi oil changes.It also stripped the rustoleum right out of the valley in his 351 Windsor powered race car.I, on the other hand, have ahd no problems running Mobil 1 in any of my cars and would strongly recommend it to anyone who has a newer engine. *


Would a '96 GA16DE with 120k miles on it be considered a newer engine???? Also, once a turbo goes in, can i stay with the same viscosity/brand???


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## 88 Pulsar SE (Mar 25, 2003)

If you want to change from 5W-30, I would go with 10W-30....Don't like 10W-40. Anyone else?


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## HCS200sx97 (Jul 8, 2002)

I get what you're say himilefrontier. Turbo = your baby. But I think that any of us here treat our cars with more respect than most people do (Is that a dirt road? Oh Yea!) well, most the time atleast. I just dont want a 3500 investment to be nothing more than a noise maker after running the wrong lubricant, nor do i want my project stunted by bad seals. I also considered semi-syn, any lowdown about that?


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

*Engine Oil Answers*



togenji said:


> *Since the season is starting to heat up, would you guys stick with 5w-30 or switch to 10w-40? *


I would not use 10W40 in an import engine. Nissan doesn't recommend it and it's not widely used by many people that I know of.

*Quote from The Engine Oil Bible*
_"Multigrade oils work by having a polymer added to a light base oil which prevents the oil from thinning too much as it warms up. At low temperatures, the polymers are coiled up and allow the oil to flow as it's low number (W number) indicates. As the oil heats up, the polymers unwind into long chains which prevent the oil from thinning as much as it normally would. The result is that at 100°C, the oil has thinned only as much as it's higher rating. Think of it like this: a 10W30 oil is a 10-weight oil that will not thin more than a 30-weight oil when it gets hot.
"_
The viscosity index range of 30 on 10W40 oil is high which means the polymer chains in the oil have to wind and unwind more than say a 10W30 oil. This continuing cycle of cooling and heating will cause any conventional oil to break down much faster and will not protect your engine as well. Synthetic oil doesn't sheer down the same as conventional oil so you can run it at longer intervals without loss of protection although it's up to the individual user.

*togenji*, if you drive less than 3000 miles in 3 months, then I'd suggest to change the oil two to three times a year, spring and fall or spring, mid summer and late fall to remove contaminants and water build up that remain in the oil. I've heard three times a year is optimum with low mileage. 


himilefrontier said:


> *I might go to 10w30,but not 40. Nissan engines have tight bearing clearances and a really thick oil could cause the bearings to run dry...*


Excellent post himilefrontier, I'm just wondering if it's true. Our mechanic, the one my dad has been using for the past 15 years, uses 10W40 on older engines and after reading a year ago about oil types I knew that it wasn't doing any good. Like you described, Nissan engines have tight bearing clearances and thick oil, 40weight, could cause the bearings to run dry. I can support that claim to some extent. Since we had the timing chain guides fixed at the same garage I'm sure he used 10W40 after he was finished. The car, my mothers, may have gone 10,000Km's with out an oil change while at the same time was experiencing an oil leak a few months later. I can't be for certain if the bearings went dry because the oil was low or because of the type used. With that said, all 5 crankshaft bearings had to be replaced for $12 each not to mention labor which wasn't cheap. He told us the bearings were in such bad shape they scored the crank and couldn't guarantee the work. Two weeks later and they're gone again so now I'm looking for another engine for the car. If a simple and cheap seal was fixed and perhaps a different oil was used they wouldn't have had this problem. On a side note, they now own a 2003 Kia Rio but I still have my B13 and I plan on keeping it.

For those of you wondering about AMSOIL, apparantly it has been around since the late 70's and was one of the first synthetic oil producers. While it hasn't received attention like RedLine, from everything I've read about it, most on their own site, it seems to be the best on the market. The Engine Oil Bible is a good read and I suggest it to anyone wondering what to buy.
As for Engine Additives, don't even think about it!


SilverSentra99 said:


> *I am wondering about the new Mobil 1 0-W30. dose anyone now what the purpose is for this new light weight oil? *


0W-30 is good for extreme cold climates, mainly in the winter so that the oil will be thin enough during start up to move. Once it reaches normal operating temperatures it acts like any other 30 weight oil. Anything lower than 0W-30 is considered an engine conditioner/flush treatment and shouldn't be run in your car for everyday driving.

Mobil 1 also makes a synthetic 15W50 oil for Turbocharged/Supercharge engines for those of you wondering.

Sorry for the long post. 

- Greg


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

MCHNHED said:


> *Would a '96 GA16DE with 120k miles on it be considered a newer engine???? Also, once a turbo goes in, can i stay with the same viscosity/brand??? *


By newer, I was referring to age more than mileage.Your engine is not "newer" in my opinion since it is 7 years old.I have a 95 Sentra GXE with 68k on it and wouldn't run a synthetic in it either.My Frontier has 193k on it and I have no problems since it has been on synthetic since it was 1 yr old,and so the seals are used to it.With a turbo, you should run the synthetic for reasons I stated earlier, but I would be ready to replace the crankshaft seals and some gaskets shortly after the switch.This is cheaper in the long run than having the turbo cartridge go bad since the oil passages got plugged with sludge because of using the wrong oil. Another thing to look at is the API label on the back of the oil bottle.My Mobil 1 is rated "IL and CF".The I stands for igniton,and the C is for compression ignition-deisel.Get a oil that has a "c" rating(the letter after it is for which standard it meets-higher letter is better)since deisel's require a stronger detergent package than gas engines do-this is better for the life of your turbo.


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

*Re: Engine Oil Answers*



95 SentraB13 said:


> *Mobil 1 also makes a synthetic 15W50 oil for Turbocharged/Supercharge engines for those of you wondering.
> - Greg *


i was just gonna ask this. Thanks Greg. Now is there any other alternative viscosity level that i can get for a turbocharged GA16?


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

> _Originally posted by 95 SentraB13_
> *Mobil 1 also makes a synthetic 15W50 oil for Turbocharged/Supercharge engines for those of you wondering.
> 
> - Greg *


MR GREG...since you seem to know so much about engine oil... please enlighten me - what viscosity would be the best for my situation? (see first page of this thread) also... would using synthetic Mobil 1 destroy my gaskets and seals since i haven't used syn.Mobil in the past???? thanks for answering my questions man...


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

*MCHNHED*, because of the amount of Km's on the engine and it's age, I would not suggest switching to synthetic with out being prepared; meaning have money around to fix any possible leaks. I have the same engine, '95 GA16DE with 197,xxx Km's(117,xxx miles) and I do plan on switching to synthetic as I want to keep the car for as long as possible and keep it running longer and stronger from the added protection. I don't like the idea of conventional oil gumming up the inside and leaving behind deposits. With the oil cover removed there is a dark layer of varnish on the rockers and other parts so I'd hate to see what the internal/base of the engine is like with less than adequate oil changes. Because of the current condition of my engine, I don't feel comfortable pushing the car hard knowing the maintenance history. Even with regular changes and the continued use of regular oil, who's to say that I won't blow a gasket or develop a seal leak?

If you switch to synthetic and don't develop any problems after the second drain interval then you should be relatively safe with regards to leaks. It's a gamble like everyone said but I'd have more confidence knowing the engine has the best protection, especially with any future runs/cruises with our local car club.

As for what is best in a Turbocharged application, I would say to use synthetic 10W30 because of the GA16DE clearance specifications. Anything thicker may cause internal problems. I haven't done a lot of reading on what's best for turbo's but a simple search on Google seemed to place *AMSOIL* Synthetic in the top. There are hundreds of sites by AMSOIL deals, one site saying 85% of race teams use AMSOIL even though they're sponsored by Castrol or Mobil 1 for example. If you are going to turbo the engine, synthetic will provide the best protection and switching now is a good a time as any.

_**The above comments are my personal opinion and in no way reflect the endorsement of one particular product. Application uses and personal experiences by other board members may provide the best answer. As always, research is the key._


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

Well Mr. Greg, you are the only one who has completely answered my original question at the very beginning of this forum. much thanks to you.


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

Hey, thanks MCHNHED! I'm really only laying out your options as to what to watch out for or what to buy. *Himilefrontier's* last post said pretty much the same thing and he has an example to back up what I said. You can use varying viscosities of synthetic oil but as to which is best for turbocharging I can't be for certain but instead base my decision on a non-turbo'd engine. I would contact AMSOIL for your exact application and engine type as they have a wider range of synthetic oils compared to Mobil 1's 5W30, 10W30 and 15W50. Check out the Store at AMSOIL's website and read the information on each oil type to see what you think may work best.
I'm not saying you need to use AMSOIL, perhaps you're interested in Redline or Royal Purple, but at least you'll get some information. If not, contact the other oil manufactures. Perhaps you can contact Mike Young at NPM for the turbo GA16DE he put together and see what he used.

I know I'm getting old when people start calling me Mr. hehe. It's scary when people think I'm older than I am. I'm not really that old and they usually say I look mature so perhaps that's a good thing.


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## Sailor_Beavis (Aug 28, 2002)

I personally use Mobil 1 or Castrol GTX 5W-30 in my Sentra, along with Nissan oil filters, and change every 4-5k. I usually do this myself, but occasionally allow the dealer to do the maintenance - and they're always great about following my requests to the letter. No problems yet; the car still runs like a top with 63k on the odometer. My dealer is pretty impressed, but not surprised, with its condition.

Conventional oils can come from many different hydrocarbon bases, some of which are more prone to leaving deposits than others. I choose to use Mobil and Castrol oils because over time, their detergent packages have been shown to minimize sludging and deposits. Castrol GTX in particular is a favorite of Taurus SHO owners, and if it's good enough for a high-performance Yamaha, I figure it should work well in my little Nissan.

I have tried Mobil 1 synthetic, and my gas mileage improved slightly, but not enough to justify the price premium we pay in my area. I think unless you have a high performance engine, or are going to turbo-charge your engine (as you plan to do), it is more important to change your oil regularly (which many people forget to do). Mobil 1, no matter what the base, is an excellent product, and both Nissan and Mobil 1 make some of the best filters on the market from what I've read. It's also cheaper than AMSOIL or Redline.


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## B14Drifter (Oct 25, 2002)

castrol syntec blend with fram x2 oil filter... done every 4 weeks or whenever i get bored...


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## MCHNHED (Dec 22, 2002)

*FRAM??*

how do you guys feel about FRAM???


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Never had any problems with them,and I run their filters on all my cars(well...at least the ones that run!).


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2003)

*Re: FRAM??*



MCHNHED said:


> *how do you guys feel about FRAM??? *


Word is they suck. So say the guys at http://www.bobistheoilguy.com
they recommend the Walmart Supertech filters if you don't want to spend a lot of money, Mobil 1 if you don't mind spending $10+ for a filter.


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## SupraMK3 (Oct 2, 2005)

Castrol GTX and Mobil 1 Synthetic for the 200sx and Supra Turbo. These two oil brands are also the preferred brands on the Supra forum. For oil filters I just use AC Delco and Toyota filter. And for coolant I use Toyota red antifreeze both for the Supra and Nissan. I have not had a problem yet. I think the key here is changing your oil on time and you could avoid expensive repairs down the road. And if you drive your car hard then change the oil more frequent. Like 2000 miles instead of the 3000 miles. Inspect for oil leaks and get them fix ASAP. You could use the best grade oil but if it's on your driveway then the oil won't protect your engine. When you drive your car hard and your oil level isn't full then you're starving your engine lubrication system of oil. 

I was kind of pissed that the previous owner of my 200sx uses Penzoil from Jiffy Lube. Is that crap any good? I noticed just about every mechanic shop uses that brand for oil change.


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

SupraMK3 said:


> Castrol GTX and Mobil 1 Synthetic for the 200sx and Supra Turbo. These two oil brands are also the preferred brands on the Supra forum. For oil filters I just use AC Delco and Toyota filter. And for coolant I use Toyota red antifreeze both for the Supra and Nissan. I have not had a problem yet. I think the key here is changing your oil on time and you could avoid expensive repairs down the road. And if you drive your car hard then change the oil more frequent. Like 2000 miles instead of the 3000 miles. Inspect for oil leaks and get them fix ASAP. You could use the best grade oil but if it's on your driveway then the oil won't protect your engine. When you drive your car hard and your oil level isn't full then you're starving your engine lubrication system of oil.
> 
> I was kind of pissed that the previous owner of my 200sx uses Penzoil from Jiffy Lube. Is that crap any good? I noticed just about every mechanic shop uses that brand for oil change.


dude, why did you bump a 3 year old thread?


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## stone (Jul 7, 2005)

LIUSPEED said:


> i use Vavoline Durablend...
> 
> no problems here.




Same here!!


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## SupraMK3 (Oct 2, 2005)

psuLemon said:


> dude, why did you bump a 3 year old thread?


Cuz it's good shit. Has a lot of very good information in it. I'm newbie so I'm always looking to gain knowledge from people on this forum so I apologize for bumping an old thread. I don't see why I can not bump an old thread. Just cuz it's old doesn't mean that it's not useful.


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

_ " ... Has a lot of very good information in it. I'm newbie so I'm always looking to gain knowledge from people on this forum so I apologize for bumping an old thread. I don't see why I can not bump an old thread. Just 'cuz it's old doesn't mean that it's not useful."_

Bingo! :thumbup: 

Nothing wrong with old threads ... especially for topics like oil that come up all the time. They have lots of discussion/knowledge that otherwise is lost. People need to use the search engine of forums like this more often. 

As for my favorite brands, I like Pennzoil, Havoline and Chevron Supreme. I'm not passing along hearsay, I've been dealing with people who are chemists, CLEs (certified lubrication experts) and others that are close to the petro-chemical industry.

You can find this on-line insane asylum at:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

I like the brands I mentioned as they use a highly refined Group II+ base whose flow characteristics approach synthetics ... especially the Group III synthetics on store shelves. (Havoline _might_ still be Group II ... but that's still pretty solid stuff. They also use a state of the art additive package which includes _both_ molybdenum and boron (not found in many other motor oils).

For drain intervals of 4,000 miles or less, you will get top-notch wear protection (UOA documented) wchich won't be (depending on driving habits, of course) Those of you who've heard (and perhaps even passed-along) exaggerated rumors of waxy build-up have some re-education to go through. 

Mobil 1 and Amsoil are both fine ... with Mobil 1's additive package right now being the better one. Both of these are PAO-based 'true' synthetics. Consider them if you want to go longer between changes ... but I wouldn't go longer than 7,500 miles with _any_ oil without UOAs showing it was holding up fine in your particular application.

I'm no fan of Royal Purple which, last I heard, was a PAO/mineral blend. It thins out alarmingly quickly ... probably to increase power and fuel economy.

Lucas Oil products also fail to impress me although some people seem to love their UCL fuel additive. Last we heard, their 'synthetic' motor oil was merely a Group III mineral formula.

The jury is still out on Red Line engine oils, unless you need the ultimate in high-temp protection. Their Group V ester-intensive formula is quite aggressive (chemically) and may offset the otherwise excellent protection this expensive and exotic oil provides. 

I'm currently using Schaeffer Oil ... a private blender from St. Louis Missouri that produces high-quality, shear-resistant lubricants ... mostly for industrial and agricultural applications.  

For even more discussion, search this forum using brand names ... be sure to spell them correctly.


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

http://www.sentra.net/tech/garage/engine.php#Synthetic Oils and Lubricants read young newbies. MOBIL 1 is really the only good oil.


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

*Mike Kojima* may be a wiz when it comes to hard parts ... but he's just passing along hearsay when it comes to lubricants.

Nothing wrong with Mobil 1 ... but he's making statements he can't back up and some generalizations which require more info, explanation, etc ...

He should probably stick with recommendations for mods and hard parts and leave oil recommendations to chemists and CLEs.


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## Sintacks (Oct 10, 2006)

I switched to M1 10W 30 in my 91 Pathfinder 3.0L with 360,000KM on it and absolutely no issues there and NO LEAKING. It still runs great. I'm driving an 03 Altima 3.5L but keep the pathfinder for the winter. I just switched to M1 5W 30 in the Altima recently and it just rolled 86,000KM. I immediately noticed a difference in gas mileage -- It's better and that 3.5L just purrs like a kitten now!


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## 1941Galant (Sep 27, 2006)

I recently switched to mobile 1 in my car, it had 162k miles on it and it there aren't any major oil leaks, and I have to put about half a quart in every thousand miles. I also used BG engine purge before doing this to clean out a lot of the crap in the motor.


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## nova73guy (Mar 30, 2004)

It's possible your engine is burning oil now, since you did the engine flush. The flush washed all the crud out of the engine, but that crud was filling little gaps here and there and keeping the engine sealed.

BTW: I've been running Castrol GTX 10W30 for the last 100k (since I got the car). It's at 130k and still running fine. If I drive her pretty hard I'll lose oil, but under normal conditions it doesn't lose a drop.


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## RedHead7 (May 30, 2006)

MCHNHED said:


> Hey guys.... I have a '96 Nissan 200SX with the GA16DE motor. The engine has about 119,000 miles on it and i was wondering
> 
> WHAT IS THE BEST BRAND, TYPE, AND WEIGHT OIL TO USE?
> 
> ...



I would use 10W-30, thats what I use on my car 171,000. It is a thicker oil, and when a car gets more miles on it, the gaps in the engine get bigger, so you need a thicker oil to keep everything running better. And about the Mobile1, I would not buy it, they say it is better, but all oil is almost exactly the same. Buy a cheaper one that is still a well known name.


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## happykorn (Jul 25, 2005)

ok so i read thru this thread, and have a question.

I just did my first oil change, and put in Mobil 1 10w-30. I see alot of people have had leaks, and some haven't. So if i do get a leak from switching from whatever Goodyear uses to Mobil 1, how long would it take for a leak to appear? Is there no way of really telling and it would depend on the car? Anyways Thanks


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## wellitsovernow (Aug 29, 2004)

??? you will be good with mobil 1 I used for years in every car i own and in my opinion its the best oil that can be bought from anywhere. i will be using Redline soon but that has to be shipped here.


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## larry164 (Apr 26, 2006)

Amsoil all the way been running it for 8 yrs now in my 2000 Frontier also run amsoil in the tranny and rear end. awesum stuff.

Also ran Amsoil prior to my Nissan in a 89 Blazer for 11 yrs. 328,000 mi. never had an engine or tranny problem.


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## sunny441 (Jan 26, 2006)

All i use is Federated Regulated 15W40 , with a NAPA GOLD filter and I live in Michigan.

I am considering switching oil to a synthetic but am not sure what grade and whether i might have problems with leaks and such!

cheers


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## sportcoupe(turbo) (May 25, 2007)

mobile 1 is the only oil that is true synthetic all other brands that are reached in a store are not synthetic they might have 10% synthetic oil in it. I do not see the point in switching to mobile 1 if you do not have a turbo but would recomand changing oil regularly depending on driving conditions and habits 10w 30 = summer 5w 30 = winter one way to see if your overdue or ok when changing oil and some light goes trough it when its coming out your a tad late if no light comes through very late if oil has a smell of gasoline you need to change it rite away ! hope this helps some of you guys and please dont change it 3 times a year thats just stupid the reason as to why you have a time interval and not just distance is because oil acts out as a filter as well filtering out surtain thing out of your engine.


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

Lucino200sx said:


> But you can't go wrong with Mobile. If you really really want to take care your engine,change your oil frequely, like every 1500 or 2000 miles, it doesn't really matter what type of oil you use. Trust me.


This is dumb. Oil doesn't even break down in 5,000 miles. Changing before 3,000 is a waste. I have an article on this if you want to see it.


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## Captain Obvious (Jan 2, 2004)

maroonsentra said:


> This is dumb. Oil doesn't even break down in 5,000 miles. Changing before 3,000 is a waste. I have an article on this if you want to see it.


we have actually been talking about this since 2003? my goodness

and for the record oil does not break down its the additaves in the oil that break down.

there are so many different things that can effect this and changing your oil 3000 miles is safest.

however honda a couple years ago ut out a TSB that said that changing the oil in thier cars every 3000 miles was not needed and they recoment 5000 miles.
problem is that you cant go off that you can only go off the maker of the oil and not the car maker.

I am currently using my 2004 corolla as a test platform for an amsoil xl product tha tadvertises 7500-12000 mile changes
I currently change it at 10k and when I hit 100k I will check remeasure the engine and go against the pre measurments I did when the car was new

oh and changing from Dyno oil to a syn oil WILL NOT produce leaks,this is a myth and I have found it untrue.
however if you do get an oil with a higher detergent concentration then you may clean the crap out that will show leaks that was already there just hidden by gunk.

but if you have an otherwise good car and you switch it at anytime from conventional to synth you will be fine


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Captain Obvious said:


> we have actually been talking about this since 2003? my goodness
> 
> oh and changing from Dyno oil to a syn oil WILL NOT produce leaks,this is a myth and I have found it untrue.
> however if you do get an oil with a higher detergent concentration then you may clean the crap out that will show leaks that was already there just hidden by gunk.
> ...


I agree, Absolutely true !!! 
Yes but a myth founded in truth from the earliest Synthetics.
As I understand it the first synthetics caused leaks. How?
Well the Conventional oil caused the rubber seals of the day to swell, that took up wear and prevented leaks from seals and gaskets.
When the switch was made to synthetics the rubber returned to its normal size. Leaks then appeared. (think old Chevy small blocks !!)
So the Synthetic manufacturer added additives to produce the same amount of rubber sweling as conventional oil.
So it was no longer a problem, but the stories persist.
So don't worry about leaks, I haven't had any switching over on my 10 yr old Sentra !!


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## wolfeyes (Sep 30, 2007)

Hey guys, quick question, I've been running Valvoline Max life Synthetic every 3 months on '03 Max,SE. Since I drive around 600 miles per month can I extend the changes to every four months instead of three? Don't want to give the dealership any more money than they need.
Thanks


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## fatboy98maxima (May 13, 2008)

10w 30 works fine to me


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## SentGXE99 (May 8, 2004)

I have been using Walmart Super Tech 5w-30 w/ the Walmart filter because my Sentra is my daily driver/ beater. No problems at all, no burning oil, no leaks, 4 years and 100k since I got it now. I usually change it every 5k, and occassionally add some lucas oil treatment. I am also never wrong, so you can trust me. People sometimes tell me I'm wrong, but this leads me to conclude they are all wrong, thus making me doubt humanity's honesty. Walmart synthetic oil is fine for a Sentra. No, I don't work for Walmart, I actually hate Walmart, which makes this a bittersweet irony.


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## crf69 (Mar 26, 2010)

amsoil series 0w30 eao filter change once a year.....127,000 97 altima


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## fatboy98maxima (May 13, 2008)

fatboy98maxima said:


> 10w 30 works fine to me


true works fine for me as well


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## Jopet (Aug 10, 2009)

Hey guys, I just wanted some expertise. I didn't know that aside from mobil 1 there is an extended performance version. I found out when I bought my oil at wal mart. I thought that there was something different with the label. 
Does this oil have more detergents than the regular mobil 1? Mobil web sites does not have that information. They just keep saying that the oil will last longer, 1 year or 15,000 mi. 
I got away with my last oil change using regular mobil 1 10w30 for the 1st time @ 142,000 mi 4 months ago. Now Im not so confident about using an "extended performance" mobil 1.


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## I'm tired of my usernamee (Feb 16, 2004)

The EP M1 oil seems to hold its viscosity a bit better than the standard Synthetic however I still dont like M1 anymore as their quality from UOA's have shown decreased results. 

Walmart synthetic is actually a better oil than M1 but I mostly stick to Penzoil Platinum as it always gets rave reviews on BITOG. As well as Ive noticed its better performance myself.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Jopet said:


> Hey guys, I just wanted some expertise. I didn't know that aside from mobil 1 there is an extended performance version. I found out when I bought my oil at wal mart. I thought that there was something different with the label.
> Does this oil have more detergents than the regular mobil 1? Mobil web sites does not have that information. They just keep saying that the oil will last longer, 1 year or 15,000 mi.
> I got away with my last oil change using regular mobil 1 10w30 for the 1st time @ 142,000 mi 4 months ago. Now Im not so confident about using an "extended performance" mobil 1.


You can go to bobistheoilguy.com and read all sorts of good stuff....

Generally manufacturers have been specifying 7,500 mile changes with reg Oil, 3750 for severe use.

So change it every 5,000... seems fine.

A good synthetic will do double that, there are lots of people that paid for Oil analysis to support this.

If you buy an Oil that's good for up to one yr or 15,000 miles, then change at 1 yr or 15,000 miles.

As stated above the Oil doesn't wear out, just the additive package.

And use the best filter you can get !!! I just brought several Pure One's for my cars.


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## Jopet (Aug 10, 2009)

Thanks for the quick reply Ian. Will be reading more info in that web site.


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## SentGXE99 (May 8, 2004)

I'm tired of my usernamee said:


> The EP M1 oil seems to hold its viscosity a bit better than the standard Synthetic however I still dont like M1 anymore as their quality from UOA's have shown decreased results.
> 
> Walmart synthetic is actually a better oil than M1 but I mostly stick to Penzoil Platinum as it always gets rave reviews on BITOG. As well as Ive noticed its better performance myself.


I noticed last weekend when changing my oil with the Walmart 5/30 synthetic, it had a caramel residue left in the bottle. I found it in the 1st bottle, then shook the rest and they still had it. They have the clear bottles now, not the silver bottles anymore, so I never was able to notice it before. What is the caramel gunk in the fresh new oil, the addatives clumped up? I only had the bottles off the store shelf for a couple days. Anyone know how Amsoil stacks up against Mobil 1, Redline, or Royal purple? Is that on bobisthe oilguy? I will check here in a few.......


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## SentGXE99 (May 8, 2004)

Here;
Oils Against Oils - Major Oil Brands go head-to-head on the dyno.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Walmart in my neck of the woods sells Mobil 1 for $25+ for the 5 Qt. Only synthetic they have for under $20/5 qt. jug is their house brand synthetic, Syntech, made by Royal Shell, goes for $17.50. I use it in most of my vehicles. 5W30 is recommended for the Nissan GA16DE and most Nissan engines. I'm surprised nobody mentioned Amsoil.


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## SentGXE99 (May 8, 2004)

smj999smj said:


> Walmart in my neck of the woods sells Mobil 1 for $25+ for the 5 Qt. Only synthetic they have for under $20/5 qt. jug is their house brand synthetic, Syntech, made by Royal Shell, goes for $17.50. I use it in most of my vehicles. 5W30 is recommended for the Nissan GA16DE and most Nissan engines. I'm surprised nobody mentioned Amsoil.


I use the Amsoil in my CRX and so far works great. I just use the cheap synthetic stuff in my daily driver due to the cost of the Amsoil. Here it's like $6-7 per quart.


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## madhatter256 (Feb 2, 2010)

So far, I've been using quaker state oil - conventional oil. The car has 240k miles. Last time I popped open the valve cover, the engine was still clean. No gunk or excessive paraffin wax build up (light brown color all over, except the cam shafts). It's been costing me <$12 to change my oil, so far. I love this car and how cheap it is to maintain and how it still runs strong "knock on wood".


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## Jopet (Aug 10, 2009)

I wanted to share my recent repair due to my own stubborness in using Mobil 1. Oil seal sprang a leak and just ignored it for about 5 months. It really didn't leak a lot. Problem was, my alternator got fried due to the oil that splaterred on that side of the engine. 
The oil was great though. It lasts longer and really more economical for me. 
I will be reparing/replacing my front seal soon since I dont want my new alternator to fry.

Question: After fixing the front seal, is there any other issues that I will experience with Mobile 1? (really stubborn)


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

I'm less convinced synthetic oil would be the deliberate cause to a leak more so the eventual failure of the seal itself. I replaced my crank seal last fall, tired of the oily mess and squealing belts. It came apart in pieces, certainly dry and brittle. That said, Mobil 1 or most other synthetic motor oil should be perfectly safe. You may need to replace the rear main seal if you haven't only due to age/mileage, assuming it's leaking.

If you don't have one already invest in an impact gun and straight bar pulley puller to make your life easier. I used a Mastercraft ½-in. 7.5A 240 lb/ft. impact gun, worked flawlessly for removal and installation. You'll need a 1-1/16" impact socket and extension bar also to remove the crank bolt. There's a good chance the bolts you need don't come with your puller kit so source out some M6 x 1 60-70mm in length. Having the right tools means you won't have to damage the pulley either by blocking it to keep the engine from turning over or when removing. The pulley itself is very brittle and can be chipped easily. Also, I'd recommend buying a hook style seal puller. I thought I could get away using a set of picks but they weren't up to the task. Driving a screw into the seal, like one puller design, never worked either as it just tore it apart upon extraction leaving the inner ring stuck to the bore wall. I ended up using a paint can opener, worked perfectly and didn't score the metal. A seal installer tool is recommended to get it even and flush without damage, otherwise just take your time. No leaks and 5000miles later!

Best of luck!


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## Jopet (Aug 10, 2009)

95 sentrab13 - Thanks for the info. Very extensive answer. Yup, those tools are needed. I never thought that of the seal to be brittle and dry. I'll watch out for that. 

I have assumed that the mobile 1 caused the leak since I got the car the pulley area was dry, no oil splashes, that was 2 1/2 years ago. I had a couple of oil changes with regular oil w/o leaks. It just started with my first mobile 1 change, and got worse with the second. I just like this oil because it feels better when driving and lasts a lot longer than conventional oil.
Again, thank you very much!


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Today's synthetic oils aren't like "yesterdays synthetic oils". Same thing with the composition of the seals, gaskets, etc. in engines these days.
Back in the day, when manufacturers started figuring out that the synthetics oil (back then) were eating seals (and the crud basically holding them together), basically, they scaled back on all the extra detergents and additives in the oil itself. Same thing with the seals. The rubber/plastics/etc of the seals/gaskets/whatever didn't like getting hit with all that detergent in the oil, so they (whoever THEY are) reworked the formulas used in the making of the seals and such.
Used to be a guy would say once you've switched over to synthetic, you'd better stick with it otherwise you'll be inviting oil leaks...or if you've got a high mileage engine, you'd better not switch over to synthetic for the same reason.
These days those arguments just don't hold water anymore.
I also run Mobil-1 in everything I've got (2 B14's 1.6L, 2 Dodge's 5.9L & 7.2L, 1L Chevy, and a couple others). It's amazing how well that stuff holds up. I run roughly 7,000 between changes in the Nissan's, and I take the used stuff and run it in my lawnmowers, which actually do burn and leak a bit of oil.
And if it's the front seal you're worried about, well, just be careful like the post above says. Those seals are known to go rotten after 100K-ish or more miles. In any case, inspect your crankshaft where the seal sits. If that's chewed up, you'll keep eating seals.


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## masterjohnson (Jan 28, 2011)

jdg said:


> Today's synthetic oils aren't like "yesterdays synthetic oils". Same thing with the composition of the seals, gaskets, etc. in engines these days.
> Back in the day, when manufacturers started figuring out that the synthetics oil (back then) were eating seals (and the crud basically holding them together), basically, they scaled back on all the extra detergents and additives in the oil itself. Same thing with the seals. The rubber/plastics/etc of the seals/gaskets/whatever didn't like getting hit with all that detergent in the oil, so they (whoever THEY are) reworked the formulas used in the making of the seals and such.
> Used to be a guy would say once you've switched over to synthetic, you'd better stick with it otherwise you'll be inviting oil leaks...or if you've got a high mileage engine, you'd better not switch over to synthetic for the same reason.
> These days those arguments just don't hold water anymore.
> ...


Well if that is the case i will just switch to mobil-1. well i just bought a second hand nissan sentra super saloon with 72k kms april 2010. Now it is 78k
and it will be my first time to be doing this things and i dont have any idea on what is the best oil. So since mobil one has some good reputation in this thread i think i will be just buying the same. i am sick and tired of my cars bad mileage. such a pain in the arse.lol


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## Analognerd (Oct 5, 2014)

*2001 and older use API-SJ*



MCHNHED said:


> Hey guys.... I have a '96 Nissan 200SX with the GA16DE motor. The engine has about 119,000 miles on it and i was wondering
> 
> WHAT IS THE BEST BRAND, TYPE, AND WEIGHT OIL TO USE?
> 
> ...


Hi MCHNHED,

Yes its so complex what oil to use. I wish I could fine the info that showed that different years do require different motor oil. Right now I'm not sure how I linked to it. Any-ways, For Nissan 1.6L it showed an oil API- with SJ on the end. The info did not say if the newer Nissan's oil was OK. But they follow from 2001 on as; SL,SM,SN.
The link below shows that synthetic oil does not eat at the seals but is so slippery that it
slips through cars with seal problems. I do not really know.
Me, I'm just buying a 1996 Sentra and I'm going to run a good Mineral base oil of API-SJ or better.
I wish I knew if a motor flush would hurt or make up for the lack of a synthetic and I will hold off till I do know. I will do oil changes and slow warm ups on our cold winter days here in NH.
My old MG manual said that the fastest warm up was a slow drive up an 15 degree hill.
Maybe warming up fast will help over come the cold problem of the safer older oils of the ones listed above. Don't go older than these. Maybe an engine warmer if you could would make up for the mineral base oils the 1996 was made for.
Good luck, why would you want to beat or add pressure on your car? Well at least such a nice old car?
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/synthetic-motor-oil2.htm


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## alfiestewart78 (Oct 23, 2014)

All car makers specify the correct tyope and grade of oil to use in their cars. Consult the owners manual or ask at the place you will buy the oil as they will have the data there too.


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## Analognerd (Oct 5, 2014)

*HD?*



alfiestewart78 said:


> All car makers specify the correct tyope and grade of oil to use in their cars. Consult the owners manual or ask at the place you will buy the oil as they will have the data there too.


 I just bought my 1996 Sentra GXL and they put 5-30 Napa HD in it and changed the coolant. I'm not sure about the HD.
My first Nissan. Looks and runs great. Platinum Gold Metallic. Wow! I love this car.


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