Easy to tell this is your first oil change. Don't teach people bad habits. Only use OEM oil filters. Aftermarket filters are designed to fit a variety of vehicles making it not the best fit for any specific vehicle. And your steps are out of order. Step 1 you remove the oil filler cap, this let's air flow through when you remove the drain plug allowing it to drain faster. Step 2 you remove the drain plug(not the filter), drain the oil. Step 3 if you're worried about dripping every where don't be lazy, just take the skid plate off. Step 4 remove the oil filter. Step 5 add new plug gasket and tighten drain plug, torque if so inclined. Step 6 put on new oil filter, if the o-ring isn't already pre-greased, dab some oil on it with your finger. Otherwise getting it off wont be easy. And you were saying something about the dealer putting it on hand tight, you're supposed to. If it was loose and dripping oil it wasn't hand tight. Step 7 add oil, add what the manual says, not what you think is full or not enough. Step 8 start it up and check for leaks (drain plug, oil filter). Put skid plate back on if removed. Never use adhesive for your drain plug, why would you even think of something like that.
Sorry to burst your bubble bud, but I have been working on cars as a hobby for about 50 years, so this is not at all my first oil change. I think I shot this video the second time I changed this truck's oil, so I still hadn't gotten the method down to drain the oil without removing the skid plate or spilling - it's pretty easy to get it done now without any unnecessary steps or spillage. I used to use OEM oil filters, but when production moved to China for most of them, I quit using them on any of my cars except for German ones that use canister filters (the Nissan OEM filters are especially bad and have the wall thickness akin to an empty soda can). I now use K&N on most of my vehicles; Purolator is a good alternative. I am disappointed that K&N filters are now being produced in Mexico, and am trying to find a Japan- or USA-made alternative. Aftermarket filters are fine for the vehicles they are specified to fit; the only things to worry about with an oil filter is capacity, particle removal efficiency, and maximum volumetric flow rate, all of which meet or exceed the specs on OEM filters. You can remove the oil cap before or after the drain plug, as long as you remove it at some point. When tightening oil filters, you can either use the torque spec, or tighten it hand tight + 3/4 turn. The dealer simply spun it on by hand without any sort of wrench, and as such, the filter did not seal fully and leaked. When you add oil, you add to the fill line on the dip stick - the manual is generally fairly correct, but some do not list the capacity for oil+filter change, so you may have to add some past that point. You also cannot assume that 100% of the old oil drained out, and as such, cannot assume that what is listed in the manual is what you should put in; that spec is for a dry (i.e. new/crate) engine. I used to put thread sealant on my drain plugs as an extra measure to prevent leaks. ThreeBond is not Loctite, though low-strength Loctite is ok to use on the drain plugs as well. On new vehicles, this is entirely unnecessary, but on older vehicles (older oil pan with worn threads), some leaks can prevented using thread sealer. It was unnecessary on my truck, but on others' who may have more miles or partially stripped pan threads, the thread sealant can help. I just wanted to clarify and add on to some of your points; no need to misinform people. Your steps are mostly correct, but having worked on cars for as long as I have and having owned a huge variety of cars, I have seen some things you have never been exposed to. Thanks for watching!
Whatever you say... Now in this comment you're implying you don't use OEM because they're made in China right? Lots of stuff comes from China, doesn't mean it's a bad product. Apple iPhones are made in China, youre saying those are cheap? Say what you want about it but an OEM filter that's made for that specific vehicle is going to fit better than your K&N which fits a variety of vehicles. Your K&N air filter part number "PS-1010" listed to fit a 2011 xterra 4.0l v6 fits over 100 different vehicles from Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Suzuki, Honda, Acura, Saturn, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Plymouth, and a lot more with models from 1983-2015. So if you're positive that an oil filter that fits a 1983 Mazda 626 is going to fit a 2011 Nissan Xterra just as good or better, then fine. But Nissan wouldn't mass produce a part that goes on a vehicle to be cheap and fail. They're meant to last one oil change. And if you're going to remove the oil cap at all you want to do it before any of the steps. The whole purpose of taking it off is to let it drain out faster. Back in high school I took an ASE Certified class and we were taught to hand tighten. I've done close to 25 oil changes on my 4runner all hand tightened filters and not once had oil leak from there. Even though they're hand tightened on I still need a wrench to remove them. Most filters say it's unnecessary to tighten your filter with a wrench. I've always let my oil drain then add exactly 5.5 quarts, like the manual says, and have never come up shy on the dip stick. So if you want to add 1TBS at a time to achieve your dip stick mark by 1/1000th of an inch, be my guest. But an extra tad bit of oil never caused harm to an engine did it. The Loctite just makes me laugh a little, like why even put it on if you're not going to degrease your drain plug and oil pan threads. Its not going to hold that bolt in and you know it. Final thought, I can't argue that you're older than I am and have been doing it longer, but if those 2 reasons make you think that you're a master at this and know it all, you're simply wrong. Anyone who thinks that because they've been doing something a certain way for longer makes them right, is a silly person. I've surrounded myself with knowledge, I research everything that interests me, I get different opinions, I read from different sources, I ask questions, and by doing that, I feel confident when I jump into something for my first time. I just know that any mechanic watching this would cringe at some of the stuff you were doing. And I hope people don't watch this video and think it's the only way to change their oil.
If you empty the oil by pulling the oil plug first, you can catch most of the oil and make less mess than removing the oil filter first. Then you don't have to make the plastic carton widget. Good vid though. I didn't know where my oil filter was until I watched this, Nissan hides the darn thing.
Thanks for posting. Changing the wifey's oil for the first time tomorrow. It's nice to know where everything is. That's a pretty crummy filter location though. She had a Jeep Grand Cherokee before this and it was right on top of the engine. Oil changes in that thing took 10 minutes. I'm not suggesting anyone get one though. Everything else about it, other than the interior was trash. The XTerra is awesome. I'm super impressed.
Your video is a good tutorial, but from another point of view, you should NEVER break loose a drain plug nor any bolt with a torque wrench. Your torque wrench will be out of calibration! From an experience mechanic pov, I have never use a torque wrench or Three Bond for oil changes. Just make sure the drain plug is snug and your find. Also, the additive is not necessary. Your video is great for amateurs though!
You are correct about not using a torque wrench to break bolts loose, I just wasn't thinking when I changed the oil. I've been working on industrial systems all my life, and ThreeBond is commonly used in both heavy machinery and automotive/motorcycle industries. As for torquing a drain plug, I have never stripped one out of thousands I have done, and I always use a torque wrench. Thanks for watching!
More and more these days stealerships make me nervous, as do most mechanics, not to mention, expensive. These days I try to do and fix everything myself. After rebuilding my front and rear suspension last year by myself, I've gained more confidence in not taking my truck to someone else. I've heard from friends and family about loose oil filters, loose or stripped oil drain plugs, no oil in the engine, and a small wrench being dropped in through the oil cap. For some, it's happened more than once. I'm teaching some scouts this weekend to do automotive maintenance. I keep telling my son he needs to learn this stuff because it'll be hella costly when he's old enough to drive and he'll be saying "mom was right, shoulda learned to work on my own vehicle".
I don't let anyone touch any of my vehicles except for doing work that requires specialized equipment (only thing I can think of right now is alignments). Hopefully your son will learn to work on vehicles as well; too many mechanics and dealerships take advantage of customers who don't know how a car works and how to check over others' work. Thanks for watching!
The scouts did a great job on the oil change and they seem to understand how a 4-stroke operates now! A little cardboard under the truck, but they spilled very little when they removed the filter. I taught my son how to remove a fender this week. You're right about the alignments. I have a lifetime alignment contract with Firestone, for as long as I own the truck. Well worth the $200, and I've used them about 6 times so far. I just finished replacing A/C parts, but I will have to take my Xterra into a shop to have the system put on a vacuum and then recharged. I found one with a good reputation who probably won't nit pick all the personal work I've done on my truck, which I sometimes use to get from shops.
Perfectly done. This is how I wish all "How To" videos were done. Just Perfect. Only thing at all I can add is to tell to be sure vehicle is level before start. A beginner might have vehicle on a slight angle and this would change the oil level read. But everybody should already know that by common sense. PERFECT!!!!
You're definitely correct about having the vehicle on a level surface, but everyone should do that anyway when they are working under the vehicle. Thanks for watching!
Most dealers use 55 gallon drums of the least expensive oil they can find. The problem with the dealer is that while most do a good job, I have found too many things that did not meet my standards (e.g. Toyota sprayed oil all inside my engine compartment and most recently Nissan left the filter loose and it was dripping - if I had taken a long trip, it may have caused engine damage if it got low on oil).
Thanks for the complement. I like knowing that the job has been done correctly. Recently I discovered that when Toyota changed my ATF on another of my trucks they stripped the drain plug and glued it in so I wouldn't know. The dealer's give the oil changes to the inexperienced techs.
Thank you for the video. I got under my 2005 Xterra and couldn't find the oil filter. Ha! I googled and your video came up on the main page. Thanks again.
Seems like so many "professionals" stopped to watch this guy's oil change video. Obviously because they are pros the only stopped to tell him he is wrong. Why? Why not just do their own video? Because the world we live in now we seek out others to tell them how right we are and wrong they are.
Tim McDermott That depends on where the filter is mounted and how the engine's oil distribution system is designed, but I have found that the difference is typically so small that I just follow my process regardless of the vehicle. Thanks for watching!
Always get the Nissan Oil Filter. I have used all kinds of filters and the Nissan filter has a special valve that immediately lubercates the lifters without premature wear. Alwats drain engine oil first then change the filter. Good video but this way too much info for a simple oil change. My 2005 Xterra, just take the oil fill cap off, drain oil, take off oil filter, put on new filter, add new engine oil, done! Do not use ANY oil treatment. Always use a good synthetic oil
Just as an interesting experiment, I tried loosening the filter just enough for the oil to just barely drip out. I left it for a good long while to see if I could then unscrew the filter without the oil flowing past the cute little oil chute. LOL. Heck no! It dripped like crazy! I love the idea Nissan had, but their execution for the oil chute is not good, IMO. Still using CamGuard, too, but haven't opened the engine to peer inside. Oil comes out reasonably amber after 4K miles.
Zach Miller It's wet when you thread the plug in, but dries anaerobically to keep the plug in after the fact. I normally just torque the plug to spec on most vehicles, just did this for the video as an added precaution. Thanks for watching!
I know I'm 9 years late, but he said he used a 1" wrench to tighten that K&N filter, do not do this. It is a "wrench-OFF" filter, tightening the filter like this can crack the can and cause an oil leak.
the reason you are getting 18 in town and 24 highway is because all xterras have incorrect speedometer ratings. the only ones that are accurate or the off road/pro 4x. reason being is because you are running a 70 series tire, and not a 75. I'm 100% correct. once you change your tires to the 265/75/16, you will get 17/22, which is spot on from what Nissan claims.
My speedometer is definitely 100% accurate to my VBOX Sport as well as my phone, so no miscalibration there in my case. I don't have experience with any other Xterras as far as speedo accuracy is concerned, though, so I cannot speak for other trims of the vehicle.
Awesome Video I have a Pathfinder with the same 4.0 engine 2011 and I am on my way to do the oil change. BTW Are you an A&P Mechanic? Thank you RedonKiLaus! PS:K&N everything ROCKS!
Luigi Morales Glad you liked the video. I've done lot of things, but being an aero mechanic is not one - I do quite enjoy planes though, and there are quite a few air shows that happen near me, which is cool. I agree, K&N is quite good. I prefer using dry filters for air intakes these days, though - they tend to filter small particles better, and are a bit easier to clean to boot. For oil filters, though, I have not found anything that can match K&N so far. Thanks for watching!
I don't, this was Castrol Edge (full synthetic) and was the only thing available at the time. My preference for inexpensive oil is Mobil Full Synthetic. Thanks for watching!
The air filter change interval depends greatly on where you live (in AZ, we have tons of dust, so it must be changed much more frequently), but in general, every 6 months to a year.
Great video -- I'll be changing oil on my Nissan Frontier, it has the same engine. Couple of questions: Have you always used a K&N filter and how many miles do you have on the Xterra. Thanks a lot.
I have always used the K&N filters, but I am unsure of the quality of the new ones, as they are now made in Mexico instead of in the USA. Don't use the Genuine Nissan filters for sure - they have the rigidity of an empty coke can. I have about 15K miles on the truck after 3 years - I don't drive it much. Thanks for watching!
There is no MPG meter in the vehicle. To calculate your gas mileage, fill up your tank all the way next time you fill up and reset your odometer. Then when you fill up after that, fill the tank all the way up again, take the amount of miles on the odometer at that point, and divide by the number of gallons you put in. That number will be your miles per gallon.
Synthetic oil will certainly improve gas mileage if you have been running regular oil - there is absolutely no reason not to run full synthetic in this day and age. The CamGuard may have improved gas mileage as well, but I really don't know, as I have run it since the first oil change so I have nothing to compare to. My truck is also 2WD and has a very low rear diff. gear ratio, which also contributes to good gas mileage. Thanks for watching!
Every 2500-3000 miles, or every 6 months. Often I will only put 3000 miles on the truck in a year, so I end up changing the oil based on how old it is, not how many miles are on it. I also only use full-synthetic oils and ASL CamGuard. Thanks for watching!
Easy to tell this is your first oil change. Don't teach people bad habits. Only use OEM oil filters. Aftermarket filters are designed to fit a variety of vehicles making it not the best fit for any specific vehicle. And your steps are out of order.
Step 1 you remove the oil filler cap, this let's air flow through when you remove the drain plug allowing it to drain faster.
Step 2 you remove the drain plug(not the filter), drain the oil.
Step 3 if you're worried about dripping every where don't be lazy, just take the skid plate off.
Step 4 remove the oil filter.
Step 5 add new plug gasket and tighten drain plug, torque if so inclined.
Step 6 put on new oil filter, if the o-ring isn't already pre-greased, dab some oil on it with your finger. Otherwise getting it off wont be easy. And you were saying something about the dealer putting it on hand tight, you're supposed to. If it was loose and dripping oil it wasn't hand tight.
Step 7 add oil, add what the manual says, not what you think is full or not enough.
Step 8 start it up and check for leaks (drain plug, oil filter). Put skid plate back on if removed.
Never use adhesive for your drain plug, why would you even think of something like that.
Sorry to burst your bubble bud, but I have been working on cars as a hobby for about 50 years, so this is not at all my first oil change. I think I shot this video the second time I changed this truck's oil, so I still hadn't gotten the method down to drain the oil without removing the skid plate or spilling - it's pretty easy to get it done now without any unnecessary steps or spillage.
I used to use OEM oil filters, but when production moved to China for most of them, I quit using them on any of my cars except for German ones that use canister filters (the Nissan OEM filters are especially bad and have the wall thickness akin to an empty soda can). I now use K&N on most of my vehicles; Purolator is a good alternative. I am disappointed that K&N filters are now being produced in Mexico, and am trying to find a Japan- or USA-made alternative. Aftermarket filters are fine for the vehicles they are specified to fit; the only things to worry about with an oil filter is capacity, particle removal efficiency, and maximum volumetric flow rate, all of which meet or exceed the specs on OEM filters.
You can remove the oil cap before or after the drain plug, as long as you remove it at some point.
When tightening oil filters, you can either use the torque spec, or tighten it hand tight + 3/4 turn. The dealer simply spun it on by hand without any sort of wrench, and as such, the filter did not seal fully and leaked.
When you add oil, you add to the fill line on the dip stick - the manual is generally fairly correct, but some do not list the capacity for oil+filter change, so you may have to add some past that point. You also cannot assume that 100% of the old oil drained out, and as such, cannot assume that what is listed in the manual is what you should put in; that spec is for a dry (i.e. new/crate) engine.
I used to put thread sealant on my drain plugs as an extra measure to prevent leaks. ThreeBond is not Loctite, though low-strength Loctite is ok to use on the drain plugs as well. On new vehicles, this is entirely unnecessary, but on older vehicles (older oil pan with worn threads), some leaks can prevented using thread sealer. It was unnecessary on my truck, but on others' who may have more miles or partially stripped pan threads, the thread sealant can help.
I just wanted to clarify and add on to some of your points; no need to misinform people. Your steps are mostly correct, but having worked on cars for as long as I have and having owned a huge variety of cars, I have seen some things you have never been exposed to.
Thanks for watching!
Whatever you say... Now in this comment you're implying you don't use OEM because they're made in China right? Lots of stuff comes from China, doesn't mean it's a bad product. Apple iPhones are made in China, youre saying those are cheap? Say what you want about it but an OEM filter that's made for that specific vehicle is going to fit better than your K&N which fits a variety of vehicles.
Your K&N air filter part number "PS-1010" listed to fit a 2011 xterra 4.0l v6 fits over 100 different vehicles from Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Suzuki, Honda, Acura, Saturn, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Plymouth, and a lot more with models from 1983-2015.
So if you're positive that an oil filter that fits a 1983 Mazda 626 is going to fit a 2011 Nissan Xterra just as good or better, then fine. But Nissan wouldn't mass produce a part that goes on a vehicle to be cheap and fail. They're meant to last one oil change.
And if you're going to remove the oil cap at all you want to do it before any of the steps. The whole purpose of taking it off is to let it drain out faster.
Back in high school I took an ASE Certified class and we were taught to hand tighten. I've done close to 25 oil changes on my 4runner all hand tightened filters and not once had oil leak from there. Even though they're hand tightened on I still need a wrench to remove them. Most filters say it's unnecessary to tighten your filter with a wrench.
I've always let my oil drain then add exactly 5.5 quarts, like the manual says, and have never come up shy on the dip stick. So if you want to add 1TBS at a time to achieve your dip stick mark by 1/1000th of an inch, be my guest. But an extra tad bit of oil never caused harm to an engine did it.
The Loctite just makes me laugh a little, like why even put it on if you're not going to degrease your drain plug and oil pan threads. Its not going to hold that bolt in and you know it.
Final thought, I can't argue that you're older than I am and have been doing it longer, but if those 2 reasons make you think that you're a master at this and know it all, you're simply wrong. Anyone who thinks that because they've been doing something a certain way for longer makes them right, is a silly person. I've surrounded myself with knowledge, I research everything that interests me, I get different opinions, I read from different sources, I ask questions, and by doing that, I feel confident when I jump into something for my first time. I just know that any mechanic watching this would cringe at some of the stuff you were doing. And I hope people don't watch this video and think it's the only way to change their oil.
I agree with Brennan
If you empty the oil by pulling the oil plug first, you can catch most of the oil and make less mess than removing the oil filter first. Then you don't have to make the plastic carton widget. Good vid though. I didn't know where my oil filter was until I watched this, Nissan hides the darn thing.
Thanks for posting. Changing the wifey's oil for the first time tomorrow. It's nice to know where everything is. That's a pretty crummy filter location though. She had a Jeep Grand Cherokee before this and it was right on top of the engine. Oil changes in that thing took 10 minutes. I'm not suggesting anyone get one though. Everything else about it, other than the interior was trash. The XTerra is awesome. I'm super impressed.
Your video is a good tutorial, but from another point of view, you should NEVER break loose a drain plug nor any bolt with a torque wrench. Your torque wrench will be out of calibration! From an experience mechanic pov, I have never use a torque wrench or Three Bond for oil changes. Just make sure the drain plug is snug and your find. Also, the additive is not necessary. Your video is great for amateurs though!
you've made this way to complicated..... I work at Valvoline and change about 70 cars a day and this actually a easy car to do.
You are correct about not using a torque wrench to break bolts loose, I just wasn't thinking when I changed the oil. I've been working on industrial systems all my life, and ThreeBond is commonly used in both heavy machinery and automotive/motorcycle industries. As for torquing a drain plug, I have never stripped one out of thousands I have done, and I always use a torque wrench. Thanks for watching!
More and more these days stealerships make me nervous, as do most mechanics, not to mention, expensive. These days I try to do and fix everything myself. After rebuilding my front and rear suspension last year by myself, I've gained more confidence in not taking my truck to someone else. I've heard from friends and family about loose oil filters, loose or stripped oil drain plugs, no oil in the engine, and a small wrench being dropped in through the oil cap. For some, it's happened more than once. I'm teaching some scouts this weekend to do automotive maintenance. I keep telling my son he needs to learn this stuff because it'll be hella costly when he's old enough to drive and he'll be saying "mom was right, shoulda learned to work on my own vehicle".
I don't let anyone touch any of my vehicles except for doing work that requires specialized equipment (only thing I can think of right now is alignments). Hopefully your son will learn to work on vehicles as well; too many mechanics and dealerships take advantage of customers who don't know how a car works and how to check over others' work. Thanks for watching!
The scouts did a great job on the oil change and they seem to understand how a 4-stroke operates now! A little cardboard under the truck, but they spilled very little when they removed the filter. I taught my son how to remove a fender this week. You're right about the alignments. I have a lifetime alignment contract with Firestone, for as long as I own the truck. Well worth the $200, and I've used them about 6 times so far. I just finished replacing A/C parts, but I will have to take my Xterra into a shop to have the system put on a vacuum and then recharged. I found one with a good reputation who probably won't nit pick all the personal work I've done on my truck, which I sometimes use to get from shops.
Perfectly done. This is how I wish all "How To" videos were done. Just Perfect. Only thing at all I can add is to tell to be sure vehicle is level before start. A beginner might have vehicle on a slight angle and this would change the oil level read. But everybody should already know that by common sense. PERFECT!!!!
You're definitely correct about having the vehicle on a level surface, but everyone should do that anyway when they are working under the vehicle. Thanks for watching!
Most dealers use 55 gallon drums of the least expensive oil they can find. The problem with the dealer is that while most do a good job, I have found too many things that did not meet my standards (e.g. Toyota sprayed oil all inside my engine compartment and most recently Nissan left the filter loose and it was dripping - if I had taken a long trip, it may have caused engine damage if it got low on oil).
I just bought a 2014 xterra and I appreciate this video. Thanks.
Thanks for the complement. I like knowing that the job has been done correctly. Recently I discovered that when Toyota changed my ATF on another of my trucks they stripped the drain plug and glued it in so I wouldn't know. The dealer's give the oil changes to the inexperienced techs.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will try this next oil change. Most of all thanks for watching! :)
Great video. Instead of taking in my car tomorrow to get the oil change, I'm going to do it myself! Thanks so much for the instructional tutorial!!
Thank you for the video. I got under my 2005 Xterra and couldn't find the oil filter. Ha! I googled and your video came up on the main page. Thanks again.
Seems like so many "professionals" stopped to watch this guy's oil change video. Obviously because they are pros the only stopped to tell him he is wrong. Why? Why not just do their own video? Because the world we live in now we seek out others to tell them how right we are and wrong they are.
thank you for this great video, i think that changing your oil yourself saves so much money and i hate giving my Xterra to a dealer.
Why not drain the oil prior to removing the filter? Won't you have less leakage, then?
Tim McDermott That depends on where the filter is mounted and how the engine's oil distribution system is designed, but I have found that the difference is typically so small that I just follow my process regardless of the vehicle. Thanks for watching!
Always drain engine oil then change the filter
Always get the Nissan Oil Filter. I have used all kinds of filters and the Nissan filter has a special valve that immediately lubercates the lifters without premature wear. Alwats drain engine oil first then change the filter. Good video but this way too much info for a simple oil change. My 2005 Xterra, just take the oil fill cap off, drain oil, take off oil filter, put on new filter, add new engine oil, done! Do not use ANY oil treatment. Always use a good synthetic oil
With oil filter change, I put in 5 quarts, add a cup of ASL CamGuard, and if needed, add a small amount of oil to top it up. That is it.
Very thorough. I guy I can trust.
Thanks for watching!
Just as an interesting experiment, I tried loosening the filter just enough for the oil to just barely drip out. I left it for a good long while to see if I could then unscrew the filter without the oil flowing past the cute little oil chute. LOL. Heck no! It dripped like crazy! I love the idea Nissan had, but their execution for the oil chute is not good, IMO. Still using CamGuard, too, but haven't opened the engine to peer inside. Oil comes out reasonably amber after 4K miles.
You know when you said it acts like a thread lubricant if it's helps keep them in how was it a thread lubricant?
Zach Miller It's wet when you thread the plug in, but dries anaerobically to keep the plug in after the fact. I normally just torque the plug to spec on most vehicles, just did this for the video as an added precaution. Thanks for watching!
I know this is for 2011... I have a 2005 almost identical although the oil filter "plate" has 10mm bolts for those of you who may have that problem.
I know I'm 9 years late, but he said he used a 1" wrench to tighten that K&N filter, do not do this. It is a "wrench-OFF" filter, tightening the filter like this can crack the can and cause an oil leak.
How do you possibly get an oil filter wrench into that little space? Unfortunately not shown.
Yeah, he skipped the hard part.
Good video man I'm bout to change the oil on my Xterra 05
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching! We will be adding more Nissan videos in the future.
hey great video i myself am about to change my oil in my 2010 Xterra
Thanks for watching and good luck!
the reason you are getting 18 in town and 24 highway is because all xterras have incorrect speedometer ratings. the only ones that are accurate or the off road/pro 4x.
reason being is because you are running a 70 series tire, and not a 75.
I'm 100% correct. once you change your tires to the 265/75/16, you will get 17/22, which is spot on from what Nissan claims.
My speedometer is definitely 100% accurate to my VBOX Sport as well as my phone, so no miscalibration there in my case. I don't have experience with any other Xterras as far as speedo accuracy is concerned, though, so I cannot speak for other trims of the vehicle.
Thanks for watching!
FYI: My 2011 Xterra takes 6 quarts of oil, I confirmed this with the dealership.
Awesome Video I have a Pathfinder with the same 4.0 engine 2011 and I am on my way to do the oil change. BTW Are you an A&P Mechanic?
Thank you RedonKiLaus!
PS:K&N everything ROCKS!
Luigi Morales Glad you liked the video. I've done lot of things, but being an aero mechanic is not one - I do quite enjoy planes though, and there are quite a few air shows that happen near me, which is cool.
I agree, K&N is quite good. I prefer using dry filters for air intakes these days, though - they tend to filter small particles better, and are a bit easier to clean to boot. For oil filters, though, I have not found anything that can match K&N so far.
Thanks for watching!
Why do you use Castro gtx that’s the worst thing you can put in a engine
I don't, this was Castrol Edge (full synthetic) and was the only thing available at the time. My preference for inexpensive oil is Mobil Full Synthetic. Thanks for watching!
I am about to change my oil for the first time in my Xterra. Very helpful, thank you. How often should one change the air filter?
The air filter change interval depends greatly on where you live (in AZ, we have tons of dust, so it must be changed much more frequently), but in general, every 6 months to a year.
Thanks for this very helpful video
still using it to this day
Why not take off the skid plates?
My crv has a 2.4 l engine and takes 4.6 quarts. Ur xterra is a 4.0 l and only takes 5 quarts??? Shouldn't be more?
Great video -- I'll be changing oil on my Nissan Frontier, it has the same engine. Couple of questions: Have you always used a K&N filter and how many miles do you have on the Xterra. Thanks a lot.
I have always used the K&N filters, but I am unsure of the quality of the new ones, as they are now made in Mexico instead of in the USA. Don't use the Genuine Nissan filters for sure - they have the rigidity of an empty coke can. I have about 15K miles on the truck after 3 years - I don't drive it much. Thanks for watching!
Ok I get it , Thank you !!😀
Very good!
howd you find your mpg i have a 2011 nissan xterra as well and i cant find an mpg counter anywhere
There is no MPG meter in the vehicle. To calculate your gas mileage, fill up your tank all the way next time you fill up and reset your odometer. Then when you fill up after that, fill the tank all the way up again, take the amount of miles on the odometer at that point, and divide by the number of gallons you put in. That number will be your miles per gallon.
where should the oil level read? should it be on the high mark? thanks
+Charlie sw9ve Yes it should. Thanks for watching!
This is giving me a headache this is way too complicated
Thanks for posting. Are you getting more mpg from the synthetic oil or the cam guard or both? I would like to try this with my frontier.
Synthetic oil will certainly improve gas mileage if you have been running regular oil - there is absolutely no reason not to run full synthetic in this day and age. The CamGuard may have improved gas mileage as well, but I really don't know, as I have run it since the first oil change so I have nothing to compare to. My truck is also 2WD and has a very low rear diff. gear ratio, which also contributes to good gas mileage. Thanks for watching!
Excellent video!!
Question how often do you change your oil. 3000 or 6000 miles ?
Every 2500-3000 miles, or every 6 months. Often I will only put 3000 miles on the truck in a year, so I end up changing the oil based on how old it is, not how many miles are on it. I also only use full-synthetic oils and ASL CamGuard. Thanks for watching!
hate dealerships
Lol 100 ft lbs exagerating much