2003 Nissan Xterra 4x4 3.3 auto

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Hate the tiny oil capacity and filter.

Running 10lb heavier tires. Drive 40 miles to work, 25 of which is 70mph. First 15miles are 55ish.

Engine has 135k on it and is clean as a whistle inside. I would love to hit 5k OCI on conventional. Here's the issue.

PYB 5w30 gets noisy around 2600 miles.
PYB 10w40 gets noisy around 4100 miles.

These motors have a tiny capacity, a tiny filter, and are underpowered pigs toting 4500lb rigs around.

Trying to find a conventional that can make 5k miles QUIETLY. When I say they get noisy... There is a pronounced tick that develops as the oil shears down. If anyone has seen oil analysis on these motors. Mobil1 5w30 at 6k has a tbn of ZERO and a terrible viscosity.

I'm about to try delo 15w40.

Just hoping someone with a Nissan can offer a little insight besides going back to 3k mile OCI, or ignoring the awful tick.

Pulled the valve covers when I purchased it and they are clean enough to eat off of.
 
Your engine might be sheering the conventional oil. Have you considered a high mileage synthetic blend such as Pennzoil's 10W-40 or Valvoline MaxLife? What about Mobil 1 0W-40?
 
Try a Mobil 1 5w30 or a Castrol Synthetic 5w30, both of these are thicker than the SOPUS synthetics. Run to 5K and see what happens. I would not run 15w40 in it, that is much thicker than what is spec'd.
 
Originally Posted By: SuzukiGoat
If anyone has seen oil analysis on these motors. Mobil1 5w30 at 6k has a tbn of ZERO and a terrible viscosity.


So a high quality synthetic can't go 6k, but you're trying to make a conventional go 5k?

What's your reason for sticking with conventional? Why not just wait till a quality synthetic is on sale and pick it up? If you wait for the right deals, you can pick up quality synthetics for the same price as conventional oils. I say wait for a sale and try a quality 5w-40 or 0w-40.
 
My first oil change was actually Pennzoil gold bottle 5w30 actually. Brain [censored].

I'm hesitant to go synthetic this late in the engine's life. While the top end looks cleaner than new... There is that annoying chance that the bottom end is quite nasty, and that the only thing stopping those 12 year old seals from leaking is a piece of sludge.

I'd rather find out about failing seals slowly rather than quickly is all.

15w40 is well within spec above -20. Hoping that the thicker HD oil will shear down slower and I can ride it out to 5k.

Was hoping anyone running this VG series had some experience with it. I've found a few of the twin turbo blocks running 15w50.

If I do go synthetic... I suppose I'll go back to the mobil1 15w50 blended with 0w40. The thick 10w40 that resulted was always good in my little zuke. Who's 1.6 motor held an astounding 45% more oil than this 3.3

It was equally prone to shearing.
 
The nissan vg33e doesn't have roller followers for the valve train. So I would use what most old nissan engines love.

Rotella t5 conventional 15w-40 or rotella t6 5w-40 synthetic.

Good oil with plenty of zinc for older engines.
 
I have the new Delo 15w30 in my Subaru...no hot tick so far but only 1000 miles. Pennzoil high mileage 10w30 was pretty quiet even after 5400 miles. shear stability is key.
 
Yep,some engines just seem to beat the heck out of motor oil. My car sheared RP 20W50 down to a 10W40 (via Blackstone's report and comments) within 3200 miles. Nissan is strict when it comes to 3000/3 months in the Z32.

If your FSM states the same thing,stick to 3/3.
 
If you do try the Delo 15w30, keep us posted. There probably are a few people here (Including me) who are interested in Delo 15w30 performance in your Nissan. It should be wicked shear stable (That's a technical term)
smile.gif


https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=413394&docFormat=PDF
 
My dad's 01 Supercharged 3.3 is smooth, and quiet throughout the 5k interval. I run M1 HM 5W30 in it. Truck has 260K.
 
I had a VG33 in a Pathfinder, that engine is not one of my favorites. Slow, noisy and thirsty. But it is reliable.
 
Having had the same SUV (04 model) 3k is a sound bet regardless of what you use. Small sump, tiny filter, play it safe and use the conventional for 3k. The engine itself is a reliable one and can take many many miles of various driving habits.

The oil will sheer out a bit, but no fault of the oil or the engine, but the amount of oil it holds.
 
My wife had a 2000 Quest with a 3.3.
It was a darn good engine, never gave a lick of trouble or burned any oil. Got rid of with because it was rotting out, still purred like a kitten with over 140k. I ran 5w30 Mobil1 High mileage or 5w30 Valvoline Maxlife synthetic. Never heard any engine noise, was running 5k oci.
 
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In Louisiana going into the summer, a straight-30 would not be out of place here. My other instinctive choice is an HDEO 10W-30, but the 15W-40 you chose will work well also.

Nissan V-6's, especially those in the trucks, are tough, tough engines...even with the tick, they will run forever.

Keep us updated on whether it works.
 
Just hit 4300 miles on the delo 15w40 and the higher idle at startup is taking a little longer to fall and the ticking is in.

With the larger tires, that translates into 4600 miles. Not too bad. But still not the 5k indicated I want.

Almost there.

I bet mixing 15w50 and 0w40 mobil1 would get me what I wanted.

But since this thing is leak free, I'm hesitant to make the jump to synthetic.
 
I switch to mobil1 0w40 after running delo out to 4k miles. I drained and filled with rotella t5 and drained that at 4k.

My last fill was 0w40 with a fram ultra. No invrease in noise all the way out to 6k.

Gonna drain and fill every 5k and pull the skids and swap the filter every 15k.That gets me three changes from two 5.1 jugs. 50$ every 15k. Not bad comsodering I'm on par to hit 44k miles this year.

Motor stays quiet, and the last filter I cut was clean as a whistle at 14k miles on it. This motor must be spotless inside.
 
Originally Posted By: SuzukiGoat
Just hit 4300 miles on the delo 15w40 and the higher idle at startup is taking a little longer to fall and the ticking is in.

With the larger tires, that translates into 4600 miles. Not too bad. But still not the 5k indicated I want.

Almost there.

I bet mixing 15w50 and 0w40 mobil1 would get me what I wanted.

But since this thing is leak free, I'm hesitant to make the jump to synthetic.

I would bet the Delo, which is a thicker 15w40, would hold better agaist shearing than the mix your talking about.
Can u use a larger filter?
 
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