How To: Change Your Oil-05+ VQ40DE

[Mulligan22]

One thing I do that makes changing the filter a lot less messy is to get a piece of cardboard about 10 inches long and maybe 3 or 4 inches wide. Just wide enough to fit through the filter access hole. I then make a lip on the cardboard by bending it up along the length of it about 1/4 inch or so high. Then I fit it under the oil filter receiver and have the other end sticking out the access hole. I go in from the side and unscrew the filter slowly, which lets the oil run down the cardboard and into the drain pan. Once it's finished I just pull the cardboard out and discard it.

[rafdog]

Thanks this thread was just what I needed to know. Let the dealer do the first one, but that's it. Pics and instructions great....Mulligan...get tip as well.

[barmato]

Does anyone know what size that little crush washer on the drain bolt is? I'd rather just pick up a universal one at my local autopart store than drive a half hour to the nearest dealer. Thanks.

[UGA Frontier]

Incase anyone was wondering also, 3/8 of a quarts is 12ozs. If you are like me you forgets this anyway everytime you change your oil and have to figure it out again anyway. 32/8=4 4x3=12 Loads of fun. 32-12=20 so you should have 20ozs of oil left in you quart that you use for the 3/8 of a quart. UNLESS you are on your second oil change with that same quart then you should have 8ozs left over. Which is useless until you've done two more oil changes and you now have another quart with 8ozs and now you can leave 2ozs in both of those to top off. So after 8 oil changes you have no left over oil. lol.... Is everyone confused yet?

[BigBoy30]

Originally Posted by barmato

Does anyone know what size that little crush washer on the drain bolt is? I'd rather just pick up a universal one at my local autopart store than drive a half hour to the nearest dealer. Thanks.

Good call bro...and is it necessary to replace this washer every time?

[box0785]

Originally Posted by BigBoy30

Good call bro...and is it necessary to replace this washer every time?

Some will say yes; others will say no. I will say that I changed the oil in my Eclipse from day one (32 miles) until the final day (95,387 miles) and never once changed the washer.

Also, maybe the "plumbing" was different on the Eclipse, but if I left the drain plug off while removing the oil filter, it would help let more oil out (it seemed that way at least).

[Cheapshot]

So today I woke up and decided to mow grass, wash and wax my frontier, and change the oil. So by about 1:30 cst I finished with waxing the truck. Went to change the oil and found out that no matter how hard I twisted and torqued on the filter, I couldn't budge it. My oil filter wrench was about 1/16th of an inch two big to grab the filter and after about 30-40 minutes I finally lost my cool and my neighbor across the street watched me destroy the wrench and throw it across my yard, throw a soda can at my porch, and I think repeated about every cuss word known to man several times. Just a little suggestion for others, If you are thinking of purchasing a Frontier, you may want to make the dealership put a rough grip Fram oil filter on it before you drive it off the lot. This may save you some frustration later...

[blackwaterstout]

Great tutorial. Now if you can do the same for brake pad/rotor installation I'd be set

[djkest]

Originally Posted by Cheapshot

If you are thinking of purchasing a Frontier, you may want to make the dealership put a rough grip Fram oil filter on it before you drive it off the lot. This may save you some frustration later...

Yes, I recommend the Fram "Tough Guard" Filter. It is higher quality than their basic filter and has some textured rubber on it as well.

[Toddler]

Originally Posted by blackwaterstout

Great tutorial. Now if you can do the same for brake pad/rotor installation I'd be set

+1 for that tutorial request