oil change NISSAN SENTRA 1999 B14 / 4.G Owners Manual

6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the
break-in period, depending on the sever-
ity of operating conditions.
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating with an insufficient amount
of oil can damage the engine, and such
damage is not covered by warranty.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operating
temperature, and then turn it off.
3. Remove the oil filler cap.
4. Place a large drain pan under the drain
plug.
5. Remove the drain plug with a wrench and
completely drain the oil.If the oil filter is to be changed, remove
and replace it at this time. See ``Chang-
ing engine oil filter'' later in this section.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself, as the
engine oil is hot.
Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
DI1252MDI1221M
Do-it-yourself8-9
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Abbreviations: I = Inspect. Correct or replace if necessary.
MAINTENANCE OPERATIONMAINTENANCE INTERVAL
Perform at number of miles,
kilometers or months, whichever
comes first.Miles ý 1,000 7.5 15 22.5 30 37.5 45 52.5 60
(km ý 1,000) (12) (24) (36) (48) (60) (72) (84) (96)
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
Chassis and body maintenance
Brake lines & cablesIIII
Brake pads, rotors, drums & liningsIIIIIIII
Manual transmission gear oil & automatic transmission fluid See NOTE (1)IIII
Steering gear & linkage, axle & suspension partsIIIIIIII
Exhaust systemIIIIIIII
Drive shaft bootsIIIIIIII
Supplemental air bag system See NOTE (2)*
NOTE: (1) If towing a trailer, using a camper or a car-top carrier, or driving on rough or muddy roads, change (not just inspect) oil at every 30,000
miles (48,000 km) or 24 months.
*(2) Inspect the supplemental air bag system 10 years after the date of manufacture noted on the F.M.V.S.S. certification label.
Maintenance9-7
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The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be a little different. When refilling, follow the procedure
instructed in the ``Do-it-yourself'' section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
US
measureImp
measureLiter
Fuel 13-1/4 gal 11 gal 50 Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 AKI (RON 91)*1
Engine oil *7
Drain and refill
With oil filter change GA16DE 3-1/8 qt 2-5/8 qt 3.0
cAPI Certification Mark *2 *3
cAPI grade SG/SH, Energy Conserving II or API grade SJ, Energy Con-
serving *2 *3
cILSAC grade GF-II *2 *3 SR20DE 3-5/8 qt 3 qt 3.4
Without oil filter change GA16DE 2-7/8 qt 2-3/8 qt 2.7
SR20DE 3-3/8 qt 2-7/8 qt 3.2
Cooling system
With reservoir
50% Genuine NISSAN Anti-freeze coolant or equivalent
50% Demineralized water or Distilled water Manual transmission: SR20DE 6-1/2 qt 5-1/2 qt 6.2
GA16DE 5-1/2 qt 4-5/8 qt 5.2
Automatic transmission: SR20DE 6-1/2 qt 5-1/2 qt 6.2
GA16DE 6 qt 5 qt 5.7
Manual transmission gear oilRS5F31A 6-1/8 - 6-3/4 pt 5-1/8 - 5-5/8 pt 2.9 - 3.2
API GL-4, Viscosity SAE 80W - 90 only
RS5F32V 7-7/8 - 8-1/4 pt 6-1/2 - 6-7/8 pt 3.7 - 3.9
Automatic transmission fluid
Refill to the proper level according to the instructions in the
``Do-it-yourself'' section.Nissan Matic `D' (Continental U.S. and Alaska) or Genuine Nissan Auto-
matic Transmission Fluid (Canada).*4
Power steering fluidType DEXRON
TMIII or equivalent.
Brake fluidGenuine Nissan Brake Fluid*5 or equivalent
DOT 3 (US FMVSS No. 116)
Multi-purpose grease Ð Ð Ð NLGI No. 2 (Lithium Complex)
Air conditioning system refrigerant Ð Ð Ð HFC-134a (R-134a)*6
Air conditioning system lubricantsNissan A/C System Lubricant Type R or equivalent*6
*1: For further details, see ``Fuel recommendation.''
*2: For further details, see ``Engine oil and oil filter recommendations.''
*3: For further details, see ``Recommended SAE engine oil viscosity.''
*4: Dexron
TMIII/MerconTMor equivalent may also be used. Outside the Continental United States and Alaska contact a Nissan dealership for more information
regarding suitable fluids, including recommended brand(s) of DexronTMIII/MerconTMAutomatic Transmission Fluid.
*5: Available in mainland USA through your Nissan dealer.
*6: For further details, see ªAir conditioner specification label.º
*7: For further details, see ``Changing engine oil.''
CAPACITIES AND
RECOMMENDED FUEL/
LUBRICANTS
10-2Technical and consumer information
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ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose engine oil with the
correct quality and viscosity to ensure sat-
isfactory engine life and performance. NIS-
SAN recommends the use of a low friction
oil (energy conserving oil) in order to im-
prove fuel economy and conserve energy.
Oils which do not have the specified quality
label should not be used as they could
cause engine damage.
Only those engine oils with the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) CERTIFICATION
MARK on the front of the container should
be used. This type of oil supersedes the
existing API SG, SH, or SJ and Energy
Conserving II categories.
If you cannot find engine oil with the API
CERTIFICATION MARK, use an API grade
SG/SH, Energy Conserving II or API grade
SJ, Energy Conserving oil. An oil with a
single designation SG or SH, or in combi-
nation with other categories (for example,
SG/CC or SG/CD) may also be used if one
with the API CERTIFICATION MARK can-
not be found. An ILSAC grade GF-II oil can
also be used.Mineral based or synthetic type oils may be
used in your NISSAN vehicle. However,
these oils must meet the API quality and
SAE viscosity ratings specified for your ve-
hicle. Do not mix mineral based and syn-
thetic type oils in the engine.
Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used
and maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness
changes with temperature. Because of this,
it is important to select the engine oil viscos-
ity based on the temperatures at which the
vehicle will be operated before the next oil
change. The chart ``Recommended SAE
viscosity number'' shows the recommended
oil viscosities for the expected ambient tem-
peratures. Choosing an oil viscosity other
than that recommended could cause seri-
ous engine damage.
ATI0645
Technical and consumer information10-5
ZX

Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new NISSAN vehicle is equipped with
a high-quality genuine NISSAN oil filter.
When replacing, use a genuine NISSAN oil
filter or its equivalent for the reason de-
scribed in ``Change intervals''.
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Oil and filter other
than the specified quality, or oil and filter
change intervals longer than recommended
could reduce engine life. Damage to the
engine caused by improper maintenance or
use of incorrect oil and filter quality and/or
viscosity is not covered by the new NISSAN
vehicle warranties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality
engine oil when it was built. You do not have
to change the oil before the first recom-
mended change interval. Oil and filter
change intervals depend upon how you use
your vehicle.Operation under the following conditions
may require more frequent oil and filter
changes:
Ð repeated short distance driving at cold
outside temperatures,
Ð driving in dusty conditions,
Ð extensive idling,
Ð towing a trailer.
10-6Technical and consumer information
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cCrosswinds and rough roads adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly
causing vehicle sway. When being
passed by larger vehicles, be prepared
for possible changes in crosswinds that
could affect vehicle handling. If swaying
does occur, firmly grip the steering
wheel, steer straight ahead, and imme-
diately (but gradually) reduce vehicle
speed. This combination helps to stabi-
lize the vehicle. Never increase speed.
cBe careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
cTo maintain engine braking efficiency
and electrical charging performance, do
not use fifth gear (manual transmission)
or overdrive (automatic transmission).
cAvoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
When towing a trailer, change the oil in
the transmission more frequently. For
additional information see the ``Mainte-
nance'' section earlier in this manual.DOT Quality Grades: All passenger car tires
must conform to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
Treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on tire wear rate when tested under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test courses. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. However,
relative tire performance depends on actual
driving conditions, and may vary signifi-
cantly due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-
sent a tire's ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions,
on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to your
vehicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does notin-
clude acceleration cornering, hydro-
planing, or peak traction characteris-
tics.
Temperature A, B and C
Temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C. They represent a tire's resistance to
heat build-up, and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause tire material to degenerate, reducing
tire life. Excessive temperatures can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grade C corresponds to
a performance level which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A
and B represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on laboratory test wheels than the
minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
10-18Technical and consumer information
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