DIY: Oil Change How to
#1
07-19-2003 | 04:20 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 30,341
Likes: 9
From: Cambridge, Ont. Canada
DIY: Oil Change How to
<font color=blue>Many thanks to slinkyboi5 for supplying this "Oil Change How to". Great job bro</font color=blue>
Introduction
The simple oil change is one of the most important things we can do to keep our cars running in top condition. Using a high quality oil and keeping your oil clean will help to increase performance, increase mileage, and reduce emissions.
Supplies and Preparation
Changing the oil on the G35 is a simple, straight-forward process. It's something that even an amateur can accomplish. Infiniti recommends an oil change every 3750 miles. The oil change depicted was performed at about 3000 miles. I used the Mobil 1 M-110 oil filter ($11 at AutoZone) and Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic motor oil ($18 at Wal-Mart). The oil change cost me under $30 and took under 30 minutes of time.
**It is a good idea to warm up your car before changing the oil. Drive it for a few minutes immediately before doing the oil change. This will help to ensure that any debris doesn't settle to the bottom and get left behind when the oil is drained.
Assemble the needed supplies and tools, once you're under the car, you won't want to be having to get up and down multiple times.
You will need the following items:
1) A way to lift the front of the car (ramps, jack-stands, etc).
2) Socket wrench - 10 and 14 mm needed.
3) Oil filter wrench or adapter for the socket wrench.
4) Oil drain pan to catch the old oil.
5) Funnel for adding the new oil.
6) Latex gloves (optional).
7) Shop towels.
8) New drain plug washer (optional).
9) Five (5) quarts of oil. (5W-30 is recommended by Infiniti).
10) New oil filter. Some compatible oil filters are:
Mobil 1 M-108 and M-110, K&N HP-1008/1006, Napa Gold FIL1365, Nissan OEM 15208-65F00, many others.
Optional Items
1) Gloves. They serve two purposes: keeping your hands clean and protecting you from hot oil.
2) New washer. Many people suggest replacing the washer with every oil change. Many other people suggest changing the washer every few oil changes or only as needed. I recommend changing the washer every change, as they are only about $1. Infiniti also recommends changing the washer at each oil change.
Getting Under The Car Safely
WARNING - If the car falls on you, at the least, you will be seriously injured. Please take care in the method you use to raise the car.
I recommend ramps (Rhino Ramps is the brand is use), they are very safe (mine are rated at 6000 pounds, the G35 weighs under 3500 pounds in most configurations) and require no particular knowledge to raise the car. Begin by driving the car up onto the ramps. Turn off the car and put the parking brake on. Check and make sure the tires are completely on the ramps and not hanging over the edges at all.
Some people prefer jack-stands to raise the car. If you are using jack-stands, refer to the included instructions for how to use them or have a knowledgeable person show you how to use them.
I use ramps and place jack-stands under the car, as well...better safe, than sorry.
Removing The Old Oil
Now we begin the actual oil change process.
1 - Remove the oil filler cap located in the engine cover (See image below).
The G35 has an undercover that keeps debris, salt, etc. out of the engine compartment and provides for better underbody air flow. This cover is held on by 14 bolts.
2 - Use the 10 mm socket wrench to remove the bolts and remove the cover, placing it aside. This image below shows the undercover (the piece with the rectangle cut out of it). Most of the bolts are along its outer edge, there are 2 at the back of the cover, 2 on each side of the cover, 2 near the center of the cover and the rest are along the front edge.
Once the cover is removed, you will have a clear view of the oil drain plug (red arrow) and the oil filter (blue arrow). See image below.
3 - Place the oil drain pan under the drain plug and filter area.
4 - Loosen the oil pan bolt using the 14 mm socket. Do not remove it with the socket wrench or you will get oil all over the wrench.
5 - After the drain plug is loose, remove it the rest of the way with your hand. Be careful! The oil will be warm or hot (WARNING: The oil may be VERY HOT - use caution) and will gush out rather quickly. The faster the motion you use to pull the drain plug bolt out and away, the less mess there will be.
6 - Let the oil drain into the pan. I let it sit for at least 5 minutes, the more that you get out, the better.
7 - Once the oil has stopped draining, remove the oil filter with your special wrench (it may be loose enough to remove by hand, but be careful, the filter may be extremely hot). It should come off quite easily. Be careful! Oil will also come out of the oil filter connection and the filter itself.
Make sure the rubber gasket comes off with the old filter. Sometimes it sticks on the block with disasterous results after installing new filter. (See pic below)
8 - Place the filter on top of the catch pan and let it drain.
9 - After waiting a couple minutes to let any remaining oil drain from the car, wipe up the drain plug area and around where the filter connects with your shop towels, you want it to be as clean as possible before installing the new filter and replacing the drain plug bolt.
Replacing The Drain Plug and Installing The New Filter
1 - Wipe off the drain plug and remove the old crush washer (it is usually copper and should come off easily).
2- Put the new washer on the bolt, the end that crushes should be placed toward the car's oil pan. Screw in the plug and hand tighten. Now, tighten the rest of the way with the 14 mm socket wrench. The washer will crush as you tighten, this creates the seal. Do not over-tighten, stripping the threads on the pan is an expensive repair!
3 - Fill the new filter about half way with new oil (if you fill it too much, the oil will spill as you install the new filter).
4 - Wet the black ring seal around the outer edge of the new filter with a small amount of new oil, this will help create the seal when we install the new filter. I either use my finger or dip a shop towel into the new oil and then spread it on the seal. (See image below).
5 - Install the new filter onto the threads. Turn the filter by hand just until it begins to tighten and stop. Now, turn the filter about another 3/4 of a turn. You don't want to over-tighten the filter. Wipe up the area again with your shop towels.
Adding The New Oil
1 - Place your funnel into the oil fill hole in the engine cover. Slowly add the new oil through the funnel so there is no spillage.
Note - Depending on how much of the oil you let drain and the size of the new filter, the amount of oil you add will vary a small amount. You will use between 4 1/4 and 4 3/4 quarts. It is better to slightly under fill the oil and add more, than overfilling.
2 - Replace the oil filler cap in the engine cover.
3 - Start the car, let it run for 1 - 2 minutes. Turn off the car. Check under the car for any drips, etc. If everything looks ok, replace the undercover.
After-Change Steps
1 - Carefully lower the car (if using jack-stands) or carefully drive it off the ramps. Let the car sit for 3-5 minutes and check the oil level with the dipstick, it should be between the "H" and "L" markings. Add more oil if needed, but do not overfill!
2 - Clean up your work area and take your old oil and oil filter to a service station or an oil recycling center for disposal.
<font color=red>GSM</font color=red> <font color=black>Silverstone Coupe</font color=black><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by gsedanman on 07/21/03 08:56 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
Introduction
The simple oil change is one of the most important things we can do to keep our cars running in top condition. Using a high quality oil and keeping your oil clean will help to increase performance, increase mileage, and reduce emissions.
Supplies and Preparation
Changing the oil on the G35 is a simple, straight-forward process. It's something that even an amateur can accomplish. Infiniti recommends an oil change every 3750 miles. The oil change depicted was performed at about 3000 miles. I used the Mobil 1 M-110 oil filter ($11 at AutoZone) and Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic motor oil ($18 at Wal-Mart). The oil change cost me under $30 and took under 30 minutes of time.
**It is a good idea to warm up your car before changing the oil. Drive it for a few minutes immediately before doing the oil change. This will help to ensure that any debris doesn't settle to the bottom and get left behind when the oil is drained.
Assemble the needed supplies and tools, once you're under the car, you won't want to be having to get up and down multiple times.
You will need the following items:
1) A way to lift the front of the car (ramps, jack-stands, etc).
2) Socket wrench - 10 and 14 mm needed.
3) Oil filter wrench or adapter for the socket wrench.
4) Oil drain pan to catch the old oil.
5) Funnel for adding the new oil.
6) Latex gloves (optional).
7) Shop towels.
8) New drain plug washer (optional).
9) Five (5) quarts of oil. (5W-30 is recommended by Infiniti).
10) New oil filter. Some compatible oil filters are:
Mobil 1 M-108 and M-110, K&N HP-1008/1006, Napa Gold FIL1365, Nissan OEM 15208-65F00, many others.
Optional Items
1) Gloves. They serve two purposes: keeping your hands clean and protecting you from hot oil.
2) New washer. Many people suggest replacing the washer with every oil change. Many other people suggest changing the washer every few oil changes or only as needed. I recommend changing the washer every change, as they are only about $1. Infiniti also recommends changing the washer at each oil change.
Getting Under The Car Safely
WARNING - If the car falls on you, at the least, you will be seriously injured. Please take care in the method you use to raise the car.
I recommend ramps (Rhino Ramps is the brand is use), they are very safe (mine are rated at 6000 pounds, the G35 weighs under 3500 pounds in most configurations) and require no particular knowledge to raise the car. Begin by driving the car up onto the ramps. Turn off the car and put the parking brake on. Check and make sure the tires are completely on the ramps and not hanging over the edges at all.
Some people prefer jack-stands to raise the car. If you are using jack-stands, refer to the included instructions for how to use them or have a knowledgeable person show you how to use them.
I use ramps and place jack-stands under the car, as well...better safe, than sorry.
Removing The Old Oil
Now we begin the actual oil change process.
1 - Remove the oil filler cap located in the engine cover (See image below).
The G35 has an undercover that keeps debris, salt, etc. out of the engine compartment and provides for better underbody air flow. This cover is held on by 14 bolts.
2 - Use the 10 mm socket wrench to remove the bolts and remove the cover, placing it aside. This image below shows the undercover (the piece with the rectangle cut out of it). Most of the bolts are along its outer edge, there are 2 at the back of the cover, 2 on each side of the cover, 2 near the center of the cover and the rest are along the front edge.
Once the cover is removed, you will have a clear view of the oil drain plug (red arrow) and the oil filter (blue arrow). See image below.
3 - Place the oil drain pan under the drain plug and filter area.
4 - Loosen the oil pan bolt using the 14 mm socket. Do not remove it with the socket wrench or you will get oil all over the wrench.
5 - After the drain plug is loose, remove it the rest of the way with your hand. Be careful! The oil will be warm or hot (WARNING: The oil may be VERY HOT - use caution) and will gush out rather quickly. The faster the motion you use to pull the drain plug bolt out and away, the less mess there will be.
6 - Let the oil drain into the pan. I let it sit for at least 5 minutes, the more that you get out, the better.
7 - Once the oil has stopped draining, remove the oil filter with your special wrench (it may be loose enough to remove by hand, but be careful, the filter may be extremely hot). It should come off quite easily. Be careful! Oil will also come out of the oil filter connection and the filter itself.
Make sure the rubber gasket comes off with the old filter. Sometimes it sticks on the block with disasterous results after installing new filter. (See pic below)
8 - Place the filter on top of the catch pan and let it drain.
9 - After waiting a couple minutes to let any remaining oil drain from the car, wipe up the drain plug area and around where the filter connects with your shop towels, you want it to be as clean as possible before installing the new filter and replacing the drain plug bolt.
Replacing The Drain Plug and Installing The New Filter
1 - Wipe off the drain plug and remove the old crush washer (it is usually copper and should come off easily).
2- Put the new washer on the bolt, the end that crushes should be placed toward the car's oil pan. Screw in the plug and hand tighten. Now, tighten the rest of the way with the 14 mm socket wrench. The washer will crush as you tighten, this creates the seal. Do not over-tighten, stripping the threads on the pan is an expensive repair!
3 - Fill the new filter about half way with new oil (if you fill it too much, the oil will spill as you install the new filter).
4 - Wet the black ring seal around the outer edge of the new filter with a small amount of new oil, this will help create the seal when we install the new filter. I either use my finger or dip a shop towel into the new oil and then spread it on the seal. (See image below).
5 - Install the new filter onto the threads. Turn the filter by hand just until it begins to tighten and stop. Now, turn the filter about another 3/4 of a turn. You don't want to over-tighten the filter. Wipe up the area again with your shop towels.
Adding The New Oil
1 - Place your funnel into the oil fill hole in the engine cover. Slowly add the new oil through the funnel so there is no spillage.
Note - Depending on how much of the oil you let drain and the size of the new filter, the amount of oil you add will vary a small amount. You will use between 4 1/4 and 4 3/4 quarts. It is better to slightly under fill the oil and add more, than overfilling.
2 - Replace the oil filler cap in the engine cover.
3 - Start the car, let it run for 1 - 2 minutes. Turn off the car. Check under the car for any drips, etc. If everything looks ok, replace the undercover.
After-Change Steps
1 - Carefully lower the car (if using jack-stands) or carefully drive it off the ramps. Let the car sit for 3-5 minutes and check the oil level with the dipstick, it should be between the "H" and "L" markings. Add more oil if needed, but do not overfill!
2 - Clean up your work area and take your old oil and oil filter to a service station or an oil recycling center for disposal.
<font color=red>GSM</font color=red> <font color=black>Silverstone Coupe</font color=black><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by gsedanman on 07/21/03 08:56 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
#6
04-14-2008 | 12:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 29
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#11
06-27-2009 | 09:43 PM
I don't know size but its called a crush washer, part# 11026-01M02.
Honestly, I've yet to replace one on any car I've owned, and have never had any leaks. I do torque to spec so perhaps I'm not deforming it. Oil plug is 25 Ft-Lbs on my '04.
Honestly, I've yet to replace one on any car I've owned, and have never had any leaks. I do torque to spec so perhaps I'm not deforming it. Oil plug is 25 Ft-Lbs on my '04.
#15
08-29-2015 | 01:04 AM
Before you do a reset find out what caused the warning, trust me there's a reason! Most major auto parts stores will read it for you at no charge. How are you going to fix the problem if you don't know why it's there? 
Oil change thread, very informative and I agree with everything except for one. If your G has been sitting in the garage all night why would you start it? All your oil is in the bottom of the pan, just take a break while it drains thoroughly making sure you've pulled the dip stick and filler cap!
Gary
Oil change thread, very informative and I agree with everything except for one. If your G has been sitting in the garage all night why would you start it? All your oil is in the bottom of the pan, just take a break while it drains thoroughly making sure you've pulled the dip stick and filler cap!
Gary