Automobile Repair/Nissan/Maxima (4th Generation)/Changing the oil and oil filter

Changing you oil/filter regularly is one of the most important things you can do to keep your engine running. It should be done between 3,000 miles and 7,000 miles depending on how the car is driven.

Tools/Parts needed

 * New oil filter
 * Oil filter wrench
 * A medium size adjustable wrench or a metric socket set.
 * 5 quarts of new engine oil

Procedure

 * 1) Let engine warm up, 5 minutes should be enough.
 * 2) Pull front passenger side of the car up on to a curb (or your preferred way of raising the front of the car).
 * 3) Get under the car, look for the belts on the passenger side, there will be a small tank under them with a bolt in it.
 * 4) Remove the bolt, and let all the oil come out.
 * 5) When the oil is done dripping use your oil filter wrench to remove the oil filter (it loosens by pulling the end of the wrench towards the front of the car.  Once off let it drip for a while.
 * 6) Now reinstall the engine oil plug tightly.
 * 7) Now install the new oil filter (bottom of filter rotates toward the back of the car), after the seal on the filter meets the engine tighten it one rotation with the wrench.
 * 8) Fill engine with four quarts of oil and start for a minute, shut car off and remove and clean dipstick.  Check oil level with dip stick.  If the dip stick is not giving accurate reading let the oil settle to the bottom of the engine for 5 to 10 minutes.  Add oil until the dip stick is a little below the H line on the dip stick.