Paul's Travel Pictures

2007-2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S Engine Oil Change Guide
How to change the motor oil & filter on the QR25DE 2.5L I4 engine in a 4th generation 2007-2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S.

Main Menu            Home           Digital Cameras

Misc. Pictures            Articles            My Blog

Please note, I am not a professional mechanic. This guide is for illustrative purposes only. If you have any doubts, do not proceed and consult with your dealership. I assume no responsibility for damage to your vehicle, persons, property or pets.
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-001
2011 Nissan Altima Engine
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-002
Remove Oil Filler Cap
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-003
Front Passenger Jack Point
This automotive maintenance guide was specifically written to assist owners of the 4th generation 2007 to 2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S in changing the motor oil and replacing the oil filter on the QR25DE 2.5 liter inline four cylinder engine.

Owners of other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles such as the Versa, Maxima, Juke, Rogue, Murano, Xterra, Pathfinder, Sentra, Cube, Armada, Quest, Frontier, Titan, G25, G37 and M37 may also find this guide to be helpful.

To complete this oil change procedure, the following items are needed: a floor jack, jack stands, a 14mm socket or wrench, an automotive funnel, a used oil catch container, a new oil filter, an oil filter wrench, and 5 quarts of new SAE 5W-30 oil.

Some compatible oil filters include the following: Purolator PL14612, Mobil1 M1-108, K&N HP-1008, Motorcraft FL816, Fram PH6607, Bosch 3300, Wal-Mart SuperTech ST6607 and Nissan 15208-65F0E.



 
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-004
Raise Passenger Side
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-005
Black Metal Oil Pan
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-006
Oil Drain Bolt (White Dot)
The first step is to warm up the engine for a few minutes.

This will help suspend any contaminants inside the motor within the old oil and allow it to drain out more quickly.

Then shut off the engine, open the hood, and remove the oil filler cap by twisting it counter clockwise.

Raise the passenger side of the car with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

Slide the used oil catch container below the passenger side of the engine and position it underneath the black metal oil pan.

Use a 14mm socket with a ratcheting wrench to carefully remove the oil drain bolt located at the rear edge of the oil pan by turning it counter clockwise.

(On this particular 2011 Nissan Altima, the oil drain bolt was marked with a small white dot of paint.)

2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-007
14mm Socket & Wrench
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-008
Allow Old Oil To Drain
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-009
Lift Engine Side Cover
Allow the old oil to drain out of the engine for at least a few minutes before replacing the oil drain bolt.

The service manual specification states that the oil drain bolt should be tightened with a torque wrench to 22-29 ft lbs.

If you don't have a torque wrench, tighten the bolt a 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight. Don't over tighten the bolt which may damage the threads or the oil pan and cause an oil leak.



 

2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-010
Locate Old Oil Filter
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-011
Twist Off Counter Clockwise
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-012
Lubricate New Filter O-Ring
Next locate the old oil filter by lifting up the passenger side wheel well engine cover. The filter is situated just behind the accessory belt and in front of the passenger wheel drive shaft.

Move the old oil catch container forward to below the oil filter location. You may be able to twist off the old oil filter by hand by turning it counter clockwise or you may need an oil filter wrench or strap.

If you need an oil filter wrench, I recommend the Lisle 63600 Oil Filter Tool.

Allow the old oil from the oil filter receptacle to drain out for about a minute. Then clean up the area with a rag and check to make sure that the old rubber o-ring is in fact on the old oil filter rather than stuck on the engine.

Lubricate the rubber o-ring on the new oil filter with some new oil. This will help the new oil filter form a better seal to the engine and make it easier to remove during the next oil change.

Twist on the new oil filter by carefully turning it clockwise on the oil filter receptacle threads.

Tighten the filter to about 1/2 turn past hand tight.

2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-013
Insert Automotive Funnel
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-014
Fill With New 5W-30 Oil
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-015
Engine Oil Level Dipstick
Double check that the 14mm oil drain bolt and new oil filter are tight before removing the catch container and lowering the car from the floor jack and jack stands.

The 2007-2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S requires 4 7/8 U.S. quarts of new SAE 5W-30 oil for an oil change with new oil filter. Place the automotive funnel into the oil filler hole and pour in about 4 quarts of new oil.

Run the engine for a minute, turn it off, and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes parked on a level area. Check the oil level on the engine's dipstick which is marked with a yellow plastic pull ring.

2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-016
Check Dipstick Level
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-017
Add Oil To Reach "H"
2007-2012-Nissan-Altima-2-5-S-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide-018
Replace Oil Filler Cap
The end of the engine oil level dipstick is marked with an "L" for low and an "H" for high. Slowly add more new oil and repeatedly check the level on the dipstick until it reaches the upper hole in the dipstick next to the "H" mark.

You may not need to use the entire 4 7/8 quarts of oil depending on how long you allowed the engine to drain out.

It is much better to have slightly less oil than necessary in the engine than to overfill the engine with oil.

Having too much oil in the engine may cause oil leaks, excessive pressure on seals, or damage to gaskets.

Once the oil is at the correct level, remove the funnel and replace the oil filler cap.

I'd recommend checking the oil level on the dipstick a few times during the next week and watch your driveway or garage for any drops of oil that may indicate a leak from the oil drain bolt or oil filter.

Be sure to record the vehicle's mileage in your service record book.
 

For more of my maintenance instructions, click on the following links: 2007-2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S Maintenance Guides, and 2002-2006 Nissan Altima 2.5 S Maintenance Guides.
 
If you found this guide to be helpful, please consider making a small donation by clicking on the PayPal.com "Donate" button located to the right of this paragraph. Thank you!
(Note: I am not a registered charity. Donations are not tax deductible.)

Main Menu       Home       Digital Cameras

Misc. Pictures       Articles       My Blog

 

Copyright 2024 © PaulsTravelPictures.com
 All Rights Reserved ®

Paul's Travel Pictures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Privacy Policy     About Paul & Author Contact Info