It's time once again for my annual review of the Nissan Frontier engineers' placement of the oil filter.

May you wastes of oxygen get kidney stones, gall stones, shingles, and gout back to back to back to back.

Oh, and fuck COVID for me not being able to sell it this spring before the oil change as I had planned.

Pretty sure Nissan conspired with the makers of brake parts cleaner and shop towels before rolling that brilliantly executed remote filter adapter out to the production line.

The Xterra shares the same issue.

Wouldn't be so bad with no front bash guard installed but.....

At least you didn't have to take the wheel off? Maybe.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
At least you didn't have to take the wheel off? Maybe.

Nope, but had to take off two panels underneath to get to the oil filter because the filter port is for children's hands not adult hands. It used to be worse, the assholes put a metal guard under the oil filter and directly above the miniature oil filter port. Even with removing the panel it left about 1/2" of wrench motion. I took a sawzall to that 2 years ago and have about 2" of wrench motion now. Oil still gets all over the frame and steering.

I find that sometimes with less discomfort I can get the filter out/in from the passenger side rather than going through that little access hole in the bash plate. Still makes a big mess though. I generally pack rags between the bash guard and crossmember and antiroll bar before loosening the filter.

My Titan has a skidplate with seven bolts . The first time I crawled up under my truck and saw that I decided it's time to let somebody else deal with that nonsense . $49.95 synthetic oil change from the Nissan dealer is just fine by me .

My lawnmower belt was engineered like that. It basically required yearly replacement and you had to remove the deck, numerous bolts etc. It was a two hour job and required special tools.

Toyota vehicles are the same. I had an MR2, the oil filter was OVER the exhaust manifold and pipes. It looked like the car was on fire after every time they changed the oil. I had two turbo Supras at different times, and to change the oil filter you had to remove the air intake, air filter and some other parts just to snake your hand and tools down to it. Those three cars I changed the oil on each model once, then had it done at an oil change company.

Sounds like Nissan needs to recruit some Subaru engineers!

quote:

Originally posted by Nuclear:
Toyota vehicles are the same. I had an MR2, the oil filter was OVER the exhaust manifold and pipes. It looked like the car was on fire after every time they changed the oil. I had two turbo Supras at different times, and to change the oil filter you had to remove the air intake, air filter and some other parts just to snake your hand and tools down to it. Those three cars I changed the oil on each model once, then had it done at an oil change company.

I had a '94 V6 Camry where the oil filter was under the exhaust manifold in the front so you burned the shit out of your forearm.

Before I would sign for my '08 Scion tC I bought brand new, I had them put it on the lift in the shop so I could see how difficult it was to change the oil. Saleslady said it's the first time she's ever had a request like that.

My current '18 Highlander oil change is very easy, it's a cartridge filter. Just take the cap off, it's a special tool but I bought it online, and the cartridge comes out. The filter kit comes with a new O ring. My '18 Civic is also a very easy oil change. I have Fumoto valves in both vehicles to make changing oil easier.

Some people don't like changing oil but I do as I rotate the tires, clean the engine air filter, clean the cabin air filter and it gives me a chance to look around the car with the wheels off to check the brake pads, rotors, and brake lines.

I agree - have the same on my wife's Xterra.
MY Titan is a bit easier but similar.

Anybody ever have a Nissan Maxima from circa 1987 era? If so they too can attest that this shit is not new!

#1 rule of mechanics club = nothing is ever easy.

Wanna guess where Nissan engineers put the starter on the 5.6L V8 in our Armada? Gold star if you guessed under the intake manifold.

Yeah. So easy on my daughter’s Subaru. BMWs used to be easy too but my current one the filter is not on top.

I did my daughter-in-law’s Nissan Rogue and said never again. Have someone else change the filter.

Wife's Outback is super easy with the Fumoto valve. Drain directly into an empty oil contanier, no fuss no muss. Filter is on the top as pictured above.

My Tahoe isn't bad either.

Sorry for your woes with the Nissan.

The oil also runs down your arm while you're snaking the filter out through the hole. And there are plenty of other examples.

Engineers and designers need to work in a repair shop for a minimum of one year before being turned loose to engineer and design stuff.

I too suffer the Frontier oil filter woes.

Best I’ve come up with

Go in/out via the passenger side wheel well

Use a large ziplock bag around the filter.

I use a small piece of bent aluminum flashing under the less than adequate drip thingy to direct the spillage out the hole in the plate

All the above actually works pretty well to minimize, not eliminate, the mess.

^^ sounds like a good solution.

Hopefully, the stupidity leaves the auto market and next year's oil change doesn't happen. But if it doesn't, I'll do the ziploc baggy and put some sort of drip flashing on the steering linkage.

quote:

I use a small piece of bent aluminum flashing under the less than adequate drip thingy

That's another problem with them. The oil, instead of running along the drip thingy and out the front, also drips from the back side.