The 2018 Nissan Titan is a heavy-duty pick-up truck with plenty of space and powerful mobility. If you’re a Nissan Titan owner, you need to stay on top of your oil changes to keep your massive engine working in top conditions.
Oil changes are one of the main staples of car ownership. You need to know what oil is best, how often to change it, and the engine oil capacity of your truck. To answer all these questions and more, read this guide created by Jerry
, the car insurance
super app that saves drivers time and money on Nissan Titan insurance costs
. 2018 Nissan Titan engine oil capacity
Your 2018 Nissan Titan has an engine oil capacity of 6.8 quarts. That means you should pour in that much engine oil after the old oil has been drained.
The 2018 Nissan Titan is powered by a 5.6L V8 engine. This massive engine gets 390 horsepower and has a towing capacity of over 9,000 pounds. Note that the 5.6L is completely unrelated to the Titan’s engine oil capacity. That number is the engine displacement, which indicates the volume the engine’s cylinders take up.
MORE: How much should an oil change cost?
What kind of oil does a 2018 Nissan Titan need?
The next question is what type of engine oil you’ll want to put in your Nissan Titan.
For a 2018 Nissan Titan, you’ll want to use either full synthetic oil or a synthetic blend. Synthetic oil is specially made to last longer and work better. A synthetic blend is an oil that combines both synthetic oil and conventional oil.
More specifically, you’ll want an engine oil that is 0W-20 full synthetic. All these numbers are used to indicate the viscosity of the oil at different temperatures. The first number, attached to the W (which stands for ‘winter’), indicates the viscosity at cold temperatures. The second number indicates the viscosity at normal engine temperature (around 212 degrees Fahrenheit).
How often to change oil on a 2018 Nissan Titan
Nissan recommends changing the oil on the 2018 Nissan Titan every 5,000 miles. While synthetic oils and blends have increased the time between oil changes, with some lasting as long as 10,000 miles, changing your oil every 5,000 miles will keep your oil fresh and your engine running at top performance.
However, there are signs to watch out for that indicate it’s time to change your oil, regardless of how long it's been since your last oil change. Look out for these warning signs that an oil change is needed:
Motor oil that needs changing is dark brown or black (Clean oil is light brown or amber, like a cup of tea. Dirty oil is like a cup of soda.)
Motor oil feels coarse or gritty
Unfamiliar noises coming from the engine
New smells, especially anything that smells like oil, smoke, or burning
Changes in your vehicle’s performance
How to change your oil and oil filter
When it’s time to change your engine oil, you should consider doing this yourself at home. All you need is a few essential tools and supplies, like a socket wrench, a drain pan, and a filter wrench, plus a new oil filter and a bottle of engine oil.
First, you'll want to run your engine until it reaches normal operating temperature. Then, turn the engine off and let it cool down a little so it's not too hot to work on—you don’t want to burn yourself! It also might be useful to jack up your Nissan for easy access.
With all that done, here’s how to change your engine oil:
Remove the oil fill cap. If you empty the oil and realize you can’t get this off, your car will be stuck!
Remove the drain bolt to begin draining the old oil into your drain pan.
While the oil drains, replace your old oil filter with a new one.
Once the oil is drained, replace the oil drain bolt with a new washer.
Refill the engine with new oil.
Once it's full, replace the fill cap.
After changing your oil, it’s a good idea to turn on your car and let your engine run for about 30 seconds before you check the oil level. This will give you a more accurate measurement, and you’ll be able to top it off if necessary.
After these steps, let your engine run to check for any leaks or other issues. The last step is to properly dispose of your old engine oil—don’t just dump it! You need to put the old oil in a sealable container and bring it to your local recycling center.
Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance
After you change your oil, you should take a few minutes to see if it's time to change your car insurance policy!
Since each car insurance
provider uses its own formula to determine your rates, you could be charged very different amounts for the same coverage at two different companies. To find where you’ll get the best deal, you need to go comparison shopping with Jerry
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