OK. Time for a new discussion topic.

I just changed the oil on my Titan XD. Nissan recommends a 10k OCI.

According to CarFax, the oil and filter was last changed at around 4800 miles. When I changed the oil, the truck had just under 7000 miles. The oil filter is a little hard to get to, and there is a splash shield that has to be removed, so I skipped the filter change. I figure the filter cannot have gotten too clogged up in only 2200 miles.

I doubt that I will put more than 2000-3000 miles on this oil before I change it again, and will definitely do a filter change next time.

A filter change with the initial oil change may help to removed machining remnants, but the second or third?

I think that it is Toyota, at least on some of its engines, has gone to a filter change on every other oil change.

 

I myself can't see changing the oil and not the filter at the same time however you might be onto something. I've changed oil on a few "older" Toyota's where the filter was horizontal on the block and almost impossible to change without making a mess. If access is limited or things have to be removed I can see not wanting to do that every time.

Of course I'm still changing oil at 3-4K miles and on my E-Series its not the difficult to do in the driveway. I did install a Ford reman'd 5.4 that had its oil changed about 315 miles later---filter included. I didn't open the filter to see if it had caught any machining bits but I don't regret that minor expense at all. Next oil change on the motor and I'll probably open the filter just for grins---I hope to hell there's nothing in there.

 

Most modern cars have some sort of aero-aid belly pan or shield that has to be removed to access the oil drain plug and/or filter. The wife's Beetle had 6 friggin' bolts that needed to be removed to release the shield.

The filter is supposed to hold X amount of contaminates. Under normal circumstances, the oil filter should not fill up with these contaminates during a "normal" OIC, which is mostly 5000 miles + now days. So at 2200 miles, the filter should still have lots of capacity left, at least, so I figure.

BTW - Most OEMs have a mileage and time limit on oil changes. The time limits is usually 1 year. The manual in my Grand Caravan says no matter what the mileage, the oil needs to be changed annually.

I call BS on this.

Over on Youtube, the Project Farm guy also tested this edict. He has a mid-90s Dodge 2500 with a Cummins that he uses only occasionally for farm errands. The truck has 100k+ miles on it.

After only about 3000 miles, but 18 months in the truck, he drained the oil and ran it through his tests (which many dispute the relevancy) and also sent a sample to a testing lab.

The used oil did fine in his tests and came back from the testing labs with all components within acceptable rangers. Viscosity, TBN, flashpoint, etc., all perfectly acceptable.

 

Seeing as how this puppy has a Cummins Diesel engine & you don't seem to have the last service receipt, but had to go to Carfax to determine when the current oil & Maybe filter were changed & we don't know who serviced it last time, nor the Brand Name on the filter now installed, or who maybe changed it, I'd find out the filter brand name info before skipping a filter change this go round. Some brand name filters I'd probably not feel comfortable having on my engines at all right now, especially a diesel. Your down in warm country, so its not likely to see any real cold temp starts & you say your not going to leave whatever is on it now on for more than 2-3K more miles before you change oil & filter, so that sorta mitigates the leave it on decision some, even if a questionable brand filter is on it now. Diesels make more soot, use a more vicious lube that pressure drop across the filter media stresses a filter media right away & begins to Soot load a filter right away, unlike a gasser that doesn't soot load a filter as quickly. SO, if the filter brand can't be determined & you can't come by a receipt to find out who last serviced the engine & with what oil & filter, or actually lay eyes on the brand name filter on it now, I'd opt to change it now, so you Know for Sure the engine has whats specified for it, like the oil you just put in.
When the filter is changed, I'd probably cut that puppy open to see how the filter media, bypass & anti-drain back valves look & held up for the mileage used.
Let us know the current filter brand name. More thoughts for consideration.

 

I am not a "lifer". In other words, unless I get hit by a bus, this will not be my last truck. 2000-3000 miles per year is all that I will probably put on this truck. It has 7000 miles on it now, and I doubt it will see 20,000 miles with me as the owner.

As I have said many times before, if the engine explodes 1 day after I sell it, not my problem. I want a problem free truck FOR ME. The next guy, I could care less.

 

Just as a follow-up. The oil was changed at a Nissan dealer.

Not many 5.0L diesel were sold, so not many people make filters for them. Wix, Hastings and ACDelco have the only listings for that engine.

The "genuine" Nissan filter is a reboxed Fleetguard filter. Literally. No Nissan markings on the filter at all.

None of those OEMs have a bad reputation.

 

Ok that's good feedback, so sounds like its safe for you to go another 2-3K if a Nissan Dealer serviced it last time, so likely used the specified oil & even if they didn't use an OEM filter, those other brands have good reputations, so if the engine is running well, not making excessive soot / no excessive exhaust smoke, you should be good to go. When a diesel is just making heat coming out the exhaust stack, its set up right & doing well.

 

With some brands of motor oil, they claim that you can go up to 15,000 miles. In your case, you may never have to change the oil again.


Sorry