1998 NISSAN ALTIMA Owners Manual

Schedule 2
Abbreviations: R = Replace I = Inspect. Correct or replace if necessary. [ ]: At the mileage intervals only
MAINTENANCE OPERATIONMAINTENANCE INTERVAL
Perform at number of miles, kilometers or
months, whichever comes first.Miles x 1,000 7.5 15 22.5 30 37.5 45 52.5 60
(km x 1,000) (12) (24) (36) (48) (60) (72) (84) (96)
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
Emission control system maintenance
Drive belts See NOTE (1)I*
Air cleaner filter[R] [R]
EVAP vapor linesI* I*
Fuel linesI* I*
Fuel filter See NOTE (2)*
Engine coolant See NOTE (3)R*
Engine oilRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRR
Spark plugs[R] [R]
Intake & exhaust valve clearance See NOTE (4)*
NOTE: (1) After 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 48 months, inspect every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or 12 months.
(2) If vehicle is operated under extremely adverse weather conditions or in areas where ambient temperatures are either
extremely low or extremely high, the filters might become clogged. In such an event, replace them immediately.
(3) After 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 48 months, replace every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 24 months.
(4) If valve noise increases, inspect valve clearance.
* Maintenance items and intervals marked with an ``*'' are recommended by NISSAN for reliable vehicle operation. The
owner need not perform such maintenance in order to maintain the emission warranty or manufacturer recall liability.
Other maintenance items and intervals are required.
9-8Maintenance
ZX

Abbreviations: I = Inspect. Correct or replace if necessary.
MAINTENANCE OPERATIONMAINTENANCE INTERVAL
Perform at number of miles, kilometers or
months, whichever comes first.Miles x 1,000 7.5 15 22.5 30 37.5 45 52.5 60
(km x 1,000) (12) (24) (36) (48) (60) (72) (84) (96)
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
Chassis and body maintenance
Brake lines & cablesIIII
Brake pads, rotors, drums & liningsIIII
Manual transaxle gear oil & automatic transaxle fluidIIII
Steering gear & linkage, axle & suspension parts I I
Exhaust systemII
Drive shaft bootsIIII
Air bag system See NOTE (1)
NOTE: (1) Inspect the supplemental air bag system 10 years after the date of manufacture noted on the FMVSS certification label.
Maintenance
9-9
ZX

Additional information on the following
items marked with an ``*'' is found in the
``Do-it- yourself'' section of this manual.
Emission control system
maintenance
Drive belts*Ð Check drive belts for wear,
fraying or cracking and also for proper ten-
sion. Replace any damaged drive belts.
Air cleaner filterÐ Under normal driving
conditions, the air cleaner filter should be
replaced in accordance with the mainte-
nance schedule. However, driving the ve-
hicle in dusty areas may cause rapid clog-
ging of the element. Consequently, the
element may have to be replaced more
frequently.
Evap vapor linesÐ Check vapor lines and
connections for leaks, looseness or deterio-
ration. If leaks are found, replace them.
Fuel linesÐ Check the fuel hoses, piping
and connections for leaks, looseness or
deterioration. Replace any damaged parts.
Fuel filterÐ If the vehicle is operated under
extremely adverse weather conditions or in
areas where ambient temperatures are ei-
ther extremely low or extremely high, thefilter might become clogged. In such an
event, replace the filter immediately.
Engine coolant*Ð Drain and flush the
cooling system.
Engine oil & oil filter*Ð Under normal
driving conditions, the engine oil and oil filter
should be replaced in accordance with the
maintenance schedule. However, under se-
vere driving conditions, they may have to be
replaced more frequently.
Spark plugs*Ð Replace with new plugs
having the correct heat range.
Intake & exhaust valve clearanceÐ Check
the valve clearance if valve noise increases.
Chassis and body maintenance
Brake lines & cablesÐ Check the brake
lines and hoses (including brake booster
vacuum hoses, connections & check valve)
and parking brake cables for proper attach-
ment, leaks, cracks, chafing, abrasion, de-
terioration, etc.
Brake pads, discs, drums & liningsÐ
Check these and the other neighboring brake
components for wear, deterioration and
leaks. Under severe driving conditions, they
may have to be inspected more frequently.
Manual & automatic transmission fluid*
Ð Check the fluid level and visually inspect
for signs of leakage.
Under severe driving conditions, the fluid
should be replaced at the specified interval.
Steering gear & linkage, axle & suspen-
sion parts, and drive shaft bootsÐ
Check for damage, looseness and leakage
of oil or grease. Under severe driving con-
ditions, inspection should be performed
more frequently
Exhaust systemÐ Visually check the ex-
haust pipes, muffler, and hangers for proper
attachment, leaks, cracks, chafing, abra-
sion, deterioration, etc. Under severe driv-
ing conditions, inspection should be per-
formed more frequently.
Supplemental air bag systemÐ Check
the supplemental air bag system compo-
nents for proper attachment, damage, de-
formities, cracks, rust, etc. Work around and
on the supplemental air bag system should
be done by an authorized NISSAN dealer.
EXPLANATION OF
MAINTENANCE ITEMS
9-10Maintenance
ZX

10 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants ......10-2
Fuel recommendation...........................................10-3
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation..............10-5
Recommended SAE viscosity number.................10-6
Air conditioner system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations ..................................10-7
Engine ..................................................................10-8
Wheel/tire size ......................................................10-9
Dimensions and weights ......................................10-9
Registering your vehicle in another country ......10-10
Vehicle identification ..........................................10-10
Vehicle identification number plate ....................10-10
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number) ..............................................................10-10Engine serial number .........................................10-11
F.M.V.S.S. certification label ..............................10-11
Emission control information label .....................10-12
Tire placard ........................................................10-12
Air conditioner specification label.......................10-12
Installing front license plate................................10-13
Vehicle loading information ................................10-13
Trailer towing ......................................................10-14
Uniform tire quality grading ................................10-18
Emission control system warranty .....................10-19
Reporting safety defects (USA) .........................10-19
Readiness for inspection/maintenance (I/M)
test ......................................................................10-20
ZX

The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be a little different. When refilling, follow the procedure
described in the ``Do-it-yourself'' section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
US
measureImp
measureLiter
Fuel 15-7/8 gal 13-1/4 gal 60Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87
AKI (RON 91)*1
Engine oil (Refill)
With oil filter 4-1/4 qt 3-1/2 qt 4.0
cAPI SG or SH and Energy Conserving II *2
cAPI Certification Mark *2
Without oil filter 3-7/8 qt 3-1/8 qt 3.6
Cooling system
With reservoir 7-3/4 qt 6-3/8 qt 7.3 Anti- freeze coolant (Ethylene glycol base)
Reservoir 3/4 qt 5/8 qt 0.7 50% soft water
Manual transaxle gear oil 9-1/2 to 10-1/8 pt 7-7/8 to 8-1/2 pt 4.5 to 4.8 API GL-4, Viscosity SAE 80W-90 only
Automatic transaxle fluid 10 qt 8-1/4 qt 9.4
Nissan Matic `D' (Continental U.S. and Alaska) or
Genuine Nissan Automatic Transmission Fluid
(Canada). *3
Power steering fluid 1 qt 3/4 qt 0.9 Type DEXRONTMIII or equivalent
Brake and clutch fluidRefill to the proper level according to the instructions in the
``Do-it-yourself'' section.Genuine Nissan Brake Fluid*4 or equivalent
DOT 3 (US FMVSS No. 116)
Multi-purpose grease Ð Ð Ð NLGI No. 2 (Lithium soap base)Air conditioning system refrigerantÐ Ð Ð HFC-134a (R-134a)*5
Air conditioning system lubricant Ð Ð Ð Nissan A/C System Oil Type R or exact equivalent*5
*1: For further details, see ``Fuel recommendation.''
*2: For further details, see ``Recommended SAE engine oil viscosity.''
*3: Dexron
TMIII/MerconTMor equivalent may also be used. Outside the Continental United States and Alaska contact a NISSAN dealership for more information
regarding suitable fluids, including recommended brand(s) of DexronTMIII/MerconTMAutomatic Transmission Fluid.
*4: Available in mainland USA through your NISSAN dealer.
*5: For further details, see ``Air conditioner specification label.''
CAPACITIES AND
RECOMMENDED FUEL/
LUBRICANTS
10-2Technical and consumer information
ZX

FUEL RECOMMENDATION
Your vehicle is designed to operate on
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of
at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) (Re-
search octane number 91).
CAUTION
cUsing a fuel other than that specified
could adversely affect the emission
control devices and systems, and
could also affect warranty coverage.
cUnder no circumstances should a
leaded gasoline be used, since this
will damage the three way catalyst.
Reformulated Gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing re-
formulated gasolines. These gasolines are
specially designed to reduce vehicle emis-
sions. NISSAN supports efforts towards
cleaner air and suggests that you use refor-
mulated gasoline when available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and
methanol with or without advertising theirpresence. Nissan does not recommend the
use of fuels of which the oxygenate content
and the fuel compatibility for your NISSAN
cannot be readily determined. If in doubt,
ask your service station manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage
of such fuels may cause vehicle perfor-
mance problems and/or fuel system dam-
age.
cThe fuel should be unleaded and have
an octane rating no lower than that
recommended for unleaded gasoline.
cIf an oxygenate-blend other than a
methanol blend is used, it should con-
tain no more than 10% oxygenate.
(MTBE may, however, be added up to
15%.)
cIf a methanol blend is used, it should
contain no more than 5% methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). It
should also contain a suitable amount
of appropriate cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors. If not properly formu-
lated with appropriate cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors, such methanol
blends may cause fuel system dam-age and/or vehicle performance prob-
lems. At this time, sufficient data is
not available to ensure that all metha-
nol blends are suitable for use in NIS-
SAN vehicles.
If any driveability problems such as engine
stalling and difficult hot-starting are experi-
enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels,
immediately change to a non-oxygenate
fuel or a fuel with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during
refueling. Gasoline containing oxygen-
ates can cause paint damage.
Aftermarket Fuel Additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of
any fuel additives (i.e.: fuel injector cleaner,
octane booster, intake valve deposit remov-
ers, etc.) which are sold commercially.
Many of these additives intended for gum,
varnish or deposit removal may contain
active solvents or similar ingredients that
can be harmful to the fuel system and
engine.
Octane rating tips
In most parts of North America, you should
use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
Technical and consumer information
10-3
ZX

of at least 87 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) num-
ber. However, you may use unleaded gaso-
line with an octane rating as low as 85 AKI
(Anti-Knock Index) number in high altitude
areas [over 4,000 ft (1,219 m)] such as:
Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah,
Wyoming, northeastern Nevada, southern
Idaho, western South Dakota, western Ne-
braska, and the part of Texas which is
directly south of New Mexico.
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating lower than stated above can cause
persistent, heavy ``spark knock.''
(``Spark knock'' is a metallic rapping
noise.) If severe, this can lead to engine
damage. If you detect a persistent heavy
spark knock even when using gasoline
of the stated octane rating, or if you hear
steady spark knock while holding a
steady speed on level roads, have an
authorized dealer correct the condition.
Failure to correct the condition is misuse
of the vehicle, for which NISSAN is not
responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing may result in spark
knock, after-run or overheating, which may
cause excessive fuel consumption or en-
gine damage. If any of the above symptomsare encountered, have your vehicle
checked at an authorized NISSAN dealer or
other competent service facility.
However, now and then you may notice
light spark knock for a short time while
accelerating or driving up hills. This is
no cause for concern, because you get
the greatest fuel benefit when there is
light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
10-4Technical and consumer information
ZX

ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose engine oil with the
correct quality and viscosity oil to ensure
satisfactory engine life and performance.
NISSAN recommends the use of a low
friction oil (energy conserving oil) in order to
improve fuel economy and conserve en-
ergy. Oils which do not have the specified
quality label should not be used as they
could cause engine damage.Only those engine oils with the American
Petroleum Institute (API) CERTIFICATION
MARK on the front of the container should
be used. This type of oil supersedes the
existing API SG or SH and Energy Conserv-
ing II categories.
If you cannot find engine oil with the CERTI-
FICATION MARK, an API SG or SH an
Energy Conserving II oil with the API Service
Symbol may be used. An oil with a single
designation SG or SH, or in combination with
other categories (for example, SG/CC or
SG/CD) may also be used if one with the API
CERTIFICATION MARK cannot be found.
Mineral based or synthetic type oils may be
used in your NISSAN vehicle. These oils
must however, meet the API quality and
SAE viscosity ratings specified for your ve-
hicle. Do not mix mineral based and syn-
thetic type oils in the engine.
Oil additives
NISSAN does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used
and maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness
changes with temperature. Because of this,
it is important that the engine oil viscosity be
selected based on the temperatures at
which the vehicle will be operated before
the next oil change. The chart ``Recom-
mended SAE viscosity number'' shows the
recommended oil viscosities for the ex-
pected ambient temperatures. Choosing an
oil viscosity other than that recommended
could cause serious engine damage.
ATI0507
Technical and consumer information10-5
ZX