1998 NISSAN SENTRA warning

6. Clean and reinstall the drain plug and
washer. Securely tighten the drain plug
with a wrench.
Drain plug tightening torque:
22 to 29 ft-lb
(29 to 39 N²m)
Do not overtighten.
7. Refill engine with recommended oil
through the oil filler opening then install
the oil filler cap securely.
See the ``Technical and consumer infor-
mation'' section for refill capacity.8. Start the engine. Check for leakage
around the drain plug and oil filter. Cor-
rect as required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait several
minutes. Check the oil level with the
dipstick. Add engine oil if necessary.
WARNING
cProlonged and repeated contact with
used engine oil may cause skin can-
cer.
cTry to avoid direct skin contact with
used oil. If skin contact is made,
wash thoroughly with soap or hand
cleaner as soon as possible.
cKeep used engine oil out of reach of
children.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL FILTER
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the engine off.
3. Place a large drain pan under the oil
filter.
4. Loosen the oil filter with an oil filter
wrench. Then remove the oil filter by
turning it by hand.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The
engine oil may be hot.
DI1151DI1222M
8-10Do-it-yourself
ZX

5. Wipe the engine oil filter mounting sur-
face with a clean rag.
Be sure to remove any old gasket mate-
rial remaining on the mounting surface of
the engine.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with
clean engine oil.
7. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resis-
tance is felt, then tighten an additional
2/3 turn.
8. Start the engine and check for leakage
around the oil filter. Correct as required.9. Turn the engine off and wait several
minutes. Check the oil level. Add engine
oil if necessary.WARNING
cWhen engine is running, keep
hands, jewelry and clothing away
from any moving parts such as cool-
ing fan and drive belts.
cAutomatic transmission fluid is poi-
sonous and should be stored care-
fully in marked containers out of the
reach of children.
DI1154ADI0614
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID (ATF)
Do-it-yourself8-11
ZX

Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir.
If the fluid is below the MIN line or the brake
warning light comes on, addDOT 3fluid up
to the MAX line. If fluid must be added
frequently, the system should be thoroughly
checked by an authorized NISSAN dealer.
WARNING
Use only new fluid. Old, inferior, or
contaminated fluid may damage the
brake system. The use of improper flu-
ids can damage the brake system and
affect the vehicle's stopping ability.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If
fluid is spilled, wash with water.
To fill the window washer fluid reservoir, lift
the cap off the reservoir tank and pour the
window washer fluid into the tank opening.
Add a washer solvent to the water for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a wind-
shield washer antifreeze. Follow the manu-
facturer's instructions for the mixture ratio.
USA Only
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir peri-
odically. Perform the refilling operation
more often under driving conditions that
require an increased amount of window
washer fluid.
DI1226MADI0618
BRAKE FLUID WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-14Do-it-yourself
ZX

Canada Only
Add fluid when the low washer fluid warning
light comes on. Add a washer solvent to the
water for better cleaning. In the winter sea-
son, add a windshield washer antifreeze.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for
the mixture ratio.
CAUTION
Do not substitute engine antifreeze
coolant for windshield washer solution.
This may result in damage to the paint.cKeep the battery surface clean and dry.
Any corrosion should be washed off with
a solution of baking soda and water.
cMake certain the terminal connections
are clean and securely tightened.
cIf the vehicle is not to be used for 30 days
or longer, disconnect the negative (þ)
battery terminal cable to prevent dis-
charge.
WARNING
cDo not expose the battery to flames
or electrical sparks. Hydrogen gas
generated by battery action is explo-
sive. Do not allow battery fluid to
contact your skin, eyes, fabrics, or
painted surfaces. After touching a
battery or battery cap, do not touch
or rub your eyes. Thoroughly wash
your hands. If the acid contacts your
eyes, skin or clothing, immediately
flush with water for at least 15 min-
utes and seek medical attention.
cWhen working on or near a battery,
always wear suitable eye protection
and remove all jewelry.
cKeep the battery out of the reach of
children.1. To remove the cap, gently pry between
the battery cap and cover as illustrated.
Use a cloth to protect the battery case.
ADI0500
BATTERY
Do-it-yourself8-15
ZX

WARNING
Be sure the ignition key is OFF. The
engine could rotate unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of
unusual wear, cuts, fraying or looseness.
If the belt is in poor condition or loose,
have it replaced or adjusted by an autho-
rized NISSAN dealer.
2. Have the belts checked regularly for con-
dition and tension in accordance with the
maintenance schedule found in the
``Maintenance'' section of this manual.
ADI0627
DRIVE BELTS
Do-it-yourself8-17
ZX

WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition switch
are off and that the parking brake is
engaged securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to
remove the plugs. An incorrect socket
can cause damage.
GA16DE Engine
1. Remove brackets as necessary to give
access to the high tension cables and
spark plugs.
2. Disconnect the spark plug cables from
the spark plugs.
When disconnecting, always hold the
boots, not the cables. Mark all cables to
identify their original locations.
3. Remove the spark plugs with a spark
plug socket.
The spark plug socket has a rubber seal
that holds the spark plug so it does not
fall when it is pulled out. Make sure each
spark plug is snugly fitted into the spark
plug socket.
4. On conventional spark plugs, check the
gap on each new spark plug with a
feeler gauge. (The spark plug gap is
shown in the ``Technical and consumer
information'' section of this manual.) Ad-
just the gap as required.
DI1229MDI1017M
SPARK PLUG REPLACEMENT
8-18Do-it-yourself
ZX

5. Fit the new plugs, one at a time, into the
spark plug socket and install them. Turn
each plug in several full turns by hand,
then tighten with the spark plug socket to
the correct torque. Do not overtighten.
Spark plug tightening torque:
14 to 22 ft-lb (20 to 29 Nzm)
6. Holding the boot, reconnect each high
tension cable to its proper spark plug by
pushing it on until you feel a snap.
7. Reinstall all brackets as necessary.
SR20DE Engine
Platinum-tipped spark plug
It is not necessary to replace platinum-
tipped spark plugs as frequently as conven-
tional type spark plugs because they last
much longer. Follow the maintenance
schedule, but do not reuse the spark plugs
by cleaning or regapping. Blue rings on the
ceramic portion indicate that the plugs are
platinum-tipped.
cAlways replace spark plugs with rec-
ommended or equivalent ones.
The air cleaner filter should not be cleaned
and reused. Replace it according to the
maintenance intervals shown in the ``Mainte-
nance'' section of this manual. When replac-
ing the filter, wipe the inside of the air cleaner
housing and the cover with a damp cloth.
WARNING
Operating the engine with the air cleaner
off can cause you or others to be
burned. The air cleaner not only cleans
the air, it stops flame if the engine back-
fires. If it isn't in place, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Do not
drive with it off, and be careful working
on the engine with the air cleaner off.
DI0205ADI0631
AIR CLEANER HOUSING
FILTER
Do-it-yourself8-19
ZX

normal, it may be due to a lack of adjust-
ment of the rear drum brakes. To adjust
apply the parking brake several times.
WARNING
See an authorized NISSAN dealer and
have it checked if the brake pedal
height does not return to normal.
Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires replacement, it makes a high
pitched scraping or screeching sound when
the vehicle is in motion whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear
indicator sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,
occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is nor-
mal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
The rear drum brakes (if so equipped) do
not have audible wear indicators. Should
you ever hear an unusually loud noise fromthe rear drum brakes, have them inspected
as soon as possible by an authorized NIS-
SAN dealer.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.For more information regard-
ing brake inspections, see the appropriate
maintenance schedule information in the
``Maintenance'' section of this manual.Check the brake booster function as fol-
lows:
1. With the engine off, press and release
the brake pedal several times. When
brake pedal movement (distance of
travel) remains the same from one pedal
application to the next, continue on to the
next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start
the engine. The pedal height should drop
a little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keeping the pedal depressed for
about 30 seconds, the pedal height
should not change.
4. Run the engine for one minute without
depressing the brake pedal, then turn it
off. Depress the brake pedal several
times. The pedal travel distance will de-
crease gradually with each depression
as the vacuum is released from the
booster.
If the brakes do not operate properly, see an
authorized NISSAN dealer.
BRAKE BOOSTER
8-22Do-it-yourself
ZX