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  #1  
Old 01-01-2013, 07:45 AM
larryton larryton is offline
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Default Tranmission Oil type question

Happy New Year Everyone.

I have few questions would like to ask you for new year. I just bought used 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 SE model. It has 140K on it. From the car-fax report it only showed one service of transmission oil change at 46k. I think that is the last time it was done. Now I would like to do a complete tune up on a car to give me a peace of mind. Here are my questions

1. Transmission fluid Type. I read a service manual and it required Genuine NISSAN Matic “D” ATF. I search on Amazon and I found the close match is "Genuine Nissan Accessories 999MP-AA100P Nissan Matic-D Automatic Transmission Fluid". I don't know if that is a correct one to use because in the description it said this oil is only for 3-4 speed automatic transmission not 5. If it is not the one can you give an exact type and where do you buy it.

2. Is it necessary to do a multiple drain? Because this oil is very expensive and it requires 9.5qt. Each qt is 17 buck. So I don't know if it is necessary?

3. Cooling water change. Do I need special tool as show in the service manual. Can I just use a conventional method that slowly fill while engine at idle until it full?

4. Timing belt. This is my first time own a car with timing belt is a chain. It is necessary to change it?

Also what other services I need to do on the car to ensure its reliability for couple more years.

Thanks
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  #2  
Old 01-01-2013, 01:44 PM
NissanAltima01 NissanAltima01 is offline
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If you have the 5 speed manual transmission then that NISSAN Matic “D” ATF or Genuine Nissan Accessories 999MP-AA100P Nissan Matic-D Automatic Transmission Fluid is only good for the 3-4 speed Automatic Transmisson. Also you should be very careful to how you flush it because adding pressure to the flush could ruin parts of the transmission instead of letting the gravity pressure do the work. If your transmission has already been serviced @46k then why even worry about it at that point. I always thought that the transmission over 100k should be serviced, not sure what they did there.
For the coolant you should get the 50/50 coolant/antifreeze fluid and the radiator flush kit as explained here in this post.
nissan altima no heat ???.
As for the timing chain, there is no maintenance schedule required, so when you start to have issues with it that's when you'll need to change it. Another thing, you sure your engine type is the SE and not the SL? I only notice that the SE/SE-R come in 3.5 engine types and not the 2.5.

Last edited by NissanAltima01; 01-01-2013 at 02:41 PM.
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  #3  
Old 01-01-2013, 09:32 PM
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smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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If you have the 4-spd automatic trans, then "D"-matic or Type "D" ATF (both the same) is the correct ATF from Nissan. It is really nothing more than the original Dexron/Dexron II formula. Dexron III can make the valve body valves stick, so it is not recommended for servicing. Aftermarket alternatives like Valvoline Maxlife ATF and Castrol Multi-import ATF both work well and are less expensive. Nissan doesn't have a recommended service interval for ATF under "normal" schedule, just inspections every 15000 miles (and if it's dirty...service it). Personally, I do a drain and fill every 30,000 miles; your Altima will probably take about 4.5 US quarts during a drain and refill.
These engines are prone to air pockets when refilling, so it is important to bleed all of the air out of the system. Make sure the heater is on and at "Max" heat position. Raise the front end of the vehicle, which helps the air move to the radiator. I use a Lisle Spill-free funnel kit which make refilling and purging much easier. Nissan's method for purging has one hanging the coolant reservoir up higher than the top of the radiator. They use a brake shoe horseshoe clip wedged under the valve of the radiator cap to keep the flow of air bubbles going past the cap and up to the reservoir. There's a TSB out there if you want to refer it. I think it was put out in 2003. I also prefer to use distilled water to mix with the antifreeze; you can get it for about a dollar a gallon at Walmart right next to where they sell drinking water. Premixed coolant is another alternative, but a little more costly.
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  #4  
Old 01-02-2013, 06:55 PM
alanhuro alanhuro is offline
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According to the selling ad it is 5-speed automatic transmission but I think the guy does not know about the car. It is 3-4 speed automatic and 2.5S model. The car now has 140K so I think it time requires to change the transmission fluid. I'm confused now because in the service manual they said checked every 45K but not replace. Most of people in this forum recommend to change every 30K. When you mention about pressure build up that concern me because what I think to do is just drain the oil by open the screw at the bottom. Once it stops screw it back in and fill the new oil. Is that the correct way do it? I'm not sure what pressure you are referring to?


thanks for your help

Quote:
Originally Posted by NissanAltima01 View Post
If you have the 5 speed manual transmission then that NISSAN Matic “D” ATF or Genuine Nissan Accessories 999MP-AA100P Nissan Matic-D Automatic Transmission Fluid is only good for the 3-4 speed Automatic Transmisson. Also you should be very careful to how you flush it because adding pressure to the flush could ruin parts of the transmission instead of letting the gravity pressure do the work. If your transmission has already been serviced @46k then why even worry about it at that point. I always thought that the transmission over 100k should be serviced, not sure what they did there.
For the coolant you should get the 50/50 coolant/antifreeze fluid and the radiator flush kit as explained here in this post.
nissan altima no heat ???.
As for the timing chain, there is no maintenance schedule required, so when you start to have issues with it that's when you'll need to change it. Another thing, you sure your engine type is the SE and not the SL? I only notice that the SE/SE-R come in 3.5 engine types and not the 2.5.
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  #5  
Old 01-02-2013, 08:23 PM
NissanAltima01 NissanAltima01 is offline
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I was not aware that they made a 5 speed automatic transmission. I have never done a transmission drain/refill/flush, but have read about pressure flushes that can ruin the transmission and sometimes aren't even necessary. That's probably what i would do just unscrew, drain, and refill.

Last edited by NissanAltima01; 01-02-2013 at 08:51 PM.
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  #6  
Old 01-03-2013, 07:39 PM
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smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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They didn't use the 5 spd AT in the 03 Altima, but they do have 5 spd. AT's in the trucks and the Maxima, IIRC.
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  #7  
Old 05-31-2018, 01:20 PM
loujs loujs is offline
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Thanks for the 4-1-1 on tranny fluid. My 05 Altima 2.5 S with 115K on it probably has NOT had the tranny serviced. I was considering a flush but it sounds like that is NOT recommended; but doing a drain-and-refill with something else besides MERCON III I can do on my own and save a little money in the process.
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  #8  
Old 06-03-2018, 09:20 AM
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smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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I think people confuse the process for engine flushing with that of transmission flushing. Most commercial automatic transmission flushing machines are nothing more than fluid exchangers. They don't have pumps to pressurize the fluid, rather a tank with a bladder that separates the old fluid from the new fluid. The lines of the machine "T"-in between the radiator cooler hose and the "exit side" radiator cooler fitting on the radiator. New fluid is poured into the machine, typically 12-13 quarts, which fills the tank on one side of the bladder. The vehicle is started and the old fluid is routed into the machine into the opposite side of the bladder, which pushes against the bladder and forces new fluid to get pushed into the cooler hose and back to the transmission. So, the only pressure is the normal line pressure to the cooler circuit created by the transmission, itself, which can vary as low as just a few PSI to around 12-13 PSI, depending on the vehicle. Now, a lot of these commercial fluid exchangers are often associated with companies that sell additives, like BG products. So, often a pre-conditioner is sold as part of the service and added the trans fluid before the flush process and there may be a conditioner to be used after the flush that is also sold as part of the service. How beneficial they are or even necessary is debatable. DIY'er types can do the same thing without the fancy exchanger or the chemical additives. They simple remove the AT dipstick and install a trans funnel and get a case of the correct ATF. The "exit" side cooler hose is disconnected and ran into an appropriate container to catch the old fluid. The line back to the transmission is plugged off. The engine is started and as old fluid slowly fills the containers, a similar amount of new ATF is poured into the funnel until a case of ATF has been exchanged.
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  #9  
Old 06-03-2018, 01:20 PM
loujs loujs is offline
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Thanks again! I got a little confused reading on the internet about the difference between ATF and CVT fluids, ATF isn't necessary meant to work with CVTs. The Valvoline I bought states on back it's a replacement for the Nissan Matic-D fluid. I'm just going to unscrew the plug on my tranny and I hope I only drain out 4qts since that's all I bought. I'll buy more if I have to or maybe repeat the process in a couple weeks. I'm not having any shifting problems but with 115,000 miles on the car, I doubt that the tranny has ever been serviced in the last 13 yrs. This can only help!
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