2003 Nissan Maxima Lower Engine Oil Pan TRQ OPA07993

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Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and the next time you need a part for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.

In this video, we're going to replace the oil pan on this 2003 Nissan Maxima with the 3.5 liter V6. This procedure is pretty much the same for any Nissan from the 2000 and 2006 Nissan and Infinity that has this 3.5 liter V6 engine. You'll need a new oil pan from 1AAuto.com, some jack and jack stands, 10mm and 14mm sockets with a ratchet and extension, a fluid catch basin, a torque wrench, and some replacement oil. And if you'd like, probably a good time get yourself a new oil filter and just do a complete oil change at the same time.

You can locate the oil pan the front right of the car under the engine. I'm removing the 14mm drain plug and making sure my oil catch basin is directly underneath. With the oil almost completely drained, I'm just going to reinstall the drain plug loosely. I'm removing 10mm bolts that hold the oil pan to the block. There's 10 of them all the way around. We'll fast forward, here, as Don is removing those bolts. They should come out fairly easily. You're not supposed to tighten them much. You only tighten them up to about 12 foot-pounds when you reassemble it. If you are concerned with the pan falling down, just leave a couple bolts in until you have your catch pan in position and everything.

Usually, these are RTV'd on there, so you can usually just take all the bolts right out and then you'll have to either pry the pan off, or we just use a hammer. Since we're replacing it, we just use a hammer and give it some love-taps until it breaks free of the gasket. Don actually, he was hitting the lower part of the pan. He was not hitting up near the lift or anything. He was hitting the lower part of the pan to break it free.

Using a flatbed razor, scrape off any extra dried RTV/gasket sealant that they used. Apply silicone RTV to the new pan. I'm just going to speed it up as I go around. We use any good quality RTV gasket maker. You can get it at pretty much any automotive place. Just make sure you follow the directions for a good seal. I've scraped clean the bottom of the lock and wiping down, now, to get any residual oil. You can use any kind of automotive cleaner. Once I've done that, the pan's ready to go up.

Reinstall the 10mm bolt finger tight. Come around the back, do the same with one more. I'll just speed up, here, as Don basically put in all the bolts, put in by hand first just to make sure that they go in correctly. Then he goes and basically kind of preliminarily tightens them up using an opposite pattern. One on one side, go to the opposite side, tighten it, and work your way around the pan.

Now, after tightening up preliminarily, we're going to use a torque wrench and tighten them to about anywhere between 12 and 15 foot-pounds. Again, kind of using that opposite method, tighten one, go to the opposite side, tighten the next one, go to the opposite side, and work your way around the pan. Make sure drain plug is installed and tight. Depending on the RTV you use, you make have to wait to fill the crank case. I'm filling the oil back up to the manufacturers recommended level. Just insure your oil level is at the right level by checking it with the dipstick. Then, obviously, check underneath the car. Check every few times you drive it, so just to make sure that you don't get any oil leaking and you've got a good seal on the pan.

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