A Bigger Oil Filter for Armada V8

Armadaof1 · Jun 8th, 2004, 12:03 AM

I'm getting ready to change the oil again at the recommended 3750 interval on my Armada.

I'm standing here looking at what is really a very puny filter for a good sized V-8, and I can't help but wonder if it isn't just too small. It doesn't seem right to drop 7qts of oil into a motor with a filter this small. Compared to the standard filters for Ford and Chevy V-8s, this is half the size.

Anyone out there have experience/recommendations on mounting a larger filter either directly to a Nissan motor, or remote mounting a larger filter? Anyone out there have an opinion about using a larger filter vice the standard Nissan job?

jadcock · Jun 8th, 2004, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armadaof1

I'm standing here looking at what is really a very puny filter for a good sized V-8, and I can't help but wonder if it isn't just too small. It doesn't seem right to drop 7qts of oil into a motor with a filter this small. Compared to the standard filters for Ford and Chevy V-8s, this is half the size. ?

It's not too small. Do you think Nissan would have spent millions in R&D developing this excellent engine, and just forget to spec a big enough filter for it? My Cadillac takes 7.5 quarts at a change, yet the filter is the size of a soda can. It's just the way it is -- perfectly okay. I'd recommend sticking with the OE filter for your vehicle. The engineers know what they're doing. If you go with a filter of a much different design, you might see more pressure drop across the filter or other problems which would NEVER be there with an OE filter. Don't attempt to re-engineer what has already been done.

Something else to consider -- the actual oil capacity of an engine doesn't necessarily indicate the load on the oil filter, or the amount of oil circulating through the engine at any given time. Again, to use my Cadillac as an example (because I know a lot about it), it uses 7.5 quarts at a change. The sump is very deep. It's built this way to sustain full oiling at 1G of lateral force, in any direction (front, back, side to side). However, sitting level, it'll run 100% okay on 4-5 quarts of oil. They make dyno runs on 5 quarts of oil, and that's full throttle at 6000 rpm. The extra 2 or 2.5 quarts is there for protection against pump cavitation and oil starvation to the main bearings at 1G of load. The "low oil" message doesn't appear until the sump is 2 quarts low. I'd reckon the same is true for the VQ56DE engine. They put a deep sump in there to protect the bearings from oil starvation during extended periods of the engine at an angle...maybe for off-roading??? I bet your engine runs fine on 5 quarts running around town. Certainly don't try that, but my point is, you probably only have 3 or 4 quarts of oil circulating through your engine at one time anyway (similar to any other engine). The reserve might be there just for extreme situations.