The filter and oil change for a Nissan Sentra needs 3.4 quarts for the 1.6L engine and 3.6 quarts for the 2.0L engine of 5W-30 or 10W-30 oil.
Regularly changing your car's engine oil and filter is one of the most important things you can do to keep your car running well. Over time your oil breaks down and your filter becomes clogged with contaminants. Depending upon your driving habits and type of vehicle, this may take as little as three months or 3,000 miles, or be as long as 20,000 miles or 24 months (consult your owner's manual for service intervals). Fortunately, changing your oil is both easy and inexpensive.
Before draining out the old oil, you may want to lift up the hood of the car and open the oil filler cap on the top of the engine. This will help the oil drain easier, because air can flow in as the crankcase drains. Locate the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan. It is normally towards the back of the engine in the car to catch oil runoff. As the oil comes out of the pan at an angle, it can be tricky to catch, and may land on the ground. If this includes your driveway, you will want some newspaper or a drop cloth to catch it, or you risk getting an oil stain on your driveway or garage.
Don't always rely on the dipstick for an accurate measurement; it can be off, especially if the engine has just been run (the stick will read low because there is still oil in the galleries). If you want to check the stick accurately, just check it first thing in the morning, parked on a level surface, when it's cold and settled.
Regularly changing your car's engine oil and filter is one of the most important things you can do to keep your car running well. Over time your oil breaks down and your filter becomes clogged with contaminants. Depending upon your driving habits and type of vehicle, this may take as little as three months or 3,000 miles, or be as long as 20,000 miles or 24 months (consult your owner's manual for service intervals). Fortunately, changing your oil is both easy and inexpensive.
Before draining out the old oil, you may want to lift up the hood of the car and open the oil filler cap on the top of the engine. This will help the oil drain easier, because air can flow in as the crankcase drains. Locate the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan. It is normally towards the back of the engine in the car to catch oil runoff. As the oil comes out of the pan at an angle, it can be tricky to catch, and may land on the ground. If this includes your driveway, you will want some newspaper or a drop cloth to catch it, or you risk getting an oil stain on your driveway or garage.
Don't always rely on the dipstick for an accurate measurement; it can be off, especially if the engine has just been run (the stick will read low because there is still oil in the galleries). If you want to check the stick accurately, just check it first thing in the morning, parked on a level surface, when it's cold and settled.