Service Info [DIG-S]

SplanK

Site Supporter
Its coming to that time of year again for me where I start to scratch around and start collecting service items for the end of next month for our DIG-S Micra... I thought I would document them hear for others... as well as my own memory! I will continue to update this post as my research continues/other contributions.

Some of this will be usable of the 1.2 N/A engine, but in any case, please double.

I found a lot of the registration or make/model item searches on shops like Euro Car Parts or Halfords dont always give you the correct product.

Air Filter:
Every 24k miles or 24 months (unless harsh conditions are met, every 12k/12 months) - Given how cheap it is and ease of swapping, just best to do each service!)
Nissan part I search ebay for is 16546 3HD0A and pick them up for £10-15

Engine oil:
Every 12k miles or 12 months (unless harsh conditions are met, every 6k/6 months)
With filter swap, 3.9L of oil is needed. In the handbook ACEA A1, A3, A5, C2 and C3 are all compatible. 5w30 is preferred, but 5w40 or 10w30/10w40 would be ok.

I have seen Nissan suggest 5w30 A5 spec oil as the go to oil, but I use C3 (which is a slightly higher spec than A5, but still meets the A5 standard). I tend to use what ever brand name oil is on offer which tends to be Magnatec.

Spark Plugs:
Every 36k miles [the service manual does place this under the 36 month mark, but spark plugs are more of a mileage thing rather than age so I would not be too worried about the age!]

The 36k mileage does surprise me a little given that these plugs are iridium based plugs which usually have a very long life otherwise!

Standard: NGK DILKAR7E11HS (Iridium Spark Plug / Platinum Ground Electrode / 1.1mm gap / 14mm hex head)

The NGK's are around £22 per plug and last swap I used Denso Iridium Tough Spark Plug VFXEH20 at around £10 a plug

However I note that these are now superseded (by IXEH20TT) and interestingly 1 step hotter compared to the NGK (the '20' part on Denso is its heat range, and 20 seems to be similar to NGK's '6' where as VFXEH22 seem to be a better match to NGKs '7'). The Denso were original recommended by Opie oils and I have since seem it advertised elsewhere.

The IXEH20TT however have a 1.0mm gap, and with other little differences, I'm not sure that these will be suitable

OpieOils also recommend as Bosch VR7TII36U at £13.50 but these also have a 1.0mm gap.

Either i'm going to find 'new old stock' of the Denso VFXEH20, or probably punt for the OEM NGK's and just be done with it!

Coolant:
Every 60k miles / 60 months
Manual with EGR is 5.4L capacity / CVT is 5.9L
50/50 mix ratio seems to be advised which will cover up to -35c
A Mix ratio of 30% Anti Freeze / 70% water should be good for -15c

Very helpfully, the user manual and workshop manual just state 'Use Genuine Nissan antifreeze only' with no suggestion of specification.

Nissan antifreeze L248 appears to be Nissan's go to coolant for the Micra DIG-S according to Chorley Nissann, Glyn Hopkins and Vospers Motorhouse.
1L pre mix- KE90299935 - Around £5-7
5L Pre mix - KE90299945 - Around £25

However it would appear that Nissan also may use Nissan antifreeze L255N
1L concentrate - KE90100035 - Around £13.
5L Pre mix - KE90200045 - Around £30

According to the data sheet for each antifreeze:
L248 antifreeze is green in colour and is Ethylene Glycol and Sodium Benzoate
L255N antifreeze is blue in colour and is Ethylene Glycol

Both L248 and L255N can be mixed (IE for top ups) and the prices I have been getting have been reasonable enough not to bother with the minefield of going to Halfords/other motor factors and trying to decipher which anti freeze to use!

Do not get hung up on the colour - its not a reliable way of determining what the makeup of the antifreeze is!

You need approx. 3.5L of coolant to re-fill after pulling the bottom rad hose (prepare for it to go everywhere!) and emptying the overflow tank. 5L container is more than enough!

Thermostat starts to open between 80-83c
Thermostat fully open at 95c
Thermostat closes at 77c
Rad fan turns on at 98c

Fuel Filter:
According to the notes, the fuel filter is in the tank and is 'maintenance free'

Brake Discs and Pads:
OEM equiv:
Brembo pads: P56086
Brembo discs: 09.C543.11

Brake Fluid:
Every 24k miles or 24 months (unless harsh conditions are met, every 12k/12 months)
DOT4

Gearbox [manual]: [FURTHER RESEARCH NEEDED]
The service manual does not state a service interval (which goes up to 72k miles / 72 months). Gearboxes tend to be sealed for life these days. The manual just states check for leaks every 24k miles / 2 years!)

However, when doing research, I found a suggestion to use 'Nissan MT-XZ gear oil Sports and Off-Road Vehicles'.

Capacity is unknown

Aircon cabin filter:
Every 24k miles or 24 months
This can be done with a bit of messing. You just need to remove the white plastic retainer clip, remove the filter element (which will involve squishing it and contorting it out). Fitting is reverse of removal it would seem! Video's on Youtube on how to do it.

Plenty on ebay for around £5-10 for a pattern part
 
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Thanks for the detailed info. Lots of new info for me.

Every 36k miles [the service manual does place this under the 36 month mark, but spark plugs are more of a mileage thing rather than age so I would not be too worried about the age!]
Actually, the service manual put it as [R] - with the squared bracket to denote it is not dependent on time but only the mileage.

The 36k mileage does surprise me a little given that these plugs are iridium based plugs which usually have a very long life otherwise!
Might it be a side-effect of the Miller cycle?

I guess NGKs are the best but I could not find them in Belgium. I bought Bosch instead but need a torque wrench to install them.
Have you changed the spark plugs?

L248 antifreeze is green in colour and is Ethylene Glycol and Sodium Benzoate
L255N antifreeze is blue in colour and is Ethylene Glycol

Did not know that there are two coolant types for dig-s. I don't know if they are R-1234yf. My 2014 Note dig-s uses R-1234yf with green colour, strangely above the Max level.
 
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SplanK

Site Supporter
Actually, the service manual put it as [R] - with the squared bracket to denote it is not dependent on time but only the mileage.

Might it be a side-effect of the Miller cycle?

I guess NGKs are the best but I could not find them in Belgium. I bought Bosch instead but need a torque wrench to install them.
Have you changed the spark plugs?

I know boosted engines are a little more harsher on plugs, but the Micra is hardly pushing much air through the engine and the miller cycle should not really change much really!

NGK's are the 'best', or more the bench mark plug as they are what Nissan specify for this engine, however there are always going to be others which are compatible. I swapped to the Denso plugs at the 36k mark and if I can get hold of what I got last time again then I will use them again, otherwise I ill probably throwing in a set of NGK's and taking the additional cost on the chin.

Did not know that there are two coolant types for dig-s. I don't know if they are R-1234yf. My 2014 Note dig-s uses R-1234yf with green colour, strangely above the Max level.
R-1234yf is a refrigerant for the air conditioning system :) The antifreeze/coolant refer to is for the engine coolant (L248/L255N) and it sounds like your coolant is green then its likely Nissan's L248 assuming its never been swapped. Although i'm sure the coolant in mine has gone brown when looking at it through the filler cap (well it could be an illusion but not unexpected if it has, it is 70k miles and 8 years old now so its going to be past its best!)
 
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R-1234yf is a refrigerant for the air conditioning system :) The antifreeze/coolant refer to is for the engine coolant (L248/L255N) and it sounds like your coolant is green then its likely Nissan's L248 assuming its never been swapped.
Thanks for explaining, I did not even know these are two different things.
 
On Note dig-s, the user manual said the capacity of gear oil is 2.7l, but "NISSAN MT-XZ Gear Oil Passenger Vehicles" instead so I am not sure it uses the same gearbox. A bit weird that Micra uses 'Nissan MT-XZ gear oil Sports and Off-Road Vehicles' instead.
 
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