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Question to AT members who change their own oil...

K

Kipper

Diamond Member
After dropping $650 over three months on brakes, I've figured it's time to cut the cost of upkeep on this car and start learning how to take care of it myself to mitigate the cost a bit, starting with something easy like changing my oil and save myself something like $20 every time.

I'm driving a 1997 Saturn SL2 with around 115,000 miles on it and since I'm about 700 miles until I hit the 3K to change the oil, I've done a bit of research, but thought I'd get out there and see what other people are using and see if you have any tips.

I bought the Haynes repair manual off of Amazon and it does have a step-by-step guide on maintenance and oil changes and I know I need some jackstands and oil, essentially - aside from the filter and the wrench necessary to remove it, but are there any brands out there some people could recommend in the way of jackstands and oil/filter (i.e. synthetic or not)?

Any help/advice/tips would be appreciated.
 
If you are concerned about quality, stick to name brand products or even OEM, Original Equipment Manufacture.

I personally use a Wal-Mart brand filter and oil on my Escort GT, but I used a Mercedes Filter and Mobil oil on my Mercedes 300TE.
 
Oil change on a Saturn is easy. Just don't remove the Trans filter by mistake, if it is a auto trans that is. The auto trans on saturns uses a filter thst looks like a oil filter, round spin on type.
And NEVER use Fram oil filters.
 
I don't think I'd run synthetic if I were you, not at that mileage; and not at the cost. Synthetic tends to weep out of older gaskets since it's more "slippery" than dino oil.

S.
 
Forgive the complete ignorance and lack of knowledge, but what the heck do you mean by "dino oil?"

Just regular old oil...or something else?
 
All jackstands will work the same.

As for oil and filters, you can use about anything. My only recommendation is to stay away from Fram filters and Pennzoil oil. No need for synthetic in most cases.
 
Originally posted by: MadCowDisease
Forgive the complete ignorance and lack of knowledge, but what the heck do you mean by "dino oil?"

Just regular old oil...or something else?
Click to expand...

Dino as in dinosaur. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: MadCowDisease
Forgive the complete ignorance and lack of knowledge, but what the heck do you mean by "dino oil?"

Just regular old oil...or something else?
Click to expand...

Dino oil = regular oil.

Dino = dinosaur = oil that came from the ground.

 
Forget jackstands. Go to walmart and buy a set of $20 rhynoramps.

Much, much easier....and more stable as well.
 
Originally posted by: MadCowDisease
what the heck do you mean by "dino oil?"

Just regular old oil...
Click to expand...

Yes.

Most of my tools, including jackstands, are Craftsman. They're not too expensive, and warrantied for life.
 
Originally posted by: fastz28
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Forget jackstands. Go to walmart and buy a set of $20 rhynoramps.

Much, much easier....and more stable as well.
Click to expand...

I agree.
Click to expand...

Crap. I was at Wal-Mart yesterday and the closest one is 30 miles away...$)%(*#$)(*%#)$(*%!!!!

Oh well.

Edit: May go the craftsman route as well.
 
Two more questions before I hit the road for work...

Can someone explain the advantages/disadvantages of ramps over jackstands?

Also, my car is designed to take 5W30 oil as it says on the cap, but I've been using quarts of 10W40 in between oil changes when it runs low...any idea what I should be using for my changes from now on? 115,000 miles on the car...
 
What is the best brand of oil? I have seen a lot of people here say don't use Penzoil and others claim it's just fine. Is Quaker State or Valvoline any better?
 
I would recommend ramps also instead of jackstands - it's easier to drive up on ramps than it is to use the dinky jack in your trunk. Also, I usually buy Motorcraft filters for my Nissan Sentra, and I usually get whatever oil is on sale at Murray's. Usually Valvoline Durablend, but I also feel good about putting regular Mobil dino oil in there.

Oil changes are easy and fun, and you feel good about your car when you're done.
 
One more thing though - sometimes going up ramps can be REALLY tricky. It really helps to have someone 'spotting' you while you're doing it - basically, lining up the ramps for your and directing you up or down or accelerate or stop, etc.
 
Don't forget an oil pan to drain into and a place to recycle the used oil.

I've always changed my oil. I've never had a problem with Pennzoil or Havoline oil. I've also used Motorcraft and AC Delco filters without any problems. Good Luck!
 
Originally posted by: MadCowDisease
Two more questions before I hit the road for work...

Can someone explain the advantages/disadvantages of ramps over jackstands?

Also, my car is designed to take 5W30 oil as it says on the cap, but I've been using quarts of 10W40 in between oil changes when it runs low...any idea what I should be using for my changes from now on? 115,000 miles on the car...
Click to expand...

Put what it says in the manual in the car, even if most multigrades are identical you are better off putting in what the manufacturer recommends. Change the oil filter with every oil change. Since you have been going to quickly lube places they have been using an air hammer to put it on and take it off so the first time you take it off it's going to be very difficult to get off. When you put the new one on, dip your finger tip in the old oil and lubricate the surface of the rubber seal on the new filter the put the filter on using ONLY your hand and just a little more than finger tight. Basically you want it snug, but NOT on as hard as you can turn it.

After you put the new filter on fill the car with the new oil till you are just shy of what is recommended in the manual (my car takes 3.5 quarts so I put 3 in) then start the car and watch the oil gauge, the light should go out or the guage should go up within seconds of starting the car, if it doesn't SHUT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY and figure out what you did wrong. Now check the oil level and top off the oil (you do this to spread the oil around so you don't overfill).

One thing you should do is run your car for a few minutes before you change the oil, you want to bring the oil temperature up to around body temp so it flows better, do NOT change the oil on a hot engine, you will burn yourself very badly.

One other thing, I don't use jackstands, I pull the car up on a curb then jack the other side up till the car is level, this gives me enough room to get underneath.
 
I changed my oil for the first time last month.

I bought:
Mobil 1 oil
oil pan
filter
funnel

I didn't need ramps since my truck is high enough off the ground.
 
Originally posted by: scauffiel
I don't think I'd run synthetic if I were you, not at that mileage; and not at the cost. Synthetic tends to weep out of older gaskets since it's more "slippery" than dino oil.

S.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I guess I didn't know that. I put synthetic in my 99 Camry @ 87K miles. It started leaking oil like a siv. In the 5000 miles after that oil change, I bet I had to put at least 8 quarts of oil in. I then put some of that ~$3 STP stop leak gunk in...bam, within 3 days there was no more leak. No more synthetic for me!!
 
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