YACT - Dumbest question yet

[Lamont Burns]

So, someone tell me that an oil change is more difficult that getting under your car and releasing the old and pouring in the new...

Yes, I am this moronic with motor vehicles.

I do not want to pay someone 20 bucks to do that.

 

[TwinkleToes77]

well, you should change the oil filter too 🙂

 

Jack up vehicle, use jack stands, carefully remove oil drain plug from oil pan, NOT the tranny, let the oil drain, reinstall plug and torque to 20 lbs.
Unscrew oil filter, let drain, wet the new oil filter seal with fresh oil, screw on filter hand tight, fill with motor oil, start vehicle, let it run for 1 minute, shut off vehicle and top off.

 

[dxkj]

unscrew release in oil pan..... drain..
take off oil filter (this can be tricky depending on where it is)
screw oil pan
lube the edges for a good seal, put back on.
put oil in it.


that's basically it,

 

[AbsolutDealage]

If you do not have the tools (read: jacks/ramps, Socket wrench, filter wrench, drip pan), this is going to cost you a lot more than $20 on your first time around. Even then, if you go out and get a decent filter and some good oil, it's going to be over $10 for your supplies.

On top of that, you get messy... really messy. You probably will end up spilling oil all over your driveway and all over yourself. Then, you have to get rid of the old oil somehow.

Changing your oil is a bigger task than you realize.

Having said that, I always change my own oil. Not to save money, just because I enjoy working on my car.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Loosen oil plug
Place catch pan under oil pan
Remove oil plug
Wait until oil is drained
Put oil plug back
Place catch pan under oil filter
Remove oil filter
Drain oil filter into catch pan if neccessary
Apply oil to the filter's seal
Put a new oil filter on
Make sure oil plug is snug, and tighten the filter hand tight plus 1/4 of a turn.
Fill with the proper amount of oil, less one quart
Run the car for about 30 seconds
Check the oil level, add as much of that last quart as is needed. (it usually ends up in the filter itself)
Dispose of the oil properly (most autoparts stores will take it)

Edit: missed a step.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Roger: cars come w/ transmission drain plugs now? NEAT! (though I know my manual tranny does, but that'll never be mistaken for the engine oil)

For reference: engine oil is usually amber to black, if it comes out red, you probably got the wrong one.

 

Many vehicles old and new have tranny drain plugs. (All manual trannies have drain plugs)

Don't forget to wipe the new oil filter seal with clean fresh oil before installing it

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

For reference: engine oil is usually amber to black, if it comes out red, you probably got the wrong one.

LoL

I enjoy doing my own work too... With my bad back, I don't get to do as much as I used to though. 🙁

Oil changes, however, I tend to take elsewhere. I just check the fill level and make sure the bolt and filter are tightened properly.

Tonight I have to fix the alternator in the Fiero. Not a fun job. 🙁 Bolt sheared off on the way to work this morning, and I'm going to have to pull the alt out and tap out the bolt so I can replace it. Grrr...

Tomorrow I have to do the front brakes on the Volvo. Needs pads, rotors, and calipers. 🙁 Trying to find cheep calipers and rotors locally, but not having much luck. Sigh. Might have to just throw some pads on again and get good parts online. But the pad backing is clattering against the rotor. Not good. And those pads are only like 3 months (driving time) old. But the rotors were chewed when I replaced 'em last time, but had no $$ for new ones.

But if I had to take the cars into the shop for these? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Tomorrow I have to do the front brakes on the Volvo. Needs pads, rotors, and calipers. Trying to find cheep calipers and rotors locally, but not having much luck. Sigh. Might have to just throw some pads on again and get good parts online. But the pad backing is clattering against the rotor. Not good. And those pads are only like 3 months (driving time) old. But the rotors were chewed when I replaced 'em last time, but had no $$ for new ones.

Your rear brakes are not doing thier job, this is why your front pads are wearing out so quickly.
(Unless of course your ride with your foot on the brake pedal)

 

[Zee]

Originally posted by: Roger
Many vehicles old and new have tranny drain plugs. (All manual trannies have drain plugs)

Don't forget to wipe the new oil filter seal with clean fresh oil before installing it

wat happens if u dont?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Roger
Many vehicles old and new have tranny drain plugs. (All manual trannies have drain plugs)

Don't forget to wipe the new oil filter seal with clean fresh oil before installing it

One more thing, if your oil filter screws on sideways or upside-down, then you're going to dump oil pretty much everywhere and there's not much you can do about it. If the oil filter screws on with the hole directly up, then I like to pre-fill the filter with fresh oil before I put the new filter on, it helps the engine build oil pressure a little more quickly.

ZV

 

One more thing, if your oil filter screws on sideways or upside-down, then you're going to dump oil pretty much everywhere and there's not much you can do about it. If the oil filter screws on with the hole directly up, then I like to pre-fill the filter with fresh oil before I put the new filter on, it helps the engine build oil pressure a little more quickly.

This is correct, but I didn't want him doing that if he had an oil filter that went on sideways 😉

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: Zeero

Originally posted by: Roger
Many vehicles old and new have tranny drain plugs. (All manual trannies have drain plugs)

Don't forget to wipe the new oil filter seal with clean fresh oil before installing it

wat happens if u dont?

Massive swearing will ensue the next time someone changes the oil. Used oil will get all over the place as someone has to do the "pound a screwdriver through the filter" trick to get it off.

 

Massive swearing will ensue the next time someone changes the oil. Used oil will get all over the place as someone has to do the "pound a screwdriver through the filter" trick to get it off.

Maybe, but that's not why I do it, I do it so the filter will not leak oil, remember that the oil filter sees full oil pressure all the time, if the seal is installed dry, there is a chance that it will leak 😉

 

[Nyical]

I put it this way, I would rather have someone else do my oil changes
then I don't have the hassel of getting my hands greasy and have to take the oil to some store recycle place, so its worth it to me to spend
that 20 to 30 on a oil change.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
If you do not have the tools (read: jacks/ramps, Socket wrench, filter wrench, drip pan), this is going to cost you a lot more than $20 on your first time around. Even then, if you go out and get a decent filter and some good oil, it's going to be over $10 for your supplies.

On top of that, you get messy... really messy. You probably will end up spilling oil all over your driveway and all over yourself. Then, you have to get rid of the old oil somehow.

Changing your oil is a bigger task than you realize.

Having said that, I always change my own oil. Not to save money, just because I enjoy working on my car.

It might cost him $10 for supplies, but you get better quality, and also some jackoff teenage jiffy-lube dropout won't be all in my car and screwing stuff up.

I change my own. then again, I also swapped my engine 😛

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Roger

Massive swearing will ensue the next time someone changes the oil. Used oil will get all over the place as someone has to do the "pound a screwdriver through the filter" trick to get it off.

Maybe, but that's not why I do it, I do it so the filter will not leak oil, remember that the oil filter sees full oil pressure all the time, if the seal is installed dry, there is a chance that it will leak 😉

the real reason is so the little rubber seal doesn't bind and buckle when you screw it on.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Roger

Massive swearing will ensue the next time someone changes the oil. Used oil will get all over the place as someone has to do the "pound a screwdriver through the filter" trick to get it off.

Maybe, but that's not why I do it, I do it so the filter will not leak oil, remember that the oil filter sees full oil pressure all the time, if the seal is installed dry, there is a chance that it will leak 😉

It can also tear or bunch up on installation, both of which suck.

 

[Budmantom]

The only question is: is an hour(or more) of your time worth $10

thinking about it 30min
finding jacks 10min
finding all wrenches 10min
draining oil 2min
fishing drain plug from dirty oil 3min
washing hands 2min
installing the drain plug and filter 3min
cleaning oil from driveway 5min
pouring oil back in containers 3min
cleaning drain pan and tools 2min
taking shower and changing clothes 20min
disposing of dirty oil 30min

About 2 hours, not worth it for me.

Tom

 

[Spoooon]

I get free oil changes, tire rotation, and lubrication for the next 12,000 miles or 12 months.

GM hooked me up with a Smart Care Plan free of charge. 🙂

 

[prvteye2003]

Originally posted by: Roger
Jack up vehicle, use jack stands, carefully remove oil drain plug from oil pan, NOT the tranny, let the oil drain, reinstall plug and torque to 20 lbs.
Unscrew oil filter, let drain, wet the new oil filter seal with fresh oil, screw on filter hand tight, fill with motor oil, start vehicle, let it run for 1 minute, shut off vehicle and top off.

a better way to do that would be to fill the oil filter with fresh oil if it's possible to put the filter back on without spilling any. This way, there would already be oil pressure when you start the car for the first time after the change and you reduce friction.

 

[deerslayer]

Originally posted by: prvteye2003

Originally posted by: Roger
Jack up vehicle, use jack stands, carefully remove oil drain plug from oil pan, NOT the tranny, let the oil drain, reinstall plug and torque to 20 lbs.
Unscrew oil filter, let drain, wet the new oil filter seal with fresh oil, screw on filter hand tight, fill with motor oil, start vehicle, let it run for 1 minute, shut off vehicle and top off.

a better way to do that would be to fill the oil filter with fresh oil if it's possible to put the filter back on without spilling any. This way, there would already be oil pressure when you start the car for the first time after the change and you reduce friction.

Kinda difficult on some vehicles these days. My oil filter mounts sideways, and it's a PITA getting it up inside there to begin with. If I didn't dump all the oil out trying to get it up inside the engine compartment, I surely would when I turned it sideways to screw it on.

 

You didn't read the thread, did you prvteye2003 ?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

For the record, this is nowhere close to the dumbest question for a car thread here.