Busy maintenance week for me

[Jim 5]

Jim's Garage - all my offers of help to friends and family got called in in the same week.

Thursday - Change oil on co-workers 2010 Audi S4 - GC. That is one beautiful engine. No valve cover covers. All you see is a beautiful set of cast aluminum valve-covers on either side and below a beautiful case aluminum twin-screw supercharger housing. Just hate valve cover/engine covers and the ugly valve covers they typically conceal. Owner's manual says 6.6L with filter, Mityvac pulled 7L out. No dipstick on this car, but still a dipstick tube with a plastic cap on it. Oil filter is an element inside a cast aluminum filter housing and plastic cap that is identical to my past 2002 330ci right down the the 30MM nut molded into the cap. Total breeze of an oil change.

Sunday - Change oil, install winter rims/tires, replace front and rear brake pads on another co-worker's 2000 BMW 328i - GC - Akebono Euro pads (ordered from Rockauto.com - great experience/price, even for us Canadians). Oil change basically identical to the S4.

Tuesday - Oil change on parents' 2009 Honda Odyssey - Honda filter, Canadian Tire (Shell) 5w-20 Synthetic.

Wednesday (today) - Change oil, install winter rims/tires on my secretary's 2007 Honda Civic - Canadian Tire (Shell) conventional 5w-20 Honda filter. Interestingly, I had a fatter alternate filter I wanted to use on this car, but only the factory skinny style (7317 style) would fit. The filter's on the front/bottom of the engine and they have a fairly heavy duty gravel shield protecting it to the front, and the oil pan has a filter shaped carve out behind it. This leaves just enough room for the skinny style only in the cavity left for the spin-on filter, never seen this before on a car.

Still to do this week:

Install wife's winter rims/tires 2009 Honda Odyssey.

....and all I'll get out of it is a crummy coffee and a donut if I'm lucky. Just kidding. The BMW and Honda co-workers are trying to stretch every penny in light of personal circumstances. The Audi was invited because I wanted to see his engine and get a good look at the car, and create a new Mityvac convert. And as far as the parents, they can't do it anymore due to age and mobility issues.

All in all, happy to help some friends with a hobby I enjoy anyway, but I will admit this week was a little much.

 

[UncleS2]

Well done Jim!

Makes my impending oil change & ATx siphon&refill look mighty small by comparison.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
The Audi was invited because I wanted to see his engine and get a good look at the car, and create a new Mityvac convert.

I'm sure that any German car owner would love to use the oil extractor like Mityvac, after seeing how easy and no messy way to do an oil change with it.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: Stuart Hughes
Well done Jim!

Makes my impending oil change & ATx siphon&refill look mighty small by comparison.


That reminds me. My wife's Ody and my Sierra are due for that treatment as well!

 

[saberz]

Are you using the hand pump or an evacuator? and how much those Mityvac's go for?

 

[Pesca]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Tuesday - Oil change on parents' 2009 Honda Odyssey - Honda filter, Canadian Tire (Shell) 5w-20 Synthetic.


Quick question: I bought a lot of this oil when it was on sale, for either my wife's odyssey or even for my Rogue (even if it calls for 5w30 oil). Do you have any previous experience with it? If so, how did you rate it? Do you have its datasheet in order me to get some info on it?

Thanks.

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Wednesday (today) - Change oil, install winter rims/tires on my secretary's 2007 Honda Civic - Canadian Tire (Shell) conventional 5w-20 Honda filter. Interestingly, I had a fatter alternate filter I wanted to use on this car, but only the factory skinny style (7317 style) would fit. The filter's on the front/bottom of the engine and they have a fairly heavy duty gravel shield protecting it to the front, and the oil pan has a filter shaped carve out behind it. This leaves just enough room for the skinny style only in the cavity left for the spin-on filter, never seen this before on a car.

I changed my BIL Civic oil the weekend before you, using my Mytivac,... and I converted him to it too (will be his next buy for his car).
But it was a A1 maintenance so I did not have to change the filter. I saw it was an OEM one as he was going the OC at the dealer before, and strangely, the dealer wasn't following Honda's recommendations and was changing the oil filter every time.
He got the QS green bottle + free filter on special at CT this week and kept the filter for the next OC. Still better than the bulk oil he got from the dealer.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: Pesca
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Tuesday - Oil change on parents' 2009 Honda Odyssey - Honda filter, Canadian Tire (Shell) 5w-20 Synthetic.


Quick question: I bought a lot of this oil when it was on sale, for either my wife's odyssey or even for my Rogue (even if it calls for 5w30 oil). Do you have any previous experience with it? If so, how did you rate it? Do you have its datasheet in order me to get some info on it?

Thanks.

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Wednesday (today) - Change oil, install winter rims/tires on my secretary's 2007 Honda Civic - Canadian Tire (Shell) conventional 5w-20 Honda filter. Interestingly, I had a fatter alternate filter I wanted to use on this car, but only the factory skinny style (7317 style) would fit. The filter's on the front/bottom of the engine and they have a fairly heavy duty gravel shield protecting it to the front, and the oil pan has a filter shaped carve out behind it. This leaves just enough room for the skinny style only in the cavity left for the spin-on filter, never seen this before on a car.

I changed my BIL Civic oil the weekend before you, using my Mytivac,... and I converted him to it too (will be his next buy for his car).
But it was a A1 maintenance so I did not have to change the filter. I saw it was an OEM one as he was going the OC at the dealer before, and strangely, the dealer wasn't following Honda's recommendations and was changing the oil filter every time.
He got the QS green bottle + free filter on special at CT this week and kept the filter for the next OC. Still better than the bulk oil he got from the dealer.


Wasn't sure whether the filter got changed every time on the Civic so I just changed it. Good to know though. Our dealer changes them every time too. Just found out that our 09 Ody only calls for a filter change every second time, so I might just start on that practice.

I can't get all the oil out of the Ody with the Mityvac, so I didn't try on the Civic. Good to know though, since next time I'll just Mityvac my friend's Civic and leave the filter on. Makes things way easier. Thanks for that tip!

As for the Canadian Tire oil, I believe the consensus is that it's Formula Shell which has a decent reputation. I use it without hesitation. I may have a 10,000 km OCI UOA to post here in the next two months or so. You could watch for that.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: Anies
Are you using the hand pump or an evacuator? and how much those Mityvac's go for?


I use the Mityvac 7201. It has an 8L capacity, and evacuates and with a flip of the valve dispenses what you've pulled out of the engine. IIRC I paid around $85 (5 years ago). You can order it through NAPA if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Pesca]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Wasn't sure whether the filter got changed every time on the Civic so I just changed it. Good to know though. Our dealer changes them every time too. Just found out that our 09 Ody only calls for a filter change every second time, so I might just start on that practice.

I can't get all the oil out of the Ody with the Mityvac, so I didn't try on the Civic. Good to know though, since next time I'll just Mityvac my friend's Civic and leave the filter on. Makes things way easier. Thanks for that tip!


My pleasure.
Yes, it is good to not have to go under the car every time and get dirty.
I use it on both cars (Odyssey and Rogue), and remove all what is needed. You just need to play a little bit with the tube to be sure you went about everywhere in the sump (that you were not stuck somewhere).
I improved the gradation on the Mytivac to be able to compare which the amount I need to remove, that helps.

The oil change was done in about 10 minutes which impressed my BIL, as there was nothing to clean after.

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
As for the Canadian Tire oil, I believe the consensus is that it's Formula Shell which has a decent reputation. I use it without hesitation. I may have a 10,000 km OCI used oil analysis to post here in the next two months or so. You could watch for that.


Will keep an eye on the used oil analysis section, thank a lot for doing it.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Oil filter is an element inside a cast aluminum filter housing and plastic cap that is identical to my past 2002 330ci right down the the 30MM nut molded into the cap. Total breeze of an oil change.

That's a lot of work, Jim! Nice!

BTW, the oil filter housing on M54 engine takes a 36MM socket/wrench.

 

[Pesca]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Originally Posted By: Anies
Are you using the hand pump or an evacuator? and how much those Mityvac's go for?


I use the Mityvac 7201. It has an 8L capacity, and evacuates and with a flip of the valve dispenses what you've pulled out of the engine. IIRC I paid around $85 (5 years ago). You can order it through NAPA if I'm not mistaken.


Yes but it was more expensive for me (in Canada) that buying it in the US and make it delivered.

Look for it on the internet, you should find some selling online, or try Ebay. Going on the Mytivac website, I think they have a page of their distributors too.
Mine went from PA or NY state, and was about the same price as Jim5.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: Pesca
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Originally Posted By: Anies
Are you using the hand pump or an evacuator? and how much those Mityvac's go for?


I use the Mityvac 7201. It has an 8L capacity, and evacuates and with a flip of the valve dispenses what you've pulled out of the engine. IIRC I paid around $85 (5 years ago). You can order it through NAPA if I'm not mistaken.


Yes but it was more expensive for me (in Canada) that buying it in the US and make it delivered.

Look for it on the internet, you should find some selling online, or try Ebay. Going on the Mytivac website, I think they have a page of their distributors too.
Mine went from PA or NY state, and was about the same price as Jim5.


Amazon sells those, too. I got mine for I think $90 a couple of years ago. It's a very good investment for german car owners.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Oil filter is an element inside a cast aluminum filter housing and plastic cap that is identical to my past 2002 330ci right down the the 30MM nut molded into the cap. Total breeze of an oil change.

That's a lot of work, Jim! Nice!

BTW, the oil filter housing on M54 engine takes a 36MM socket/wrench.

Whoops, I thought the sounded a little small.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Sunday - Change oil, install winter rims/tires, replace front and rear brake pads on another co-worker's 2000 BMW 328i - GC - Akebono Euro pads (ordered from Rockauto.com - great experience/price, even for us Canadians).


No rotor replacement? I just did a front brake job on a '04 330ci last week and the rotors were very worn after only one set of pads.

 

[HTSS_TR]

My brother in-law bought 7201 from Amazon few months ago for $72-73, the current price is $80. I bought mine 6-7 years ago for around $50-55 shipped.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
Sunday - Change oil, install winter rims/tires, replace front and rear brake pads on another co-worker's 2000 BMW 328i - GC - Akebono Euro pads (ordered from Rockauto.com - great experience/price, even for us Canadians).


No rotor replacement? I just did a front brake job on a '04 330ci last week and the rotors were very worn after only one set of pads.


They were fine. Calipered bigger than the spec in the Bentley manual. Rotors were probably changed once as this car has 130k miles on it. Hat tip to you Mike, as I had never heard of Akebono's or Rockauto if you hadn't gone on about both in a number of threads some time ago. They're easier to find than the PBR/Axxis Deluxe plus pads, and are just as dust free. Pads were changed primarily for the dust reduction, not because the previous ones were worn out. Fronts were 50% and rears were 75%.

 

[UncleS2]

My MityVac 7400 was about $50 shipped from Amazon a few months ago.

 

[mikiee]

I hope you're making some money from this "hobby" and not just doing it out of the goodness of your heart. If word gets around that you do free oil changes, it won't be a hobby too much longer.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: mikiee
I hope you're making some money from this "hobby" and not just doing it out of the goodness of your heart. If word gets around that you do free oil changes, it won't be a hobby too much longer.


Nope, no money being made. Just helping out friends who don't have the know-how and are short on cash, and my father, who taught me how to do this stuff, but can't do it anymore due to a disability. It all just came down at once.