I usually just crawl under there and change the filter first, than drain pan. While pan is draining grease all fittings. Replace filter and drain plug. Go inside and wash hands, come back and fill. Check oil, close hood, go inside and take shower.
Drain Oil First or Change Filter First?
- Thread starter GoldenRod
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I usually drain the oil first, while it's draining I get the new filter out and oil the gasket. Then change the filter. After the filter is changed, put the plug back in and fill it up.
Whew....
This place is getting tight.
"outage" time?
5.2 quarts. Five point TWO quarts?
This place is getting tight.
"outage" time?
5.2 quarts. Five point TWO quarts?
If you're more comfortable with fractions, you could express that as 5 1/5 quarts.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Filter first!
That way I can scoot the almost empty oil pan over to the drain plug versus an almost full oil pan over to the filter area.
Too many times, I scooted the oil pan filled with five quarts - only to make a mess of my concrete driveway because of an over-run of dirty oil.
That way I can scoot the almost empty oil pan over to the drain plug versus an almost full oil pan over to the filter area.
Too many times, I scooted the oil pan filled with five quarts - only to make a mess of my concrete driveway because of an over-run of dirty oil.
That's exactly why I do filter first.
Not to mention that if the filter drops into a pan filled with oil, it splashes everywhere.
Not to mention that if the filter drops into a pan filled with oil, it splashes everywhere.
What the heck are you two guys using to catch the oil? A baking sheet? Step up to the big leagues and buy one of those black plastic tubs with the spout on the end.
Drain first; filter/engine is still too hot for me to be poking my hand around in there.
Drain first; filter/engine is still too hot for me to be poking my hand around in there.
Those big plastic tubs are too tall to fit under the engine without jacking up the car or if they do there's no room to work to loosen the bolt/filter.
(Yes, I change the oil without jacking up the car).
(Yes, I change the oil without jacking up the car).
Pan, 1st - check the usual undercar incidentals - for tears in the CVJ boots, loose exhaust components, evidence of brake fluide leakage at the calipers, etc., then button it up once the motor oil drips are spaced a second or so apart. (I read on an industry oil filter site - National Oil Filter Manufacturer's Association, or some such - that the longer the pan remains empty, the better the odds of the oil pump losing its prime...) At that point, the oil filter is cool enough to unscrew with my bare hand after repositioning the drain pan to catch my horizontally mounted oil filter's spit-up. The last engine I ruined using this technique was... Hmmm, I never ruined an engine. Dang! Also begs the question - how much time do stealership service departments and Gypie Lubes, who're both under the gun to move cars through the bays, allow for the drain process.
(I'm surprised the American Psychiatric Association hasn't become a BITOG site sponsor with a direct access banner ad...)
(I'm surprised the American Psychiatric Association hasn't become a BITOG site sponsor with a direct access banner ad...)
Sucks to be you. Have you tried the little 10 quart ones? (And how do you do it w/o jacking up the car or using ramps? Hwwwaaa?)
Do any of you guys think there is an advantage to pouring half a quart in after draining to kind of "flush" things out?
My car takes 5.2 quarts so I always have half a quart handy... Last oil change I poured the half quart from the oil change before that in after draining for 15 minutes or so.
Ray H - So letting your cars drain for hours can be a bad thing? -- "the longer the pan remains empty, the better the odds of the oil pump losing its prime..."
My car takes 5.2 quarts so I always have half a quart handy... Last oil change I poured the half quart from the oil change before that in after draining for 15 minutes or so.
Ray H - So letting your cars drain for hours can be a bad thing? -- "the longer the pan remains empty, the better the odds of the oil pump losing its prime..."
Yes...same problem. They take too much room.
As far as how I do it without jacking the car up, I simply reach under there and change the filter (if it's not accessible from the top), then I reach under there and loosen the drainplug and let it drain. Then I reinstall the drain plug and add oil. I've changed the oil on several cars (Escort, Contour, Malibu, Mustang, Saturn L300) without jacking them up.
As far as how I do it without jacking the car up, I simply reach under there and change the filter (if it's not accessible from the top), then I reach under there and loosen the drainplug and let it drain. Then I reinstall the drain plug and add oil. I've changed the oil on several cars (Escort, Contour, Malibu, Mustang, Saturn L300) without jacking them up.
Can I reach my daughter's new/used 03 Civic without a jack or ramps ? I been wondering cause I'm going to do it soon.
No, you need to at least get it on ramps to access the filter. It's on the backside of the engine block just under the intake manifold.
Kestas
Staff member
I bolted together a couple of 2 by 10 boards for each wheel to drive onto. The extra clearance makes life a little easier.
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