Newbie getting started with changing oil

[tuan209]

Hey guys!

Im a new member, but have been browsing the forums for awhile. There is a wealth of infomormation here, and I dont know where to start.

Im a complete newbie and have never changed oil on any type of cars before, but I would love to learn. I currently drive an Acura TSX, and I bring it for an oil and filter change change every 5k. Im currently using Mobil 1 synthetic and Mobil 1 filter.

I would love to start changing the oil myself, but I dont know where to start. Are there any tools to make it easier? It doesnt look too complicated, but I also dont want anything to go wrong.

Any help is welcomed!

Thanks
Tuan

 

[Geoff]

Find a suitable container and locate a used oil center.

Undo drain plug on oil pan. Let oil drain. Fill with required #quarts less 1 qt. Unscrew oil filter (should be able to do with hand). Fill new filter and replace. Tighten till stops using one hand with good effort.

Start engine for 20 sec. Shutdown. Check oil level and fill remaining bit (should be about 1/2 qt low).

Takes about 20 min.

 

[Al]

Get the fiberglass ramps at Autozone/Pepboy's, etc. The filter is right above the passenger drive axle. Ramp is probably required. Click type 3/8" torque wrench (0-50 ft. lbs). Plug is 22 ft. lbs.

Great car..my son has one.

 

[daemonite]

First off drive your car till it's warmed up, then park it and pop off your oil fill cap. Now raise your car off the ground if needed, then go under and remove the drain plug with some suitable container underneath. I suggest you have a nice racheting wrench and latex gloves to make it easy.

Go have a drink or snack, and come back...your car should be well drained of it's used oil. Now time to remove the filter, I generally use a filter adapter on my racheting wrench which to me seems the easiest. Dispose of the filter properly, and now install the drain plug back on (do not overtighten), and grab your fresh oil. Open one up and lube the rubber gasket on your brand new filter (prefill it if you can, i dont think honda allows you to do this...but im not sure), and install it by hand (no tools!) until you feel that you've installed it nice and tight.

Now put the car back on the ground, and fill it up with required quarts. Put the oil fill cap back on and drive around and check the oil once more to see if its under or over.

 

[drums57]

HI AL, where did you get that filter wrench?

 

[tuan209]

appreciate all the help guys!

Al,

So I have to lift the car to have access to the filter? Also, where did you get that filter wrench?

Thanks!

 

[pmwalter]

Filter wrenches are for girls. Just grab that hot slippery oil filter and twist it off with your bare hands. It'll put hair on your chest.

But most of all, be safe! I remeber a guy that slowely suffocated to death when his car slipped off his jacks and crushed his chest when he was working under his car. It took him a few minutes to die. He scratched the ground with his fingernails to get out but couldn't. He couldn't yell to his wife a few feet away because his chest was compressed. This is when I used to work with the Medical Examiner's office (Coroner) back in college.

So be safe and enjoy your new hobby. Now that I've scared you off a bit.

 

[daemonite]

My neighbor almost died under his car when his cheap ($9.99) jackstands broke.

Luckily he survived but he injured his spine.

Get ramps or buy really good jackstands and keep the jack in place as a safety. Make sure your car's emergency brake is all the way activated and if it's a manual transmission keep it in gear, if its an automatic make sure its in park.

Most likely since it's a honda engine you will need to raise it off the ground.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by tuan209:
appreciate all the help guys!

Al,

So I have to lift the car to have access to the filter? Also, where did you get that filter wrench?

Thanks!

---

Yea ..it would be difficult to get it from above. But its possible. You should be able to find this wrench locally, but you could get it here. http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=1114

Do a search on the internet..you might be able to get it cheaper. It is the greatest wrench in the history of the world..I'll guarantee it.

 

[mdocod]

I was just reading through here- and while everything looks like great advice... I noticed one thing mising that is also very important...

When you remove your old filter, MAKE SURE the seal came with it!!!.. sometimes filters will leave their seals behind and when you put the new filter on, you will be smashing 2 seals together, usually breaking them both and causing a significant oil leak.

If you stick with good quality filters, and ALWAYS apply oil to the new seal before installing, you should never see a seal get left behind.. It has only happened to me 2 times- over a lot of oil changes- both times were with budget filters.

 

[AndyH]

Not yet mentioned in this thread, but if you decide you want/need to jack the car up to work on it, purchase a hydraulic jack from Sears (or similar store). Don't use the jack that came with the car, as they aren't designed for much use and aren't very stable when compared to a hydraulic jack. Also, jackstands are a must if you go the jack route (versus using ramps). Never, ever get under a car that is only supported by a jack!

 

[Al]

Never get under a car unless you have jackstands or have it blocked. No jack is suitable to work under not hydraulic or mechanical.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Think about a Fumoto valve or Fram SureDrain.

Get a number of latex or purple nitrile gloves to keep the hot oil off your hands.

Use a zip lock plastic bag to put around the filter after you have loosened it.

Wheel chocks are nice too.


Whew, changing the oil is a lot like work

 

[bruce381]

If you have time go to Auto Zone for supplies and bring your drian plug and have them interchange your drain plug for a MAGNETIC plug on your next drain see how much metal FUZZ the plug will catch, cool.
bruce

 

[HALSTEADTW]

I've never met a car yet that I had to jack up to change the oil. I'm not familiar with this Acura of yours but if you're like me, long arms, you might just be able to go with out jacks!(**** of a lot safer)

Also, I like to shake my oil bottles before I open them for some crazy reason.

And finally I like to fill my oil filter as full as I can get it, then slowly spin it to get the oil into the media and from not spilling out so fast when installing.

Remember, don't overtighten, double check everything, and check for leaks.

 

[labman]

I think there are about 8,000 members now, and 9,000 opinions on changing oil. My last oil change, I tried, and was able to do my Cavalier without lifting it. However, it has a change from the top cartridge filter. If you can't reach the oil filter and plug, most of us use ramps. I made low rise wooden ones to use with the Grand Am GT I had. If I was buying a special tool for oil filters, I would buy the cup like sockets that fit over the end of the filter. I use the same 16'' Channellocks as I do for a hundred other things.

 

[greenjp]

quote:

---

Originally posted by HALSTEADTW:
And finally I like to fill my oil filter as full as I can get it, then slowly spin it to get the oil into the media and from not spilling out so fast when installing.

Remember, don't overtighten, double check everything, and check for leaks.

---

I just gave my '00 Civic an oil change yesterday. Good tips here, though you must be careful when "filling" the oil filter prior to putting it on. The reason for doing it is sound, you want the filter media soaked in oil so that when you start the engine the first time, the fresh oil gets circulating around quickly rather than spending a few seconds filling up the filter. (ok this is really anal, but heck this is a motor oil enthusiast website

) BUT, if you put in too much, or you neglect to do this bit where you roll it around to get it spread around, the oil will just spill right out of the filter once you turn it sideways to install it. Then you'll be guessing how much extra oil you have to put in the engine to make up for the spillage.

I heartily recommend "Rhino Ramps", which are plastic/fiberglass, cost ~$30, and can be found at any good auto parts or hardware store. No worries about the car falling on you, and it takes all of 5 seconds to get the car on and off them.

Oil changes and disk brakes are the two easiest ways to work on your own car and save a lot of money while doing it. If there's one available, look into getting a repair manual (Haynes or Clymer are the big 2) for the TSX - it'll be very helpful.

jeff

 

[oilyriser]

I like to remove the filter first, in case I decide to let it slip into the oil pan by accident. that way, it makes a smaller splash. Also, I use ramps, or a couple of cut off railway ties to support one side of the car. Large wooden blocks are pretty reliable, and aren't likely to suddenly break. Never use concrete blocks, since they can crack and let the car drop on you.

 

[blupupher]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Geoff:
Find a suitable container and locate a used oil center.

Undo drain plug on oil pan. Let oil drain. Fill with required #quarts less 1 qt. Unscrew oil filter (should be able to do with hand). Fill new filter and replace. Tighten till stops using one hand with good effort.

Start engine for 20 sec. Shutdown. Check oil level and fill remaining bit (should be about 1/2 qt low).

Takes about 20 min.

---

So when do you put the drain plug back in???

Never knew anyone who partialy filled then removed filter. I always drain fron the pan, put the plug back in, R/R filter, and then fill.

 

[RF Overlord]

Tuan, welcome to the board!

You've gotten a lot of excellent advice already, but the only thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet is proper tightening of the new oil filter. Every decent filter I've ever seen has tightening instructions on it, usually something like: "Tighten 3/4 of a turn after gasket contacts base" or words to that effect. This is important for a couple of reasons...first, to be sure it doesn't leak or come loose, and second so you can get the darn thing off again next time!