Oil Changes and Ramps

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Hydraulic jack and jack stands for me. I won't crawl under a vehicle supported by ramps.
 
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Originally Posted by Lubener
Hydraulic jack and jack stands for me. I won't crawl under a vehicle supported by ramps.


Then you have the wrong kind of ramps. Proper ramps much safer than jack and jack stands.
 
I have one vehicle that needs to be jacked an inch so I can get the pan under it. I just jack it up and call it done. It's close enough to level.

Too much hand wrangling over getting every last drop. There's small pockets of oil left in various places in the engine. Plus, it seems that most UOA's show the oil is being changed long before it is somehow worn out, used up or loaded up.

Pick the method that is easiest and cheapest.
 
Most cars I work on have the plug at the back of the sump, so they drain nicely on the ramps. The 240's is dead centre but I'm really not worried about the extra 100ml or whatever that I might leave in. Having the car parked with the tyres fully on nice solid ramps, handbrake on and the rear wheels chocked feels pleasantly safer than stands, eliminates risk of accidental jacking damage and is much quicker to set up too.
 
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Depending on the vehicle, I use multiple wood blocks under the tires or ramps (have both plastic and metal) or hydraulic jack and stands. All depends on the vehicle. Some drain plugs are in front, but most in the back of the oil sump. I prefer the plastic ramps as less set-up to get started on the goal of an oil change. I orientate the ramps/vehicle up or down the sloping driveway based on the fluid being changed.
 
Originally Posted by BHopkins
If you are draining oil with only the front end on ramps, you are doing it wrong. A car should be level for an oil change.

You can't make a blanket statement like that with any credibility. All of our cars and ones we've owned in the past had the drain plug on the 'rear' of the pan and most with an angled boss that is even more conducive to raising the front end. Unless the drain plug is on the bottom of the pan, going in at a 90º angle to the ground, you will get better draining by raising the front end.

Does it really matter in the end ? Absolutely not. Take it to any shop and they'll let it drain for maybe 5 minutes, unless they get distracted, before they reinsert the drain plug. How much did they leave in ? Doesn't matter really.... No need to let the oil drain out overnight or for hours like some people think is "better".
 
Thought I read a long time ago you have to pack the oil pump with grease when replacing the pump it so as to prime it. Why doesn't the act of draining the oil cause the pump loose prime? Especially if you let it drain for hours.
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
I love my cheapo HFramps.
Mainly because with cars in the garage I can't get to the 3 floor jacks.
Of course there are 2 more out back in the shed.

They're sooo much easier to lug around. I only use the jack and stands if I'm gonna be under the car for more than say 10 minutes...but that's not very often these days with the bad back and all. So ramps it is..
 
Originally Posted by supton
I have one vehicle that needs to be jacked an inch so I can get the pan under it. I just jack it up and call it done. It's close enough to level.

Too much hand wrangling over getting every last drop. There's small pockets of oil left in various places in the engine. Plus, it seems that most UOA's show the oil is being changed long before it is somehow worn out, used up or loaded up.

Pick the method that is easiest and cheapest.

Do us all a favor and use stands or an old rim or something...we don't want to hear how you got crushed because of jack failure. Trust me, it is a "thing".

Safety first my friend......
 
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Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by supton
I have one vehicle that needs to be jacked an inch so I can get the pan under it. I just jack it up and call it done. It's close enough to level.

Too much hand wrangling over getting every last drop. There's small pockets of oil left in various places in the engine. Plus, it seems that most UOA's show the oil is being changed long before it is somehow worn out, used up or loaded up.

Pick the method that is easiest and cheapest.

Do us all a favor and use stands or an old rim or something...we don't want to hear how you got crushed because of jack failure. Trust me, it is a "thing".

Safety first my friend......




A couple of 2x8s will be much safer and a whole lot quicker.
 
2x6s just fine.

[Linked Image from fototime.com]
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
2x6s just fine.

[Linked Image from fototime.com]


Nicely done...but heavy isn't it? Are they gorilla glue together or screwed??
 
As long as you don't drive off the ends of those. Mine extend a bit forward but I have a 1x cleat attached to let me know I'm good.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by supton
I have one vehicle that needs to be jacked an inch so I can get the pan under it. I just jack it up and call it done. It's close enough to level.

Too much hand wrangling over getting every last drop. There's small pockets of oil left in various places in the engine. Plus, it seems that most UOA's show the oil is being changed long before it is somehow worn out, used up or loaded up.

Pick the method that is easiest and cheapest.

Do us all a favor and use stands or an old rim or something...we don't want to hear how you got crushed because of jack failure. Trust me, it is a "thing".

Safety first my friend......


A couple of 2x8s will be much safer and a whole lot quicker.

That's why I said "or something"...but to your point, how is laying a rim flat any more dangerous and time consuming than wood? Better than what these👇 2 are doing.....‚
[Linked Image]
 
My daughter just got a 2015 Kia Forte5 with the 1.6 turbo engine. I have not had to change the oil yet but I had it up on the ramps to look under the car. The drain plug is on the front of the pan and it seemed to angle up not down . The engineer sure didn't think of regular maintenance when he/she designed this. The first time I do change the oil I am going to try backing up with the rear wheels on the ramp. My only concern will be if there is enough space left under the engine to maneuver
 
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by supton
I have one vehicle that needs to be jacked an inch so I can get the pan under it. I just jack it up and call it done. It's close enough to level.

Too much hand wrangling over getting every last drop. There's small pockets of oil left in various places in the engine. Plus, it seems that most UOA's show the oil is being changed long before it is somehow worn out, used up or loaded up.

Pick the method that is easiest and cheapest.

Do us all a favor and use stands or an old rim or something...we don't want to hear how you got crushed because of jack failure. Trust me, it is a "thing".

Safety first my friend......


A couple of 2x8s will be much safer and a whole lot quicker.

That's why I said "or something"...but to your point, how is laying a rim flat any more dangerous and time consuming than wood? Better than what these👇 2 are doing.....‚
[Linked Image]



Corvette rims on an A4
shocked2.gif
 
Originally Posted by atikovi

Corvette rims on an A4
shocked2.gif


Right and he's under that tire to boot...¨.. there's so much going on in this pic it's hard to know where to start....‚ Makes one wonder if this was staged for some purpose.🤔...‚
 
Had a knock on my door one morning and my neighbor was screaming cause her grandson was changing a tire and bumper jack slipped and he had hand between fender and tire. (Tbird) I tried everything even me picking up the car but nothing worked. I had to block car up with blocks and jerk jack out and reposition jack to get his hands out. Ambulance and fire department got there right after I got him free. He got lucky not to lose any fingers. Afterwards I thought of many other ways to do this. I was embarrassed when help got there I realized that I was only wearing my underwear. I never get under a jack not worth it.
 
Originally Posted by billt460
Help me out here. I'm gathering the whole point of this thread, is over concern that draining oil with the vehicle on a ramp will somehow prevent the pan from completely draining every drop, due to the angle.


Yes you are correct, that is the whole point of this thread. The drain plug on my car faces the rear, so the more I raise the front of the car, the more oil comes out. What I might do is go ahead and put the car up on ramps and drain the oil. After all the oil is drained with the car up on ramps, I might slide the floor jack in between the ramps and see if I can get more oil to come out.
 
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