Change Oil filter without crawling under

RABID_MP5

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2002 Protege5
Well most probably already know, but when I was rotating the tires I also wanted to do an oil change. I usually run it up and ramps (and hope I don't overshoot) or jack it all up and use a creeper. But dummy me I realize that with the wheel off you can reach up in the slot above the tie rod and get the filter off with a wrench. I cleaned the mount with a rag by feel, and spun on a new filter. I used the wrench to slightly tighten it due to the poor wrist leverage. But it sure beats the hassle of crawling under, especially if you have the wheel off anyway. And you don't have to worry as much about the car coming down on you.
 
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I've managed to crawl under my car a few times with no lift or ramps.
Just turned my head sideways and shimmied under from the front... (stock tires and suspension)
My ears scraped a little during the squeeze but once I was under I could reach up and remove the filter...

(don't do this if you're claustrophobic... It's kinda freaky..
(like when Wolowitz got stuck in his turtleneck sweater))
 
If you remove the cruise control dealio on the passenger side, I've found you can get a decent amount of leverage on the filter (if you have long enough arms) from the top. Sure beats crawling under and doing the reach.
 
If you remove the cruise control dealio on the passenger side, I've found you can get a decent amount of leverage on the filter (if you have long enough arms) from the top. Sure beats crawling under and doing the reach.

yeah I had a regular 2001 Protege and that worked great. It sure looked tight on the P5 tho - never able to do it that way. Might have to look again.
 
yeah I had a regular 2001 Protege and that worked great. It sure looked tight on the P5 tho - never able to do it that way. Might have to look again.

Yeah just remove the 2 or 3 nuts holding the vacuum valve near the strut brace, and fold it over on top of the intake manifold. Then you have almost all the room in the world.
 
yeah I also did that on my 96 626 2.0 - I think you could see what you were doing thru a gap in the intake mani, while you can't on the P5. I'm thinking maybe it was it being blind - plus a long reach - that I gave up.
 
Eh, gotta crawl under to drain the oil, might as well do the filter while you're under there. Have to wipe off all the oil too.

I miss my Camry when it comes to oil changes, could swap it after the car sat for a couple hours with one hand without spilling a drop, from above.
 
I just jack one side up enough to crawl under. I get the free pass on the truck since it's up in the air and the RAV4 is so close to front that it is just reaching up while laying in front of it.
 
Filter changing is best left to the Mazda professionals !!!

They gots all them fancy tools and such !!

 
I've managed to crawl under my car a few times with no lift or ramps.
Just turned my head sideways and shimmied under from the front... (stock tires and suspension)
My ears scraped a little during the squeeze but once I was under I could reach up and remove the filter...

(don't do this if you're claustrophobic... It's kinda freaky..
(like when Wolowitz got stuck in his turtleneck sweater))

lol and i thought doing this on the wife's 98 CR-V was kind of claustrophobic..
 
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