first oil change done

gone_fishin said:
The oil and filters they use at shops are just s*** (easy way for them to cut down on cost). Change your oil yourself with quality oil and a quality filter and you'll not only extend your cars life but you'll feel the difference.
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Precisely why I brought my OEM Mazda 626 V6 filter and Redline full-synth oil to Monro Muffler and Brake when I had my oil changed there. Someone from a local car forum did it for me no charge since I was bringing all the stuff. I think it is the first time my car has ever been up on a lift, it was nice to be able to see the entire underside at once!

Oh and about closing the door.. not an option, there are 12 garage doors but the bays are all connected. I'm not renewing my lease there for other reasons but my roommates and I are renting a house next year and all the ones we looked at had a garage so yay :D

And yeah I do put scrap cardboard down under the car and use my drain pan whenever I'm doing fluid changes. I had been doing my oil changes down there but my neighbors complained that the garage "smelled like gasoline" and that they didn't want their child to "get sick off all the toxic fumes". .. argh argh

Oh and I also don't use a filter wrench, they are too cumbersome. I just reach up there and burn myself on the midpipe and axles and engine and twist the filter off by hand.
 
gone_fishin said:
A few words on the ramps, the elevation of the front end (like someone was saying) will actually help to drain the excess oil because the drain fitting is on the back side of the oil pan.

I have an oil filter wrench, but I rarely use it-- it's usually more trouble than it is help-- space is often an issue esp when you're trying to loosen the filter. Try using your bare hand and a rag for grip, that's what I do and it works just fine. Also when you're reinstalling the new filter A.) make sure it came with a rubber gasket (if not use the one from your old oil filter), and B.) take a bit of new oil on your fingers and lubricate the gasket. Lubicating will prevent the gasket from bonding to the filter dock and will also make removal easier for the next time-- a little trick of the trade. Hope that helps. Change your filter with every oil change.

Oh and you can do oil changes anywhere so long as you have a jack, jack stands (or ramps) and a drain pan. Just be sure to not be an asshole and dispose of the oil legally. Changing your own oil can be cheaper or more expensive than getting it done at the shop depending on what oil and filter you buy. The oil and filters they use at shops are just s*** (easy way for them to cut down on cost). Change your oil yourself with quality oil and a quality filter and you'll not only extend your cars life but you'll feel the difference.
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Good info, I got my oil done yesterday and Tranny fluid done today, I also picked up a 12qt oil container that is also a drip pan (It works great!!!) I brought the bad oil to Canadian Tire and they let me poor it into there oil bin for free.
 
Off topic but man im so pissed off right now. I spent liek an hour trying to muscle the drain plug off and wasn't successful whatsoever. Will jacking the car up help me get a better angle on the plug or what?? My plug's about done for since its beginning to strip :(
 
2k3 PrO RiDa said:
Off topic but man im so pissed off right now. I spent liek an hour trying to muscle the drain plug off and wasn't successful whatsoever. Will jacking the car up help me get a better angle on the plug or what?? My plug's about done for since its beginning to strip :(
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I cant even get under the front of my car if its not jacked up. The Jacks give you nice room to work.

I have a heavy rachet, and just gave it a good bang with my palm and it came lose. It was tha same for the tranny drain, and fill plugs. & I gave it an equal bump to put it back on snug.

Im sure if you get her on Jacks you will have the room to get the proper leverage.
 
don't strip that drain plug. they can be a pain in the ass to remove at times (esp if the person who changed your oil last tightened it ridiculously much-- all the more reason to change your own oil). If you're having a difficult time getting bolts out and this applies not only ot the drain plug but to any bolt, try taking a ball-peen hammer and tapping the bolt on its head to unseat it. Another trick is to actually try tightening it before you loosen it. It seems counter intuitive but it helps to unseat the bolt and makes loosening a lot easier. Other than that, use a socket wrench and give the handle a few hits with a rubber mallot if you can't muscle it off.
 
Just a quick note on the Advance Auto Parts "Totalgrip" filters that were mentioned earlier on...

I believe they are actually a purolator filter, but with slightly less media inside. However, the media is pretty good quality, so they arent a bad filter at all.

Im not saying not to use the OEM ones at all, just adding a little insight.

Personally I use the Purolator PureONE filters, and they work pretty well. These ones have the same specifications for pressure and bypass valve opening as the OEM filters, so Im OK with them.

And for other various oil/filter related stuff, and probably more than you ever wanted to know about oil, you can always check out the "Bob is the Oil Guy" forums. http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi
 
Yeah, the filtration efficiency of the PureONE is really really good, but the trade off is capacity. I usually change my filter around the 3000 mark anyway, so thats not a problem for me.

The wierd thing is that most Asian and European filters take an opposite approach. They have a lousy efficiency (for small particles) but a very high capacity... But it works for them, so why mess with it?
 
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