The first oil change

[ctobio]

So, driving back from a 1000 mile trip, the maintenance minder light came on, service A 1, 15% oil life remaining. The vehicle had approx 6000 miles when this came up.

I've decided to peform service A and change the oil, and for the hell of it, change the filter too. Cheap insurance, I say.

It's actually a pretty simple oil change, but a few observations:

Removing the filter is messy. It took a good amount of torque to remove the factory filter, which I'm used to- every new car I've owned seemed to have the filter tightened to 200 lb-ft. Once loosened, it dumps oil on the crossmember below. And even worse, the oil filter slipped out of my hand, fell on the floor of the garage, and rolled a few feet away, disgorging oil all the way. I'll be hosing out the garage this weekend...

The drain plug was easy enough, though tightening it with the torque wrench was tough- I had to use a U-joint because I didn't have enough clearance for the torque wrench to turn.

All in all, the oil change took 4 qts, 10 oz just like the book says, and the maintenance minder has been reset.

I'll be rotating the tires this weekend, and will probably take the opportunity to put anti-sieze on the front rotor hold-down screws before they get rusted in place.

[CMasten]

hey ctobio what is the torque spec on the drain plug? I guess I could look in the service manual but you might know off the top of your head

Thanks

[ctobio]

29 lb-ft.

[jdeanski]

Originally posted by ctobio
Removing the filter is messy. It took a good amount of torque to remove the factory filter, which I'm used to- every new car I've owned seemed to have the filter tightened to 200 lb-ft. Once loosened, it dumps oil on the crossmember below. And even worse, the oil filter slipped out of my hand, fell on the floor of the garage, and rolled a few feet away, disgorging oil all the way. I'll be hosing out the garage this weekend...

I use a narrow (transmission) funnel with a long end on it. The one I use is just big enough for the filter to fit in so as I unscrew the filter the oil will drain into the funnel and down into my collection pan. There may be a picture somewhere on this forum.

[ctobio]

Originally posted by jdeanski


I use a narrow (transmission) funnel with a long end on it. The one I use is just big enough for the filter to fit in so as I unscrew the filter the oil will drain into the funnel and down into my collection pan. There may be a picture somewhere on this forum.

Hmm, good point. That would actually work nicely, and it'll keep ol' butterfingers from rolling a dirty oil filter down the garage floor... . I use the transmission funnel to fill the oil as it is...

One other thing- there was a sharp, somewhat sloppy weld on the subframe/engine carrier about an inch or so behind the drain plug. I ended up filing it, as it had a sharp burr that my glove kept snagging on. Anyone else experience this?