Oil Change

[late49er]

Hello Everyone,

I am getting ready to do my first oil change on my pilot and was wondering about the special tool Honda says is needed to remove the oil filter.

The service manager at my local dealer says their technicians simply use a wrench that is easily found at a parts store.

It seems to me that the filter could simply be removed by hand and then hand tightened until it fits snug.

Am i missing something here?

Thanks,

Late49er

[ctobio]

The factory oil filter has been, in my experience, absurdly tight on most cars. The Pilot was a pleasant surprise. I easily removed it with a strap wrench.

That said, I got one of those strap wrenches- you know the kind- that has a belt loop. Something like this:



You won't be able to loosen it by hand easily, and you should never tighten an oil filter with a tool.

The traditional metal oil filter wrenches usually can't accommodate the small diameter of our filters. I'm not a big fan of the cap style filter wrenches, as I'm never sure of the consistency of the fluting between filter brands.

[late49er]

Hello Ctobio,

Thanks for the response. I will go get a wrech like you posted.

This seems like a fairly straightforward job. Have to say i am really surprised by the smallness of the oil filter. Given its small size I wonder if that speaks to changing it more often than the book says.

late49er

[ctobio]

Originally posted by late49er
[B]
This seems like a fairly straightforward job. Have to say i am really surprised by the smallness of the oil filter. Given its small size I wonder if that speaks to changing it more often than the book says./B]

It is a straightforward job. I do recommend the following:

Get one of those long transmission funnels and remove the filter with the funnel underneath and directing into your recovery pan. Else it will drip oil all over the place, including part of the subframe. I usually unscrew the filter partway, let it and the engine drain as much as possible from there, and then spin it out until it falls in the funnel.

As for the size of the oil filter, sure, it's about as large as the filters my lawn tractor uses. Honda recommends changing every other oil change, which is probably sufficient. A quality oil filter will last a remarkably long time in an engine. That said, oil filters are cheap, and the $5 a filter costs me extra every other oil change isn't a hardship- I've spend more on dumber crap.

[beer4799]

today you can change filter every other OC; but I can't bring myself to be that thrifty. Every oil change, new filter. Creature of habit, I guess.

[evarsallona]

Drive up on ramps and turn the wheels all the way to the right
inside the right fender pull and hold forward( using a bungee cord) the black plastic engine shied next to the oil filter for more room.cut a 2 lither plastic bottle in half (length ways)and cut the bottom off then use it like a funnel, (bottom side up) and put it all the way up behind the oil filter to keep the oil from getting on the engine and frame and let drain into a drain pan

[late49er]

Hello Everyone,

thanks for all the good tips.

One question. Can one simply leave the pilot grounded and do the oil change?

Thought I could simply crawl under like I did with my Jeep.

Thanks,

late49er

[Mikeyworks]

I just did a DIY change on my '07 Pilot last night. This was the second oil change and the dealer did the first one free.

Now I can't figure out how to get the oil life to go back to 100%. It still says 15%.

Any recommendations?

I have been working on my own cars for years and while I check stuff when I do changes, I use a top-sider oil changer to reduce the amount I need to climb under the car. Therefore I never removed the drain plug. Does this have anything to do with the reset (stretch but thought I would mention it).

mikey

[evarsallona]

Owner's Manual page's 232 and 233 Maintenance Indicator
Resetting the Engine Oil Life Display
Your dealer will reset the display after completing the required maintenance service. You will see "OIL LIFE 100 %" on the information display the next time you turn the ignition switch to the ON (II) position.
If maintenance service is done by someone other than your dealer, reset the maintenance minder as follows:
#1-Turn the ignition switch to the ON
#2-(ID position.Press the Select/Reset knob until
the engine oil life indicator is
displayed.
#3- Press the Select/Reset knob for more than 10 seconds. The engine oil life and the maintenance item code(s) will blink.
#4-. Press the Select/Reset knob for more than 5 seconds. The maintenance item code(s) will disappear, and the engine oil life will reset to "100."

[evarsallona]

Originally posted by late49er
Hello Everyone,

thanks for all the good tips.

One question. Can one simply leave the pilot grounded and do the oil change?

Thought I could simply crawl under like I did with my Jeep.

Thanks,

late49er

Yes: You can leave it on the ground but your jeep might be a little higher, the ramps are just for convenience

[whizmo]

I change my oil without ramps and without even turning the wheels to get to the oil filter. It's just a matter of groveling around on the garage floor a bit.

- Mark

[evarsallona]

Originally posted by whizmo
I change my oil without ramps and without even turning the wheels to get to the oil filter. It's just a matter of groveling around on the garage floor a bit.

- Mark

Hello Mark
Yes, I have done it down on the ground before, but I find it more convenience up on ramps and turning the wheels to the right. So it's easy to get in from the side to the oil filter.

[crvrefuge]

you might want to search under FUMOTO VALVE if you plan on keeping the

Pilot a long time and changing your own oil. It replaces the oil drain bold

with a sea cock type valve.

[whizmo]

Originally posted by crvrefuge
you might want to search under FUMOTO VALVE if you plan on keeping the

Pilot a long time and changing your own oil. It replaces the oil drain bold

with a sea cock type valve.

... that hangs down and could easily get wacked off if you do any serious snow or off-road driving. Sorry, I don't think for most drivers saving 30 seconds during oil changes is worth the risk.

- Mark

[humanoid]

Originally posted by whizmo


... that hangs down and could easily get wacked off if you do any serious snow or off-road driving. Sorry, I don't think for most drivers saving 30 seconds during oil changes is worth the risk.

- Mark

Mark, the valve doesn't actually hang down at all: