A couple of oil change tips people hardly ever address.
- Thread starter Ghoust
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takeitback
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Good video. Thanks for the tips.
Could we get a tl;dr?
5 minutes? Meh...
Summary Please.... I’m also not sure we can legally take advice from someone who wears gloves during an oil change
Summary Please.... I’m also not sure we can legally take advice from someone who wears gloves during an oil change
Do you lube the o-ring on the new filter with fresh oil prior to installation? I’ve been changing my oil for 20 years and have never had the o-ring stick to the engine during removal.
Anyway, nifty tip!
Anyway, nifty tip!
Good tip.
My tip of the day: I always fill up the new oil filter before it is installed and take a couple of drops of oil and lube the gasket before I hand tighten.
My tip of the day: I always fill up the new oil filter before it is installed and take a couple of drops of oil and lube the gasket before I hand tighten.
I also screw on the filled filter until the lubed gasket contacts the block and then mark the outside of the filter (vertical line or dot) on the back of the filter (pointing at the rear bumper) and then tighten 3/4 of a turn (270 degrees) and stop when the mark is pointing at the drivers side wheel.
I also place my oil pan directly under the filter and cover the area under the filter, frame, with a plastic bag so any errant oil won't find it's way into hard to reach areas.
I also place my oil pan directly under the filter and cover the area under the filter, frame, with a plastic bag so any errant oil won't find it's way into hard to reach areas.
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After draining the pan, I punch a hole in the bottom of the filter with an awl to empty most of it out before removal. Much less mess.
I've never done that, but actually an excellent tip!
Since our oil drain plug is at the back of the pan, lifting the car at the front or driving the car up on ramps and pulling the plug will get quite a bit of oil out. I do this and let it drain..............sometimes for like 30-45+ mins. so pretty well ALL the oil gets drained.
I like changing my oil hot so not sure how the zip lock bag thing will handle hot oil leaking from the filter when you unscrew it (would it not melt the plastic zip loc bag??)
You'll find that if you do this and put the required amount of oil back in as listed in the OM your level will still be slightly lower than where it should be. Pulling the plug with the car level and not letting it all drain will not remove ALL the oil in the pan (yes there's always a little bit that won't be drained).
The other tips mentioned here are good (filling the filter before screwing it back on, checking to make sure the gasket came off with the old filter), these tips to me are mechanics 101......................you shouldn't work on your car if you don't do these things during an oil change.
One other tip I'll add..................empty your oil separator when you do an oil change.
I like changing my oil hot so not sure how the zip lock bag thing will handle hot oil leaking from the filter when you unscrew it (would it not melt the plastic zip loc bag??)
You'll find that if you do this and put the required amount of oil back in as listed in the OM your level will still be slightly lower than where it should be. Pulling the plug with the car level and not letting it all drain will not remove ALL the oil in the pan (yes there's always a little bit that won't be drained).
The other tips mentioned here are good (filling the filter before screwing it back on, checking to make sure the gasket came off with the old filter), these tips to me are mechanics 101......................you shouldn't work on your car if you don't do these things during an oil change.
One other tip I'll add..................empty your oil separator when you do an oil change.
Absolutely lightly lube the rubber seal. If you don’t, you create a lot of drag while tightening the filter, which can cause the seal to come loose somewhere along the perimeter. Seal balloons out....presto....bad seal and a leak...followed by oil starvation and engine failure.
I have also removed an oil filter (not installed by me), only to find the seal stuck to the filter housing on the car. If you don’t pay attention and this happens, you will definitely have a bad leak. Always check as you first wipe down and inspect the filter housing prior to installing the new filter.
Geez I thought lightly lubing the oil filter seal was a standard novice procedure. I've been doing that since I was 16 years old.
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I remember the first time I changed the oil on my GT500. Warmed up the engine, drained the oil, put my plastic bag over the frame and loosened the oil filter and started to remove it. That's when I found out the after a turn or two, hot oil starts cascading down the side of the filter, down my arm and into my arm pit. I don't recommend this procedure to anyone reading this. I think they call this a learning event. Lesson learned.
Well, I unscrew the filter just enough till oil starts to drip out the filter, I don't keep my hand or arm near the filter till most of the oil has drained out of it then I use a shop towel to help spin the filter off.
Rarely do I have hot oil contact my skin changing oil the way I do it.
Rarely do I have hot oil contact my skin changing oil the way I do it.
I started working in a Gas Station at 16, did a lot of oil changes and always prefill the filter and oil the gasket. For the GT500, I will put a couple shop paper towels in the plastic bag to soak up the oil and helps with the heat. The plastic bag makes it convent to turn in for recycle, just zip it closed. Then a little Simple Green on a towel and wipe the frame members for any drips.
I was just asking the OP if he lubes the o-ring as he had enough issues with the o-ring sticking.
Someone needs to design a formed tray to set under the filter on the frame - Id buy one in a heartbeat. The bag over the filter method sucks, trying to put foil on the frame sucks, and also, whoever designed the filter location should be beaten like a piniata.
I've had the o-ring stick to the block a couple times on my old 5.4L F-150.
Good tip on the plastic bag! I'll try that when I change the oil in the next couple of weeks (whenever it finally warms up around here!).
Good tip on the plastic bag! I'll try that when I change the oil in the next couple of weeks (whenever it finally warms up around here!).
My k member moved things out from under the filter.
However, maybe use the poke-a-hole method with a nail tied to a string leading to the oil pan so the oil has something to cling to as it drips down? Like a rain chain.
Otherwise the plastic bag is a great idea. I'd use it with a rubber band on a cold engine. Open things up and watch tv for half hour or so while it drains. Won't get everything anyway and won't need to wait for heads to drain if it hasn't been run.
What do you guys think about running sea foam or BG 44K before an oil change to get carbon out of the cylinder?
However, maybe use the poke-a-hole method with a nail tied to a string leading to the oil pan so the oil has something to cling to as it drips down? Like a rain chain.
Otherwise the plastic bag is a great idea. I'd use it with a rubber band on a cold engine. Open things up and watch tv for half hour or so while it drains. Won't get everything anyway and won't need to wait for heads to drain if it hasn't been run.
What do you guys think about running sea foam or BG 44K before an oil change to get carbon out of the cylinder?
If in Canada remember to buy 9 containers of oil as you will need 8 and a half to get the actual 8 liters the 5.8 requires as they are not 1 L bottles, if you just dump in 8 and walk away it's not a proper oil change. Danny
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