how to do oil change?
11-01-2004
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how to do oil change?
can someone tell me how to do proper oil change? 
i wana do it myself.. what oil should be use, i know its dot 3 but i wana know some good and reliable source. tHANks! 
i wana do it myself.. what oil should be use, i know its dot 3 but i wana know some good and reliable source. tHANks! 
11-01-2004
#2
Originally Posted by thrash_273
can someone tell me how to do proper oil change? i wana do it myself.. what oil should be use, i know its dot 3 but i wana know some good and reliable source. tHANks!
i wana do it myself.. what oil should be use, i know its dot 3 but i wana know some good and reliable source. tHANks! 
11-02-2004
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Originally Posted by tacheon
If you "know" that you're supposed to use dot 3 to do an oil change, I'd seriously take it out to get done if I were you. Dot 3 is a grade of brake fluid. If you used it for an oil change, you're going to destroy your engine. Do a search on this website or buy yourself a service manual or you'll destroy your car. You need to buy 3 things. 1. an oil filter, 2. 4 litres of 5w-20 oil, 3. a drain plug washer.
11-02-2004
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Rep Power: 261 4qt = 4.2l. 4 liters will do fine.
as far as how to change the oil. my summary, even though there is a diy, but im not gonna link to it since i disagree with it.
run car to operating temperature, or at least untill the needle is above the cold mark.
put car on ramps, jack it up, whatever you want. shut off car, open hood, unscrew oil cap a little.
go under car. get 17mm wrench, preferably 6 point if you have it so theres less chance of chewing up your plug if it slips or something.
find oil pan. silver aluminum rectangle on my ex. it says OIL PLUG with an arrow, or something similar to that. not brain surgery. remove drain plug. drain oil.
and what i personally do is i jack my car up to get under it and remove the drain plug, then i lower the car to let it drain, when i see its done, i jack it back up.
clean drain plug, replace drain plug washer. its a very very cheap part, no excuses for not replacing it. clean off drain plug hole, replace plug. im sure theres a torque value for the plug, but i just tighten it until its snug.
look straight up from drain plug. find oil filter. unscrew oil filter slowly until oil starts coming out of it. put drain pan underneath until its done. (theres cleaner methods, some people have cut milk jugs, etc so that it doesnt drip down, but this is just how i personally do it.)
when the oil is done dripping down from filter. remove filter. wipe off filter mount where the gasket seals onto the block.
open new filter. pour very very small amount of fresh oil into fresh oil's bottle cap. dip finger into cap. lubricate new filter gasket. (im **** about contaminating my fresh oil so i dont dip my finger into the fresh quart.)
optional: pour small amount of oil into filter before reinstalling. since this is your first time, id just install the filter dry, with no oil.
screw filter onto filter mount. watch for when filter gasket makes contact with engine block. after the gasket makes contact, continue screwing filter on anywhere between 1/2 turn to 1 full turn. use writing/graphic on filter as a guide.
fill engine with proper amount of oil. your done. run engine. shut off engine. wait 3 minutes. check dipstick level.
*just realized you have an 04, this write up is for an 03, but im sure its still the same.
*recommended oil. pennzoil 5w-20 for conventional. motorcraft 5w-20 syn blend. red line 5w-20 synthetic, mobil1 0w-20 synthetic.
as far as how to change the oil. my summary, even though there is a diy, but im not gonna link to it since i disagree with it.
run car to operating temperature, or at least untill the needle is above the cold mark.
put car on ramps, jack it up, whatever you want. shut off car, open hood, unscrew oil cap a little.
go under car. get 17mm wrench, preferably 6 point if you have it so theres less chance of chewing up your plug if it slips or something.
find oil pan. silver aluminum rectangle on my ex. it says OIL PLUG with an arrow, or something similar to that. not brain surgery. remove drain plug. drain oil.
and what i personally do is i jack my car up to get under it and remove the drain plug, then i lower the car to let it drain, when i see its done, i jack it back up.
clean drain plug, replace drain plug washer. its a very very cheap part, no excuses for not replacing it. clean off drain plug hole, replace plug. im sure theres a torque value for the plug, but i just tighten it until its snug.
look straight up from drain plug. find oil filter. unscrew oil filter slowly until oil starts coming out of it. put drain pan underneath until its done. (theres cleaner methods, some people have cut milk jugs, etc so that it doesnt drip down, but this is just how i personally do it.)
when the oil is done dripping down from filter. remove filter. wipe off filter mount where the gasket seals onto the block.
open new filter. pour very very small amount of fresh oil into fresh oil's bottle cap. dip finger into cap. lubricate new filter gasket. (im **** about contaminating my fresh oil so i dont dip my finger into the fresh quart.)
optional: pour small amount of oil into filter before reinstalling. since this is your first time, id just install the filter dry, with no oil.
screw filter onto filter mount. watch for when filter gasket makes contact with engine block. after the gasket makes contact, continue screwing filter on anywhere between 1/2 turn to 1 full turn. use writing/graphic on filter as a guide.
fill engine with proper amount of oil. your done. run engine. shut off engine. wait 3 minutes. check dipstick level.
*just realized you have an 04, this write up is for an 03, but im sure its still the same.
*recommended oil. pennzoil 5w-20 for conventional. motorcraft 5w-20 syn blend. red line 5w-20 synthetic, mobil1 0w-20 synthetic.
Last edited by ctx66; 11-02-2004 at 09:36 AM.
11-02-2004
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Rep Power: 285 and many people do this but... DONT REV YOUR CAR ONCE YOUR DONE AND STARTED UP! alot of people will do this cus there happy so they rev it for whatever reason...well you have a couple seconds of a time period before the oil gets in through the filter and fills up the filter..these couple of seconds you can score your cylinder walls and a bunch of other nasty things
11-02-2004
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Originally Posted by ctx66
4qt = 4.2l. 4 liters will do fine.
as far as how to change the oil. my summary, even though there is a diy, but im not gonna link to it since i disagree with it.
run car to operating temperature, or at least untill the needle is above the cold mark.
put car on ramps, jack it up, whatever you want. shut off car, open hood, unscrew oil cap a little.
go under car. get 17mm wrench, preferably 6 point if you have it so theres less chance of chewing up your plug if it slips or something.
find oil pan. silver aluminum rectangle on my ex. it says OIL PLUG with an arrow, or something similar to that. not brain surgery. remove drain plug. drain oil.
and what i personally do is i jack my car up to get under it and remove the drain plug, then i lower the car to let it drain, when i see its done, i jack it back up.
clean drain plug, replace drain plug washer. its a very very cheap part, no excuses for not replacing it. clean off drain plug hole, replace plug. im sure theres a torque value for the plug, but i just tighten it until its snug.
look straight up from drain plug. find oil filter. unscrew oil filter slowly until oil starts coming out of it. put drain pan underneath until its done. (theres cleaner methods, some people have cut milk jugs, etc so that it doesnt drip down, but this is just how i personally do it.)
when the oil is done dripping down from filter. remove filter. wipe off filter mount where the gasket seals onto the block.
open new filter. pour very very small amount of fresh oil into fresh oil's bottle cap. dip finger into cap. lubricate new filter gasket. (im **** about contaminating my fresh oil so i dont dip my finger into the fresh quart.)
optional: pour small amount of oil into filter before reinstalling. since this is your first time, id just install the filter dry, with no oil.
screw filter onto filter mount. watch for when filter gasket makes contact with engine block. after the gasket makes contact, continue screwing filter on anywhere between 1/2 turn to 1 full turn. use writing/graphic on filter as a guide.
fill engine with proper amount of oil. your done. run engine. shut off engine. wait 3 minutes. check dipstick level.
*just realized you have an 04, this write up is for an 03, but im sure its still the same.
*recommended oil. pennzoil 5w-20 for conventional. motorcraft 5w-20 syn blend. red line 5w-20 synthetic, mobil1 0w-20 synthetic.
as far as how to change the oil. my summary, even though there is a diy, but im not gonna link to it since i disagree with it.
run car to operating temperature, or at least untill the needle is above the cold mark.
put car on ramps, jack it up, whatever you want. shut off car, open hood, unscrew oil cap a little.
go under car. get 17mm wrench, preferably 6 point if you have it so theres less chance of chewing up your plug if it slips or something.
find oil pan. silver aluminum rectangle on my ex. it says OIL PLUG with an arrow, or something similar to that. not brain surgery. remove drain plug. drain oil.
and what i personally do is i jack my car up to get under it and remove the drain plug, then i lower the car to let it drain, when i see its done, i jack it back up.
clean drain plug, replace drain plug washer. its a very very cheap part, no excuses for not replacing it. clean off drain plug hole, replace plug. im sure theres a torque value for the plug, but i just tighten it until its snug.
look straight up from drain plug. find oil filter. unscrew oil filter slowly until oil starts coming out of it. put drain pan underneath until its done. (theres cleaner methods, some people have cut milk jugs, etc so that it doesnt drip down, but this is just how i personally do it.)
when the oil is done dripping down from filter. remove filter. wipe off filter mount where the gasket seals onto the block.
open new filter. pour very very small amount of fresh oil into fresh oil's bottle cap. dip finger into cap. lubricate new filter gasket. (im **** about contaminating my fresh oil so i dont dip my finger into the fresh quart.)
optional: pour small amount of oil into filter before reinstalling. since this is your first time, id just install the filter dry, with no oil.
screw filter onto filter mount. watch for when filter gasket makes contact with engine block. after the gasket makes contact, continue screwing filter on anywhere between 1/2 turn to 1 full turn. use writing/graphic on filter as a guide.
fill engine with proper amount of oil. your done. run engine. shut off engine. wait 3 minutes. check dipstick level.
*just realized you have an 04, this write up is for an 03, but im sure its still the same.
*recommended oil. pennzoil 5w-20 for conventional. motorcraft 5w-20 syn blend. red line 5w-20 synthetic, mobil1 0w-20 synthetic.
11-02-2004
#10
Honda > Nissan
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Rep Power: 0 Fyi guys, you don't need to use 5W20. Feel free to use 5W30 as it will not harm your engine, actually 5W20 will as its a thinner oil.
Just do a search around. In Asia they actually recommend 5W30 for our cars. In North America 5W20 is recommended so that it passes emissions with flying colours.
But the bottom line is that 5W20 or 5W30 is safe for your car...just use the search button.
btw, ctx66 very nice DIY!!!
Just do a search around. In Asia they actually recommend 5W30 for our cars. In North America 5W20 is recommended so that it passes emissions with flying colours.
But the bottom line is that 5W20 or 5W30 is safe for your car...just use the search button.
btw, ctx66 very nice DIY!!!
11-08-2004
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Rep Power: 0 dude, you are a senior member and didn't know how to change your oil. That's really messed up. I think the way that people get these labels is all screwed up. Cause I have seen lots of posts by diamond members asking about common sense things that I knew when I was 15 years old. Ok, I am done venting now.....lol Good instructions though ctx66. senior and diamond members that don't now anything about cars can definitly use them.
11-08-2004
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Rep Power: 0 i know its a kinda old thread but i will reply by saying read the manual. man read the honda civic manual. It covers most of the basic maintence routines and tells u wen u should do them.
11-08-2004
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Rep Power: 0 oh and also i use 3qts of 0-20 mobile one. my friends all say 3 qts isn't enough. i thought 3qts isn't enough either but wen ever i check the dipstick its perfect. saves me a lil bit of money.
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