Ellocodetroit

iTrader: (3)

Damn I've been changing my own oil for years since I got my first car. It was always messy but after a while you learn little tricks to make it clean.
1)Remove the bolt and the filter slowly.
2)Wear latex gloves.
3)Must have a good large oil container.
4)Never rush.
5)Always squint or wear safety glasses.

I've got it down to where my clothes don't get dirty, my arm or face don't get grease on them, oil doesn't miss the pan..etc....

dariusld

What I don't like about changing the filter is the oil that spills on the engine, the exhaust, and the half-shaft. I don't care that I get oily. What I do to try and avoid this is get a empty cereal box and cut it into a v shape. I stick that under the filter and use it like a funnel to direct the oil straight into the pan.
Another tip is to jack up your car on one side to get more of the oil out of the oil pan. If you don't all the oil does not come out, even when the car is warm.

zen_master

iTrader: (6)

hmm..maybe then i should redline and rev my car real hard on the way to the oil shop................

gotarheels03

well on my old Corolla I did almost all my own oil changes, since the filter was nice and easy to get to. The Civic on the otherhand they had to tuck the damn filter away in a corner. Its a bitch to get in/out and no matter what you get oil all over the halfshaft and the exhaust. Its enough of a pain that im going to start bringing mine to a shop.

cambo

iTrader: (1)

quit complaining. my oil filter is beneath the intake manifold and almost dead center in the engine bay. And no, theres no way to get it from beneath unless your arm is 4 feet long and can bend in 5 different places.

gotarheels03

alright now that Ive gotten used to it the fiters reallly not that hard. Did it a few days ago

Mitchr

I have read all of the reply's and there were only two people who mentioned either driving their Civic on a ramp or having it on a lift before they removed the filter. I am either missing something or everyone here is very, very skinny because there is no way I can get under my daughters Civic without lifting the car somehow. In the past on a older Accord I had I alway's jacked it up in the front and put 2 jack stands under it before I started to change the oil. I alway's hated ramps since I had some shoot out from under the car when I was attempting to drive up them.

Mitch

Blahman240

...Are you kidding me? Its easy to reach.

cambo

iTrader: (1)

2.5 TL

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, I used ramps. Not sure if needed them with the civic, but it makes things easier.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

you can do the same with the civic. Just use a floor jack and jack up one side, slide a jack stand under there and then jack up the other side and slide a jack stand under there. Either way, it makes things alot easier to have it jacked up. I dont know many people who dont jack up there car to change the oil.

darklegacy540

iTrader: (1)

I take mine in to get it done now.. I take mine to the dealership and it costs $17.. by the time I buy a filter and oil, it costs about $15.. so I figure I'll just pay the extra $2-3 and have them do it.. Plus whenever I take my car in, they always seem to detail the inside of my car? That's nice of them..

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

For $25 you can buy synthetic oil and a filter and do it yourself as the dealer uses regular oil.

xacalus

Here in DR i just pay RD$80 for an oil change, that's like US$2.67. (Of course that's just for the changing, this price do not include the oil and the filter, but a save a lot of time and i don't get dirty). Including 4 qtr. of Honda Oil and Honda oil filter cost like US$20. Very cheap huh...

dariusld

Is the coin holder, especially clean? I do not take my car to anyone, not becasue its hard or a hassle or cost,but because I don't want them touching my car.

robbclark1

iTrader: (8)

synthetic is so much better...bah to dino juice!

shroomster

if you're scared of getting oil on you then why change your own oil....isn't oil designed to be dirty?
isn't oil a slick (gooey when ya wash with no soap) substance that is also carcinogenic?
why complain about doing a dirty job that is dirty no matter what?
why do you think some shops have oil bays with pits? next time you take it somewhere that has a pit ask to see the pit area and tell me how clean it is....I almost guarantee you... you will not be surprised hehe

theres a reason its called a pit...and its not cuz pigs get roasted in it hehe

susuking

iTrader: (2)

pay other guy to do it for u

TemjinX2

iTrader: (11)

i think the best suggestion is just let it sit for awhile. First time i let it sit for like 2hrs and there was no oil leakage when i took off the filter. The second time i let it sit for like 30min and i got lazy and there was oil leaking out.

asian

If you're using the right oil then the contaminants should remain in suspension no matter what and if you're using a quality filter then it should filter most of the stuff out. Also like somebody else stated that it is easier to remove the filter and drain plug when it's cooler because the metal isn't expanded. The key is to let it have enough time to drain out. I prefer to do mine when the engine is cold but each to his own.

shroomster

if it really did matter if the engine had to be hot or cold most quick lube places would have to close or start telling people its going to be a lot longer than it used to be becuase they have to let the engine sit....besides....isn't the filter supposed to get the contaminents anyways? i mean save for something big that breaks off like a huge carbon deposit or something....but in that case it would clog teh drain hole....and if tyou got somwething like that in your engine or sludge even....shoot your car probably needs to be scrapped or engine rebuild time or at least a pan service....

mrDFWmechanic

iTrader: (2)

i always let my car warm up a little bit and take it down the street for a few mins before i change it. the drain plug is no problem its always the damn filter, i'm even thinkin about buying a kit and relocating the filter somewhere convient in the bay so that it just makes less of a mess. here's what i was looking at http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...=egnsearch.asp. and other quick ? does anybody know where i can find a drain plug with a magnetic tip on the end ??

thekuai

this will help:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...733489-7956767

supposed to remove 99% of oil

shroomster

that isn't going to extract oil out of the passageways and the filter itself.....(i know you said 99% but that doesn't seem likely..) I'd be less skeptical if they had a video where they used it and then removed the filter w/o seepage and drippings....

taehoshi

do most of you guys use a oil filter wrench or your bare hands to remove your filter?

doubledeuce2k2

iTrader: (20)

since i've done my own, i haven't needed a wrench (on a few cars, i help friends out too, and they didn't need a wrench)

at first, i sure did need the wrench though.

SOHC

yeah. ive been doing the cleanest, most hassle free oil changes lately.. just let it sit till all the oil drains out of the pan.. then the filter should come out with minimal mess.

stock

I will attempt an oil change myself instead of paying the dealer to do it. They charge you for taxes and disposal fees and shop supply fees and environmental fees and taxes on top of all the fees and taxes.

The dealer always overfills your oil and leaves a dripping mess under the car.

Here's the plan.

1) Drive car home from work.
2) Drive up ramps.
3) Remove drain bolt and drain hot scalding oil.
4) Let car sit overnight or a few hours of draining.
5) Remove oil filter. (Where do you position the drain bucket to catch any oil from the oil filter. Do I need another drain bucket?)
6) Wipe up any mess.
7) Install new filter.
8) Install oil drain plug and new gasket.
9) Add oil.
10) Start car for a few minutes.
11) Check for oil leaks.
12) Drive off ramps.
13) Turn off car.
14) Check oil level and add to upper mark.

If there's anything I've missed please let me know.
I will attempt this so I want to be prepared.

stock

So I just changed my oil and it wasn't messy at all.

The only mess was from the splash of the hot scalding oil draining from the pan when I removed the drain bolt.

If you let the car sit for a few hours or overnight, there's no oil that drips from the filter when you change it. Nothing dripped from the filter or down the side of the engine. The anti-drain valve kept the oil inside the filter.

Also if you let it drain overnight, you get most of the old oil out. I can't see Honda draining it properly when they do it in half an hour.

By the way, the oil filter was freakin tight. I had to use duck tape and the smallest filter band wrench I had just to loosen it. Once loosened it was easily removed by hand. The drain bolt was pretty tight also. Freakin Honda always over tightening everything!!!

DsevenEm2

iTrader: (6)

its not that they overtighten eveyrthing...its that a strong guy tightened stuff lol and ur not lol... jus kidding. way to go on reviving a 2 yrd old thread.

the reason they tighten it so much is so that u can come abck to them so they can get it loose. changing oil really shouldnt be this difficult that they make a huge thread about it. but congratulations, u saved ur self some money and thats always good. high fives all around.