Rep Power: 266

My mom takes her 05 element to honda, but a couple oil changes ago the dip stick showed that it was overfilled. I don't know what to make of it. I wonder how difficult it is to do an oil change and filter swap on an element...

 
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Honda oil is Mobil 5000 dino.

 
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Ah, maybe I need to find me one of those then. I can get a regular jack under there, but I'm slightly scraping the front every time I want to get under the car. If I get down there and push up with my hands, we can slide the jack under.

 
Rep Power: 223

it is now. It used to be different. Classic/Coggin Honda in Orlando uses Penzoil. Penzoil = ick. Some others use Castrol. Castrol =

 
Rep Power: 223

I dropped 20lbs and it helped me slide under my car easier too lol

 
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Oil changes suck after you'd had access to a lift for years & then U don't any more. I always put tin foil under the filter against the block like a funnel over the driveshaft to the drain pan. A LITTLe less mess

 
Rep Power: 237

Today, I bought...
jack for 27.00
jack stands for 20.00
4 qts of mobil1 5-20 for 6.99ea
drain pan
filter
filter wrench
new washer for drain plug.

I NEVER knew how easy it was to change the oil on an import. I have changed the oil on about 10 different cars, this was by far the easiest. If you have the proper equipment it is a joke it's so easy. If you can't do this, let me know and i'll come hit you in the head with my old oil filter. It might have been around a hundred bucks for today, but it'll save me money after a while.
Previously, I had sears change my oil and they didn't put a new washer on the drain plug, which made it leak. If you have a car leaking oil, I'll bet this is what has happened, which is another reason you should change your own oil.
I can endorse Mobil1 too, because I had a small tick in the top end of my motor, now I don't. It was probably a sticking lifter or something to that effect, either way... gone.

 
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I just took some pieces of 2X8 and built some looooong ramps.
Works great.

 
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I'll do my first Oil Change on my Honda Civic VP. This weekend
I got Mobil1 5w 20 5 Qts for $22 at Walmart
OEM Filter for $7 at the local Honda Dealer
.50¢ for the plug washer

Do I really need an Oil wrench ?

 
Rep Power: 315

YUP, dont want loose oil!

 
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Fixed above for ya.


You don't need one, but makes it easier when removing the oil filter for the first time or if it was done by a dealer or oil shop(they crank that thing on, making it impossible to grab without a wrench.

 
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yeah, it really is not that difficult, you can find a "how-to- guide on you tube..the process is the same for every car as far what you have to do to drain the old oil, replace the filter, install new oil, etc. You would just have to make sure that you know what kind of filter would fit your car and what kind of oil to use..right now I just use Pennzoil 5w-30 and a puro-lite filter, but you can choose whichever best fits your fancy. I am trying to go the economical route right now while at the same time, keeping good care of my car. I hear really good things about Mobil too..so maybe you could try them if you arent sure about what brand of oil to use...it says nascar sues it..so i guess that makes it good eh? he he.

 
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just FIY for everyone not sure where to take almost all car fluids:
any autoparts store and some walmarts should take your oil & coolant, the general rule is if they sell it they have to dispose of it. also alot of the quik lube places will take oil and coolant. and the oil usually will be free to take because they use that oil for heating the shop.

Also changing oil, especially on 6thgens, is way to easy to do and does not justify spending the $8 extra to take it somewhere. just think for spending an extra 20min of your time you can put that 8 bucks in your gas tank. now i understand that some people just dont have the time. what ever then its your extra cash.

 
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definatly! i have access to 3 lifts at school and i try to hold off on stuff untill i can use a lift, but its not that bad, maybe cuz i just love working on cars. the only thing i wish i could have really did ave the lift privelige is when i put my headers and down pipe. i was crawling all over the ground on that one

 
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I use all OEM Honda Parts. 0W-20 Honda Genuine Oil and HG oil Filter. and i do it myself. I usually just go to the dealer and buy the stuff in bulk and keep it in my garage.

 
Rep Power: 215

I do it myself, its easy as crap. I use Mobil 1 5w20 and Honda filter.

 
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Then you aint low enough

 
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Lol I dunno she is pretty low man, debating on going lower or not though.

 
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i do my own oil change i always use a fram filter and 4 quarts of the best oil its costs the some to have it done my urself and at the dealership i think its better to do urself

 
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We used to always take it to the dealership. However, this last time I took it to a quick lube place. The coupon was for 19.99 oil change. He basically did not ask me more or less told me I would be dumb not use the valvoline high max oil since my civic has over 100K mi so I agreed to it. When all was said and done (misc. shop fee, tax, enviro charge, and extra charge for high max oil instead of regular the 19.99 oil change was $47. I am not complaining but it was a little more than I was expecting.

I want to try to do it myself next time but I guess I need to get those ramps to pull my car up on. So any advice on what kind to get? The local auto store down the road sells them for $36. Does that sound right?

 
Rep Power: 313

Just use a jack and jackstands... They are very handy to have as well if you have any suspension work later on and can't use ramps. It's funny because Valvoline Maxlife = 22 bucks here in Canada and the oil filter is 5 dollars, so the total oil change they just did costs 27 dollars... They make 20 dollars profit (probably more because they buy the oil in bulk) and they do the job in about 5 minutes. I've also had a few friends leave those places with the rad cap sitting on top of the grill.

 
Rep Power: 512

hydraulic jack + stand FTW

 
Rep Power: 315

Yea, its just the work to get high enough to get the jack under the car.

 
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Holy ****! You still troll around on here?

 
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you was here before me

 
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^ Yea, but rice is more addicted to the forum than a heroin addict could ever be addicted to heroin. He will never leave.

 
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Heh.. I just troll these forums again because I'm not in the Navy anymore.. How's your Civic running Pete?

 
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Running fine. Spend most of my time on 8thcivic cause locals with 7thgen haven't learned to use a puter yet.
I venture over to H-T and club civic now and then.
Hows being outa the navy ?

 
Rep Power: 512

It was cool for the first couple months of not doing anything, now I'm gonna go crazy if I don't get a job soon.. even just a part time job.. I saw you're registered at the new 7thgen site.. lurk around there much? I kinda do.. but I feel that the stupid noobs here need direction still..

 
Rep Power: 315

Don't do much on the new site.
I've ben outa work for over a year , but Im crazy aleady
Keep at those noobs