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So yeah, I changed my oil today. For anyone who's curious, here's a little DIY. Buy a filter and crush washer online (I bought two of each at www.handaaccessories.com). Buy 5W-20 motor oil (I bought this nice little synthetic-blend developed by Ford that I heard good things about at Walmart for cheap).

Now all you need to do is drive into your garage, but leave enough space up front to work with. Turn on your car and leave it running until you see the temperature needle rise to 1/3 - 1/2. Then jack up the front of the car. Then put jack stands under the sides of the car in front (under the support points of course). Then lower the car onto the jack stands.

Now pop open the hood and remove either the dip stick or the oil cap (to allow the oil to drain better). Now get under your car and locate the oil pan (it's black). Locate the drain bolt (it's black too). Unscrew it and let the oil drain into whatever you happen to have (plastic bucket for me). Then after most of the oil is gone unscrew the old oil filter (you can almost do this with your hands). Then read the instructions on the new oil filter and install (they just say to oil the seal before installation and give the torque specification).

Now let the rest of the oil drain out (you can wait and grab a bite to eat and go watch some TV, but it's not really necessary. Then screw the bolt back in, but remove the old washer and put the new one on. Then torque it down to the right torque (for me it was 33 ft/lbs). Then use a funnel and pour the oil in. Remember to pour in the right amount (for me it was 3.4 quarts).

Then just raise the car, remove the jack stands, and lower the car to the ground again. You can actually turn on the enigne first to make sure that there are no leaks, but I lowered mine first because I was confident that I did it right. I turned on the engine, checked for leaks, and drove around the block once or twice. Everything seemed fine, and I noticed that it idles better as well. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]

What else? The manual has it all, check the manual for a detailed DIY for changing your oil. Also, the amount of oil and the torque specs vary from VTEC to non-VTEC engine. Funny. Maybe the EX has a larger oil pan? Who knows?

 
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what do you mean when you say

<< jack up the front of the car. Then put jack stands under the sides of the car in front >>

? i'm thinking about buying some jackstands. anyway, do you jack up one side and then put up the jackstand? where does the jack go if you're gonna have to put a jackstand in the supporting place? sorry if this sounds confusing. BTW, what brand/kind of jackstands do you have and how much were they?

 
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jack it up on the oil pan JUST KIDDING!!!!!!! hahahaha

Drive up on ramps...easier and quicker.

 
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He means the side supports that they show as a jacking point in the manual. Dont know where support areas are I just stuck my stock tire and rim under the front incase the jacks moved I'd be ok. By the way, good DIY grey it was right on.



oh ya and I got jack stands for 9 99 at Discount Auto. They are decent.

 
Rep Power: 419

That's why you have to jack up the front of the car first. There is a spot pointed to by an arrow in the plastic when you look under the front of the car. Check it out. You place the jack there and jack up the front of the car first. Then you place the jack stands under the side support points. These support points stick out just a little bit more than anything else and they're re-enforced (check the manual to be absolutely sure). You can't jack up one side of the car and then put the jack stand under the support point on that side. Try it and you'll see why.

About the brand, lemme check... It's called: MVP Pro-Lift and the jack is rated at 4000 pounds (~2 tons). It's just some cheapie brand I got from Walmart. I made a mistake though 'cause I bought it on sale when they were on sale seperately, but then they had a kit which had an oil pan, the jack, the jack stands, and a rolling bed for less than I paid. I missed out on the oil pan, and the bed. Lesson learned: Wait for the SALE.

 
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black2k1vtec: Where do they sell those, do they work well, can you drive up with a body kit, and how much do they cost?

 
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OHHHHHH! i remember seeing the arrow in the front of the car [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG] it all makes sense now. thanks guys

 
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if you're going out to buy jackstands you might want some shorter ones

 
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<<

Now all you need to do is drive into your garage, but leave enough space up front to work with. Turn on your car and leave it running until you see the temperature needle rise to 1/3 - 1/2.
>>



Dont you want the car to be cold so all the old oil is sitting in the pan when you go to drain it, and not up in the cylinders? But I could be wrong. I havent changed my own oil in my civic yet.

 
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No, they say to do that in the manual. I guess you want the oil to be less viscous (less sticky), so that it flows down into your collector easier.

 
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funny........grey said "Turn on your car and leave it running until you see the temperature needle rise to 1/3 - 1/2. Then jack up the front of the car. Then put jack stands under the sides of the car in front (under the support points of course). Then lower the car onto the jack stands.

Now pop open the hood and remove either the dip stick or the oil cap (to allow the oil to drain better). Now get under your car and locate the oil pan (it's black). Locate the drain bolt (it's black too). Unscrew it and let the oil drain into whatever you happen to have (plastic bucket for me).......but do ya notice he never said to turn off the car after it reaches normal op. temp......ya can u tell im bored [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

 
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Hey you... Look closely: I said "Turn on your car and leave it running until you see the temperature needle rise to 1/3 - 1/2." This statement is in the format: Do A until condition B is true. That means that you can logically extrude to turn the car off after the needle rises 1/3 - 1/2. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/IMG]

 
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<< jack it up on the oil pan JUST KIDDING!!!!!!! hahahaha

Drive up on ramps...easier and quicker. >>



YES! Ramps are so much easier. I use them all the time for my vehicles.

 
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[qYES! Ramps are so much easier. I use them all the time for my vehicles.[/i] >>


Isn't it a pain in the [IMG]i/expressions/moon.gif[/IMG] to get the car on the ramps? I mean with the angle or the car, and the bumper and stuff. But you probably just just use some planks right?

D

 
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Well whatever you do, don't try to jack up the car past the reinforced part (You'll see a boxed frame, anything past the two big bolts (when looking towards the rear of the car) is really weak. I assumed since the boxed frame on my Camaro could support a floor jack, so could my Civy, wrong!!! Now I gotta a nice little dent in the middle.

Hmm come to think of it this was a useless post, just learn thru experience like I did

 
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<< Then torque it down to the right torque (for me it was 33 ft/lbs) >>



what's this torque specification thing? I'm a newbie to all this [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

 
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Basically it's how much force you have to apply to a bolt when you tighten it. There are special wrenches out there that have mechanisms in them to determine when enough is enough. The torque wrench I have clicks when you pass the amount of torque that you set. Get it?