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Car Forum / Nissan / Nissan Cars / September 2008Zen and the art of Oil Changing
OK. I've been changing the oil in the family car, friends cars, etc, since before I could legally drive. I think I know the ins and outs pretty well. But I'm stumped by one question now: how do you get the new cars elevated enough to change the oil without a lift? It seems not only have the makers designed the car to drip oil all over the motor when you remove the filter, but they are so low to the ground and have air dams and stuff to make it impossible to get under them. I have always used car ramps, but you can't drive the car up the standard ramp without scraping the fiberglass. I've started driving the car up on the paved elevation next to my driveway, which is safe but not very satisfactory. I've thought about making some "extenders" for the ramps I have, but safety (of the car) issues make me hesitate. Can you buy "new style" ramps that you can drive low-clearance cars up on? I have not seen such a beast. Or does everybody else just let the pimply-face kid at "Jerky-Lube" change the oil while sitting in the lobby, talking on the cell phone and drinking Evian?  SignaturePB "I suspect you're an arrogant little pissant who grew up in the Red Bull generation." - CJW > OK. > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > let the pimply-face kid at "Jerky-Lube" change the oil while sitting > in the lobby, talking on the cell phone and drinking Evian? How about a jack? A local garage I use doesn't even have a lift. They use a couple of floor jacks - one on each side - to jack up the front end of the car. Ed <snip> > How about a jack? A local garage I use doesn't even have a lift. They > use a couple of floor jacks - one on each side - to jack up the front > end of the car. Hmm. I guess "floor jack" is not equal to "bumper jack", and two floor jacks would provide some redundancy. Still, a lot of the cars I work on are very rusty, and jacking them up from the frame sometimes is not pretty :-). I *have* jacked up cars and put them on stands, but it's a lot of work just for an oil change. CW is never get under a car which is jacked up, but I guess I never really thought about whether that meant floor jacks or just bumper jacks. Whenever I get under a car, it's been on jack stands or ramps, with the wheels chocked. I've never had a car fall on me, but there was a guy in the paper a few years ago that got trapped under the car he was working on. They noted that the same thing happened to him on a previous occasion. SignaturePB "I suspect you're an arrogant little pissant who grew up in the Red Bull generation." - CJW > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > cars I work on are very rusty, and jacking them up from the frame > sometimes is not pretty :-). Changing the oil these days is a crappy job anyway, if you do it yourself. I've grown to accept having dirty oil running down to my elbow, and having to wipe down the engine block afterward. > I *have* jacked up cars and put them on stands, but it's a lot > of work just for an oil change. The local oil change places don't offer Evian, but they *are* very good at finding torn CV joint boots. Real good at that... > CW is never get under a car which is jacked up, but I guess I > never really thought about whether that meant floor jacks or just > bumper jacks. Whenever I get under a car, it's been on jack > stands or ramps, with the wheels chocked. Must be the right way, bcz you're still here to talk about it. : ) > I've never had a car fall on me, but there was a guy in the > paper a few years ago that got trapped under the car he was > working on. They noted that the same thing happened to him on a > previous occasion. Guess it didn't fall hard enough the first time. > I've never had a car fall on me, but there was a guy in the >paper a few years ago that got trapped under the car he was >working on. They noted that the same thing happened to him on a >previous occasion. I know of a story form my youth about a car falling on a local kid's head. The results were not pretty. Every time I think "do I _really_ need that stands for this simple job?" I remember that story and get out the stands. > CW is never get under a car which is jacked up, but I guess I > never really thought about whether that meant floor jacks or just > bumper jacks. Whenever I get under a car, it's been on jack > stands or ramps, with the wheels chocked. I have several large wood blocks I put under for safety. http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244 43250777&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672494&bmUID=1219663215647#BVQAWidgetID Someone commented 12000 lbs weight capacity with a 17 degree incline. It easily fits under low-profile cars. I'm sure you can find something similar locally. > OK. > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > pimply-face kid at "Jerky-Lube" change the oil while sitting in the lobby, > talking on the cell phone and drinking Evian? > http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244 43250777&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672494&bmUID=1219663215647#BVQAWidgetID > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > I'm sure you can find something similar locally. OK, thanks for the tip, I may not have noticed these because they are not what I visualize when I think "car ramps". I will look/ ask at local stores now. SignaturePB "I suspect you're an arrogant little pissant who grew up in the Red Bull generation." - CJW Turn the wheels full lock to one side, place one ramp in front of one of the tires (the one sticking out in the front), drive up on the ramp. It's not perfect, but it works and is safer and quicker than a floorjack and stands. > OK. > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > the pimply-face kid at "Jerky-Lube" change the oil while sitting in the > lobby, talking on the cell phone and drinking Evian? Wrong car? I can change the oil on my '01 PF (and '95 PF before that and the '87 PF before that) without stands. The '72 240-Z did require stands or a jack or something. The '70 2WD pickup I don't remember, but I don't think it needed anything. And no drip on the motor -- the filter is below the motor and there's even a little chute to keep it from dripping on whatever's underneath. I do use a jack to tip the truck a bit because the drain's on one side and I can get a few more drops out that way. > OK. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > just let the pimply-face kid at "Jerky-Lube" change the oil while sitting in the lobby, talking on the cell phone and drinking > Evian? > how do you get the new cars elevated enough to change the oil > without a lift? It seems not only have the makers designed the > car to drip oil all over the motor when you remove the filter, > but they are so low to the ground and have air dams and stuff to > make it impossible to get under them. First I don't buy low cars and second I usually have oil changes done by quick service places such as Speedy or Midas. Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience there. Occasionally I change it myself and so far I can drive up on a ramp and reach under to access the drain plug, with a low profile drain tray under. I've had no problem with oil draining out of the filter pipe as I remove it last. >> how do you get the new cars elevated enough to change the oil >> without a lift? It seems not only have the makers designed the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >First I don't buy low cars and Your loss. Low cars are fun. >second I usually have oil changes done by quick service places such as >Speedy or Midas. >Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience there. Just a matter of time before you have to say that about Speedy or Midas. >>> how do you get the new cars elevated enough to change the oil >>> without a lift? It seems not only have the makers designed the >>> car to drip oil all over the motor when you remove the filter, >>> but they are so low to the ground and have air dams and stuff to >>> make it impossible to get under them. 180/200/240SX Drive LHS front wheel on to a 3" brick. Use carpet "prayer mat" about 2ft x 4ft to slide under car to undo/fit sump plug. Make guide chute from newspaper, slide it under filter to direct oil that spils through gap between subframe and lower shield that roll bar is in. >>First I don't buy low cars and > >Your loss. Low cars are fun. Seems like 1/2 of people think the "bejesus" handle on the A pillar or above the passenger window is there to help lever them out of the car. They have no idea that it's to help stop the passenger from capsizing into the drivers lap during high G turns. I've seen complaints on this group that Nissan don't fit them on drivers side too. >>second I usually have oil changes done by quick service places such as >>Speedy or Midas. >>Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience there. > >Just a matter of time before you have to say that about Speedy or >Midas. SignaturePeter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets! > Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience there. The most interesting part of your post.... TELL US ABOUT IT, already! >> Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience there. > >The most interesting part of your post.... TELL US ABOUT IT, already! I've never been there but I can give you three of my favorites about these places: - they filled the engine with tranny fluid - they overfilled my engine oil by four quarts - they cross threaded my drain plug Those are stories I have personal knowledge of. YMMV. > >> Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience there. > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Those are stories I have personal knowledge of. YMMV. Those are pretty gd examples why you shd change *your own* oil every time. I try to keep my car out of the hands of mechanics, and as you said, MM has indeed V'ed: The guy at the tire store who cross threaded a lug onto a wheel stud with an impact wrench after I declined brake work. The guy at the lube store who tore open the CV joint boots. "We can fix those," he said. The place that charged me for a tune up they never performed. At least they did no damage, AFAICT. JPM >> >> Never Mr Lube again though, I had a horrible single experience >there. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > >JPM You want to try UK servicing. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1052872/My-car-got-Audi-service-27-joyri des-included.html Have to wonder if it was actually at the garage long enough to have any of the servicing done. In reply on uk.transport "Mike P" <privacy@privacy.net> wrote: >This sort of thing has happened ever since cars were >serviced at main dealers! It wasn't me, but when I was an apprentice >mechanic working for Citroen in the late 80s, someone totalled a customers >almost new BX GTi that was in for it's first service I know the local NSU dealer would take RO80's out for a thrash - it cleaned the plugs. There are a number of diagnostic tests that do require the mechanic to "drive the car". Things like checking fuel pressure under load. Though the better shops will use a rolling road. SignaturePeter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets! |
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