Oil change cheap

cyclonebri1

smudger1964 wrote: »

thats a good price for the oil what make is it?
A lot depends on what car you have as mine has an under engine plastic tray that has 8 screws in it that alone takes 15 minutes you should also let the old oil drain out for at least 5 minutes, get the ramps out as access underneath with out is difficult. Also you need to run the engine to let the oil circulate then recheck levels then youll have to take the old oil down the tip for recycling as national do all this for you.Id like to see you do a complete oil and filter change involving all this in 15 minutes but whatever!

So did mine but after the 1st time I struggled with it I fixed it.

Before I refitted the under tray I carefully measured the position of the sump drain plug from the mounting holes for the tray on the car. Easy then to measure the tray from it's holes and get a position for the centre of where the sump plug would be

I then drilled a hole, about 1.5" dia and used a closed grommet to fill the hole. Simple now to prise the grommet out with a screw drivr to access the sump without even jacking the car up:money:Why the hell don't manf put a hole in there in the 1st place?

Volcano

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I then drilled a hole, about 1.5" dia and used a closed grommet to fill the hole. Simple now to prise the grommet out with a screw drivr to access the sump without even jacking the car up:money:Why the hell don't manf put a hole in there in the 1st place?

Damn good idea! I'll remember that if I get another car where the sump cover blocks off the plug. I think it takes as long to take the cover off and replace it on some cars as it does to change the oil........

Changing your own oil limits the amount of muppet/vehicle contact you get from garages. Being one of the easier jobs, it's bound to be entrusted to spotty 17 yo Wayne, whose priorities in life include fat Shazney's backside, rather than the correct replacement of your sump plug.

oldagetraveller

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I then drilled a hole, about 1.5" dia and used a closed grommet to fill the hole. Simple now to prise the grommet out with a screw drivr to access the sump without even jacking the car up:money:Why the hell don't manf put a hole in there in the 1st place?

I seem to remember Renault (19 Diesel definitely) had a hole in the undershield (tray) just below the drain plug, with a plastic removable disc to prise out.
Unfortunately when the sump drain plug was removed the dirty, hot old oil poured out at an angle and missed the bloody hole covering the top side of the tray and dispersing everywhere! This meant the tray has to be removed anyway for the clean up operation.
I then removed the tray for subsequent changes.:DOr just remove the tray permanently and store it away until the car is sold. More trouble than they're worth anyway as illustrated by the number of cars seen with it hanging down almost dragging on the road.(in my experience, usually a VW Golf)

I still use Duckhams 20W/50 (now Castrol?) in a Morris Minor. Excellent oil. The "mayonnaise" mentioned is usually a result of only doing short runs with the oil failing to reaching working temperature, not using an inferior oil. Plus these older engines sometimes operate at only 82DegC unlike their modern counterparts, that doesn't help with the mayo build up either plus the cooling fan is running permanently causing a draught of cold air across the rocker cover, thus cooling the oil further.

cyclonebri1

oldagetraveller wrote: »

I seem to remember Renault (19 Diesel definitely) had a hole in the undershield (tray) just below the drain plug, with a plastic removable disc to prise out.
Unfortunately when the sump drain plug was removed the dirty, hot old oil poured out at an angle and missed the bloody hole covering the top side of the tray and dispersing everywhere! This meant the tray has to be removed anyway for the clean up operation.
I then removed the tray for subsequent changes.:DOr just remove the tray permanently and store it away until the car is sold. More trouble than they're worth anyway as illustrated by the number of cars seen with it hanging down almost dragging on the road.(in my experience, usually a VW Golf)

I still use Duckhams 20W/50 (now Castrol?) in a Morris Minor. Excellent oil. The "mayonnaise" mentioned is usually a result of only doing short runs with the oil failing to reaching working temperature, not using an inferior oil. Plus these older engines sometimes operate at only 82DegC unlike their modern counterparts, that doesn't help with the mayo build up either plus the cooling fan is running permanently causing a draught of cold air across the rocker cover, thus cooling the oil further.

Hence 1.5" hole mate;), or you can get even bigger grommets;)

Inactive

I recall owning a Honda Accord some years ago that had a sump plug that was accessible from standing above the car, just kicked the tray under, undid the sump plug ..sorted, the oil filter was also accessible from the top, so oil change completed without even getting under the car.

Far too simple for modern car designers..

hewhoisnotintheknow

oldagetraveller wrote: »

More trouble than they're worth anyway as illustrated by the number of cars seen with it hanging down almost dragging on the road.(in my experience, usually a VW Golf)

hahaha my 1 year old golf did this, it dropped down about 11 times ( it was going into the garage weekly because of all the other faults on it, i pulled it off on the edge of a motorway in the end as it was dragging AGAIN!


never buy a vw!