Gonna do my first oil change!

[dirty hippie]

If someone can post a link to a write up, that would help. Search doesn't seem to work, as in it doesn't even give me the search field to type something. Also did a Google search hoping that will take me to a direct thread. Nope, weird, it has always came up with good results. Well, before I undertake this job, which I know is pretty straight forward, I just want to make sure I have everything down right.

Here's what I got:
5-qt jug of Mobil synthetic 0W20, but will be using 2.6qts only.
SuperTech ST6607 (Wal-Mart brand) oil filter
Fumoto F106N drain plug/valve w/ blue teflon(?) washer

Tools I'll be using:
17mm wrench (for Fumoto valve), not sure of the size for the Honda plug, but I'll find out
Oil filter wrench
Jack and ramps

Here's what I will do (and please advise me otherwise):

I've read that changing the oil hot is better, but I prefer a cold engine when everything has settled down. So earlier today I moved the car into position so that it will be ready to go first thing in the morning.

I don't have wheel chocks for the rear wheels. I plan to jack up the front and put ramps under each wheel. Will using the E-brakes be sufficient to lock the rear wheels from rolling?

If the Honda stock plug has the same number of threads as the Fumoto plug (around 5-6), I will leave the black metal plate on the oil pan. Don't want to remove it if I don't have to.

Finger tighten filter by hand. I don't need a wrench to tighten it, right?

Pour 2.6 qts of oil

Then reset the MAINT LIGHT that recently turned on. I'm probably very near the 7500k mile mark anyway.

Anything else I'm missing? I know this is an easy job, but I'm still a bit nervous somehow. Hope the oil plug loosens when it's supposed to, and hope I can reach the oil filter.

[Eli]

I always change my oil as hot as possible. Start after a nice drive. By the time you get everything setup, it's usually not hot enough to burn you when it runs down you arm, lol. It's probably not a big deal.

E-brake should be fine. Though I'm curious as to your idea to jack the car up then put ramps under the tires. The general idea with ramps is to.. drive up them. I suppose it will work. I use a jack and jack stands.

The stock Honda plug is like 3/4" long. You will have to remove the black plate. No biggy, I think it's held on by a 1/4" socket head screw.

Don't need a wrench to tighten the oil filter. I tend to over-hand-tighten mine, but don't want to take any risks.

[jime]

I use drive on ramps so I don't need to jack anything up. Your ramps don't allow you to drive on?

You'll need at least a 10mm wrench or socket to loosen some of the under engine belly pans to get to the drain or the filter. On most of the Gen 1's these fasteners have been lost/modified over time so no real telling what you will have to deal with there.

Unless the handbrake is badly in need of adjustment, it will hold. Test it in the street before your start.

On oil filters, the common directions say tighten by hand 3/4 turn after the gasket just touches the engine(by feel).

I assume the filter wrench fits the one you bought, but do test it on the old one before you drain your oil. Sometimes they differ.

Otherwise, everything you posted seems right.

[dirty hippie]

Hmm, maybe I will go ahead and remove the black plate. Didn't know the Honda stock plug was that long. The Fumoto is about 1/2" long.

About the ramp. I should clarify that I'm using this term very loosly. It's not a drive-up ramp one buys at the store. I made them from lumbar I bought at Home Depot because I'm cheap and I figured they'd work just fine in giving me clearance. I made sure that these are strong and sturdy boards with enough height and width. So that's why I have to use the jack with my "ramps."

When I change the oil on my Volvo 240--talk about easy!--I always grease the rubber gasket on the filter before screwing it on. Will do that with the Insight oil filter. You guys do that too, put a light film of oil on the filter's rubber gasket?

I don't have the passengerside belly pan, jime. Currently using a makeshift pan I made from a turkey aluminum baking pan. Turned out quite good, if I may say so myself. I've been wanting to take a pic of it, so when the car's jacked up I'll do that. Btw, I don't need to remove the front aluminum cover by the bumper to acces the oil filter, do I? Hope not. If I recall, the guy who did my first oil change didn't, but I don't know if he had to do any sort of contortions to get at it.

Eli, any reason for doing an oil change hot? I know it stirs and loosens grime up, but wouldn't it then not flow down and drain out without waiting for a long time?

[boogetyboogety]

Warm oil flows better than cold oil. And I think you'll find our little three-banger cools off quite rapidly, so if you drive it for a few minutes, park it and chock it, get your supplies ready, pop the hood and start to change the oil, it will be more warm than skin-searing hot.

The oil filter is on the front of the engine, towards the passenger side. Dropping the aero panel in the center allows you to reach over and hopefully, unscrew it by hand (unless the previous change was done by some muscle-bound troglodyte who cranked it down hard). A cut-out milk bottle or similar will catch the ounce or three of oil that inevitably drops from the freed filter. When you thread the replacement, just hand-tight and a squoosh more, please, such installation will do just fine.

I've used my MitiVac for the last three or four oil changes: I bought it for the BMW and it works just fine on the Insight. To ascertain its worth, on the first go-around, I sucked the oil out and then, to prove to myself it worked, raised all four corners of the car and chocked it, got the creeper under it, took off the drain plug... and not a drop came out. Not one. I was sold on the MitiVac after that... and since I can avoid removing the plug from the expensive and relatively-delicate pan, I prefer to do it that way, and just get under the car for the panels and the filter.. Your procedures may vary...

[bryankwalton]

Originally Posted by dirty hippie

Eli, any reason for doing an oil change hot? I know it stirs and loosens grime up, but wouldn't it then not flow down and drain out without waiting for a long time?

You want particles suspended in the oil, so that they flow out, with the oil.

-Bryan

[Eli]

If you're using home built ramps, you definitely need to use jack stands. You really should anyway.

Yes, you must oil the oil filter gasket. I forgot to mention that.

You don't need to remove the front aluminum cover.

There are two main reasons for changing the oil hot. The first is that it "mixes" the oil, so contaminants haven't settled. The second is that the oil flows better - faster, helping draw out contaminants.

The Insight is a very clean running engine overall and since 0W-20 is synthetic it already flows fairly well while cold compared to a conventional oil, that's why I said it's probably not a big deal.

I'm not sure what you mean by not drain out. It will flow better when it's hot. If you mean the oil in the top of the engine, it doesn't take very long for it to drain back into the pan. By the time you're ready for the oil change, all the oil that can get back down there is already down there.

[dls1981dustin]

The way I always know that my oil drain plug is tight enought, is to go three squeaks past tight.

[boogetyboogety]

Originally Posted by dls1981dustin

The way I always know that my oil drain plug is tight enought, is to go three squeaks past tight.

You have a very nice, very expensive oil pan on the other side of that drain plug, Hoss... Three squeaks?!? Eeeeeeeasy, there...

[Bob D.]

Sometimes I will add about a 1/2 to 1 quart or so of clean oil before installing the drain plug, and then just let it drain out. It will pick abit more gunk left clinging in the oil channels and flush it. If the oil is excessively dirty this will clean more efficiently. If the oil is not too dirty too begin with then it may be unnecessary.