I'm fairly mechanical. Been reading about the benefits of doing my own oil changes on my '05 Insight. So, gathering the right equipment....where do I get the ramps? Harbor Freight? Lowe's? I'm going to get one of those Fumoto drain plugs too. Any other tips? I've gotten step by step instructions from previous posts here. Do I need Honda brand oil or can I use any as long as it is the right type/weight?
Ramps is ramps. Make your own out of boards or go buy a low-rise set from someone. Ramps is ramps.
We have one of the most specialized vehicles on the planet, so I'm one of those that will only use Honda-approved oil, from Honda. It's cheap enough, and why mess with a carefully-made, -calibrated, -tested-by-Honda engine with anything else? To save a few bucks? For convenience? Please...
I change it myself so some monkey doesn't strip my magnesium oil pan or overfill past the 2.6 quart capacity. I use a MitiVac, change the filter at every change, use the larger Civic filter, and call it a day every 7500 miles.
Now let's let everyone else get in the act and tell you to use any other oil brands, or ramps from Pep Boys, or drain the pan from below, or use the Fumoto valve, or a Fram filter, or argue about how many angels dance on the head of a pin...
At the end of the day... just do what you feel is right, and head for bed to sleep the sleep of the just, unconcerned by other opinions...
__________________
Driving on down the road in my 2001 CVT, going "Boogety Boogety" ...and until avatars are provided, my car looks just like the original silver Insight on the header, above... =)
"I change it myself so some monkey doesn't strip my magnesium oil pan or overfill past the 2.6 quart capacity."
That's the very reason I want to learn to do this. That happened to my pt cruiser....bolt stuck on so tight I had to take it to a mechanic to remove it before having the oil changed again.
An oil change is an oil change. The insight is just a normal engine in this respect. You don't need ramps. The insight isn't that low.
Use the Honda supplied oil. Everything else is the same as any other car.
Undo the nut with a bowl underneath. Try to catch the nut.
Let it drain into a bowl until it stops.
Unscrew the oil filter.
Screw in a new oil filter.
Do the nut back up with a new washer. Do not over or under tighten.
Refill the engine with the correct oil. Fill slowly, checking oil level until you get about mid way up the dip stick.
Wait a minute.
Check dip stick again.
Turn the engine over (this will pump oil around the system, including the oil filter.)
Wait a minute.
Check dip stick level, and fill up so its about 3/4 full.
Next day - check dip stick to ensure oil is not being lost.
Tools.
Large socket set with a long ratchet to make undoing stubborn bolts easy. I think it was a 17mm, but can't remember exactly.
Filter removal tool - makes the job a lot easier.
Dirty bowl (that will either be thrown away, or used for just oil changes).
I'm sure you'll find plenty of youtube video showing how its done.
I do not let ANY mechanic touch ANYTHING on my cars anymore. There's an old dude that runs a shop here where you do your own work, and he's there to provide help, tools, etc - basically the same as a high school shop class. You can rent a lift for $20/hr, which is the same cost as having it done for you but without the nightmare of stripped oil pans, lost filler caps, half-open air filter boxes, etc (all of which have happened to me).
Which Civic does the larger filter come from? I do the same thing on my MR2, running the larger filter from Rav4/Camry/Highlander/etc.
Does the Insight prefer to be overfilled or underfilled? Toyota's 1zz, for example, has a tendency to starve itself, so we overfill by half a quart or so. Toyota even released a TSB in europe saying to add extra oil, plus a new dipstick with higher marks.
__________________
01 MT "Little Red Rocket"
The first "TURBOCHARGED" Hybrid, Insight G1- (01/2003)
MaxIMA Battery (Serial #2), on 8/25/12 @ 301,520 miles
Use: 321,000 mi. @ 57.8 LMPG
An oil change is an oil change. The insight is just a normal engine in this respect. You don't need ramps. The insight isn't that low.
Use the Honda supplied oil. Everything else is the same as any other car.
Undo the nut with a bowl underneath. Try to catch the nut.
Let it drain into a bowl until it stops.
Unscrew the oil filter.
Screw in a new oil filter.
Do the nut back up with a new washer. Do not over or under tighten.
Refill the engine with the correct oil. Fill slowly, checking oil level until you get about mid way up the dip stick.
Wait a minute.
Check dip stick again.
Turn the engine over (this will pump oil around the system, including the oil filter.)
Wait a minute.
Check dip stick level, and fill up so its about 3/4 full.
Next day - check dip stick to ensure oil is not being lost.
Tools.
Large socket set with a long ratchet to make undoing stubborn bolts easy. I think it was a 17mm, but can't remember exactly.
Filter removal tool - makes the job a lot easier.
Dirty bowl (that will either be thrown away, or used for just oil changes).
I'm sure you'll find plenty of youtube video showing how its done.
I'll recommend using the Fumoto Valve as well. Eliminates the risk of stripping the threads and messing up the oil pan.
I'd also recommend Rhino Ramps, as they have a very low angle that accommodates the low front end of the Insight. I got mine at AutoZone, but I expect they are available in a lot of places.
We have one of the most specialized vehicles on the planet, so I'm one of those that will only use Honda-approved oil, from Honda. It's cheap enough, and why mess with a carefully-made, -calibrated, -tested-by-Honda engine with anything else? To save a few bucks? For convenience? Please...
Can't go wrong with the Honda oil. (Is it made by Idenitsu? Kendall or ConocoPhillips?) But I know that the Honda 0W20 formulation was switched from a synthetic blend to a fully synthetic formula.
After spending some time on BobIsTheOilGuy site, and getting oil-analysis done on my Honda, I would confidently say that ANY brand name 0W20 grade oil available on the market right now is just fine for our engines.
@OP: You do need to raise the front of the car in order to remove enough of the underbody engine covers to be able to get to the drain plug and filter.
+1 for Fumoto valve. Save on oil pan thread wear-and-tear, and washers.
Good luck! HTH
__________________ Silver 2001 Insight 5spd - #0160
267+K miles
(Has some bruises, needs some stuff...but I still love it.) Citrus w/ A/C - #2083
270+K miles
(Still needs some stuff...but I already love it.)
I'm fairly mechanical. Been reading about the benefits of doing my own oil changes on my '05 Insight. So, gathering the right equipment....where do I get the ramps? Harbor Freight? Lowe's? I'm going to get one of those Fumoto drain plugs too. Any other tips? I've gotten step by step instructions from previous posts here. Do I need Honda brand oil or can I use any as long as it is the right type/weight?
hi amalia
ok, this is how I do my oil change. no tools involved. no ramps. no getting dirty.
1) get this pump. they sell it at wal-mart too Multi-Use Transfer Pump
2) get some 1/4" plastic tubing (i think that diameter is right) and stick it into the dipstick hole, and put the other end into the red suction hose on the pump, and wrap it with tape for a suction seal.
3) stick the red outlet hose into an empty (oil bottle, windshield washer fluid bottle, etc)
4) pump the oil out.
5) reach under the air ducts and unscrew the oil filter; replace it with a new one.
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Maybe I'll do my own oil change.
