Quick Oil Change!

[HafNHaf]

here's what works for me...

i put on a Fumoto drain valve with a one foot hose that extends a couple of inches past the aft aero fairing. I can slip a small plastic container under the hose from behind the right front wheel and open the drain valve by reaching over the top of the engine.

For the oil filter I can reach into the engine compartment at the left front and grab the filter by reaching across the front of the engine behind the radiator. This is possible because I flipped the intake elbow over to draw in combustion air from the area around the cat converter. I just put a small plastic container under the filter/adapter and twist the filter off enough to let it drain into the container. When it is finished draining i put a very small amount of silicone grease on the seal of a new filter, clean off the filter adapter, and spin the new one on as tight as I can without tools. I put a cover on the container so i can remove it without spilling any oil.

After the filter is changed I close the drain valve and put in 2.5 quarts of Mobil-1 0W20.

All done! No drips, no muss, no fuss.

[figgy]

I got one of the Pella (I think that is the brand) suction pumps, and I use that to pull out the bulk of the oil. Then by the time I open up the plug, there is hardly any left and I have never had a problem with having is slop all over me under the car!

FYI: I made some ramps as per a Ford Mustang site guy who posted photos of a series of stepped ramps he made using 2x6s stacked kind of like steps. Very easy to use, and no trouble running off by accident as I use 2 per side.

[Resist]

While using valves as the drain plug make oil changes easier, they also can be more easily broken off by road debri. So be careful of what you run over.

[HafNHaf]

i figure it would be kinda tough to break the drain valve off. the aero fairings should protect it from small stuff, and if i run over something big enough to get through the fairings and get up around the back of the oil pan, i think i will have other problems to worry about first!

we shall see.......

[Resist]

Believe it or not, it's not that hard to get road debri up there to break things. That is one reason why manufactures will never use an oil valve over a bolt in that area. A cardboard box being hit at speed can be enough to break off or damage it enough to cause a leak.

[bryankwalton]

Originally Posted by HafNHaf

For the oil filter I can reach into the engine compartment at the left front and grab the filter by reaching across the front of the engine behind the radiator. This is possible because I flipped the intake elbow over to draw in combustion air from the area around the cat converter.

Hi HafNHaf,
This sounds very interesting to me. I've just installed a Fumoto valve with a nipple so that I can also run a hose out for the oil drains. But unless I find a way to reach the filter from the top like you have, I will still need to remove the underbody panels to get to the filter. But I don't fully understand what and where you have moved things in order to reach the filter from the top. Any chance I could talk you into taking a few photos of your setup?

Thanks,
Bryan

[HafNHaf]

i will try to take a few shots in the morning for you. hoping to get a chance to clean the insight up a bit tomorrow. supposed to hit 95 degrees by the afternoon. yuck! have to run the a/c on the way to work.

just read your thread about the fumoto valve install. very glad you were able to salvage that oil pan from the wrench-wielding gorilla! nice job... did your valve end up with the handle on the bottom? mine did, but i can still reach it from the top.

[bryankwalton]

Originally Posted by HafNHaf

i will try to take a few shots in the morning for you.

Awesome. I'd really appreciate that.

Originally Posted by HafNHaf

did your valve end up with the handle on the bottom? mine did, but i can still reach it from the top.

Fortunately, my ended up with the valve on the top.

Cheers, Bryan