[drktrpr]

Looking for some Insight here (pun intended) for changing my own oil.

What would really help me would be if people could tell me where they purchase the following:
- Oil (heard a lot about the mobil 1 synthetic)
- Filter
- Filter washer?
- Oil drain washer?

normally i'd go to hparts.com but they are down...

Also, anyone use ramps and can they tell me the specific model? i'd really rather use ramps than jack stands personally....

TIA

 

[Guest]

Hi Drktrpr:

___A Walmart near you … (5) quarts of Mobil1 0W-20 at ~ $4.27 a quart, (2) Walmart SuperTech ST6607 filters for ~ $2.07 a piece, and the crush washer(s) are ~ $0.30 - $0.40 per from your local Honda dealership. I don’t know what filter washer you are speaking of but the above will set you up for (2) oil changes anyway.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:19vj65mu][email protected][/email:19vj65mu]

 

[Joe Griffo]

Also, anyone use ramps and can they tell me the specific model? i'd really rather use ramps than jack stands personally....

HERE are the ramps I use. They are Rhino ramps and are great for my Inisight plus any other car I work on (family). I bought them at sears for around $12 (regular $24.99).

 

[kapps]

We use jackstands instead of ramps for an extra bit of safety. We had a bad experience with the Insight running up ramps on a smooth surface and ended up landing it on the middle jacking points. It's actually where we learned about the middle jacking points. The middle point is a metal rib running lengthwise on the underbody, under the doors. When using that point, you will raise both the wheels on that side of the car. Place a jackstand at the front jacking point and repeat on the other side. Mobil 1 full synthetic is probably the best mass marketed oils and I believe Fram now makes a filter for the Insight. The crush washers are from Honda...get about 10 of them at a time. That's all you need.

 

[figgy]

My local Kragen has the oil. I forget for how much, $4 and something. I think Pep Boys has it as well.

 

[Rick]

Most auto parts stores near me have 0W-20 now. Walmart probably wins for cheapest, but if you check the sunday ad's there is usually a cupon for Mobil 1 somewhere.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

<snip>

It's actually where we learned about the middle jacking points. The middle point is a metal rib running lengthwise on the underbody, under the doors. When using that point, you will raise both the wheels on that side of the car.

<snip>

I was about to caution other Insight owners about this middle point. However it really does exist. No other Honda models have this AFAIK (pg. 1-10 of the factory service manual). It is a small reinforced rib similar to the standard Honda front and read jack points (that the Insight also uses).

Use caution and _ONLY_ lift at these points. The non reinforced areas of the rocker panel will be easily damaged if used as a jack point.

The service manual recommends a thick rubber pad for the jack saddle. A common option.

HTH!

 

[JustinGray]

Two comments about my firs oil change experiance.

1) While a light weight magnesium oil pain is cool... Light weight magnesium threads are not so cool! These threads strip easily so be careful! I attempted to replace the standard plug with a sure drain valve. This did not work, because the sure drain does not have enough threads. I ended up stripping the thread (the Sure drain only caught one) and having to pay 70 bucks to repair the oil pan.

2) I used ramps, but initially had some trouble getting the car up on them, because they were too steep. I had to propthe ramps up on a lip to lower the angle. They were older ramps, and if the rhino ramps work on flat surfaces... then horray!

THose were my two comments.... now heres my opinion

My next oil changes is comming up in about 1000 miles. I was considering just getting an oil extractor and not worrying about the drain plug any more.... 29 ft-lb is terrifying! (that is the manuals torqe spec for the drain plug) But I'm a synthetic man all the way. Honda uses synthetic as well when you buy the special super-secret honda oil! Mobil 1 is the king of the synthetics. You have to decided if you really mind changing your oil more often with dino oil or not. While there may be some small advantages to the wear of your engine with synthetic, if the proper maintenance schedule is used it should never be a problem which ever oil you use.

 

[Yves M.]

I just did my own oil change. It went well.

I replaced the bolt with the Sure Drain valve and put much teflon tape to prevent leaks.

This time (cause I tried before) I did remove the plate that is bolted to the pan. To have more tread on the valve. It worked. The plate is not made of steel, it looks like some alloy and has an oil ring seal. I will keep them in case I need to revert to the original.

I'll need to find the original thread about it and update it.

 

[drktrpr]

finally did it this weekend

So...I changed the oil this weekend on my Insight, you can read my account of it here:

http://www.dennisjudd.com/archives/000571.html

 

[figgy]

Yikes! That makes me worried about how many things are lost from previous dealer work on Jane and Edwin!

I had a friend once who actually saw the service staff mess up by not replacing gaskets on service work and when he contronted them about it they went ballistic and had a fit. He forced them to take things apart again, and wouldn't you know it - no gaskets! Your experience sounds similar and equally frightening. It wasn't Honda, however.

 

[bug_girl]

uh oh.
i was going back through the oil change threads in preparation, and discovered that the underskirt covers the oil pan. (or it does if i am understanding the diagrams correctly.)
But--i've had my oil changed, and no one ever mentioned the removal of the undershield. which makes me wonder if it's actually there.
dang. i guess i will have to find a parking lot to crawl around in tomorrow

 

[drktrpr]

if you look at the pic in the post I made you'll see that you only have to take off the right black colored panel (has mud splattered on it). I took off the whole assembly because it was easier for me.

To reach the oil filter, you need to remove the long metal bow shaped front part only....at least I had to.

 

[Resist]

Man, you guys really put way to much into changing oil. It's not rocket science. With the Insight you will spend more time taking off the bolts to the underskirt to get to the oil filter, than actually changing the oil. Luckily the oil filter on this car is easy to reach once this is done. To those worrying about RhinoRamps....you could just use several 2x6's, stacked on an angle and either glued or nailed together. Both are much safer than using jacks, especially if you aren't use to using them. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to do the oil change on the Insight and less when you get used to it. I wouldn't even replace the crush washer until several uses. It's just not that critical. I have owned my Insight for 3 years and do my own oil changes and never have replaced the crush washer. No problems here.

Now save money and go do your own oil changes!

 

[drktrpr]

no...seriously....2x6's?

I mean....I get the concept....but somehow I feel safer with rhino ramps, and popping that extra .30 cents for a new crush washer.

perhaps i'm just uptight.....

 

[Yves M.]

I would use 2x8 for a wider ramp. a 6 inch is about 5 1/4 inch so it could be too slim.

I have ramps but aince the car is too low I use 2x8 to pass the air dams. I set the 2x8 at about 1/3 of the ramp

 

[Resist]

no...seriously....2x6's?

I mean....I get the concept....but somehow I feel safer with rhino ramps, and popping that extra .30 cents for a new crush washer.

perhaps i'm just uptight.....

I think you are uptight. How are stacked 2x6's unsafe? They are stronger than the RhinoRamps. Your house is nothing but stacked wood also. I agree .30 cents for a crush washer is nothing, I just never got around to getting one and haven't had a leak yet on my 3 year old Insight.