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Oil Change Instructions

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Old 03-20-2002, 10:03 PM
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Oil Change Instructions

I wrote this up in case anybody is interested...I had trouble my first time, but I've got it down now. For those first timers, enjoy.

===

If you have ever been asked to clean something up for somebody, you know that it seldom gets done, but if by miracle it does, the job is unsatisfactory. The same goes when you take your car to oil change shops, especially those of the “Quickie Lube” variety. Minimum wage workers who thrive on coffee breaks are definitively not my laborers of choice. The care that one takes while working on personal property is often lost while working on another individual’s vehicle. Parts are often damaged, integral parts forgotten about, and crucial steps skipped over. Numerous victims of the “Quickie Lube” chains can contest, “if you want a job done right, do it yourself”.

The process at hand is the changing the oil in a Nissan Maxima; gather the materials listed below so they are all at hand during the oil change:

• oil filter wrench
• new Fram, K&N, or OEM oil filter (check the owners manual for specifics)
• oil catch pan
• 4 quarts of engine oil (again ,check the owners manual for the specific type of oil)
• 3/4th" 14mm socket
• 3/4th" ratchet
• car jack
• pair of jack stands
• 2 ton floor jack

Begin by starting the car, then let the car run for 15 minutes. By starting the car, the engine will warm up, in turn warming up the oil. Oil becomes more vicious as it warms, and vicious oil drains much easier than cold, non-vicious oil. After the car has been running for about 15 minutes, turn the engine off. Now it is time to jack up the car. Find the floor jack and position it in the middle of the car. A jack point can be located in directly under the front license plate; the jack point is a solid, square block of metal that protrudes down toward the ground. Jack the car up using this jack point. After jacking up the car this, locate two tow hooks near the front of the engine bay, they look like “D” shaped rings. Place a jack stand under each of these hooks, and slowly lower the car on to these jack stands. Two tons of steel is not compatible with any part of a human body.

Once the car has been jacked up, slide under the car and locate the oil pan, it is a black, rectangular shaped box that protrudes from the engine towards the ground, it will be located on the passenger side near the wheel. There is a screw extending out of the oil pan facing the driver side, when this screw is removed oil can flow freely. To prevent oil from dripping everywhere, place the oil catch pan under the draining screw; this oil catch pan will do as its name implies: catch the oil. Using the ratchet and 14mm socket, loosen the drain screw, but do not remove it. Instead, turn the screw so it remains in place while pushing in on the screw while turning it counter-clockwise; always remember, “righty tighty, lefty loosey”. Unscrewing and applying pressure at the same time may seem counter-productive but there is a point to this. If the drain screw was removed by solely unscrewing, oil would leak out as it was unscrewed, and it would leak all over the floor. By keeping pressure on the screw, oil will not come out until the screw can be pulled out in one quick movement.

After the screw has been loosened, pull it out. If everything has been done correctly up to this point, watch the oil flow into the pan…or on to the floor. If oil does not flow into the pan, reread the directions and follow them step by step. While the oil is draining, pop the hood and locate the oil filter. The filter is located near the firewall and is shaped like a cylinder, it will physically resemble the new oil filter. There is no other part the vicinity that looks like an oil filter.

Once the oil filter has been located, take the oil wrench and loosen the filter, but again, do not remove it. The oil filter contains about 1 quart of hot oil, oil that does not belong on the cars transmission, engine, or exhaust components. To prevent unwanted drips, hold a rag under the lip of the oil filter while unscrewing it so any oil that drips will quickly be absorbed by the rag. Once the filter has been removed, dump the oil from the filter into the catch pan and place the old filter in a plastic bag for proper disposal,

Now it is time to install a new oil filter, do so by locating the new filter as well as a quart of new oil. The new filter must be lubricated to prevent leaks, start the process by opening the new quart of oil. Dip your index finger in the quart and run it along the seal of the new oil filter, this action will create a oil-proof tight seal that keeps oil from leaking out. If this step is neglected, a vicious chemical fire may engulf an unsuspecting victim…or nothing could happen at all, but why take the risk? After creating the seal, screw the new filter on where the old oil filter used to sit, as you begin to feel resistance, make three final turns of the wrist. There is no need to over tighten the filter, if the filter is over tightened it will be impossible to remove next time the oil is changed.

By this time, all of the oil should have finished draining. Now crawl under the car again and replace the 14mm screw that keeps the oil from spilling out. Do not over tighten the screw or it may strip, if this happens expect another day with your car and lots of cursing. After the screw has been tightened, find the remaining quarts of oil and prepare to fill the car with it. Locate the engine oil cap and remove it, it has a symbol of a lamp…no not a halogen lamp, the lamp that a genie would come out of. Using a funnel, pour the four quarts of new oil and replace the cap.

After checking the oil, lower then car and look for any leaks. Turn the key to the accessory position, allowing the oil pump to circulate oil through your new filter, and throughout the oil lines. Keep the ignition in the accessory position for at least 30 seconds, dry oil lines are bad, so allow time for oil to circulate throughout. After 30 seconds have elapsed, start the car. Look for leaks under the car again and in the engine bay, particularly around the oil filter.

Congratulations! You’ve been given the gift of oil. By changing the oil yourself, you’ve given yourself the satisfaction of knowing that that job was done right, that is unless something went terribly wrong. If that’s the case, take the car to Quickie Lube and sit in the corner. You better fix it fast, seized pistons are bad, not to mention they cost a few thousand dollars to replace. Until next time, enjoy that new oil, and remember to change it after 4,000 miles.
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Old 03-20-2002, 10:06 PM
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you spent all that time, to tell people how to change their oil?

few more things, its kinda unsafe to support the car by jack stands on the "d shaped" rings, those are tow hooks.
another thing with that, while the car is jacked up from the front, the oil in the oil pan will be pulled towards the back of the pan, b/c of gravity so not all of the oil will be drained..and you dont need to put the key into accessory for 30 secs because the oil pump isnt electronically controlled its mechanically controlled by the engine while its running.
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Old 03-20-2002, 10:23 PM
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Originally posted by mykizism
you spent all that time, to tell people how to change their oil?
it looks that way, doesn't it?
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Old 03-20-2002, 10:32 PM
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Just a few notes:

The socket and ratchet: you probably meant 3/8th drive, not 3/4.

Oil viscosity: "viscosity" means "thickness". Oil gets less viscous (less thick) when it warms up.

Oil filter tightness: turn until it makes contact, then turn another 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

Oil pump: the oil pump is mechanical, driven by the engine. It doesn't turn with the key in the ACC position.

When you first start your car after changing the oil, don't rev it. The oil flows from the pump to the filter, which is empty, before going anywhere. I think some people have discussed prefilling the filter with oil. However, this could get very messy, given the way the filter is mounted. I'll leave this open as a topic for more discussion.
 
Old 03-20-2002, 10:35 PM
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Originally posted by Schmoo
Just a few notes:

The socket and ratchet: you probably meant 3/8th drive, not 3/4.

Oil viscosity: "viscosity" means "thickness". Oil gets less viscous (less thick) when it warms up.

Oil filter tightness: turn until it makes contact, then turn another 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

Oil pump: the oil pump is mechanical, driven by the engine. It doesn't turn with the key in the ACC position.

When you first start your car after changing the oil, don't rev it. The oil flows from the pump to the filter, which is empty, before going anywhere. I think some people have discussed prefilling the filter with oil. However, this could get very messy, given the way the filter is mounted. I'll leave this open as a topic for more discussion.
I always pre fill the filter and just clean up the mess. I usually manage to drip it straight through to the ground. Occasionally it will get on something and I'll smell it burning off for a few miles, but WTH, beats burning up my pump I guess...
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Old 03-20-2002, 10:41 PM
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Originally posted by nismo1989


I always pre fill the filter and just clean up the mess. I usually manage to drip it straight through to the ground. Occasionally it will get on something and I'll smell it burning off for a few miles, but WTH, beats burning up my pump I guess...
what you can do, is pour oil into the filter.. then swivel it around and let the oil absorb into the filter element.. just enough to fill the filter a lil bit but not too much for it to spill out.

i used to just put the filter on the car with out any oil in it.. it doesnt really hurt the car.. because the engine has oil in the crank case where it needs it anyways.
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Old 03-20-2002, 10:51 PM
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For what it's worth, neither the Haynes, Chilton, nor factory service manuals suggest that you need to prefill the oil filter during an oil change. Given that the engine is still "wet" with the oil you had in there before, it's probably not a big deal (compared to, for example, a newly assembled or reassembled engine).
 
Old 03-20-2002, 10:56 PM
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Originally posted by Schmoo
For what it's worth, neither the Haynes, Chilton, nor factory service manuals suggest that you need to prefill the oil filter during an oil change. Given that the engine is still "wet" with the oil you had in there before, it's probably not a big deal (compared to, for example, a newly assembled or reassembled engine).
word tru dat yo

not to mention you pour oil from up top, and it flows down to the components it lubricates anyways
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Old 03-20-2002, 10:59 PM
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Re: Oil Change Instructions

**** all that......where the damn Cliff Notes!!!

Originally posted by ngthing
I wrote this up in case anybody is interested...I had trouble my first time, but I've got it down now. For those first timers, enjoy.

===

If you have ever been asked to clean something up for somebody, you know that it seldom gets done, but if by miracle it does, the job is unsatisfactory. The same goes when you take your car to oil change shops, especially those of the “Quickie Lube” variety. Minimum wage workers who thrive on coffee breaks are definitively not my laborers of choice. The care that one takes while working on personal property is often lost while working on another individual’s vehicle. Parts are often damaged, integral parts forgotten about, and crucial steps skipped over. Numerous victims of the “Quickie Lube” chains can contest, “if you want a job done right, do it yourself”.

The process at hand is the changing the oil in a Nissan Maxima; gather the materials listed below so they are all at hand during the oil change:

• oil filter wrench
• new Fram, K&N, or OEM oil filter (check the owners manual for specifics)
• oil catch pan
• 4 quarts of engine oil (again ,check the owners manual for the specific type of oil)
• 3/4th" 14mm socket
• 3/4th" ratchet
• car jack
• pair of jack stands
• 2 ton floor jack

Begin by starting the car, then let the car run for 15 minutes. By starting the car, the engine will warm up, in turn warming up the oil. Oil becomes more vicious as it warms, and vicious oil drains much easier than cold, non-vicious oil. After the car has been running for about 15 minutes, turn the engine off. Now it is time to jack up the car. Find the floor jack and position it in the middle of the car. A jack point can be located in directly under the front license plate; the jack point is a solid, square block of metal that protrudes down toward the ground. Jack the car up using this jack point. After jacking up the car this, locate two tow hooks near the front of the engine bay, they look like “D” shaped rings. Place a jack stand under each of these hooks, and slowly lower the car on to these jack stands. Two tons of steel is not compatible with any part of a human body.

Once the car has been jacked up, slide under the car and locate the oil pan, it is a black, rectangular shaped box that protrudes from the engine towards the ground, it will be located on the passenger side near the wheel. There is a screw extending out of the oil pan facing the driver side, when this screw is removed oil can flow freely. To prevent oil from dripping everywhere, place the oil catch pan under the draining screw; this oil catch pan will do as its name implies: catch the oil. Using the ratchet and 14mm socket, loosen the drain screw, but do not remove it. Instead, turn the screw so it remains in place while pushing in on the screw while turning it counter-clockwise; always remember, “righty tighty, lefty loosey”. Unscrewing and applying pressure at the same time may seem counter-productive but there is a point to this. If the drain screw was removed by solely unscrewing, oil would leak out as it was unscrewed, and it would leak all over the floor. By keeping pressure on the screw, oil will not come out until the screw can be pulled out in one quick movement.

After the screw has been loosened, pull it out. If everything has been done correctly up to this point, watch the oil flow into the pan…or on to the floor. If oil does not flow into the pan, reread the directions and follow them step by step. While the oil is draining, pop the hood and locate the oil filter. The filter is located near the firewall and is shaped like a cylinder, it will physically resemble the new oil filter. There is no other part the vicinity that looks like an oil filter.

Once the oil filter has been located, take the oil wrench and loosen the filter, but again, do not remove it. The oil filter contains about 1 quart of hot oil, oil that does not belong on the cars transmission, engine, or exhaust components. To prevent unwanted drips, hold a rag under the lip of the oil filter while unscrewing it so any oil that drips will quickly be absorbed by the rag. Once the filter has been removed, dump the oil from the filter into the catch pan and place the old filter in a plastic bag for proper disposal,

Now it is time to install a new oil filter, do so by locating the new filter as well as a quart of new oil. The new filter must be lubricated to prevent leaks, start the process by opening the new quart of oil. Dip your index finger in the quart and run it along the seal of the new oil filter, this action will create a oil-proof tight seal that keeps oil from leaking out. If this step is neglected, a vicious chemical fire may engulf an unsuspecting victim…or nothing could happen at all, but why take the risk? After creating the seal, screw the new filter on where the old oil filter used to sit, as you begin to feel resistance, make three final turns of the wrist. There is no need to over tighten the filter, if the filter is over tightened it will be impossible to remove next time the oil is changed.

By this time, all of the oil should have finished draining. Now crawl under the car again and replace the 14mm screw that keeps the oil from spilling out. Do not over tighten the screw or it may strip, if this happens expect another day with your car and lots of cursing. After the screw has been tightened, find the remaining quarts of oil and prepare to fill the car with it. Locate the engine oil cap and remove it, it has a symbol of a lamp…no not a halogen lamp, the lamp that a genie would come out of. Using a funnel, pour the four quarts of new oil and replace the cap.

After checking the oil, lower then car and look for any leaks. Turn the key to the accessory position, allowing the oil pump to circulate oil through your new filter, and throughout the oil lines. Keep the ignition in the accessory position for at least 30 seconds, dry oil lines are bad, so allow time for oil to circulate throughout. After 30 seconds have elapsed, start the car. Look for leaks under the car again and in the engine bay, particularly around the oil filter.

Congratulations! You’ve been given the gift of oil. By changing the oil yourself, you’ve given yourself the satisfaction of knowing that that job was done right, that is unless something went terribly wrong. If that’s the case, take the car to Quickie Lube and sit in the corner. You better fix it fast, seized pistons are bad, not to mention they cost a few thousand dollars to replace. Until next time, enjoy that new oil, and remember to change it after 4,000 miles.
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Old 03-20-2002, 11:02 PM
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Re: Re: Oil Change Instructions

Originally posted by DA-MAX
**** all that......where the damn Cliff Notes!!!

www.barnes&noble.com/3rdgenoilchange/cliffnots/
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Old 03-20-2002, 11:10 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Oil Change Instructions

Originally posted by mykizism
www.barnes&noble.com/3rdgenoilchange/cliffnots/
I'm not gonna click that......
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Old 03-20-2002, 11:22 PM
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Dear SIR YOU ARE A MORON... here's why...


• new Fram, K&N, or OEM oil filter (check the owners manual for specifics) (YOU FORGOT TO MENTION FRAM SUCKS.. don't believe me?? I'm sure someone can provide the filter tests which prove it)
• oil catch pan [B](UMM its called a drain pan) {/B]
• 4 quarts of engine oil (again ,check the owners manual for the specific type of oil) (THE VG30E REQUIRES 4.5 quarts of oil the VE30DE holds 4 quarts)
• 3/4th" 14mm socket (umm I think you me 3/8")...
• 3/4th" ratchet (umm I think you mean 3/8" again oh and whats wrong with using a good 14mm combo wrench?? it actually requires someone with little/no tools to have to spend less if they have to buy one.. wow how amazing)...
• car jack (isn't this redundant?)...
• pair of jack stands
• 2 ton floor jack (oh wait.. we've seen that before... you should also reccommend a 2 ton MINIMUM jack.. larger is fine)...

Begin by starting the car, then let the car run for 15 minutes. By starting the car, the engine will warm up, in turn warming up the oil. Oil becomes more vicious as it warms, and vicious oil drains much easier than cold, non-vicious oil. After the car has been running for about 15 minutes, turn the engine off.

...OOOWWWW **** I just gave myself 3rd degree burns from the hot oil... well what little of it actually poured out. Keep in mind that changing the oil with the oil "warm" is not a bad idea.. but HOT is a stupid one.. 15 mins is excessive.. 1-2 mins of idle tops. Also when you run a car for 15 mins the oil is being distributed throughout the motor.. which takes even longer for all the oil to drain back to the pan so you can drain it out... way to go champ.. you've still got 2 quarts of dirty oil circulating through your car

Jack the car up using this jack point. After jacking up the car this, locate two tow hooks near the front of the engine bay, they look like “D” shaped rings. Place a jack stand under each of these hooks, and slowly lower the car on to these jack stands. Two tons of steel is not compatible with any part of a human body.

...Thats right.. 2 tons of steel/plastic/urethane is not compatible with the human body.. which is why YOU DO NOT WANT TO SUPPORT THE CAR BY THE TOW HOOKS. Rather you should place the jack stands further back on the car under the.. what class?? yes thats right.. JACK RAILS.....

Unscrewing and applying pressure at the same time may seem counter-productive but there is a point to this. If the drain screw was removed by solely unscrewing, oil would leak out as it was unscrewed, and it would leak all over the floor. By keeping pressure on the screw, oil will not come out until the screw can be pulled out in one quick movement.

...Thats right.. you certainly want to get your hands outta there quick so that hot 15 mins of warming oil doesn't burn you... ...

Once the oil filter has been located, take the oil wrench and loosen the filter, but again, do not remove it. The oil filter contains about 1 quart of hot oil, oil that does not belong on the cars transmission, engine, or exhaust components. To prevent unwanted drips, hold a rag under the lip of the oil filter while unscrewing it so any oil that drips will quickly be absorbed by the rag. Once the filter has been removed, dump the oil from the filter into the catch pan and place the old filter in a plastic bag for proper disposal,

...This is a horrible step.. I always remove the filler cap from the top of the engine which allows easier flow of the oil... then before I remove the old filter I always make sure the pan is drained completely and reinstall the drain plug so I don't forget it.. this is a common mistake for someone in a hurry to do... then I slide the drain pan under the area where the filter is so it catches and overflow from removing or installing the new filter...

If this step is neglected, a vicious chemical fire may engulf an unsuspecting victim…or nothing could happen at all, but why take the risk? After creating the seal, screw the new filter on where the old oil filter used to sit, as you begin to feel resistance, make three final turns of the wrist. There is no need to over tighten the filter, if the filter is over tightened it will be impossible to remove next time the oil is changed.

...Wow a chemical fire?? MORON... what happens if this step is skipped?? well you could have a oil leak... duh.. You also failed to mention you should fill the new filter about 1/2 way with fresh oil to help prevent a "dry start" when you start the motor after changing the oil ...

By this time, all of the oil should have finished draining. Now crawl under the car again and replace the 14mm screw that keeps the oil from spilling out. Do not over tighten the screw or it may strip, if this happens expect another day with your car and lots of cursing. After the screw has been tightened, find the remaining quarts of oil and prepare to fill the car with it. Locate the engine oil cap and remove it, it has a symbol of a lamp…no not a halogen lamp, the lamp that a genie would come out of. Using a funnel, pour the four quarts of new oil and replace the cap.

...Ummm you forgot to mention replacing the copper crush washer.. a damaged/worn or non-existent copper crush washer could cause you to have.. yes thats right friends.. an oil leak!...

After checking the oil, lower then car and look for any leaks. Turn the key to the accessory position, allowing the oil pump to circulate oil through your new filter, and throughout the oil lines. Keep the ignition in the accessory position for at least 30 seconds, dry oil lines are bad, so allow time for oil to circulate throughout. After 30 seconds have elapsed, start the car. Look for leaks under the car again and in the engine bay, particularly around the oil filter.

...[B]OK YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO CLUE HOW AN ENGINE OR BASIC ENGINE SYSTEMS WORK... the oil pump does not start to circulate oil until the motor is running.. unless you have an external dry sump system (ala race cars).. which I doubt you do. The only "circulating" that will happen by turning your car to the acc position is nada... in the "on" position you'll get the fuel pump priming the injectors.. B]

Congratulations! You’ve been given the gift of oil. By changing the oil yourself, you’ve given yourself the satisfaction of knowing that that job was done right, that is unless something went terribly wrong. If that’s the case, take the car to Quickie Lube and sit in the corner. You better fix it fast, seized pistons are bad, not to mention they cost a few thousand dollars to replace. Until next time, enjoy that new oil, and remember to change it after 4,000 miles.

...UMMM a few THOUSAND dollars to replace seized pistons... brought to you my friends by a guy who thinks oil is circulated through the motor simply by turning the key to the acc position... If you just followed all his steps have the satisfaction of knowing that you just let an absolute idiot tell you how to change your oil.. hell he sounds qualified enough to actually change your oil at the quickie lube!! Look seriously don't listen to this advice as you can tell by my comments that the majority of what he said was false. What "qualifies" me to make these comments?? Ummm we'll discuss my work history and projects another day. Oh and for a real Oil Change FAQ... including pictures! well I might post it up in a couple days... I worked it up with a couple other basic tech articles for all the aspiring mechanic maxima owners.. perhaps Ngthing should read them when they are published .... ...
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Old 03-20-2002, 11:25 PM
  #13  
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ding ding ding!

This round is over...
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