I always like to keep one eye on some other motoring forums, sometimes for nothing other than entertainment value. I recently read a post about changing oil on Imprezas where it was so important to protect the big end bearings that it was recommended that the filter be filled with oil before fitting, the spark plugs and crank sensor removed before filling engine with oil and turning the ignition several times. Replace plugs and sensor followed by happy motoring. I know dealership services are costly but just how more costly would they be if the dealers followed the above!
however, someone posted this in response - thought I would relay it to you for your enjoyment.
The Oil Change according to the Old Ladies on here:-
1. Remove Oil Filler Cap, 'gently' - take at least 5 minutes or the threads will strip and the exhaust will fall off in a weeks time.
2. Carefully jack up the front of car, make sure that only the 'special' car jacking points are used or the steering wheel will be upside down next time you see it (the special jack points are only known to a select few, not the main dealers!)
3. Locate the Sump Plug, do this using an Inspection Lamp with a 100W bulb - do not, under any circumstances, use a bulb of lower wattage or the splash cover under the engine will melt and pieces will be sucked up into the MAF and then immediate engine failure will occur.
4. Undo Sump Plug whilst humming 'Oil Be Home For Xmas' - do NOT sing any other song or the Radio will never tune into any local stations again and the aerial will need to be replaced at the next service.
5. Allow Oil to drain into a Tupperware Perspex Jug - use only perspex as other plastics react with the old oil and particles travel back through the draining oil and attack the Big-End Bearings.
6. Whilst Oil is draining run around car 15 times in a Morris Dancing Outfit with the special Subaru bells attached to shoes.
7. Remove Oil Filter by unscrewing anti-clockwise 5 times, then clockwise 2 times, continue until filter is free ..... failure to do this will result in the new Filter not filling up with Oil on start-up.
8. Fill Oil Filter with Oil and screw new Oil Filter on and replace Sump Plug - there is some discussion about the order that these need to be replaced, many an evening in a B.O. smelling corner of a dark pub has been spent mulling over the merits of both choices ..... there is a 'special' way, but we are not sure what it is yet.
9. Start filling the engine with Oil - Synthetic only please!! and of course, Subarus need 'special' Oil - Mobil made a 'special' Oil just for us!!
10. Now it gets complicated, the engine start procedure ...... remove the spark plugs, coil packs and battery - remove the seats and rear boot/tailgate - ensure Octane Booster is removed from tank as it might spontaneously start the car when you are not ready - take the drive belts off - turn engine over, s....l....o....w....l....y - engine should be turned over at least 67 times to ensure adequate Oil film coverage.
11. Return all components and start engine whilst whistling the theme tune to TITANIC ................ if you are VERY lucky the engine will not shoot a con-rod through the block (this normally happens to MY96 cars which are MicaPink in colour) - but ALL Model Years can be affected equally as bad.
12. If the engine started without any problems, then don't be smug as the MAF sensor will blow up your engine within 3 days in any case!!!!!
OR, do as the Main Dealers do:-
Change Oil - start engine - check for Oil drips - return to customer!!
Leon
Acknowledgemt to 'pete' at scoobynet - original poster.
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Thanks for the smile.
Apparently Ferraris now need new cambelts every two years or 6,000 miles, whichever comes first, in return for a donation of around £795 to the experts. I'm surprised their owners ever dare start them up at all.
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Leon, Are you suggesting some of these tips are unecessary? I agree and enjoy the read, perhaps they are going a tad too far. However??
I recall when my wife bought her maestro TD new in 1993 and taking it back to the Rover dealer for a specified 1000 mile oil change.
I watched Steve the Senior mechanic who has a good reputation in our small town do this job.
Up on the ramps and off with the sump plug. Jacked up the front of the car to ensure he drained the sump completely.
To the stores for a new copper washer and filter.
Filled the filter with oil and refitted.
Refitted the drain plug using a torque wrench.
Disconnected the multiplug to the fuel solenoid and cranked the engine over on the starter a couple of seconds a time until the warning light went out.
Asked him why.. It takes ages without filling the filter on these engines for the filter to fill and get oil pressure. Perkins recommend that the engine isn?t started until the oil pressure light goes out ensuring the turbo has received oil.
Noticed afterwards on the office wall the various certificates and qualifications which individual mechanics had and sure enough he had been on a Perkins Prima works training course.
Does it make any difference doing it the proper way or some monkey at a quickfit outfit trained in ten minutes. I don?t know, but if I have a choice I prefer it Steves way and really there wasn?t much difference in time doing it following the manufacturers instructions.
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>>to the Rover dealer for a specified 1000 mile oil change.>>
No wonder private buyers were not too happy about running costs...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I think he was refering to the first service. Many Diesels needed a 1000 miles initial service, My first car a pug 106 1.5D also needed a 1000 mile first service and then a 6000 services from then on. Not sure if it still the case, been a while since I had a new car to worry about!!!!
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No you didnt pay for them Stuart. Several cars were specified to have a 1000 mile oil change. There was a page in the service booklet for this to be carried out.
Probably a running in type of oil was used for this period. Seem to remember a VW I had which was the same.
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I always prime the new filter with fresh oil -- reduces the time the engine is running "dry". Causes drips on driveway as well which are remarked upon sternly by distaff side.
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Priming the filter is always good practice - we always used to do this. If this is not possible due to filter orientation then (on my own cars) I generally remove the fuel pump supply fuse and crank the engine until the oil warning light goes out. Then replace fuse and run the engine as normal. On some engines it can take as long as 10 seconds for the filter to prime and the gallery to get up to pressure. The Rover V8 engines were always the worst - you really *must* prime the filters on these.
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I agree, oil filter priming is good practice.
As well as the usual reasons, getting the oil light to our using cranking speed may also reduce the dynamic oil pressure caused by 'water hammer' type effects as the 'empty' oil system takes up pressure, by a factor of 10 or so.
While I don't have any measurements to prove it, I think this 'water hammer' effect may have been a factor in a number of oil pump gasket failures on certain vehicles, many of which took place shortly after a service. I further suspect the gasket was initially sized and specified using the worst case running pressure, some very cold temperature and max engine speed, and that it is not impossible for a short duration pulse to exceed this, and cause damage.
number_cruncher
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Ive heard that VW oil filters have a valve to keep some oil pressure when you turn off, which should protect the engine. Has anyone heard of this? and are there any aftermarket oil filters that have a valve?
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Ive heard that VW oil filters have a valve to keep some oil pressure when you turn off, which should protect the engine. Has anyone heard of this? and are there any aftermarket oil filters that have a valve?
Virtually all decent quality filters have an 'antidrainback' valve. This doesn't happen when you're changing to a new filter though.
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