MY first DIY oil change on the Fit. Ugh!
#22
08-10-2011, 03:04 PM
Ouch man.
Here is your solution:
Get some RhinoRamps for 35$ and a large 10$ oil drain pan and you are set (and maybe an oil filter wrench for 10$). Then buy full synthetic Mobil 1 and Mobile 1 filter for 35$ when on sale at local shop. Done.
I'm on my 7th DIY change and never had any issues. I KNOW it got done right and with good products.
Here is your solution:
Get some RhinoRamps for 35$ and a large 10$ oil drain pan and you are set (and maybe an oil filter wrench for 10$). Then buy full synthetic Mobil 1 and Mobile 1 filter for 35$ when on sale at local shop. Done.
I'm on my 7th DIY change and never had any issues. I KNOW it got done right and with good products.
Exactly......Get the Rhino Ramps. This has to be one of the easiest cars out there to change the oil on. 20 Minutes tops
#23
08-10-2011, 03:45 PM
There's a long running joke between myself, my wife and my neighbor that no matter what little chore I want to do....it turns into a major project. And here's a couple examples.
My wife once decided to surprise me with a new couch and love seat for my man cave since the furniture I had was totally shot. I'm talking pieces of wood were sticking through etc. Now keep in mind, she had the new furniture in the garage and to get them into the basement, I would have to go through 4 doors. We (me and my neighbor) haul the old stuff out. No problem. Then we start to bring the new stuff in. It's getting harder and harder but we've made it through 3 doors and only had one left and it simply won't go. We ended up getting a tape measure only to realize the reason it kept getting harder is that the doorways kept getting smaller and there was simply no way it was getting in! I ended up putting the new furniture back into the garage, brought the old crap back in and sold the new stuff on Craigslist the next day. And now for tonight.
It was time for me to change the oil in my new Honda Fit. I had the dealership do the first change since I had a coupon (cost me only $5) and decided to do it myself this time since I enjoy tinkering and it's an easy job. Well, the Fit is the LOWEST sitting car I've ever owned at just 6" of clearance but thought I could squeeze underneath. Yea right!
I then went to my neighbor's house to borrow his floor jack but he wasn't home and me and his wife couldn't find it. She recommends I call him when I had a brain fart and thought of my bike jack. I haul the bike jack out only to realize it had somewhat fallen apart and spend the next 20 minutes putting it back together. Crap! The jack works fine but can't go far enough to get under the frame.
I call my neighbor and he guides me to where his jack is. I take it home and it slides underneath perfectly except the car sits so low that I don't have the room to pump it up....crap! Another thing I didn't think of! I then decide to make a little ramp using 2 1x6's figuring I would just stack the two pieces, drive up and voila! LOL...yea right! As soon as they tires touched the boards, the top piece shot out like a missile and I'm surprised it didn't break anything.
I then decided to be SUPER smart and nail the two boards together! I back up a bit and proceed to drive up and the traction of the tires ripped the two boards apart and now I shot a 1x6 with 4 nails down the undercarriage of my car and I'm starting to get pissed.
I decided to use just a single 1x6 and thankfully that was enough to give me a little (very little) wiggle room.
I drain the oil and replace the filter and am happy to have finally gotten to the point where I can just put the oil in and have a few beers. And no, I didn't forget to put the drain plug back in!!
I started to put the new oil in when I realized I somehow managed to purchase two different viscosities of oil which I used any way because I was way to tired and the car needs to be used tomorrow.
After all this, I think I will pony up the $19.95 from now on and take it to the dealership!! Tonight sort of reminds me of this:
OIL CHANGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR WOMEN:
(1) Pull up to Peak Automotive when it is time for your next oil change
(2) Relax in a massage chair with a glass of wine, soda, coffee, or cappuccino while reading the latest Oprah, Parenting, or Shape Magazine or working on your laptop.
(3) 45 minutes later write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle where the fluids have been topped off, car has been washed, tires rotated, and courtesty inspection completed.
Money Spent
Oil Change: $34.95 (non-synthetic oil change)
Wireless access: FREE
Glass of wine, soda, or coffee: FREE
Courtesy Inspection: FREE
Massage in chair: FREE
Total cost of peace of mind knowing your car is maintained: PEAKFULLY PRICELESS
OIL CHANGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEN:
(1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00
(2) Stop by liquor store and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20.00, drive home.
(3) Open a beer and drink it.
(4) Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands. Jack car up.
(5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
(6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
(7) Place drain pan under engine.
(8) Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
(9) Give up and use crescent wrench.
(10) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on face and arms in process. Cuss.
(11) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
(12) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
(13) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
(14) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
(15) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties.
(16)Drink a beer.
(17) Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Decide to finish oil change tomorrow so you can go see his new garage door opener work.
(18) Sunday: Skip church because "I gotta finish the oil change." Drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car. Cleverly dump oil in hole in back yard instead of taking it to recycle.
(19) Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
(20) Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
(21) Walk to liquor store; buy beer.
(22) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
(23) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
(24) Remember drain plug from step 11.
(25) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
(26) Remember that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back yard along with drain plug.
(27) Drink beer.
(28) Shovel out hole and sift oily mud for drain plug. Re-shovel oily patch of ground and avoid environmental penalties. Wash drain plug in lawnmower gas.
(29) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
(30) Drink beer.
(31) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.
(32) Bang head on floorboards in reaction to step 31.
(33) Begin cussing fit.
(34) Throw stupid crescent wrench.
(35) Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December (1992).
(36) Beer.
(37) Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
(38) Beer.
(39) Beer.
(40) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
(41) Beer.
(42) Lower car from jack stands.
(43) Accidentally crush remaining case of new motor oil.
(44) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during steps 23 - 43.
(45) Beer.
(46) Test drive car.
(47) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
(48) Car gets impounded.
(49) Call loving wife, make bail.
(50) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.
Money Spent
Parts: $50.00
DUI: $2500.00
Impound fee: $75.00
Bail: $1500.00
Beer: $40.00
Total: $4165.00 -- But you know the job was done right!
My wife once decided to surprise me with a new couch and love seat for my man cave since the furniture I had was totally shot. I'm talking pieces of wood were sticking through etc. Now keep in mind, she had the new furniture in the garage and to get them into the basement, I would have to go through 4 doors. We (me and my neighbor) haul the old stuff out. No problem. Then we start to bring the new stuff in. It's getting harder and harder but we've made it through 3 doors and only had one left and it simply won't go. We ended up getting a tape measure only to realize the reason it kept getting harder is that the doorways kept getting smaller and there was simply no way it was getting in! I ended up putting the new furniture back into the garage, brought the old crap back in and sold the new stuff on Craigslist the next day. And now for tonight.
It was time for me to change the oil in my new Honda Fit. I had the dealership do the first change since I had a coupon (cost me only $5) and decided to do it myself this time since I enjoy tinkering and it's an easy job. Well, the Fit is the LOWEST sitting car I've ever owned at just 6" of clearance but thought I could squeeze underneath. Yea right!
I then went to my neighbor's house to borrow his floor jack but he wasn't home and me and his wife couldn't find it. She recommends I call him when I had a brain fart and thought of my bike jack. I haul the bike jack out only to realize it had somewhat fallen apart and spend the next 20 minutes putting it back together. Crap! The jack works fine but can't go far enough to get under the frame.
I call my neighbor and he guides me to where his jack is. I take it home and it slides underneath perfectly except the car sits so low that I don't have the room to pump it up....crap! Another thing I didn't think of! I then decide to make a little ramp using 2 1x6's figuring I would just stack the two pieces, drive up and voila! LOL...yea right! As soon as they tires touched the boards, the top piece shot out like a missile and I'm surprised it didn't break anything.
I then decided to be SUPER smart and nail the two boards together! I back up a bit and proceed to drive up and the traction of the tires ripped the two boards apart and now I shot a 1x6 with 4 nails down the undercarriage of my car and I'm starting to get pissed.
I decided to use just a single 1x6 and thankfully that was enough to give me a little (very little) wiggle room.I drain the oil and replace the filter and am happy to have finally gotten to the point where I can just put the oil in and have a few beers. And no, I didn't forget to put the drain plug back in!!
I started to put the new oil in when I realized I somehow managed to purchase two different viscosities of oil which I used any way because I was way to tired and the car needs to be used tomorrow.After all this, I think I will pony up the $19.95 from now on and take it to the dealership!! Tonight sort of reminds me of this:
OIL CHANGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR WOMEN:
(1) Pull up to Peak Automotive when it is time for your next oil change
(2) Relax in a massage chair with a glass of wine, soda, coffee, or cappuccino while reading the latest Oprah, Parenting, or Shape Magazine or working on your laptop.
(3) 45 minutes later write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle where the fluids have been topped off, car has been washed, tires rotated, and courtesty inspection completed.
Money Spent
Oil Change: $34.95 (non-synthetic oil change)
Wireless access: FREE
Glass of wine, soda, or coffee: FREE
Courtesy Inspection: FREE
Massage in chair: FREE
Total cost of peace of mind knowing your car is maintained: PEAKFULLY PRICELESS
OIL CHANGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEN:
(1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00
(2) Stop by liquor store and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20.00, drive home.
(3) Open a beer and drink it.
(4) Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands. Jack car up.
(5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
(6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
(7) Place drain pan under engine.
(8) Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
(9) Give up and use crescent wrench.
(10) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on face and arms in process. Cuss.
(11) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
(12) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
(13) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
(14) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
(15) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties.
(16)Drink a beer.
(17) Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Decide to finish oil change tomorrow so you can go see his new garage door opener work.
(18) Sunday: Skip church because "I gotta finish the oil change." Drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car. Cleverly dump oil in hole in back yard instead of taking it to recycle.
(19) Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
(20) Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
(21) Walk to liquor store; buy beer.
(22) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
(23) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
(24) Remember drain plug from step 11.
(25) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
(26) Remember that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back yard along with drain plug.
(27) Drink beer.
(28) Shovel out hole and sift oily mud for drain plug. Re-shovel oily patch of ground and avoid environmental penalties. Wash drain plug in lawnmower gas.
(29) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
(30) Drink beer.
(31) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.
(32) Bang head on floorboards in reaction to step 31.
(33) Begin cussing fit.
(34) Throw stupid crescent wrench.
(35) Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December (1992).
(36) Beer.
(37) Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
(38) Beer.
(39) Beer.
(40) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
(41) Beer.
(42) Lower car from jack stands.
(43) Accidentally crush remaining case of new motor oil.
(44) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during steps 23 - 43.
(45) Beer.
(46) Test drive car.
(47) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
(48) Car gets impounded.
(49) Call loving wife, make bail.
(50) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.
Money Spent
Parts: $50.00
DUI: $2500.00
Impound fee: $75.00
Bail: $1500.00
Beer: $40.00
Total: $4165.00 -- But you know the job was done right!
Makes good bulletin board stuff.
Hopefully you learned to measure new furniture before buying. Goes for appliances. You'd be stunned by the number of washers and dryers couldn't fit after buying them.
If you read the owners manual, changing oil is a breeze.
PS there's nothing wrong with mixing viscosities as long as you don't go too far afield, like 3 qts of 20W-50 and .7 qt of 10w-20 though that won't be far from 10w-30; the thinner oil always has more influence on final viscosity than heavier oils. We routinely use a half quart of 20w-50 to 3.7 qt 0W-20 or even 0W-30 when going to the track. That little bit of 50 wgt we think is a bit of a safeguard running 6500 rpm a lot. The viscosity doesn't change much either based on a drain through a calibrated hole.
Last edited by mahout; 08-10-2011 at 03:47 PM.
#24
08-10-2011, 04:09 PM
I've never jacked up my GE to change the oil? Both plug and filter are easily accessable from the front of the car if you lay on the ground.
Maybe I just have long arms
Sorry about the troubles OP, funny post.
Maybe I just have long arms
Sorry about the troubles OP, funny post.
#26
08-10-2011, 06:24 PM
#27
08-10-2011, 06:40 PM
I don't think the drain plug is any closer to the ground on the Sport. In the day my svelte self could crawl under a VW... not any more ;-)
#28
08-10-2011, 07:31 PM
I can't come close to crawling far enough under my Fit to change the oil AND FILTER either . I prefer to lift front anyway to let as much oil drain as possible anyway.
#30
08-11-2011, 11:48 AM
I do drive a base model.
And I am skinny.
And apparantly I have long arms. Note that I don't actually get under the car, just reach the plug and filter laying in front of the bumper.
You guys have now given me a complex.
And I am skinny.
And apparantly I have long arms. Note that I don't actually get under the car, just reach the plug and filter laying in front of the bumper.
You guys have now given me a complex.
#31
08-11-2011, 12:20 PM
same goes for the filter cause i let the oil inside drip out (into my 2nd drain pan) before i completely unscrew it from the engine...basically i have 2 dip pans under the car when i do oil changes. one for the plug, one for the filter.
#33
08-11-2011, 01:09 PM
Well I used to be a lube tech in my younger days, you learn some tricks I guess. You don't want to spend all day mopping up oil so you do everything you can to avoid a mess haha
Drain the plug first, then the filter, just use one pan.
You just have to anticipate the angle the oil is going to come out and place the pan accordingly and pull it forward a little bit when the stream isn't so strong... I just use one hand on the plug to screw it out.
Youtube vid in my future?
Drain the plug first, then the filter, just use one pan.
You just have to anticipate the angle the oil is going to come out and place the pan accordingly and pull it forward a little bit when the stream isn't so strong... I just use one hand on the plug to screw it out.
Youtube vid in my future?
#34
08-11-2011, 02:56 PM
Well I used to be a lube tech in my younger days, you learn some tricks I guess. You don't want to spend all day mopping up oil so you do everything you can to avoid a mess haha
Drain the plug first, then the filter, just use one pan.
You just have to anticipate the angle the oil is going to come out and place the pan accordingly and pull it forward a little bit when the stream isn't so strong... I just use one hand on the plug to screw it out.
Youtube vid in my future?
Drain the plug first, then the filter, just use one pan.
You just have to anticipate the angle the oil is going to come out and place the pan accordingly and pull it forward a little bit when the stream isn't so strong... I just use one hand on the plug to screw it out.
Youtube vid in my future?
i let my car drip for about 15-20min with both the plug and filter off (and a loose oil cap). i found that when you remove the filter some oil drips out of the plug side as well on some cars so i dont like to take any chances and try to get as much out. not that the little bit of oil's going to make that much of a difference...
#35
08-15-2011, 10:49 PM
Good lord man I hope you are kidding! If this is all true you might consider just shooting the Fit and then yourself. Heck drive to my house and I'll do it for you. Even the gas for the trip is less than what it cost you. Plus you get a trip thrown in. By the way are you related to Homer?
#37
08-16-2011, 10:48 AM
Wrong, job was not done right, you put in 1.2 quarts too much oil. haha! you should have edited story better before you copied and pasted. Also SAE wrench sizes, etc.
_
_
#40
08-18-2011, 02:03 PM
Next oil change is coming up in a couple weeks so I will do it and post a vid. I'm glad i'm not the only freak who does this lol