I do drive daily for very short distances of city driving so I end up changing my oil 2 or three times a year. To me, an oil change is so easy and like a lot of people, I get a sense of satisfaction in doing things myself and doing it right. Even if it was just as cheap to have someone else do it, I'd still chose to do it myself. And it isn't messy when I do it.

The savings are for sure negligible and I'm not motivated by savings to DIY my oil. However, I get 5L of synthetic for about 25$ and a my oil filter is about 8$ so that's about 20$ a change with synthetic oil since I can get about two changes from one jug. Pretty unbeatable price, I'm sure the dealer charges more. Also, the only dealer close to me are a bunch of nitwits, i take my car to a place that's about 30-40 minute drive away so it's not convenient for me to go out of my way to take an appointment when I can do it from the comfort of my own driveway when I very well please.

Also, I'm not a fan of Fram filters and Fram (Honeywell) makes the Honda filter. It's probably not a bad filter but at the same price, I'd rather get better quality media. I've seen fram filters cut open and to me they look like a grade school art project but hey, if you trust it then go for it.

As for the OP's question: check ebay. I've seen some lots of 50 and 100 OEM washers for 20$ with free shipping! It's a lot of washers but comes down to what 20c a washer!

Funny story, I called my local dealer and he says he'll give me some crush washer for free because he's not allowed to sell them. He said that Honda has replaced the crush washers with regular washers that "don't crush". How can this be true?

 

.........

 

 

How do you avoid making a mess, since it pretty much goes in sideways? Now, if you only put enough to avoid spilling when its sideways... doesn't that mean its basically the same as not prefilling?

Doing a quick google on the matter, the primary basis for prefilling it is because of the oil pressure build up and supposedly the engine is "unprotected" while the pressure is low. A less than half (maybe even less than 1/3) filled filter isn't much different than an empty one. On top of that, the pump and filter are near the bottom, what about all that empty tubing from it to near the top of the engine?

Realistically, unless you do the change on a cold engine, there should be a layer of oil covering everything that needs to be covered. And that layer should protect it longer than the pump would need to push oil up to and onto the parts.

In fact, there was an argument that specifically calls AGAINST pre-filling on some Dodge-Cummins(?) engines... where if you have some tiny bit, of say the aluminum seal or plastic debris from the container, fall in, it can clog a very small hole/nozzle that is used to actually cool down some parts. A blockage there causes it to overheat and basically kill itself.

Now, looking at the service manual... even it doesn't mention prefilling the filter when replacing it.

Personally, with the filter attached to the side of the oil pan, I thought the act of pouring in fresh oil from the top eventually filled the filter. An easy way to test this is to close the drain and leave the filter off then pour in some oil, then see if any oil comes out where the filter would be. Which I might do since my oil change is coming up.

edit: I suppose, if I really wanted, I could take the filter off BEFORE opening up the Fumoto valve. Of course, that could potentially lead to a lot of oil coming through.

The biggest, most definite reason for doing a pre-fill... is actually on larger diesel trucks where their filters hold more oil than our whole engine. And the oil pumps for them require priming (via filled filter).

 

Not advertising just good common sense and makes the job so easy and clean. Install it once and never touch it again. Pop a hose on the outlet, turn the valve and drain directly into your old oil container for recycling.

Now if I can only devise a 100% dripless method for removing the oil filter it would really become a white glove job.

_

 

And where might one acquire such a valve, may I ask? (best price)

 

Easy there though, the Honda Honeywell filters are more like Fram Xtraguard than the basic Fram. They're not terrible filters. Not awesome, but not as bad as the $3 Frams. I personally don't use the A02s either, i'll get Bosch or Wix instead, but if for some reason i'm in a hurry and can't find either i'll use an Xtraguard Fram.

The filter won't fill when you add oil to the top. The oil pump is not running. I've seen it done hundreds of times, no oil will come out of the filter location.

You are correct in my opinion in stating that the engine is protected if it's been run recently, the oil will still coat the parts enough it won't do damage on startup. This is one of the primary reasons I always run the car for a short time before I change the oil, the second reason is so it's a little bit warmer/thinner, and drains better.

I don't prefill my filters, it's tiny. The only time I ever prefill filters is on diesels where the filter is as big as my head, because they take a quart just in the filter alone.

Agreed on that, I wouldn't even need gloves if it wasn't for the damn filter being semi-vertical. If it was completely sideways like the old Hondas i'd just let it drain in the waste pan and wipe up the block.

 

Ebay and Amazon are your best price options.
Fumoto F106N is p/n $20-$30, F106N w/nipple +$5

I searched for awhile and found a new F106N out of packaging for under $20 but that's rare. I highly recommend getting the nipple for ease of draining with a hose.

_

 

Fumoto Valve | Qwik Valve™ carries em. They are like 35$.

Like I said, not a bad filter, but it's still got those ugly cardboard end caps. I'd rather use something else. Even Bosch and Wix are both cheaper than the blue can and have metal end caps. So let me rephrase, the Fram Xtraguard is like a really well crafted grade school art project, like the one the teacher makes as an example

That's one of the reasons I'm reticent to get a fumoto valve. Still need the drain pan for the filter. The trick I use is to pre drain most of the oil through the drain plug (obviously) and then start unscrewing the oil filter as fast possible. Some oil will drip but then you can just dump the rest in the pan by tipping the filter. I then have a sandwich size ziplock bag handy and I put the filter in there. My filter actually comes out near spotless.

 

Not so. I use the same hose removed from the Fumoto valve and attach it to a large funnel strategically smooshed into the space under the filter. 95% of the oil drains into the funnel and down into the recycling container. The 5% drips down onto the block and no way to prevent that with a spin off filter.

I have an idea for 100% dripless procedure but haven't tried it yet. Get a clamp on banjo valve like you would use to add a water tap for your refrigerator. Modify the clamp to fit tight around the oil filter. Then you can pierce the oil filter body and open the valve to drain all residual oil in the filter into your recycling container by hose. Maybe too much hassle though for the small amount of oil cleanup on the engine block.

_

 

They make something for that.

 

It is called a dealer. Let them clean it up

 

I have a Fumoto valve on my 2008 Dodge Ram. It's a great product. Since dealer does oil changes on the Fit, no need for the valve.