Hey folks! Thanks again for the replies. Upon inspection of the engine, I noticed there is NO undercover splash guard to protect the engine. Do you think that I should purchase one or is that piece not important? Thank you in advance again!!

 

If you ask 10 people you will get 10 (okay, two) different answers.

Pros: supposedly improves underbody airflow and increases fuel economy, supposedly keeps the engine clean(er), which could be useful in a salt state.
Cons: supposedly a pain to remove/reinstall for maintenance (not really); if you go to a quick lube place it will almost certainly be reinstalled incorrectly and be damaged or fall off when you're driving down the road.

My 2010 Fit Sport A/T doesn't have one, and didn't when my brother bought the car in 2012. In my four years/20K miles of ownership, my highway mileage is >41 mpg and my overall average is 38.5 mpg. I wouldn't scoff at even better efficiency, but I'm doing okay for a Fit. My engine is pretty clean as well, but I wash the car regularly and spray the undercarriage after pretty much every winter drive.

My advice: if you are going to do service yourself, at a dealership, or with a trusted independent mechanic it might be worth investing in the splash guard. If you use quick lube places, Walmart, etc., it's likely that the clips will quickly be damaged (or not even replaced) and the guard will start sagging and eventually be damaged/lost while driving.

 

Drew21 covered it perfectly. The car manufacturers consider that doing something that provides only a fraction of 1 mpg improvement to be a big win. I don't know what that bottom cover provides other than probably not much - except maybe for highway driving where there would normally be a lot of air turbulence underneath..

I do like the idea of protection from dirt and salt being thrown up into the engine compartment. If you look at YouTube new car reviews virtually all new cars have bottom covers now.

 

Yes, it is a nuisance, but if Honda went to the expense of adding it, they must have a had a good reason. My main complaint is the two attaching points at the rear - the stupid plastic screws. For my son's car, I now use those plastic pop-in buttons for body parts. On my car, I have a pin with a slide-in clip, but the plastic buttons are better.

 

It's almost as if the car was fully designed when they suddenly realized they needed to add that cover and so they found a way to just tack their cheap (¢) cover on with plastic buttons to something - anything! - to hold it in place instead of proper sheet metal screws all around. The lack of an opening to do an oil change reinforces my feelings that this thing was slapped on in a hurry with not much thought. I wonder what the undercover on the new Japanese hybrid version looks like. A lot better I'll bet since that was a complete redesign.

 

Maybe Velcro. 😁

 

Velcro! Yes that's it a perfect ..... oh wait we can't have Velcro, it costs too much (¢¢). Only luxury cars (any not made in Mexico) would qualify for that.

 

After three oil changes on my gf's Fit, I threw that belly cover away.
Now I can change the oil in the thing QUICKLY.
Using a socket rather than a wrench, I don't even have to jack the car up anymore.

 

Hi all. I have decided to change my own oil going forward Anyone know the size oil filter wrench I need or have a good recommendation of one? Mine is a 2015 Honda Fit. Thank you!

 

I don't have an answer as to which oil filter wrench you might want to remove your current filter. I have an adjustable one somewhere but haven't seen it in years. The one time I tried to use it it didn't work all that well for me.

After the first time you change your own you shouldn't need a wrench to remove the filter. You definitely don't want to use a wrench to install the new filter. Instead:
1) Make sure the mating surface on the engine is clean and dry.
2) Lubricate the o-ring on the new filter with the same oil you're putting in the engine.
3) Snug up the new filter by hand and then give it 1/4 turn.
4) Pat yourself on the back with your non-oily hand.

When it comes time to remove it again, it should be snug but not so tight that you can't remove by hand.

 

Like Drew21 I remove the filter by hand. It does take a bit of effort though. I also have a couple of wrenches just in case. You can go to an automotive store, find the Fit filter, carry it over to the wrench area and match it up with a wrench that will fit and that you like. All Fits from 2007 to 2020 take the same oil filter the Fram PH7317 which is also found on some other small Honda models. Pretty much all the other filter companies make an equivalent to the Fram and of course you can get the genuine Honda one (for which Fram happens to be one of the OEM suppliers for).

 

I use a large channel lock pliers for the Fit, a Corolla, and several motorcycles.
One size fits all if it is large enough for the largest filter.

 

A question for the people who change their own oil. On my old car (Volkswagen) it was popular to use a vacuum extractor (like a Pela) to remove the oil from the top rather than remove the skid plate and get the car up on a ramp/lift. Do people not like to use those on the Fit?

 

How does this oil extractor remove the Fit's oil filter?

 

I recommend this: https://www.harborfreight.com/lockin...nch-63696.html

 

Do you guys think I could get away with using the car jack in the car to lift the car up enough to get under the car to get at the oil filter and oil pan bolt or do you think I should invest in a pair of car ramps. Thank you so much!

 

Oh, that still has to happen. But on my old car it was possible to change the filter from the top, too. So maybe that's why nobody talks about it on this car.

(side note; I think it's odd that Honda recommends some oil changes without filter changes, but that's another topic)

 

When a "professional" tightens anything, he often over-tightens it.
I use a filter wrench that's like a large pair of pliers to loosen it. I tighten it by hand - as you said - "1/4 turn."
I use drain oil to lubricate the filter gasket. The entire interior surface of the engine is covered with old oil, and the tiny amount I put on the gasket doesn't get into the engine. If it does get in, so what? Yes, I'm a rebel. 😋
You can buy a bunch of oil plug gaskets online for a low price. I replace that metal gasket at almost every oil change.
I buy oil in 5-gallon jugs. I then pour the amount of oil the Fit uses into an empty jug. When I fill the engine, I just empty the jug into the engine, and I don't have to keep checking the level in the engine.
I save the drain oil and bring it to be recycled.

 

The Fit filter is only accessible from the bottom which means you have to raise up the car and remove the cover to get to the filter and since the oil plug is then right there, might as well use that to drain it. Engine compartments are so cramped that there's not many cars where you can get at the filter from the top anymore.

Doing a filter every second change is old school thinking, which I recall as being common 50 years ago when filters were expensive and people were trying to save money. The filter is full of dirty oil. Not changing it means that the fresh oil you just put in will be immediately contaminated as soon as you start the car up. That kind of defeats the point of doing an oil change. Honda can say anything they want but ask them if they'll cover you for premature engine wear after your warranty has expired.

 

Yes it's a good idea to smear oil over the gasket before you put the filter on. It will be easier to get the filter off next oil change.

I also fill the new filter about half way or better with the new oil so that when the engine starts it will get initial lubrication quickly from the filter rather than waiting for oil to be lifted up from the pan. It's a minor detail which many people disagree with saying its unnecessary.