Just finished doing my first oil change on the LX. Its being held up the front by two jack stands. Is it safe to turn on the car to let it idle while on two jack stands?

Im worried that starting the car at that angle might affect the circulation of the oil versus it being flat.

Id like to keep the car up while idling to easily check for leaks etc before i put the plastic under cover back on.

 

In my suspicious mind, I'd worry more about the safety of starting the car on the stands than I would about the angle of the car itself. I use ramps when changing my cars' oil (have yet to do it on our fit, due in a couple of weeks but have a free change from the dealer). I'd imagine that unless yer stands are absolute shit, they'll be safe....and I don't think it's gonna harm the engine, as all the original never drains all the way, you've replaced it with new, and it's not like a car's never been parked on a hill/ incline and started harmlessly. As far as harming anything, I wouldn't really worry .....but your oil level reading will be more accurate when the car is on the ground and offa the stands., I'd think

 

the angle is fine. just make sure your rear wheel is chocked so that the car does not slip off ur stand.

 

You have hills in California, as I recall from visiting there. (That's not always true of every state I've driven through.) If the engine runs fine on a hill, and it does, then it will run fine when the car is sitting on jack stands.

Do, of course, pay attention to making sure things are physically safe so it doesn't fall off the stands or you have something get caught in a turning wheel or so forth.

 

You are wise to do this. I've been doing it for decades, but I use ramps not jack stands. Once my carefulness was rewarded when my young son was assisting with the oil change. We started-up the car and it spewed what seemed to be all the oil in a matter of seconds.