Changing oil for the first time
 

Hey guys

Let me apologies in advance for my lack of knowledge about cars in general. I've been meaning to change the oil in my RX8 as it is in need of an oil change. I've found a very helpfull topic for dummies on here on how to change the oil.

Here is it: https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...6/#post4470651

My only problem is i have none of these tools whatsoever, when trying to find the tools on Amazon I have no luck as they may be worded different on listings and I'm not even sure if it's the same tool as what's suggested in the DIY guide.

I'm hoping somebody on here can tell me where I can get the tools in the UK?

Also, I'm pretty tall with a long reach. Is a jack necessary?

If you can't figure it out then you should probably let someone else do it.

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Jack is necessary because the RX8 is so low to the ground you won't be able to get a pan under there.

I can figure it out and confident I can do it. I just want to make sure i'm buying the right tools, i've never used any of this stuff before so I could easily buy the wrong thing

@staticlag, I read on the threads that people had problems with not using a jack due to reach. I read that others have done it without using a jack because they can reach the cap or whatever. Surely a pan could fit underneath?

i've got this stuff so far

Oil filter type "F" cap wrench:

Ratchet:


19mm socket:

i cant seem to find a 12" extension or 3/8" flex joint

You'll need an adapter for the ratchet/socket combination.

I recommend this for the filter wrench:
Universal 3 Jaw Adjustable Oil Filter Wrench

contact a member named "sweatr"
he will be able to tell you exactly what oil you need and the differences too

even with a 1/2 inch wrench?

that looks good but it's not int he UK, and i can't find an alternative

I will do that, thanks!

I've been reading quite a bit regarding correct oil I'm under the impression 5W 30 is good for my type of conditions

Still need the other stuff though

Your pix show a 1/2" drive socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet; you'll need something to adapt the two.

this?
or what about glue :rolleyes:

Yup

Now that's just wrong.

What did Davidjf ever do to you?
I'm surprised he didn't pop up already with his "read every post ever written and research how oil is made" advice.

Seriously?

Here, Google knows all.

I'm not even kidding, the entire first page of results are in the UK...:uh:

I'm not trying to be a jerk (my mom says it often comes naturally in my family) but if you don't have the wherewithal to to a basic Google search, I don't have high hopes for your success. The tools required are listed in the DIY thread so you should be able to find them at Home Base, Amazon, eBay, hell, probably even at a Somerfield (okay, probably not at Somerfield).

Here, found some more stuff:
(this turned up by searching Amazon's UK website with the terms "Mechanics tools").

That plus the 3 claw filter wrench, a jack and some jack stands will be enough for an oil change and probably a great many other beginner's tasks. DO NOT LEAVE OUT THE JACK STANDS.. With car jacks, you get what you pay for. Get a low-profile trolley jack capable of >1.5 tons (unless you're insane and want to try to lift the entire car with one jack, then >2 tons). The bottle style won't work and some regular jacks are too tall to fit underneath. If you pay less than £50, you're buying total crap (fail very quickly, jack saddle is very small, tend to flex during use). If you pay less than £100 then you're probably still getting minor crap but it'll be useable for a person who doesn't make a living working on cars.

Jack, jack stands, 19mm wrench, and your hands, that's all I use to do mine. Use my hand to untighten the filter and use my hand to tighten the new one on. Done deal 15 minutes.

:pat:

I was looking for one the same as you posted hahaha, i thought they differed.

So there's no way at all I'm doing this without a jack?

that's more like it!

if that's all you need then what's with all the 12" extension and 3/8 flex joint business

I think some of the guys we just having a little fun at your expense. You don't need all that crap to change oil. It is literally one of the easiest maintenance items on any car you can perform. My 13 year old niece can do it. Take it to a shop and let them do it one time (watch closely) once you have seen what is done you will be set for the rest of your life (to know how to change oil that is). It is not expensive to have done. In some cases it costs just as much to buy your own supplies and change it. I like many like to do it myself, because I know what was used, and I know it was done properly. Make sure they tighten the pan bolt and make sure the filter is on nice and snug before you drive away. If they don't allow you in the bay, find another shop. All you need is a way to get the car off the ground. Jack and stands. NEVER get underneath any car with just a tire jack holding it up. Heck I have even driven over the curb to gain access to the pan bolt in some cars. The 8 may be too low for that though, I have never tried it on the 8. Roll up ramps work just as well, and are safer. than a jack. A wrench or socket and ratchet, and an oil filter wrench to remove the filter if it is too tight to remove by hand. That is all you need, paired with a bit of common sense and you should be fine. If you still want to buy all that crap I accept paypal.

Thank you, that was very helpful.

So I can just buy any wrench, the oil filter wrench and of course the oil & filter (which I need) and I'm good to go?

if that's all then why does the thread and everyone else suggest all these extensions and joints lol

I suggest you bring it to a place to have it done. Ask them before hand if you can watch the tech do it as you want to learn. Maybe he will be willing to show you whats going on. He can also give you a good idea where to get the tools needed locally.

i'm gonna have a try first

It's because of the tools you are linking I think.

A single 19mm wrench is actually the only tool you need (plus something to catch the oil in), unless the oil filter is on insanely tight, then you might need a filter wrench or filter socket to get the filter off. If you use the filter socket you linked earlier, you will need an extension because of the placement of the filter. I had bought a filter socket years back, and the ONLY time I ever needed it was to give to an oil change place that couldn't get off the filter I had put on by hand (I was in the middle of my trip around the country).

By hand is easy enough.


You can make this FAR too complicated :)

^^ Good advice, lube rubber gasket with a little oil, hand tighten maybe a 1/4 turn after contact. It's easy to overtighten with kung-fu grip;)
It's a good idea to replace your oil plug crush washer.
Just a few cents for added protection.

THANK YOU!

Someone has shown me the light! Gonna do some more research on oil before purchasing. Oil filter, oil pan and 19mm wrench have been bought, thank you all for posting and tending to my really stupid questions.

i've got this for the filter:

or this

The K&N filters typically have a 1" nut on the top so you'll need a 1" socket with an extension and likely u-joint to move it. The nut interferes with most filter wrenches so it's a 1" socket, your hand or jamming a screwdriver through the filter to turn it. Most kits don't come with a 1" socket so you'll probably have to buy it à la carte.

If you aren't going to get all of the tools that you will likely need, at least do this: don't drain the oil until you have loosened (but not removed) the oil filter.

And really, get a basic socket set. They aren't that expensive (for being a "durable good") and they'll come in handy when the DYI bug really infects you.

Well, you can buy ramps but a jack will be more versatile in the long run.

Alternately, if you like living dangerously and don't mind a car falling on you, you could bodge together some ramps from scrap lumber. Odds are, you'll get crushed. No, I'm not joking.

If you don't mind a giant toxic mess, just let oil drain out all over your garage floor. Yes, I joking about that one.

The issue is that even if your arms are long and strong enough to reach the drain plug and loosen it, you won't be able to fit a drain pain underneath the car unless it's lifted up.

You could go with an oil vacuum extractor. I got this one and it worked pretty well on my RX-8; much easier than lifting the car. I get about the same amount of oil as I do by draining. Doesn't work for shit in my wife's 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Though, since you are apparently trying to do this for as little money as possible, I doubt you are going to go with the easy, sensible route.

David, I recommend taking a look at the tools section of my newbie's guide to modding. :) Last post in the opening series.

This is what does my nut in (excuse the poor pun)

everything I choose requires an additional 3 tools!

I really need to step my tool knowledge up.

That's not the case, I'm willing to spend the money on the right tools I need without me buying a wrong sized tool and then an adapter to make that work etc etc. The reason i'm cautious about using a car jack is because of the obvious, I don't want to get crushed! According to a member on here even if I spend over 100 pound on a decent car jack it's not enough

Plus, reading through the pages on the oil changing thread people do it without jacks

I'm going to take a look at that, thank you

This is how shady changes oil

Drive car up on these
Attachment 225562

Place an empty one of these below the oil drain

http://lucasformula.com/water.jpg


Remove oil drain plug make sure it goes into the water bottle, loosen the oil filler cap. Drain for 2 hours.

Remove oil filter with hands.

Install oil filter, tighten drain plug fill with oil.

Blow apex seal.

that's what gets me.. that's bigger then an oil pan (in height)

blown apex seal is a good thing?!

He means that as dark humor. Blowing engines is considered "maintenance" by many rotary owners, in how frequent it happens.


I use a 5.1qt oil jug with the top cut off for a 'pan', but then I have a floor jack that can lift the car high enough to clear it. It's FAR easier to manage than a low flat oil pan with 4-6qts of oil sloshing around in it.

I must have a low oil pan because mine fits underneath the car when it's NOT on the jack. I do need the jack to get the drain plug off because my arms aren't long enough otherwise. My oil filter is always seems to be on "insanely tight" so I need a tool to get it off.

As for tools, I use: 19mm box end wrench to get the drain plug off, one of those end cap oil filter wrenchs, socket extension, socket wrench, and flex joint for socket extension. I have a hydraulic floor jack but I've used the spare tire jack to lift up the car to get the drain plug off (just put a jack stand temporarily underneath the car as a safety measure when loosening the drain bolt).

There has been more than one poor soul who has decided that getting under neath a vehicle that weight 3000lbs plus supported by a less than a 3 lb car jack was a good idea. You need not buy the most expensive stands in the world, just not some cheap POS. If you have cement blocks you can place those along the ground under the frame as an added safety measure. When people remove tires you can place your tire and wheel under the frame as well if you are going to be working under there. If it falls it will rest on these items instead of you. If you are going to be turning wrenches, jack stands are a must. I have 4 stands and a ramp, and I tend to drive up the ramps and still place a stand on each corner. Death by falling car is not how I want to leave this world. Not to mention a spot on the Darwin Awards.

You may want to go with ramps, just because of ease of use, there is not much to get confused about. Get two 2 X 6 boards about 3 feet or a little longer (make sure they are the same length if you want this to be easy). Place these on the ramp about midway up. These will keep the ramps from damaging the lower portion of your bumper. Place the boards in front of your front tires and then set your ramps in place. Drive up the ramps about halfway, set the parking brake and get out and look and be sure you are centered and not dangling off either end. If it's good get back in and ease it on up the ramp. A buddy would come in handy here to help guide you up the ramp. This can be kind of tricky with a manual transmission. It requires the coordinated use of the clutch, gas and e-brake. Try not to drive off the other side of the ramps! Once the car is on the ramp get a chock block, boards, cement blocks, bricks or whatever to chock the rear tires. This is just for safety so the car does not roll down the ramps and kill some poor chap. Some will say the emergency brake is sufficient, I prefer a little insurance. Once you are happy with the position grab the front end of the car and try to push it off the ramps from both sides, really try! If it does not fall, then and only then do you get underneath it and go to work. Make no mistake getting underneath a car is dangerous and could have deadly consequences. You can minimize that risk by using common sense and proper safety equipment.

edited to add: If you have low ramps like those pictured by Shady, you will not need the boards. Mine are pretty tall.

Yea the apex seal remark was joke.

using the ramps I am able to fit a water bottle directly below the drain plug.

I put the cap back in and drop it off at the local parts store for recycling.

Excellent advice kevinande.
In addition, I put boards in front of my rear wheels also that allows me to get my floor jack under the diff. so I can get all 4 stands under, rotate tires, & check brakes.

A basic tool set (like the one I linked) is enough for a great many basic tasks on the '8. If you eventually want to make everything smell awful and do the tranny and diff fluids, it'll do that, too. Most of the brake and suspension components are in the 12mm - 19mm range, so you're covered there as well. It even has spark plug sockets. If you get a K&N filter, you'll need to buy a separate 1" socket (assuming UK and US filter cans are the same, which is likely).

If you've never personally done an oil change on your car before, expect the filter to be on with enough torque to rotate a planet. That basic "expect the worst" mentality is why it's recommended that you get a filter wrench. To use the filter wrench, you need the extension and u-joint because it's buried behind the engine a bit and there isn't a strait-line of access to it. Oh, look, that kit I linked has 2 u-joints!

If you ever want to rotate your tires yourself (takes a few minutes as opposed to £30 or whatever the going rate in the UK is), swap brake pads, bleed brake fluid, swap suspension components, etc then a jack is a good idea. A £100 jack is fine as long as you don't get under it. The issue is that you don't get under a car with only a jack supporting it. Ever. Even if you borrowed the jack from God himself. A basic set of jack stands will be fine.

Or ramps. I'm a huge fan of ramps.

Or the oil extractor; don't even have to undo the drain bolt so you never have to lift the car, buy a new crush washer, worry about spilling oil everywhere when you move the pan too fast. Also, if you're starting to feel the onset of age prematurely (like I do, damned sciatica) then not crawling around on the floor when you don't have to feels AMAZING. The lack of pain an hour later is almost a narcotic.