91GranSport Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 I just wanted to mention that changing your oil when you have a 3800 TPI is a pain in the ass. The oil filter is located in an area where you need arms that have the elasticity of rubber to reach in and pull the filter out. I changed my oil last week and I still have scratches on my arms. Anyways, here's my method of changing my oil. If any other 3800 TPI owners have a better method please let me know. Perhaps I can save myself the hassle the next time I have to do this. 1. Drive my car up on car ramps. 2. Drain the oil, and refill with fresh oil. 3. Drive the car off the car ramps. 4. Loosen the passenger-side front wheel and jack up the car. 5. Remove the wheel and reach inside to remove the oil filter. 6. Replace the oil filter, put the wheel back on and lower the car. 7. Tighten the lug nuts and check the oil level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ismellrealbad Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 so what? if i remember my friends 90 cavalier u had to pull the wheel to reach the filter by hand. and that thing had the 2.slow. edit, yeah it is kinda a pain compared to most cars but not too bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 Am I the only one that doesnt put the car on ramps or jack it up when changing the oil? it can be done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian89gp Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 I gotta jack mine up cause I can't fit underneath of my car otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panopticon Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 Am I the only one that doesnt put the car on ramps or jack it up when changing the oil? it can be done I dont!! I can do that change in like 5 min!! the filter is up there but its not THAT hard.. cmon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 Back when I had an '89 Regal Limited with the 3.1 MPFI I was able to change the oil in no longer than 10 minutes when with the engine hot. Having to take 25-30 minutes is a pain in the ass. Having to remove the damn passenger-side wheel and drive the car up and down the car ramps is a pain in the ass. so what? if i remember my friends 90 cavalier u had to pull the wheel to reach the filter by hand. and that thing had the 2.slow. edit, yeah it is kinda a pain compared to most cars but not too bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 I can crawl underneathe without car ramps to remove the drain plug but there's no way in hell anyone can remove the oil filter without jacking the car up and reaching underneathe or jacking it up and removing the passenger-side front tire. Am I the only one that doesnt put the car on ramps or jack it up when changing the oil? it can be done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 What the hell kind of arms do you have? By the way, I always over-tighten my filters just to make sure they never leak. I can reach underneathe and probably get to it if it were like those K&N filters with a 1/2" nut on the end. Am I the only one that doesnt put the car on ramps or jack it up when changing the oil? it can be done I dont!! I can do that change in like 5 min!! the filter is up there but its not THAT hard.. cmon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokesGTP Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 Why would you want to change your oil without a jack? Unless your 5'2" and 65lbs. It seems like theres no way someone can fit under a w-body far enough to change the oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 By the way, I always over-tighten my filters just to make sure they never leak. he filter is up there but its not THAT hard.. cmon i just use a hydraulic jack and set it on a jackstand. then lower the car while the oil drains for a few minutes, reinstall the plug and add oil and change filter. i always fill the filter with oil before i put it on. btw, i think overtightening oil filters can actually cause leaks because it can distort the rubber O-ring. i'm not 100% sure on that tho... also, on my GTS, i use a bigger oil filter for a Ford Mustang 5.0 (Motorcarft FL-1A). it's way bigger than the stock oil filter and fits perfectly. has anyone done anything like this with the 3.1 or other W-body engines? joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimp19 Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 Am I the only one that doesnt put the car on ramps or jack it up when changing the oil? it can be done Thats what I do, I've never heard of putting the car on ramps just to change the oil It's very simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ismellrealbad Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 its also very simple to leave the car running when you pull in, walk 20 feet to grab the ramps, place them in front of the tires, then drive up them. time wasted? apprx 1 minute if u walk like a penguin, typically less. drive her up and turn her off. yeah im sure it can be done, but im not confortable having that shit 1" from my face when it takes no work to gain that extra bit of clearance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 i have an SUV jack and i can really get the car up high with that thing. i have ramps too but i never have used them. besides they tend to roll forward when you try to drive up on them on smooth pavement. joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 its also very simple to leave the car running when you pull in, walk 20 feet to grab the ramps, place them in front of the tires, then drive up them. time wasted? apprx 1 minute if u walk like a penguin, typically less. drive her up and turn her off. yeah im sure it can be done, but im not confortable having that shit 1" from my face when it takes no work to gain that extra bit of clearance Yeah but Ive always been a little uneasy ever since when I used an old set my dad had, I drove OVER the suckers! I bought a new set with a straight up-ramp (the other set was curved so you have to mash the gas at the top) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimp19 Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 I dont really like being cramped up undre my car either, but it's only every 3,000mi so I can deal with it. If had to do it every day then I'd probly use ramps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Jack up the car? Just to change the oil? I'm glad the 2.8/3.1/3.4 is way easier, because I haven't had to jack up the car to change the oil on any of 'em. I can remove/install the drainplug and filter just fine without jacking up the car. The TGP isn't quite as easy since it has that low front airdam, but I still managed it anyhow. I don't know how any 60-degree V6 owner can't do this, I know my '89 has nearly 8" of ground clearance! Heheh, I know all about driving over the ramps. I did that in Penny's '83 Cutlass, boy that was a mess. I couldn't even get a W-body on those ramps due to the long front overhang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 I always use car ramps to change my oil. Whether you use a jack or use car ramps, it's so much easier if you raise the vehicle. By the way, I'm 6'1", 180lbs with a bit of a pudge around the middle. I can still reach underneathe and to remove the drain plug but it's a pain in the ass. Or in the belly, I should say. Why would you want to change your oil without a jack? Unless your 5'2" and 65lbs. It seems like theres no way someone can fit under a w-body far enough to change the oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 The oil filter for the 3800 TPI is very, very small. I have a hard enough time pulling it off and putting a new one in so I wouldn't switch to a different sized filter. I always put fresh oil in the filter as well, I fill it up and let a little spill out when putting it on. Never run a dry oil filter! I don't seriously overtighten the oil filter, I just make it a little tighter than "snug". Just enough so that you'd need a bit more force to remove it next time. i just use a hydraulic jack and set it on a jackstand. then lower the car while the oil drains for a few minutes, reinstall the plug and add oil and change filter. i always fill the filter with oil before i put it on. btw, i think overtightening oil filters can actually cause leaks because it can distort the rubber O-ring. i'm not 100% sure on that tho... also, on my GTS, i use a bigger oil filter for a Ford Mustang 5.0 (Motorcarft FL-1A). it's way bigger than the stock oil filter and fits perfectly. has anyone done anything like this with the 3.1 or other W-body engines? joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Yeah no shit, eh? I prefer to use ramps. I'm in no big rush. Since it's already a pain in the ass to remove the filter, why make it more difficult? Like I mentioned earlier, I'm 6'1" and 180lbs with a pudge. I walk like a stickman but I still get things done. The easy way. Anyone with a 2.8 MPFI, 3.1 MPFI or 3100 is blessed to have it so easy. its also very simple to leave the car running when you pull in, walk 20 feet to grab the ramps, place them in front of the tires, then drive up them. time wasted? apprx 1 minute if u walk like a penguin, typically less. drive her up and turn her off. yeah im sure it can be done, but im not confortable having that shit 1" from my face when it takes no work to gain that extra bit of clearance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Ha ha ha! Damn man, you're supposed to go up those ramps really slow! Yeah but Ive always been a little uneasy ever since when I used an old set my dad had, I drove OVER the suckers! I bought a new set with a straight up-ramp (the other set was curved so you have to mash the gas at the top) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Ha ha ha! Damn man, you're supposed to go up those ramps really slow! Yeah but Ive always been a little uneasy ever since when I used an old set my dad had, I drove OVER the suckers! I bought a new set with a straight up-ramp (the other set was curved so you have to mash the gas at the top) yeah lol...but these ramp's incline made it so that if you didnt hit the gas harder at the top, you're gnot going anywhere, and rather than the top being flat, they were cupped to hold the tires. It was a serious hazard, and the $20 ones I bought are so much safer. I still get uneasy using them especially when the tires are wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Jack up the car? Just to change the oil?I'm glad the 2.8/3.1/3.4 is way easier, because I haven't had to jack up the car to change the oil on any of 'em. I can remove/install the drainplug and filter just fine without jacking up the car. The TGP isn't quite as easy since it has that low front airdam, but I still managed it anyhow. I don't know how any 60-degree V6 owner can't do this, I know my '89 has nearly 8" of ground clearance! Heheh, I know all about driving over the ramps. I did that in Penny's '83 Cutlass, boy that was a mess. I couldn't even get a W-body on those ramps due to the long front overhang. my car is just a bit lower than yours joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 On my 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL, I use jackstands and sometimes a ramp. I need clearance to slide my drip pan to recover old oil and remove the oil filter. Do all of you guys/gals use a torque wrench to tighten up the oil plug to the proper specs? I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Do all of you guys/gals use a torque wrench to tighten up the oil plug to the proper specs? I do. Not me. I torque most stuff, but I just use a regular 15mm box end wrench to tighten the oil plug. Haven't had a problem in 11yrs of changing my own oil. The first time I changed the oil on our 94 Cutty (prev owner took it to Jiffy Lube), the drain plug was on so tight I had to dig out the impact wrench to break it free. The threads on the plug were a little stripped so I ran it through a die. Luckily it threaded perfectly with no problems back into the pan so I didn't have to tap or helicoil it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimp19 Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Do all of you guys/gals use a torque wrench to tighten up the oil plug to the proper specs? I do. I didn't even know there were torque specs for the plug, I just use a plain old box end wrench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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