Slade901 Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 Yeah they do. My manual suggested 15-20 Ft-lbs for the drain oil plug. That way you don't strip the threads or leak oil (loose). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimp19 Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 I just tighten till it feels snug it works fine, if I were to get out a hammer and start beating on the wrench to tighten the plug that would be too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 I don't, I just make it tight enough so that I don't crush the little rubber O-Ring gasket but at the same time tight enough so that the drain plug doesn't come loose. Hell I don't even torque my lug nuts after putting my wheels back on, I just make 'em as tight as my frail body can put 'em on. But then again I don't even have a torque wrench. I juse "feel" for the torque. 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...
gimp19 Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 I dont torque my wheel lugs either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 i don't torque wheel lugz or the oil drain plug. i just go by feel. i even have a nice Craftsman torque wrench... joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokesGTP Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 A jack with jackstands is the safest bet, thats what I use. Lots of clearance and no worries about those stupid ramps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95 3-4 Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 91 gs, so you put fresh oil in start it with the dirty filter back it off the ramps and install a new filter? almost seems to make changing it pointless...........on my 92 3.8 regal i was able to turn the wheels to the drivers side and loosen it, i am 6' 180, arm scratches are a daily occurence to me tho so im less bothered, i try to covers arms and hands when working on cars sometimes its impractical tho. I know i cant change the rear pasenger side plug on a 3.8 tpi wearing a sweatshirt, arm scratches are neccesary, performed the op last week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 It's a lot faster for me to do that than to struggle trying to reach around the passenger-side CV boot from the bottom and remove the filter. Yes, it's somewhat pointless to run a dirty filter with fresh oil but you're only circulating less than 250ml of dirty oil as compared to a full 4.5L+ of fresh oil. Also, I can't turn the wheels to the driver-side when it's on a car ramp otherwise I'd end up like Brian P, driving over the damn things! As far as arm scratches go, it's inevitable and I've had them plenty of times working on numerous vehicles. BTW: I can change all the spark plugs on my 3800 TPI without any problems, I just use a very long extension with a universal joint and I can get to all of them including the ones by the firewall. 91 gs, so you put fresh oil in start it with the dirty filter back it off the ramps and install a new filter? almost seems to make changing it pointless...........on my 92 3.8 regal i was able to turn the wheels to the drivers side and loosen it, i am 6' 180, arm scratches are a daily occurence to me tho so im less bothered, i try to covers arms and hands when working on cars sometimes its impractical tho. I know i cant change the rear pasenger side plug on a 3.8 tpi wearing a sweatshirt, arm scratches are neccesary, performed the op last week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 Yes, it's somewhat pointless to run a dirty filter with fresh oil but you're only circulating less than 250ml of dirty oil as compared to a full 4.5L+ of fresh oil why don't you just fill the new filter with clean oil b4 you put it on? or am i missing something? joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 Yes, you are missing something! When putting the new filter on, I fill it up completely with fresh oil. Obviously due to the angle some oil will spit but I don't mind. But if you look at the first, original post I made on this thread you'll see that there are many steps to changing the oil in my car. I drive my car up the car ramps and drain my oil. Once it's refilled with fresh oil I drive my car off the ramps and jack it up and put it on jack stands. Then I remove the passenger-side tire so I can get to the oil filter. I have a '91 Regal GS with the 3800 TPI engine so it's an absolute pain in the ass to get to the filter. You can actually get to it from underneathe but it's so much easier when you have the passenger-side tire off. The oil filter is located at an angle slightly above the CV boot and towards the front of the car. Yes, it's somewhat pointless to run a dirty filter with fresh oil but you're only circulating less than 250ml of dirty oil as compared to a full 4.5L+ of fresh oil why don't you just fill the new filter with clean oil b4 you put it on? or am i missing something? joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted June 7, 2003 Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 I think they are talking about why you put the car in a ramp and then drain the oil, then leaving the old filter (w/ old oil inside the filter) and putting new 4.5L oil in the engine then crank the engine just enough to back down the car from the ramp and then replace the old filter with new oil filter (primed with new oil). With this procedure, are you not contaminating the new 4.5 L oil with that of the old oil inside the old filter even though the engine is just run enough to back down from the ramp? I replace both oil in the engine and oil filter at the same time without cranking the engine in between. I just raise the car with a jackstands and use a smooth surface 4x2 feet plywood instead of a creeper which robs me of my clearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted June 7, 2003 Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 Since you jack it up and put it on jackstands anyway to change the filter, why don't you just drain the oil at that time and skip the ramps??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panopticon Posted June 7, 2003 Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 BTW: I can change all the spark plugs on my 3800 TPI without any problems, I just use a very long extension with a universal joint and I can get to all of them including the ones by the firewall. so you don't have to rotate the engine forward? Im just about due for my first plug change with this engine and it looks like a pain in the a$$!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 Yes I am contaminating the fresh oil with dirty oil to a certain degree. I doubt that less than 400ml of dirty oil amongst 4.5L of fresh oil will make a major impact. My oil change last week was the first time I have actually attempted this. All previous oil changes I spent abour 15 minutes alone trying to remove the old oil filter, which is why I realized that removing the passenger-side tire is so much easier than trying to reach the filter from underneathe. BTW: In any other case I would replace oil and filter at the same time without starting the car, it's just more difficult when you have an oil filter in a confined area. I think they are talking about why you put the car in a ramp and then drain the oil, then leaving the old filter (w/ old oil inside the filter) and putting new 4.5L oil in the engine then crank the engine just enough to back down the car from the ramp and then replace the old filter with new oil filter (primed with new oil). With this procedure, are you not contaminating the new 4.5 L oil with that of the old oil inside the old filter even though the engine is just run enough to back down from the ramp? I replace both oil in the engine and oil filter at the same time without cranking the engine in between. I just raise the car with a jackstands and use a smooth surface 4x2 feet plywood instead of a creeper which robs me of my clearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 No, you don't need to "roll" the engine forward. I know some people with the 2.8 MPFI or 3.1 MPFI like to "roll" the engine forward to get to the rear plugs by the firewall but on the 3800 TPI it isn't necessary. It looks difficult but it isn't. You can do it all in less than 20 minutes. Just be sure to have a universal joint and a long 10 inch extension and you'll be fine. BTW: I can change all the spark plugs on my 3800 TPI without any problems, I just use a very long extension with a universal joint and I can get to all of them including the ones by the firewall. so you don't have to rotate the engine forward? Im just about due for my first plug change with this engine and it looks like a pain in the a$$!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted June 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2003 That's actually what I'll be doing from now on. I realized that last week when I was jacking up my car. I thought "Shit, why didn't I just use these damn jackstands in the first place?" Since you jack it up and put it on jackstands anyway to change the filter, why don't you just drain the oil at that time and skip the ramps??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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