How to change Oil

[KuroNekko]

I'm changing my oil tomorrow. Got my stands and floor jack. I've read here that you have to remove the cover under the engine to gain access to the drain plug. I was thinking of cutting a hole in the cover about six inches in diameter right under the drain plug so that next time I don't have to take the cover off.

Maybe installing a oil drain valve from Fumoto engineering with a hose attachment and leaving a short length attached. That way next time I just have to reach under, pull the hose out and point it into the oil drain box and turn the valve.

Just ideas of course and not sure if it's going to work. I've used the drain valve on other cars with no problems. Just want to make it easier the next time.

Has anyone done this.

I used to have a Fumoto valve on my Subaru Impreza. It hit a rock and got damaged as well as cracked my oil pan from the force of the impact. After that experience, I decided not to bother with these valves unless they were flush with an undercover and could not take a direct hit.
They should work fine with the Kizashi and cutting an access hole may not be a bad idea. In fact, some OEM panels are designed like this such as with the Mercury Milan (Ford Fusion twin). They have swivel panels on the undercover for accessing the oil drain plug.

That being said, I'd rather remove the undercover every time. It's not hard to do and only takes an additional 2 minutes or so. I don't recall, but it may actually need to come off for the oil to drain out of the oil filter to a receptacle. I could be wrong on this however as it has been a while since my last Kizashi oil change.

[SamirD]

I was reading up on the jack points in my owner's manual. It's shows where the floor jack points are and where the onboard jack points are. There are pictures of jack stands with arrows pointing to the on board jack points but reads "Do not use this point for a jack stand".

Where do you place the jack stands?

Interesting. I just looked it up in the manual and it does say that for the front two. However, I think it is mainly because of the way most jack stands might damage parts of the body rather than the inability for them to hold the weight of the car.

What I would do is use the front floor jack point to raise the car, and then put jack stands at the front two points, keeping in mind that the weight must be distributed properly and evenly to prevent damage to the load bearing 'tab' that the factory jack is used on, and slowly and gently lower the car onto the stands, listening and watching for any reason to stop. I think one of the reasons they also may say that the front stands may not support the weight is because the engine weight is in the front of the car.

I was going to search the service manual, but it's too late. I'll try to do it tomorrow.

[twoqttsdad]

I didn't see any other place to place the jack stands so I got two small blocks of wood and shaped them to sit on the saddle of the jack stands, then I cut a groove about a half an inch wide by about three quarters of an inch deep to accept the tab.
Seemed like a half baked solution but I tried it and they worked fine. Being made of wood they sat well on the contour of the stands and conformed to the depth of the tab. No damage or deformation to the sheet metal.

Not sure if this works but tried to attach a pic.

[img][IMG]http://i1261.photobucket.com/albums/ii592/twoqttsdad/d6196b24-09a9-47fe-8bf2-fdcdb85b98b7_zpsbaedf9f9.jpg[/img][/img]

[twoqttsdad]

[bootymac]

Nice work! How stabile are they? I'd worry about them rolling/slipping off the jack stand. Maybe you could fashion a lip to keep them on?

HF also sells these for cheap:


http://m.harborfreight.com/2-piece-rubb ... xOVv8vTkm8

[twoqttsdad]

Thanks. Being wood they seem to bite the saddle of the jack stands well when compressed. I think the parts on either side of the groove also support the weight but also squeeze inwards when the metal tab pushes down in the groove. The direction of the wood grain runs lengthwise of the block. Was worried about the ends of the blocks damaging the bodywork so I beveled them off some.

I cut off a portion of the cover under the drain plug to expose it and will install a drain valve next time. Hopefully I can reach under the car without having to jack it up to drain the oil with the new valve in place. I was planning on replacing the piece I cut off but the material snapped in half so oh well. I hope the opening doesn't cause any problems.

[murcod]

You need ramps!

[SamirD]

I was going to search the service manual, but it's too late. I'll try to do it tomorrow.

the service manual doesn't say anything about not using the front for jack stands. If fact, it shows those same points as jack stand points as well as 2-post lift points.

[SamirD]

You need ramps!

Ramps rock! You only need jack stands if you're working on something that requires you do disassemble the suspension as a whole.

[KuroNekko]

You need ramps!

+1

I only use jack stands if I have to remove the wheels. Otherwise, always the ramps plus wheel chocks.