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Thread: DIY: The Oil Change

  1. #11
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    People are making this WAY too difficult. Removing under tray??!!!! CMON people!

    1. You don't need to put this car on jackstands to change the oil. You people are over complicating things. I drive up on 2x4s or throw a jack under the front crossmember and lift it just a few inches, the tires are still on the ground. If you use a jack under center (has to be a large low profile one) it will be messy when you take the filter off. I just catch it with a cup. You don't need to get your body under the car for anything!! If somehow you manage to knock it off the jack it's not going to crush you unless you're trying to change the filter from below. I've changed the oil on mine in about 5 minutes.

    I have my own custom ramps that I made with 2x10's that I cut and screwed into each other to form steps. I used to use them for my miata. I used one 2x10 to make them. 6" of lift would be more than enough so 3 levels or steps. Not necessary but probably the easiest. Or you could buy cheap set of ramps. You still don't need to get under the car. Just slide the drain pan and reach for the drain plug. Get the filter from above.

    2. If the filter is super tight you need to get a filter wrench that fits it. I got mine at walmart. HINT....take a filter for the Mirage out of the box while you're at walmart and confirm the filter wrench fits it. I change the filter from the TOP. Every single time. I even use a longer filter....hardest part is reinstallation but I simply push the coolant hose down with my left and feel the threads AND start the filter with my right. My factory filter was pretty tight. Since I don't over tighten my filters I don't need the wrench anymore.

    3. I use a 17mm wrench to get the drain plug. It's backwards if you're not getting under the car and reaching under. Use your brain and make sure you're turning lefty loosy righty tighty. If you can't get the drain plug off from the factory you can turn wheels to the right and you'll have more than enough clearance to break the plug loose with a longer wrench or cheater bar.....and still not get under the car.

    I read some people talking about taking underbody stuff off........................DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM. You can remove the filter no sweat with the proper $5-10 filter socket.

    I'm 5'6.5" with short arms and I DON'T need to get under the car at all to change the oil.


    Last edited by Wubbalubbadubdub; 09-06-2016 at 08:15 PM.

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  3. #12
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    NOTE:
    Once you remove the factory-installed oil filter (which is usually on way too tight), as long as you reinstall/tighten the new oil filter by hand, you shouldn't need an oil filter wrench to remove it in the future. I bought the oil filter wrench below but have only used it 1 time. When I do an oil change, I can remove the old filter by hand.



    If you are looking for a good oil filter wrench, get a 65/14 tool. The size is 65mm, and it has 14 sides like the top of the oil filter.

    See the pictures below. I got one of these on eBay (also available on Amazon) and it works much better than the $5 black stamped sheet metal filter sockets you find at auto parts stores.

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    You can loosen the filter from above with this setup. Use a large handle 1/2 drive socket wrench with a very short extension. You need an extension because there's too much stuff in the way if you try to use the filter socket without it. A 2" extension (shown below) works really well. It gives you just the amount of space you need.

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    If the handle+extension+filter socket is much wider than 4 inches or so (see below), you may have some issues with things getting in your way when you try to remove the filter from above. A normal sized extension may not work well.

    Name:  wrench_2.jpg
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    And if you need a few extra inches of clearance underneath the car, something like these make a job like this a little easier. I can hear you cheap-asses complaining now, but these things are pretty sweet...

    Race Ramp Trak-jax
    Last edited by Top_Fuel; 06-02-2022 at 06:45 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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  5. #13
    Uber Mirage alex16's Avatar
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    I have some civic hybrid wheels. I grab the worst wheel and tire. I turn my mirage wheels all the way left, place the civic wheel and tire directly in front, drive up on the wheel. I have rhino ramps but this is much easier. 14mm on my hks drain plug, I keep the 12/14 wrench in my door pocket along with a 10mm. I use fram ultras xg7317 so it has a nice rubber grip, super easy to reach up and twist loose. I loosen it enough to get the oil draining from the filter, drain plug sticks to the pan and drains. Remove the filter from up top then install new one, slide back under with a paper towel and clean the drain plug, every other oil change I throw a new copper crush washer, very lightly snug the drain plug and filter. Wipe the pan. I let the mirage "roll" off the tire and wheel then I start the engine.
    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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  7. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by alex16 View Post
    I have some civic hybrid wheels. I grab the worst wheel and tire. I turn my mirage wheels all the way left, place the civic wheel and tire directly in front, drive up on the wheel.
    Interesting. Any pictures?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  8. #15
    Senior Member DonkeyPal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 91cavgt View Post
    I've changed my own oil twice now and have yet had to use a filter wrench. But from the years of working with my hands I've got a crazy gripe. I add 2 1/2 quarts of oil and then check it as not all the oil comes out of the engine. Sometimes you need to add another half of a quart and other times you need to only add a quarter of a quart.
    The engine is probably supposed to drain the maximum amount of oil when the vehicle is level. A dealer or mechanic's shop can raise the car for the oil change while keeping it level. If we do the change at home by jacking up the front of the car, it isn't level. It stands to reason that a bit of oil won't come out when the front is tilted upward. Why you might drain out more sometimes and less at other times, I don't know.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 automatic: 43.0 mpg (US) ... 18.3 km/L ... 5.5 L/100 km ... 51.7 mpg (Imp)


  9. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by DonkeyPal View Post
    The engine is probably supposed to drain the maximum amount of oil when the vehicle is level. A dealer or mechanic's shop can raise the car for the oil change while keeping it level. If we do the change at home by jacking up the front of the car, it isn't level. It stands to reason that a bit of oil won't come out when the front is tilted upward. Why you might drain out more sometimes and less at other times, I don't know.
    The drain plug is the lowest point for a good amount of travel. Any time the front is higher, the drain plug is even lower than the pan. So unless you are doing your changes with the ass end in the air for some reason, you will have absolutely no issues.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2018 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 43.5 mpg (US) ... 18.5 km/L ... 5.4 L/100 km ... 52.2 mpg (Imp)


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  11. #17
    Senior Member DonkeyPal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nickels View Post
    The drain plug is the lowest point for a good amount of travel. Any time the front is higher, the drain plug is even lower than the pan. So unless you are doing your changes with the ass end in the air for some reason, you will have absolutely no issues.
    Since I typed that, I was able to get a clearer idea of where the drain plug is, so of course you are right.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 automatic: 43.0 mpg (US) ... 18.3 km/L ... 5.5 L/100 km ... 51.7 mpg (Imp)


  12. #18
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    When warm if oil level is between the too low, and the overfilled marks your good

  13. #19
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    where did you buy your magnetic oil plug sir?

  14. #20
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cheezekeyk View Post
    where did you buy your magnetic oil plug
    Check this post for info.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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