Any One change their own oil?

[Beachya]

I did a serch, I was looking to see if their was a thread on how to change oil...I've never seen it done and have always gone to a shop.

Would someone be willing to post a how to, whats needed, etc. (pics too if possible)This is something I'd like to start doing myself.

[civic hatch boi]

oil catcher, an oil filter wrench(unless ur really strong), new oil, new washer, and jacks or a lift of some sort.

take off the nut to release all the oil, catch the oil, take off the oil filter, let everything drip out, new washer, new filter, put nut back, and u're good :)

[shimmy_yaz]

Dont forget to put new oil in too HAHA

[Vertigo]

I do all of my own maintenence. I'm just to anal to let someone else touch my car. Ya got to have a oil filter wrench. Unless you fill like driving a screwdriver through the oil filter, or unless your superman. Also, i suggest the use of brakeclean. Whenever you unscrew the filter, some excess oil gets down into the subframe.

[soniccar]

The first time you take off the filter (and the oil drain) it will be really tight. I mean, you may struggle with this thing forever. Don't be discouraged, get a oil filter wrench that goes on the end of a ratchet, but not one of those exact fit ones, but one that actually adjusts and tightens down on the filter. The second time you get the filter off, it may be difficult, too. Also, get a pack of Oil tite or some other brand (ask at Auto zone or where you go) oil drain washers, I like the new synthetic ones, but the blue neoprene and rubber/metal ones work well, too. They are 14mm. You will need a new oil filter and five quarts of oil. Also, you may want to get a small (3/4") button magnet from Wal-mart in the craft section and place this magnet on the recess at the bottom of the oil pan to catch any slivers of metal that accumulate during break-in. Do this a few days before changing your oil. Your engine should be just driven at least 15 minutes before the oil change, to allow the dirt to be washed and suspended into the oil. You can change the oil 10-15 minutes after the engine has cooled to keep from getting to burned, and this allows for some of the dirty oil in the top of the engine to wash down into the bottom.

The best way to get the filter is underneath if the car is safely supported on jackstands, ramps, or a well-shored embankment. You can save yourself a lot of grief by just jacking the right front of the car and taking the wheel off to get to it. After removing the filter, be sure to wipe the mating surface of the engine really clean and make sure the old gasket is on the old oil filter. After you have loosened the oil drain plug and while it is draining, remove the magnet from the bottom of the oil pan so that any metal filaments will be washed out. Remove the oil filler cap to allow the oil to flow out faster, and wipe the underside of the cap and remove the dipstick and wipe that. Also while the oil is draining, fill the new oil filter up with new oil to just under the threads. This will soak into the paper and will give the car oil faster when you start it later and will not spill on you, it will be all soaked up. After the oil is about dripped all it will, take a little small bit of new oil and pour it down the oil filler hole (I mean just a dash). This will push the remaining dirty oil in the sump out.

After that finishes dribbling out, reinstall the oil drain plug (at bottom) with new washer. This should be torqued to the specs in the owner's manual. If you don't have a torque wrench, just make sure that you tighten the drain plug by holding the wrench or ratchet with one hand up near the bolt (like choking up on a bat). This will mechanically limit you from applying too much force and therby stripping the threads. Wipe all around the pan and filler plug with a clean rag or paper towel. Place the magnet back on the recess area on the oil pan near the oil drain plug. Put on the new filter, but only handtighten, do not use a wrench. If you had the car up and the wheel off, place the wheel back on and tighten the lugs without severly moving the car. (you should never loosen or fully tighten lugs on a raised car, it may fall) The wheels should be torqued to 80 ft-lbs when the car is back on safe ground or you may warp the brake rotors or loose a wheel.

Fill the engine up with oil, and keep checking the dipstick. Always allow 30 seconds after filling and checking to allow the oil to settle. Do not fill to the upper mark yet, just about 1/8 inch (3mm) shy of the mark. When you park the car on a level surface, later to recheck, the oil will slosh to the front of the engine, and it may be right on the money. It is better to be a little low than overfilled else you drag the engine down with too much oil at the crankshaft. Replace the dipstick and filler cap on the valve cover. Lower car if on jackstands if you haven't yet. Check that all of your tools are well clear of the car. While starting the car the first time, you should be watching the oil pressure light. It should go out in 5 seconds. If it does not, turn the car off immediately, and recheck that oil is not gushing out from somewhere and that there is plenty of oil on the dipstick. If you did everything right, this won't happen, by the way, and you will barely see the light come on. Let the car run a minute and glance under the car to check for leaks. There will probably be some residual oil burning off the parts from where you changed it, but this is normal. Place the car on a level surface, and cut it off. Wait five minutes (clean up or something) and then recheck the level and look for leaks. Check the oil level again the next morning. And take your used oil to the parts store for recycling.

[soniccar]

By the way, I am a bit neurotic about this oil changing bit, but it is the single most effective way to ensure your car lasts forever (and changing clutch fluid every 2 years to make it last forever). I change oil every 3 months that's about 3500-4000 miles. I would not go over 5000 miles. I use 5W30 oil because I am not sold on Honda eeking out a little more reduction in engine emissions for the sake of engine life. I use synthetic, but as long as you change your oil regularly, it does not matter what brand you use, and conventional oils are easier on your valve stem seals over time.

Also, you should check your oil level every week and make sure it is right at the mark or just under. Just like checking tire air pressures every week, this should be your habit, like clockwork. Your car should always be at the top of it's form. 1 psi low pressure in every tire reduces your load carrying capacity by 50 lbs. If you are down 5 psi, you are 250 lbs under your load capacity. If you are a quart low on oil, it takes 1 extra second to get the oil up into the oil pickup tube. Remember, your EP is special because the oil also goes down into the timing chain to keep it lubricated, that's why the car takes so much oil even without an oil cooler.

If Monk wouldn't mind getting oil on him, this is how he would change oil.

[Vertigo]

Geezz.. I thought i was anal about changing my own oil.:D

[NamingException]

You don't actually have to raise the car at all to change the oil. Spin your wheel all the way to the right, reach under the right hand side to get at the oil pan bolt, stick the filter in from the top.

[soniccar]

Hey, another double-jointed person! Actually, because I am so tight and won't fix my driveway, the big hump in the middle is great. Just put the front wheels up onto the hump and you get plenty of access. I can reach my oil filter from the right wheel, as well, but it gives me a mouth full of dirt from the tread.

I have to say that the EP is THE hardest car I have ever changed oil on. If you do pull the filter from the top, be slow tugging it through the brake lines coming out of the ABS pump. And please make sure the old gasket is on the old filter lest we loose all our oil one day!

[blueiedgod]

By jacking up the car and removing the wheel I was able to un-do the drain bolt. The filter can be removed either from the top or bottom. Since I did not have the filter wrench, I removed it from the bottom, but with the filter socket (kind that goes on the top of the filter, and plugs into a rachet) you can easily remove it from the top.

Filled it with Quacker State from Wall mart ($6.77 for 5 quart jug), and Honda Filter.
I was going to do Mobil 1, but could not find it in 5W-20.

[NamingException]

I have to jack the thing up now since I installed my Pro-Kits. Sigh.

I use M1 5W-30, I will probably use 0-40 when it gets cold outside. There's a million threads about Mobil 1 already so I won't encourage conversation about it though.