Why do they make it so hard to change olil these days?

kopeck · Feb 1, 2009

This is a bit off topic since it relates to a car but I'm sure there's tractors that have the same problem.

I just got done changing the oil on my Wife's '07 Pathfinder. I like the vehicle a lot but chainging the oil is nothing but one big mess. They put the filter in a place that's almost impossible to get to. The filter it's self is horizontal so at least half of it's contents are going to spill out everywhere no matter what you do. Of course the folks at Nissan thought of the spilling so the made a little troff under the filter to redirect the oil through a hole in the belly pan but the hole isn't quite big enough so once the flow slows down it all runs right back into the belly pan. The end result is no matter how much wiping I do I end up with oil spots on the garage floor for a few days.

My VW has a canister for a paper element style filter right on top. I can change it mess free in seconds, if the Germans can do it why not the folk in the US and Japan?

The sad thing is that the Pathfinder is an upgrade over the Focus she used to have, that thing you almost had to take a wheel off to get to the filter!

K

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

My father in law said to change the oil in tdi Jetta, you have to pump the oil out throught the dip stick, I think he said, they have some special pump. Otherwise you have to remove some sort of skid plate or something over the drain plug. Best I ever had was chevy trucks with the small block 350,400 ect so easy! j

Bob - MI · Feb 1, 2009

I agree fully that the engineers aren't thinking about service when they design things. I have always felt that they should have to work on the vehicles that they design. The truth is that it's cheaper to manufacture an engine block with a horizontal filter. I have discovered a trick that helps the horizontal filter problem.

If you have access from above the filter punch a hole in it down towards the end and then rotate it 1/2 turn (remember they are tightened 3/4 turn after initial gasket contact). If you can get a catch pan underneath it will drain out and get 90% of what's going to ooze out when you spin it off. I sometimes can't get a pan under a filter and will then wrap a heavy duty ziplock freezer bag around it to catch the draining oil.

I discovered this one when changing the oil in my boat. That has a 4-cyl Chevy in it and it oozes the oil into the bilge. Makes a heck of a mess.

Good luck

Dave_Id · Feb 1, 2009

They design it this way so you will want to use their service facility instead of you doing it yourself. I used to have a Toyota Tacoma, and I needed to remove the splash pan before changing. Finally one time after removing it, I took a torch and cut a whole big enough to remove filter and let her drain without making a huge mess.

KCTractors · Feb 1, 2009

The easiest vehicle I ever changed oil on, is my 05" Ford F250 with the 6.0 Power-Stroke, then again to change the primary fuel filter is a bear, along with anythinge else you would have to work on!

71ford100 · Feb 1, 2009

Ford wasn't thinking about oil filter locations on there 94/95 Mustangs with the 302 either it can be a pita to get to ands its low enough to the ground ya better have long arms to reach the drainplug or its gotta be jacked up.

tlak · Feb 1, 2009

I had a vehicle that you slide the pan under, your hand barely got under the front bumper, then in the engine compartment the drain plug and spin on filter were next to each other and over the drain pan. The longest it took was the speed of the oil draining.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

You have to take off some sound damping covers under the VW engines to change oil. Mine got ripped loose by bad roads and fell off one day and I didn't put it back.

Gerald J.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Feb 1, 2009

My wife has an 01 Pathfinder. You have to take the belly pan off to get to the filter on it. No other way to it. Half of the bolts have seized and broken off, so one of these days I get to do some drilling...

Kelly C · Feb 1, 2009

I wonder if they can make a kit to plumb in a adapter and relocate those stinky filters to a better location?

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

When I have to change oil and filter -- I always think the engineers who designed car's walk around talking to themselves, dumb as a box of rocks I say --- same with some tractors, seems they just don't know any better ....

and they won't listen to my advice either, who does ?>>>>?

johndeereman · Feb 1, 2009

check into if they make a kit for those my grandfather had a chevy blazer that had a kit in it so the oil filter was behind the right hand headlight all it was was an adaptor that screwed onto the filter location then had hoses runing to and from the new filter location if i remember right it for some sort of tow package

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

Changing rear spark plugs on some sideways mounted engines is a nightmare too.

kopeck · Feb 1, 2009

(quoted from post at 10:52:37 02/01/09) My father in law said to change the oil in tdi Jetta, you have to pump the oil out throught the dip stick, I think he said, they have some special pump. Otherwise you have to remove some sort of skid plate or something over the drain plug. Best I ever had was chevy trucks with the small block 350,400 ect so easy! j

The belly pan is very easy to take off/put back on. The hard part about the VW is finding ramps that it will climb with out tearing the bumper off.

I do use an oil extractor now though. The whole oil change is done from the top, takes like 15 minutes and I don't spill a lick of it.

I still do a drain every 4 changes or so though, just to make sure I get the crud that the extractor might have missed. I don' think it misses much though, mine measures what comes out and it's always what I'm expecting.

Everyone needs an extractor, they're really handy!

Oh yeah, my '79 Chevy 1/2 ton (350) is pretty easy. The filter is sitting the correct way, vertical!

K

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

(quoted from post at 10:52:37 02/01/09) I think he said, they have some special pump. j

A lot of the German cars have the filter upside down (oil drains back into the pan when shut off. Most gas stations, Esso's anyway,(in Germany) have that pump. Usually located next to the island with air and vacuum cleaner. You can park your car, clean it, and when it sets a few minutes you can swap oil filters and stick the pump down the dipstick hole. Suck out the old, pour in new, and be on your way.

Dave

1936 · Feb 1, 2009

My son worked at one of the quick oil change places. He said more than once the police would show up and hook up one of oil changers and away they would go for a free ride to jail. Must not be that hard to change oil while looking over their shoulders?

RandyB(MI) · Feb 1, 2009

The day is comming when you won't be able to change your own. Two reasons: one is they want your used oil and the other is they can't control what some people do with their used oil. Sort of like the fact you can't buy or use the old type freon refrigerant without a state liscense and recovery equipment. Dirty used oil is still more pure than crude out of a well and it is free to those who change your oil. Hmmmm , $140 a barrel times how many thousands of barrels a year????

Anonymous-0 · Feb 2, 2009

98 Ford Ranger V-6. The filter is just above the starter and wiring. Let the filter slip out of your hand and it will drop past the plastic funnel and land on the starter post. Sparks fly. Don't ask how I know. Scared the snot outta me so bad I now go thru the wheel well to get to the filter.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 2, 2009

That's because they hire some stotnose kids out of collage to do the engineering that doesn't know a oil filter from a wheel bearing.

Mike M · Feb 2, 2009

My 1996 Dodge Ram and the 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan are both pretty easy to change.

Nancy Howell · Feb 2, 2009

I had a 1975 Chevy Monza with a 262 v8, & 4sp manual tranny. Loads of fun & would walk a Z in a heartbeat. Spark plugs were a pain. Had to take an engine mount loose and jack the engine up a little to get to one of them.

cargocult · Feb 3, 2009

The day is comming when you won't be able to change your own. Two reasons: one is they want your used oil and the other is they can't control what some people do with their used oil. Sort of like the fact you can't buy or use the old type freon refrigerant without a state liscense and recovery equipment. Dirty used oil is still more pure than crude out of a well and it is free to those who change your oil. Hmmmm , $140 a barrel times how many thousands of barrels a year????

Right On!! I am appalled @ the Gummint Interference in OUR PRIV8 LIVES! & It gets Worse every day/month/year! W8 Until OSama O'blammo gets in high gear!! Not 2 mention the Vast Mechanica conspiracy 2 get all the work!! I, personally change My Own Oil in All My Vehicles! I buy Oil @ the store & a new filter & have all the stuffs 2 do the job properly! Used Motor Oil is (censored) useful around a farm! I won't get into specifics (2 prevent Bad Karma from "envirowhackos") but U Real Farmers Know What I Mean!! Nuf Sed!! The Gummint wants Us All 2 Be Sheeple who only Watch TV & leave the mechanical stuffs 2 the "professionals" who will just cock it up, since they are totally inexperienced! Come 2 grips with ur Vehicle, because it bears U!! I don't drive anyting newer than 1986, & that is 2 new 4 me!! CC, currently Livin & Lovin in the PI!!

Why do they make it so hard to change olil these days?

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