USMC_DS1

I did something which I normally wouldn't recommend to anyone. I started a car project/job with a time limit... I happen to be working out of the home office today with 2 hrs free between meetings over my lunch break. So how long should it take to do an oil change in a home garage? Timed it at exactly 1hr36mins from start to finish. That includes:

1. Warm up the car for 20min.
2. Did not lift her off the deck. Garage is already 2" above the driveway so I just back her up to the edge and I had enough room to get the drain pan and tools under her.
2. Gather up all the necessary tools and parts while I'm warming her up.
3. Followed the instructions at Renntech: http://www.renntech.org/forums/tutor...-instructions/

It took a good 40min to let her drip dry so I did what I could during this period to prep:
- cleaned the filter housing
- removed the engine skid plate: http://www.suncoastparts.com/product...=CarreraSSport. If you happen to have one of these... there's a hole in the plate for the drain plug but there will be some splatter onto the skid plate so I found it easier to just remove it.
- I replaced my drain plug with a magnetic one from pelican parts: http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...1%29%2C%20Each

Installed oil filter and housing, the oil drain plug, and bolted the skid plate back on.

Filled her up with 7.5 quarts... then let her settle. Will continue to fill a little bit at a time over the next day or so to make sure she has the proper level and not too much. It was easy and I still had time to clean up and host my next conference call.

Vehicle Maintenance History: 1st owner drove her for 2.25 yrs and did all scheduled maintenance at Power Porsche in Newport. I purchased her 3+ months ago with 46K miles on her. All service records were provided by PP when I purchased her from them. To date I've replaced the air cabin filter and engine air filter, spark plugs, coils, and now oil and oil filters. Next job is to bleed the brakes.

Zeus993

Nice job!

Mike in CA

I've always enjoyed doing the oil changes on my Porsches. It's an easy way to save some money and spend an enjoyable and satisfying hour or two "bonding" with your car. Nice write up.

COLO997

Just my 2 cents: It seems like a lot of folks on here over-think how many quarts to use when refilling. I've changed my 997.1 oil 4 times now--if it is fully drained on level ground it's empty, no? I've always put in 9 quarts right away and it's come out perfectly (alternating between completely full and one bar less than full on the prestart oil level display). It is only the dealers, who don't use one quart bottles, who tend to overfill our cars.

USMC_DS1

Thanks for the tip... I'll pour the final 1/2 quarts in and get there a little quicker.

drdrank

Dumb question: did you have a special oil pan? or anything you'd recommend and can link me to? Any other tools you used? I bought the Porsche oil filter cap removal tool. Thanks...sorry, total virgin here

NA011

Here's a drain pan that I use:
http://www.amazon.com/Blitz-11838-Oi.../dp/B000AMGYNA
You can find them at many auto part stores. Also get a torque wrench for use on the plug & filter.

USMC_DS1

Here's a pic of all the parts and tools needed. Note these are parts for a 997.1s so please look up the appropriate parts for your p-car. Any links provided below are for reference use only. I will take no liability in sharing what I happen to use for my p-car. thx.
1. Oil pan(any lower profile)
2. 8-9 quarts of oil(M1 0W-40) available anywhere
3. Oil Filter and filter housing seal http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...C%20Each%20%20 or http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...0Each%20%20%20
4. Drain Plug Seal http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...9%2C%20Each%20
5. Oil Filter Socket Wrench http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...35%2D%20%29%20. I've heard that some p-dealers will not sell it to you... my dealer accomodated me since I already had a part number handy from pelican parts.
6. Drive ratchet plus a small extensions. This helps to keep your hands away from the hot exhaust and exhaust manifold. BTW, I broke/loosen the filter housing and drain plug prior to running/warming up the car. Just enough so that I didn't have to muscle it afterwards to remove with all those hot parts under there.
7. 8mm Allen wrench or extension for the Porsche drain plug. The extension is required if you're going to use the torque wrench to set it properly. A 10mm will be required to install the magnetic drain plug from pelicanparts if you switch from the standard Porsche drain plug. http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...9%2C%20Each%20
8. Torque wrench
9. Disposible gloves(optional if you need to get back to the office w/o dirty nails)
10. Garbage bag for the obvious... roll of paper towels handy as well

drdrank

Incredibly helpful guys. Thanks very much. I have a 997.1 Turbo and a 997.2 GT3RS to do, so seems there's some variation in the two processes.

Thanks very much

Edgy01

Make your own oil pan. Start with an old (but cleaned) 5-gallon paint container. You can even buy one of the new orange ones from Home Depot if you like. Measure precisely 10-12 quarts of water into it. Mark that as your absolute high point. Remove the handle and cut the top down to the mark you just made. Reinstall the handle. The container should be low enough to get under the car with a little assistance from a floor jack or two, and still handle the influx of all that oil as it comes rushing out of the engine.

helispud

An old 22 gallon Rubbermaid storage container (with a broken Lid) works well also. I roto-zipped the top so it was about 8 inches deep. After the oil stopped draining the oil depth in the pan was about 2 inches.

USMC_DS1

Glad it helped Drdrank... check out renntech.org for specifics for your p-car types. Loren there seems very knowledgable. BTW, so far 8.5 quarts has me at the mid-way point on the elec oil gauge... will nurse another .25-.5 quarts in to get it near the top mark w/o going over. Sounds like Colo997 may be spot on with just pouring 9 quarts in provided it's on level ground and fully drained.

USMC_DS1

I've had my drain bucket so long I can't remember where I got it... but it's been perfect for all my mech jobs. Large enough to accommodate anything drained and low enough to get under my p-car and all my prior low-riders. The thick plastic lip also makes it sturdy enough to pour the oil into a holding container for deposal at the local auto parts store... just measured the bucket = 6.5"

USMC_DS1

My son just reminded me... we got this particular bucket from the paint department at home depot. We had used it years ago to refinish our wood flooring.

USMC_DS1

Update on final amount of oil used: 9 quarts exactly... thanks Colo997. This got me to full w/o going over on the digital oil gauge. Note: I did wait 40min. to let her drain completely. I was tempted at several points to plug her up and start filling when she was slowly dripping oil so I could get back to work but she would suddenly start spurting out more oil again. Had about two of these instances. So be patience and let it drip until dry. If you want to be less cavalier about filling her up quickly then start with 8.5 quarts and add incrementally from there.