Cliff Ruckstuhl

I will changeing the oil in my 951 for the 1st time tomorrow and wondered if poking a hole in the filter would be a good idea to let it drain out some before I remove it. I will also be fixing that low oil sending unit that keeps coming on. I remember reading somewhere that I will need to replace the washer on the oil drain plug. Since I don't have one is it really necessary?

Cliff 88 951

Sam Lin

Any auto parts store will have a drain plug washer for you.

Drain the pan, then poke a hole in the filter, pull the DME relay and crank the engine for a few seconds. It'll greatly reduce the mess. You can't just poke because of the anti-drainback flap, unless your filter's flap is broken.

Sam

Laust Pedersen

Before poking a hole in the filter, it may be a good idea to first ensure that you can get it loose.
Mine was stuck (fortunately no poking) and I now have to seek "professional help".
Laust

JimBob951

I had to poke a hole in it to get it off!! Did the old pound a screw driver though it trick... And luckily no mess!!

Luis de Prat

Changing the oil in a 951 is pretty straightforward. Main difference is that the Turbo cars have a second engine protection pan in addition to the standard one. You will need to get this one off in order to leave the space below the engine clear for when the inevitable spillage from the filter leaks down.

Other than that, just keep count of how many quarts you refill with and check the dipstick until it's safe to start the car.

Tip: It's easier to remove the oil filter if you disconnect the coil wire. Be sure to reconnect it before attempting to start the car after you're done.

turbo944

Danno had a great tip on removing the filter. Hang a plastic grocery/shopping bag on one of a million points so that the mouth of the bag is even with the bottom of the filter. Unscrew and simply drop in the bag. Mess is eliminated almost entirely and no drips on the way back out of the engine compartment. Just roll up the bag and wiggle it back out. I use this method every time now. No punching holes, no having to turn the engine over, just making it happen (just don't have your engine too hot or you'll melt the bag ). Typically I've messed around for 20 with it cooling off and draining and getting the new filter ready so it's plenty cool after a short drive to warm it up a bit.

Eric

If you are having a hard time removing the filter(a wrench doesn't really fit in there) use one of those rubber jar openers--or I used the sticky foamy stuff that you use to line the bottoms of tool box trays so the wrenches don't slide around--stuff can be bought at the dollar store and works like a charm.

IceShark

Go buy a cap style oil filter socket. It is sort of like a huge, short socket that fits over the flats on the top end of the filter. If you can't get the filter off with one of those you have a serious over tightening problem - like someone used an impact wrench to tighten the old filter down.

Bring your replacement filter with you to the auto parts store to test out because these cap style sockets come in about 3 different sizes.

Danno

The catch with punching a hole in the filter is that you'd have to punch it all the way through the anti-drain valve at the bottom of the filter. Not sure I'd want bits of plastic and springs inside my crankcase after that.

Here's a link to my "clean oil change" thread with photos.

Renn 951

Another tip: turn your headlights on! It moves the cross-bar mechanism further away and makes it a lot easier to pull the filter out once it's been unscrewed. No need to remove the coil wire if you do this.

89magic98

Looking at the pictures of your thread... (see one of the pictures copied below)

I think you have the "Incredible Hulk" changing your oil! That must be your secret!

89magic98

I have never changed the washer on my oil drain plug. Try to not have it fall off the plug when you remove the plug, or else you have a 50/50 chance of putting the washer on backwards when re-installing it.

Now, if you are changing the oil pressure sender unit, you _must_ change the washer at the same time. That was my thread:

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...hreadid=124664

The washer size is M18. I got mine at Pep Boys.

Eyal 951

i just unscrew it with my ratchet on an extension, attatched to a 'socket' that fits the 951 filter perfectly, easy and very little mess, if any. (for me at least)
~Eyal

Laust Pedersen

OK, so I finally got the filter out by using the tools shown in the picture. The #7 plastic cap got reinforced with a hose-clamp, which prevented full rotation, so the stud puller end of the hammer was used to remove the plastic cap. I had to use a 6-point 1" socket for the cap, since the 3/8 hole and the 12-point version just stripped the corners. Maybe doing it with a warm engine helped the process too.

How much should the new filter be tightened? I did somewhere from 1/2 to 3/4 turn from finger-tight.

azmi951

Ok, just did the oil on my 951 for the first time yesterday and whoever put the filter on last put it on tight! I used the plastic bag trick after getting the filter loose (poked hole-screwdriver method) and it is a very clean way to remove the filter indeed.

I did not put the filter on as tight as the PO.