My First 993 Oil Change!
 

This took me north of 4 hours but was great fun (I took my time).

Total cost: $88.993 + tax (11 Qts. M1 @ $5.66 = $62.26; 2 Mahle filters, 2 washers, o-ring = $26.733; Labor = Priceless).

Here is what I learned from the great members here that made this project a joy:

1. Followed Robin's DIY (mostly).
2. Double-checked to make sure I had all tools/parts in advance.
3. Attempted engine filter removal without moving oil return line (success!).
4. Used small 3 prong 'universal' oil filter wrench (failure on both filters).
5. Added sandpaper to above 3 pronger - total success! This really saved me. Thank You!
6. Placed rags around oil filler neck prior to adding oil.
7. Added oil in super slow mode, no backups!
8. Learned how to use a torque wrench.

Things I learned in the process/tips for others:

1. Costco rectangular, jumbo sized powdered laundry tub makes a great 'oil pan'. It minimized the oil on the floor.
2. Speaking of this, I held the tub up an inch from the oil tank drain plug while removing - this worked well.
3. I went ahead and removed the oil return line anyway! I was there and I wanted better access to tighten the filter by hand (see #5 below).
4. The Mobil 1 price at Costco is very good. Sometimes they have an $8 off coupon per case making qt price $4.33!
5. I got a 1/2 x 18 inch torque wrench at Harbor Freight Tools for $11.99. I've seen similar ones at Pep Boys for around $20. Not sure of the accuracy of this thing but it worked on everything EXCEPT the engine drain plug. I need to figure out how to properly torque this - maybe a smaller 1/4 inch torque wrench?
6. Next time I am going to use an end cap type filter wrench (like Robin's). The 3-pronger works to remove the filter but not to tighten it. I ended up hand-tightening but I wanted a tiny bit more torque than my hand could supply.
7. A good quality quick lift floor jack makes life so much easier. I got an ARCAN XL35R at Costco for $89. This is a very nice jack for the money. The only downside is that it weighs more than 100 pounds!
8. Disposable vinyl gloves are way better than '2 ply' nitrile or latex
9. A hard tooth brush is great for cleaning ones fingernails :)
10. A good work light is indispensable. I have Craftsman 300/500 watt halogen portable work light.

Next up is the fuel filter....... And who knows what else! If only I could put new tires on myself!

Regards, Peter

Congrats! That's a great 1st diy. I think that is how I got started....

:cheers:

Bob-

It seems to take forever the first time, especially when adding the oil!

Actually, this is DIY #2. My first was both Valve Cover Gaskets - That was a total adventure because I had six stripped bolts!!!

Congrats! My local shop was doing a $99 special, so I had them do my yearly. I just could not pass @ that price!

The fuel filter is a very easy DIY, just remove the airbox, & it should take about 30min tops.

Congrats!!!

I changed my moon roof switch over the weekend and thats about the extent I will go for DIY. Im good at Lego type DIY!!

The oil filter wrench that I use on my BMW R1150 GS motorcycles happened to be a perfect fit on my OEM/Mahle oil filters.

The BMW oil filters have 14 facets at the end. You may want to check your old oil filters and confirm. The oil filter wrench is an aluminum casting with a large hex and 3/8" drive at the end. You can get them at the BMW dealer for well under $20.

I'd have a couple of O-ring handy if you remove the oil return pipe...just in case. I replace them at every oil change. I don't take chances with stuff like that.

As for a torque wrench, I find a 3/8" drive 5 to 75 lbf.ft. wrench like the Snap-On QD2FR75 the most useful. Mine is 35 years old and still in spec (I've checked). Buy quality...buy once.

I now know why one has to add oil so slowly.

The end of the oil filler tube is capped off with a plastic grill so that nothing but oil makes it into the oil tank. The holes in the grill are quite small.

By the way, replace it every so many years. Mine split without knowing it and over half a liter flowed all over the right frame rail and down onto the heat exchanger while the engine was running. Talk about smoke signals.

hey -- me too! just did an oil change for the first time too two weeks ago. Cost me a little more since I had to buy a floor jack and jack stands. End cap 3 prong style filter wrench (craftsman) was very helpful for the small filter ... and I didn't have to move the oil return line either!

One lesson I found -- the oil didn't just flow out -- it rushed and gushed. I had one of thos Kragen oil pan things ( flat and round) - but just didn't handle the flow... had to do a quick-exchange with a big bin I just happened to have nearby . I still had alot of oil on the garage floor - but it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Good learning experience. - my first ever oil change - on any car.

Congratulations guys. The oil changes definetely get easier and faster over time.

Guys, I have a oil vacuum pump. It gets put into the oil take before I remove the plug, then I suck out a bit. This way when the plug is removed it doesn't make a mess. I start sucking the oil when the car is jacked up & I'm doing the filters.

No, even with the filler tube extension removed it still flows slowly, I pull mine all the way out before I start adding oil. I suspect it has more to do with letting the air escape while oil is added and the size of the pipe going to the tank than anything else.

What I miss is the oil filler door on the '72's for cars that have oil tanks forward of the rear wheel. Can pour the stuff in there at pit stop speed!

Oh, and tire changing is easy. Just need more shop equipment. Yesterday was a new set of trailer tires. Funny how a "standard" tire is easy to mount and tough to seat the bead/inflate as the rim tends to be wider than the tire in its natural state, and a "perfomance" tire can be tough to mount but the bead has pretty much pre-seated by the time you wrestle it over the lip and to where it's resting on the drop center ready to be inflated.

Is this the door that folks would mistakenly use as the fuel filler?

I think that's why that door went away...

And 40 years later it still haunts them. Can't you see the engineering guys so excited about moving the tank and doing this circa 1970, only to find out probably one week after the cars went on sale here that they had to undo it because of some dumb-ass Americans?