firesm

Bill, I was wondering about this when I bought my Maxjax, after reading about two post lift issues when changing the oil, but after I set it up and put the car on the lift it seems to clear the drain area - but just. I suppose it depends on the distance that you have between the posts - what's yours?

Slow Guy

My posts are at 118" , I know they're apx. 2" in from max for a mid size car. I wanted to make sure I could get the door open and get out of the car with the lift in place and I can do that.

The skirts on Mike's '95 are a little different than on my '97 plus his are painted so I was a little cautious about moving them out of the way. Also I've found if I use 2 hockey pucks on the rears it gives me more room to work.

rsr91128

Ed,

I leave the oil line in place and use a pair of filter pliers on the small filter to remove it, then hand tighten the new filter. No leaks or issues after 3 small filter changes. Do not buy the cheap adjustable filter pliers, you want the smaller name brand ones like Mac or Snap On.

Some may argue that you get more oil out by removing the line, I drain the oil tank hot and raise the front end up while draining, seems to empty the oil cooler if you are patient enough.

Insulated thick rubber gloves are a must if you try to drain it while still hot.

Mike J

I like to remove the oil line from the engine block because it only takes at the most a minute (I use two long extensions so I actually thread the socket through the wheel spokes all the way inward to undo the 13mm bolt). I then use my trusty 24" monster screwdriver to loosen the oil line. A fair amount of oil comes out, so that is worth the effort in my books....but of course to each his own. The also makes room to unscrew the filter.

Cheers,

Mike

Texas993

While I have always removed the oil line in the past, I tried removing it without detaching the line yesterday. It works and is simple. A little less room to work in, but it is doable.

Slow Guy

Mike, I went searching for one of those for a mid-rise lift and found this. I think it would be perfect. $49 seems like a great solution.

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Pr...ctCode=HT52008

BobbyT

I don't jack up the car to do an oil change. I just lie down next to the car on an old towel, remove the rocker panel cover, drain the oil tank, and change the filter. Being closer to the floor there is shorter distance to the drain pan, hence less splash. I also drain the engine without jacking the car, using an old pie pan as a deflector to prevent oiling everything in sight. I jack the car only to change the engine oil filter.

dcdude

Not only do I take the wheel off, I take the whole right rocker cover off. Gives me a chance to clean it...mmm mmm good!

To take the wheel off, you have to jack the car up, so I always change the little engine filter as well. I don't know why people choose to skip this. I don't take off the return tube (2 more failure points), but maybe every 5th oil change in order to change the O-rings? I have a steel cap wrench like the one posted previously. Sometimes I line parts of it with 400 grit sandpaper to prevent slippage. A 10" - 14" socket extension will allow you to work around the drain tube.

If you do it right, you can time every other annual oil change to coincide with your two-year brake fluid change interval. Again, since the wheel is off, you only got three more wheels to remove for the brake work. Also doing a power steering fluid change while I'm in there. Be sure to let the wife know that you're doing three things at once, so that you're working on the car "less often."

Slow Guy

I use one of these (slightly cut down due to it being a mid-rise lift). Hard to fit under the car unless it's on a lift.

Mike J

This is exactly the one I use, it's just mine is taller for the full sized lift.

Cheers,

Mike

Warpig

Did my first 993 oil change today... use of the aove mentioned filter wrench from Autozone was a must. Due to the ride height it took me 40 minutes to jack up the rear passenger side of the car and get it safely on a jack stand to be able to do the work. After that 2 more hours and I was done. I have never spilled so much oil on the concrete while doing an oil change in my life. If oil were blood it would have looked like I mass murdered an entire family... I'll know what to expect next time and know how and where all the oil is going to flow and drip. I managed to change the small filter on the engine without removing the oil tube, and only removing one end of the silicone heat exchanger tube. i took off the end below the filter and pushed it toward the front of the car to get it out of the way. I was able to snake the old filter out and the new filter in without too much trouble. While pushing the filter up toward the mount I did slip and put the tip of my index finger into one of the heat sink fins on that cylinder and cut the tip of my right ring finger pretty good. otherwise all was well.

Nick

Chuck W.

It does get easier each time you do it.... but it is still a PITA (IMHO).

Garth S

No need to remove the oil line & dick with the O-rings to access the small filter .... remove the orange, molded silicone air hose, and fit the 14 facet wrench and 12" 3/8 extension to the filter: the filter slides out over the sway bar ...

Flying Finn

I use this kind also and btw, only removed the oil line on my 1st oil change, after that, I haven't done that as you can "snake" the filter out without removing it.

P-daddy

Great tips! I'm about to attempt my first oil change soon.