DIY oil change - one tip
12-01-2012, 09:06 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
DIY oil change - one tip
Did my first oil change. Was fun and pretty darn easy. The old oil (4k approx) looked better than used oil in my other cars for some reason, which is nice to see. Not a trace of mayo in the filler hose either.
One tip or trick that might prove useful to others. After failing to reverse the car on to rhino ramps (not really wide or low enough), I decided to roll the rear tires onto two flat 2x4s. I used two 8 ft pieces (crossways under the car) so they aligned nicely, were stable, and matched the contact patch of the rear tires. Applied the parking brake. The 1 1/2 inches of added clearance was all I needed. A filter wrench worked like a charm and the filter canister was much easier to deal with than my BMW.
I put 8.5 quarts oil in and it reads full to the top line. I'll check the ignition readout again tomorrow. Glad I didn't put 9 quarts in straight away.
BTW. Engine seemed to rev smoother at all ranges. Nice.
One tip or trick that might prove useful to others. After failing to reverse the car on to rhino ramps (not really wide or low enough), I decided to roll the rear tires onto two flat 2x4s. I used two 8 ft pieces (crossways under the car) so they aligned nicely, were stable, and matched the contact patch of the rear tires. Applied the parking brake. The 1 1/2 inches of added clearance was all I needed. A filter wrench worked like a charm and the filter canister was much easier to deal with than my BMW.
I put 8.5 quarts oil in and it reads full to the top line. I'll check the ignition readout again tomorrow. Glad I didn't put 9 quarts in straight away.
BTW. Engine seemed to rev smoother at all ranges. Nice.
12-01-2012, 11:51 PM
#2
Race Director
One tip or trick that might prove useful to others. After failing to reverse the car on to rhino ramps (not really wide or low enough), I decided to roll the rear tires onto two flat 2x4s. I used two 8 ft pieces (crossways under the car) so they aligned nicely, were stable, and matched the contact patch of the rear tires. Applied the parking brake. The 1 1/2 inches of added clearance was all I needed.
Slick and easy. The only difference is I put a 2x4 lengthwise in front of all 4 tires and drive up on them. That way the car stays level to facilitate draining the oil. FWIW.
12-02-2012, 02:24 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
One thing I forgot to mention. It's best roll the wheels (with some momentum) on the wood as opposed to going directly onto the wood by releasing the clutch from a standstill.
Was easiest oil change I've ever done.
12-02-2012, 01:23 PM
#5
Everything I have read about oil changes in this, and other cars for that matter, have stated that it is important for draining that you have your car level. Don't the ramps only in the rear defeat that philosophy?
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12-03-2012, 02:56 AM
#9
Race Director
No. In the case of the mild "slope" from the ramps, the amount of oil drained over a given amount of time is determined by the length of the drain time and how hot the oil is.
The oil change instructions state the engine temp should be IIIRC 170F or hotter (though the exact temperature might be different for different models of cars) and a drain time of 20 minutes for my Boxster. Same for the Turbo.
In the case of the DFI engines the drain time is 1 hour.
And the techs tell me there's an overnight drain time which has a different (slightly) more amount of oil required to make up for the extra bit of oil (another half a quart or so) that drains over the extended time. In this case the techs tell me the engine is just about empty of oil.
As an aside early on I drained the Boxster's engine with the rear of the car on ramps, then raised the front of the car to bring it level -- I have two scissors jacks -- and not very much extra oil came out. The oil came out not because raising the car caused puddled oil to drain but simply because the oil was still draining when I raised the front of the Boxster. I had waited until the oil became a very fine thread but it never looked like it was going to stop. Now that I know about the over night drain thing I suspect the oil would have likely drained for longer than I would have, cared to wait. What I was looking for was an increase in the oil flow which would have suggested to me there was a bit of oil retained due to the car being out of level but as I watched the oil drain I saw nothing of the sort.
'course the oil level can't be checked with the car on the ramps.
Well, that's not quite accurate. In the case of my Boxster and its dipstick I can check the oil level with the car still on the ramps. After I count the empty bottles I do this. I also check the oil with the e-level system. That is I think I do, or did. I have gotten away from doing my own oil changes due to a lack of a place to work on the car and no frickin' spare time.
Anyhow, I do not think the Boxster e-level system will complain about the car being out of level.
In the case of the Turbo there is no dipstick so I count the empty bottles 3 times and when I'm confident everything is ok I start the engine and drive the car off the ramps onto level ground and let the engine idle until the fresh oil is warm enough to let the oil level test take place.
The oil change instructions state the engine temp should be IIIRC 170F or hotter (though the exact temperature might be different for different models of cars) and a drain time of 20 minutes for my Boxster. Same for the Turbo.
In the case of the DFI engines the drain time is 1 hour.
And the techs tell me there's an overnight drain time which has a different (slightly) more amount of oil required to make up for the extra bit of oil (another half a quart or so) that drains over the extended time. In this case the techs tell me the engine is just about empty of oil.
As an aside early on I drained the Boxster's engine with the rear of the car on ramps, then raised the front of the car to bring it level -- I have two scissors jacks -- and not very much extra oil came out. The oil came out not because raising the car caused puddled oil to drain but simply because the oil was still draining when I raised the front of the Boxster. I had waited until the oil became a very fine thread but it never looked like it was going to stop. Now that I know about the over night drain thing I suspect the oil would have likely drained for longer than I would have, cared to wait. What I was looking for was an increase in the oil flow which would have suggested to me there was a bit of oil retained due to the car being out of level but as I watched the oil drain I saw nothing of the sort.
'course the oil level can't be checked with the car on the ramps.
Well, that's not quite accurate. In the case of my Boxster and its dipstick I can check the oil level with the car still on the ramps. After I count the empty bottles I do this. I also check the oil with the e-level system. That is I think I do, or did. I have gotten away from doing my own oil changes due to a lack of a place to work on the car and no frickin' spare time.
Anyhow, I do not think the Boxster e-level system will complain about the car being out of level.
In the case of the Turbo there is no dipstick so I count the empty bottles 3 times and when I'm confident everything is ok I start the engine and drive the car off the ramps onto level ground and let the engine idle until the fresh oil is warm enough to let the oil level test take place.
12-03-2012, 10:13 AM
#10
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for detail macster.
I can see why .5 quarts might have not drained. Car temp was 200F, rear raised 1.5 inches, and after 30 min there was single drops still coming out.
I can see why .5 quarts might have not drained. Car temp was 200F, rear raised 1.5 inches, and after 30 min there was single drops still coming out.
12-03-2012, 06:17 PM
#12
Race Director
No. In the case of the mild "slope" from the ramps, the amount of oil drained over a given amount of time is determined by the length of the drain time and how hot the oil is.
The oil change instructions state the engine temp should be IIIRC 170F or hotter (though the exact temperature might be different for different models of cars) and a drain time of 20 minutes for my Boxster. Same for the Turbo.
In the case of the DFI engines the drain time is 1 hour.
And the techs tell me there's an overnight drain time which has a different (slightly) more amount of oil required to make up for the extra bit of oil (another half a quart or so) that drains over the extended time. In this case the techs tell me the engine is just about empty of oil.
As an aside early on I drained the Boxster's engine with the rear of the car on ramps, then raised the front of the car to bring it level -- I have two scissors jacks -- and not very much extra oil came out. The oil came out not because raising the car caused puddled oil to drain but simply because the oil was still draining when I raised the front of the Boxster. I had waited until the oil became a very fine thread but it never looked like it was going to stop. Now that I know about the over night drain thing I suspect the oil would have likely drained for longer than I would have, cared to wait. What I was looking for was an increase in the oil flow which would have suggested to me there was a bit of oil retained due to the car being out of level but as I watched the oil drain I saw nothing of the sort.
'course the oil level can't be checked with the car on the ramps.
Well, that's not quite accurate. In the case of my Boxster and its dipstick I can check the oil level with the car still on the ramps. After I count the empty bottles I do this. I also check the oil with the e-level system. That is I think I do, or did. I have gotten away from doing my own oil changes due to a lack of a place to work on the car and no frickin' spare time.
Anyhow, I do not think the Boxster e-level system will complain about the car being out of level.
In the case of the Turbo there is no dipstick so I count the empty bottles 3 times and when I'm confident everything is ok I start the engine and drive the car off the ramps onto level ground and let the engine idle until the fresh oil is warm enough to let the oil level test take place.
The oil change instructions state the engine temp should be IIIRC 170F or hotter (though the exact temperature might be different for different models of cars) and a drain time of 20 minutes for my Boxster. Same for the Turbo.
In the case of the DFI engines the drain time is 1 hour.
And the techs tell me there's an overnight drain time which has a different (slightly) more amount of oil required to make up for the extra bit of oil (another half a quart or so) that drains over the extended time. In this case the techs tell me the engine is just about empty of oil.
As an aside early on I drained the Boxster's engine with the rear of the car on ramps, then raised the front of the car to bring it level -- I have two scissors jacks -- and not very much extra oil came out. The oil came out not because raising the car caused puddled oil to drain but simply because the oil was still draining when I raised the front of the Boxster. I had waited until the oil became a very fine thread but it never looked like it was going to stop. Now that I know about the over night drain thing I suspect the oil would have likely drained for longer than I would have, cared to wait. What I was looking for was an increase in the oil flow which would have suggested to me there was a bit of oil retained due to the car being out of level but as I watched the oil drain I saw nothing of the sort.
'course the oil level can't be checked with the car on the ramps.
Well, that's not quite accurate. In the case of my Boxster and its dipstick I can check the oil level with the car still on the ramps. After I count the empty bottles I do this. I also check the oil with the e-level system. That is I think I do, or did. I have gotten away from doing my own oil changes due to a lack of a place to work on the car and no frickin' spare time.
Anyhow, I do not think the Boxster e-level system will complain about the car being out of level.
In the case of the Turbo there is no dipstick so I count the empty bottles 3 times and when I'm confident everything is ok I start the engine and drive the car off the ramps onto level ground and let the engine idle until the fresh oil is warm enough to let the oil level test take place.
Last edited by Mike in CA; 12-04-2012 at 03:14 AM.
12-08-2012, 10:57 AM
#13
Rennlist Member
I would actually use 2X10's so the width of the wire is on the wood. Also you could always stair step it to make it 2 high if you have a hard time reaching.
I agree I would rather back onto 2X4's or 2X10's than back onto the ramps.
I agree I would rather back onto 2X4's or 2X10's than back onto the ramps.
12-11-2012, 04:23 PM
#15
Track Day
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After you've done it once elevated to find your way around under the car, one can quite easily change the oil without raising the car at all. The drain times posted here are quite puzzling...when warm, the oil drains very quickly. On level ground it's all out and done dripping after 20 minutes. Also, wonder of wonders, if drained when level, it will take exactly the listed 9.0 qts (997.1 S). I pour all 9.0 qts in right away and it always works out perfecty--showing full or one small segment low on the dash display on alternating start-ups. Watch out for hot exhaust manifolds, but it is really no problem to perform an oil change with the car flat on level ground.