Oil change techniques?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,433
Likes: 3,624
From: Commerce Texas
I quit changing oil in cars when I was 16.... I'm now bumping 72...
Same technician has changed my oil for the past 24 years. Takes about 20 minutes costs $53.80 with filter and 6 qts Mobile 1. Why in the world would I want to screw with it? It's just an oil change for Pete's sake....
Same technician has changed my oil for the past 24 years. Takes about 20 minutes costs $53.80 with filter and 6 qts Mobile 1. Why in the world would I want to screw with it? It's just an oil change for Pete's sake....
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 14,475
Likes: 785
From: Las Vegas NV
I quit changing oil in cars when I was 16.... I'm now bumping 72...
Same technician has changed my oil for the past 24 years. Takes about 20 minutes costs $53.80 with filter and 6 qts Mobile 1. Why in the world would I want to screw with it? It's just an oil change for Pete's sake....
Same technician has changed my oil for the past 24 years. Takes about 20 minutes costs $53.80 with filter and 6 qts Mobile 1. Why in the world would I want to screw with it? It's just an oil change for Pete's sake....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 6,433
Likes: 3,624
From: Commerce Texas
I'm able, capable.... just don't see the point... these things are just cars.... if I suddenly feel the urge that I've just got to do an oil change I'll change it in my lawn tractor....
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 13,262
Likes: 3,151
From: SW Florida
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Just for your info ... There are 2 sizes of Rhino Ramps. Make sure you get the wider ones (12000).
RhinoRamps 8000
Length: 35"
Width: 10.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
RhinoRamps 12000
Length: 36"
Width: 11.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
Get a couple of 3 feet long 2" x 10"s to increase the total length of the Rhino Ramps so you don't scrape going up them.
Much cheaper than buying those expensive Race Ramps.
RhinoRamps 8000
Length: 35"
Width: 10.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
RhinoRamps 12000
Length: 36"
Width: 11.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
Get a couple of 3 feet long 2" x 10"s to increase the total length of the Rhino Ramps so you don't scrape going up them.
Much cheaper than buying those expensive Race Ramps.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,709
Likes: 1
From: Pacific Northwest
St. Jude Donor '06
I don't have my car any longer but when I did I used a low profile, long reach (Omega) pump jack with crossbeam in front to change the oil. If I wanted the whole car up in the air for other work I used a second pump jack in the rear.
Even with the low profile jacks to clear the crossbeams I needed to pull the car up on 2x lumber to make it work. Once I got the system figured out I could jack the car up pretty quickly by myself.
Even with the low profile jacks to clear the crossbeams I needed to pull the car up on 2x lumber to make it work. Once I got the system figured out I could jack the car up pretty quickly by myself.
Last edited by C-INRED; Aug 9, 2013 at 11:43 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 39
From: Quartz Hill CA
Just for your info ... There are 2 sizes of Rhino Ramps. Make sure you get the wider ones (12000).
RhinoRamps 8000
Length: 35"
Width: 10.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
RhinoRamps 12000
Length: 36"
Width: 11.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
Get a couple of 3 feet long 2" x 10"s to increase the total length of the Rhino Ramps so you don't scrape going up them.
Much cheaper than buying those expensive Race Ramps.
RhinoRamps 8000
Length: 35"
Width: 10.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
RhinoRamps 12000
Length: 36"
Width: 11.5"
Height: 8.5"
Incline: 17 degrees
Get a couple of 3 feet long 2" x 10"s to increase the total length of the Rhino Ramps so you don't scrape going up them.
Much cheaper than buying those expensive Race Ramps.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 39
From: Quartz Hill CA
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 12,687
Likes: 224
From: Nazareth, PA.
St. Jude Donor '17
love 'em. just make sure you get the 10" height.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Rather than ramps where driving on them is somewhat of a problem itself, I chose to make a simple HD box to slip under the wheels after I jack up the front. Then jack up the rear and use jackstands there with the floor jack as the safety backup.
One length of 2 x 8 and $.25 per cut at Home Depot and a handful of nails got me going.
I also stab a hole in the bottom of the filter to drain out oil before removing it. It's a lot less messier that way.
One length of 2 x 8 and $.25 per cut at Home Depot and a handful of nails got me going.
I also stab a hole in the bottom of the filter to drain out oil before removing it. It's a lot less messier that way.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 18,099
Likes: 1,597
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
After it drains to a slow drip, you can partially thread in a sheet metal screw to plug the hole before you spin off the filter.
If you're halfway careful, the only oil cleanup is on the end of the pick tool and not on your hands or the floor.
Pre-filling the filter is a waste of time. After you've drained the oil from the pan, you've also drained the oil pickup tube and the pump and all the oil passages too. It only takes a couple of seconds when you start the engine to re-establish full flow including filling the filter.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 8
From: Clearwater Florida
Ah yes, the "dry start" concerns. Initially, I did not know about the method to crank the engine to bring up oil pressure and pump the new oil thru. Now I use the floored pedal method for the initial starting of the engine after changing the oil. Years ago I was taught that most wear on a motor occurred during start-up, especially if the oil had drained down into the pan or oil had just been drained and refilled. Wizards here on Corvette Forum taught the trick of cranking the LS3 with the pedal floored. The motor will not start when the accelerator pedal is floored. I wait for oil pressure to register on the gauge, then I stop cranking and start the motor normally without touching the pedal. I then feel better about the "dry start" issue. In the old days, I would pull the coil wire to allow cranking to bring up oil pressure. Am I overly concerned? Maybe
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,443
Likes: 7
From: Bristol raceway area
I started changing oil and filter on my Dads car when i was 15. Been changing oil, filter, etc., ever since. I enjoy it and i know it's done right.
Pull it on the wood ramps, remove filter and drain plug. Fill up filter with oil and install, tighten drain plug. Add oil, Done.
Pull it on the wood ramps, remove filter and drain plug. Fill up filter with oil and install, tighten drain plug. Add oil, Done.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,514
Likes: 235
From: Currently somewhere in IL,IN,KY,TN,MO,AR,MS,AL, or FL
Turn the wheel to the left gives a little more room. Use an extension on the wrench and you can remove the oil plug while sitting on the floor. Lay on your back and you can reach the filter with a wrench. No, you don't need ramps or a jack but I do use a jack to raise the car a few inches because that makes it a little easier. Two pieces of 2x12 are only raising the car 3 inches. To me that's barely worth the effort of handling and storing heavy wood but that is probably more than I raise it with the jack because you don't really need to raise it at all. Wally World sells the pan in Lightfoot's picture that fits under without raising.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 8
From: Clearwater Florida
Wow, forum members must be really slender to reach under without lifting the car. I am not slender (although I do have orangutan-arms needing a 37 inch sleeve on my dress shirts) and I need to lift the car to do anything more than feel around under my Vette.
With my drained-oil container, I wouldn't have room to drop a filter or wrench on the drain without raising the car. Maybe a shallow pan would work better.
I am very happy using my three lumber boards as ramps. I do use my ramps to lift both sides of the car. I block the rear wheels and even use short jack-stand or a big block of wood to assure that my cars won't come down on me. I am paranoid about that.
With my drained-oil container, I wouldn't have room to drop a filter or wrench on the drain without raising the car. Maybe a shallow pan would work better.
I am very happy using my three lumber boards as ramps. I do use my ramps to lift both sides of the car. I block the rear wheels and even use short jack-stand or a big block of wood to assure that my cars won't come down on me. I am paranoid about that.
