Anyone change their own oil?

[thiggins]

I have been doing all repairs and maintenance on all our vehicles my whole long life. The very few times I tried to use someone else, they just pissed me off with their incompetence.

My 5.0 oil change costs me about $60...mobile 1 full syn and an FL500 oil filter. It won't leak, I won't strip the plug or underfill or overfill, or make a total mess. I also won't try to upsell myself a bunch of junk.
It's easy to do, especially with a quick drain.

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[Mt.F150..]

Only thing I dislike about doing my own oil changes is taking the oil to autozone for disposal

 

[zx6roclet]

Only thing I dislike about doing my own oil changes is taking the oil to autozone for disposal

Even better…. “Sorry our tank is full” ?

 

[Mt.F150..]

Even better…. “Sorry our tank is full” ?

Yes.. especially when your nearest autozone is 10 miles away

 

[jasonkosi]

I always do my own for a number of reasons, cost not necessarily one of them. By the time I buy oil (even on sale) and filter it might only end up being $10-20 cheaper than getting the dealer to do it.
But I like doing basic maintenance myself, as others have mentioned in this thread it’s almost therapeutic and gives you a sense of satisfaction. Plus I can do it whenever is convenient for me, ie on weekends or the evenings when my dealer wouldn’t be open anyway. Save the receipts, write date and mileage on them and they can’t deny you warranty claim for failing to service the vehicle, especially since I do oil changes every 8,000km, not the 16,000+ recommended in the owners manual. Disposing used oil is easy, I just drop it off in the original bottles at a local bottle depot. Don’t even have to deal with anybody there, just walk in and leave it on a cart they have for chemicals.

 

[Larrymoe]

I always do my own for a number of reasons, cost not necessarily one of them. By the time I buy oil (even on sale) and filter it might only end up being $10-20 cheaper than getting the dealer to do it.
But I like doing basic maintenance myself, as others have mentioned in this thread it’s almost therapeutic and gives you a sense of satisfaction. Plus I can do it whenever is convenient for me, ie on weekends or the evenings when my dealer wouldn’t be open anyway. Save the receipts, write date and mileage on them and they can’t deny you warranty claim for failing to service the vehicle, especially since I do oil changes every 8,000km, not the 16,000+ recommended in the owners manual. Disposing used oil is easy, I just drop it off in the original bottles at a local bottle depot. Don’t even have to deal with anybody there, just walk in and leave it on a cart they have for chemicals.

What is a "local bottle depot"?

 

[Escape Hatch]

Yes! Installed a Valvomax on my 3.5 Tremor, makes my changes super easy and less messy. My son works at Jiffy lube and shares stories often, change your own oil.

My oil, Liqui Moly Molygen 5w30 and a filter is roughly $65 for a high quality full synthetic. Worth the piece of mind knowing it is done right with a high quality oil for almost half the price.

 

[GGREGG]

I've been using Grease Monkey for oil changes every 5k miles; full synth oil change runs around $120. This cost, and the oil threads I've seen here, made me wonder how many truck owners change their own oil.

Do you change your own oil?

Absolutely. Castrol 5W30 full synthetic every 4 t0 5K. Replaced stupid plastic drain plug with a machined aluminum one with a ball valve to control the gigantic flow out of the plastic pan. Amazon deliveries the oil and filter. Walmart takes used oil for free. About $50 for 6 qts and filter. Oil plug was $50 .

 

[MTMan]

I like the satisfaction of knowing what work is done on my truck. Been wrenching for going on 40 years as my dad taught me the basics. After doing a lot reading on current products, I decided to go with the Valvoline Protect and Restore with the Premium Guard Extended Life filter rebranded in many house brands.

 

[HOTRODTIM]

Yes; Amsoil all the way. Also changed that factory plastic plug. Replaced with the Ronin quick/ splash less controllable plug to empty pan.

 

[MTMan]

While on the subject, my 3.5 EB has a steel drain plug with rubber gasket. For all you Ford experts out there, do you replace the rubber gasket every so often?

 

[EcoB259]

Yes.. especially when your nearest autozone is 10 miles away

I left it by their front door for them to dispose of when they can.

 

[EcoB259]

As long as I take my truck back to the dealer where I bought it they do the oil changes for free as long as I own the truck.

 

[RcFlyer330]

While on the subject, my 3.5 EB has a steel drain plug with rubber gasket. For all you Ford experts out there, do you replace the rubber gasket every so often?

On my truck I switched to a valvomax drain valve. On my explorer i never changed the oring on the drain plug and its now 15 years old with 187k miles on it.

Now I am not saying you shouldnt replace it but unless the seal is damaged it's not going to leak.

 

[Eighthtry]

I do all of mine. Five cars at the moment for two drivers. Bought Amsoil Signature 5/30 by the 30 gallon drum. They dropped the 30, so all I can get now is the 55 gallon. Just too hard to handle.

Downgraded to platinum plus and Amsoil filters. I will never put semi-synthetic in anything.

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