Why I Change My Own Oil

[HammaMan]

By the way I am overdue to rotate my tires, I’m at 12,000 miles. Planning on doing it this weekend. Do I have to retrain the TPMS monitors when I cross them?

No, TPMS is smart and knows what wheel is where. You can swap wheels from another truck and it'll figure it out.

Sponsored

 

[Snakebitten]

I enjoy cars and working on my own stuff so I’m not going to let a dealer tech do it. Also every time someone else has worked on my trucks they stain a seat or shear a bolt. No thanks.

By the way I am overdue to rotate my tires, I’m at 12,000 miles. Planning on doing it this weekend. Do I have to retrain the TPMS monitors when I cross them?

Nope, as HammaMan stated.

But you do need one of those low rolling chairs, a couple of old rags, and a spray bottle of whatever, so you can wipe all the cool stuff down in those 4 corners. ?

Doing at tire rotations is perfect timing.

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

That's pretty much what every truck in the Salt belt looks like after winter ends. Always the first spring project! ?

 

[Facemelter]

Seeing as the price went up on oil changes at the dealer, I'll be doing my own again soon. With Fordpass having a spot to keep records, and me still having all of my tools from when I wrenched, I might be able to change the oil.

I guess if I can install my own lift kit I should be able to change my own oil. lol
Had a coworker at a tire shop who that would never open the hood on oil changes until the very end to put oil in.
One day he left early with a Crown Vic hanging in the air that came in for tires and oil change. I didn't know anything about the car. Boss thought that since the hood was shut, the oil change was done and the new tires were on, bossman lowered the car. motor couldn't of had a teaspoon of oil in it.
It locked up as soon as it hit the end of the parking lot.

 

[Facemelter]

I change my own oil because:
• I do it on my schedule...
• I use the oil I want (AmsOil for now-altho the 92 Suburban
was MobilOne for many years)
• I use the filters I want (CantonRacingProducts.com - 8µ
rated)
• An oil change affords the opportunity to install things such as the 1µ rated bypass filter now installed.
Let's be clear, the oil change places use bulk oil bought at as low a price as they can find. If they don't have the right filter they use one that fits. I change the oil in other components myself, but you know, that transmission does present challenges and so far have had the dealership do it.
Bottom line is that changing the oil myself keeps me close to the truck and what its "thinking and feeling."

Care to share which filter from Canton you're using?

 

[jwolfe]

My biggest issue has been with Dealers just NOT changing the oil - literally not replacing the oil filter if they do at times. My sister did have the dealer not tighten the drain plug - slowly drained out engine started knocking they did own up and replace it though. 99% of the time dealers have their most junior or careless people doing lube and brakes - its better imo to do it yourself.

 

[DNASMART]

Went to Jiffy Lube - happened to notice my windshield reservoir was full of oil - good thing I found it before the oil got into the pump.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Care to share which filter from Canton you're using?

25-194. https://www.cantonracingproducts.co...l-fuel-filters/spin-on-style-oil-filters.html

 

[Calson]

I have my oil changed at an independent shop and pay half as much as I would at any of the local Ford dealers. They recycle the oil for me and that makes it worthwhile.

I never trust mechanics at the usual quick lube places or at the dealers. I have acquired a number of tools and testers over the years that were left in the engine compartment and fortunately did not do any damage.

A common problem with new vehicles is that a prep guy is supposed to add fluids including ATF. With my Chevy truck the ATF was down a great deal and it was because it takes 4.5 cans of fluid and the prep person used only 4 cans and did not bother to open a fifth one.

With my Allison transmission in that truck it used a magnetic ring between the external spin-on filter and the housing and it was not unusual for a mechanic to remove the old filter with the ring attached and install the new filter without the ring. I always had the fluid changes done by an Allison shop to get the better type TES 295 ATF as the Chevy dealers had the inferior TES 389 ATF that has less than half the life of the TES 295 fluid. Labor cost was the same but I would have needed to make twice as many changes with the dealers' ATF.

 

[Old Hat]

I always change my own oil, mostly because of the greater care I know I will take with my vehicle compared to any shop. Time is money, the shops have to do the job quick, and lot boys or mechanics drive and park 'em. No thanks. There is much less chance I will scuff, scrape, ding or otherwise mess something up. Plus, I like to fill the filter with fresh oil prior to install to reduce the no pressure run time at start up. I'm guessing most shops don't bother doing that.

 

[Dale B]

I am an old guy that started changing oil when I worked at a service station when I was in high school in the sixties. I am sure that I have changed oil in thousands of vehicles. I still change my own oil and do it because I can change my own oil and filter in less than 30 minutes. It would take me longer to take my car somewhere to have it done. I changed my oil today in my car and was thinking about what I will do when my new F-150 comes in.
I have a 2024 F-150 5.0 on order.
It has been thirty years since I have had an American car and am looking forward to having an aluminum V8 with four cams and 32 valves built in America. I have been driving Mercedes aluminum V8's with 4 cams and 32 valves for the last 30 years and have changed my own oil and filters the whole time and have never had to crawl under my cars to do it.

All of the oil and filter changes are done without having to get under the car. The oil is pumped out through the dipstick tube at the front of the engine (and the oil pan is designed so that all of the oil is removed through the suction tube rather than the drain plug), the oil filter is removed from the front of the engine under the hood, and the oil filler is right there.
You never have to remove the belly pan or drain plug and never have to get under the car. There is never any oil spilled, or floor clean up required.

In the photo, I am pointing to the dip stick tube where you suction the oil, the oil filter is on the right side of the engine cover and the oil filler tube is just above the oil filter. Everything is right there, and you never have to get under the car/truck. Fifteen minutes and you are done and don't need a lift or pit. Ford engineers take note.

Mercedes and BMW have been designing their cars for ease of service for over 30 years. No drain plugs are stripped out, no drain plugs to be left out and no pits or lifts are required. I am looking forward to getting my F-150, but not looking forward to having to crawl under my truck to do basic oil changes. Ford engineers need to take a look at their competition. A few simple changes would eliminate some major liabilities and significantly reduce time required for maintenance. It would sure help some old guys like me. If the engineers were required to do basic maintenance on the vehicles that they designed, some things would change.

 

[Snakebitten]

If an old geezer like me can get under the truck and change the oil without making a mess of the floor or myself, I think you'll be OK.

Note that I do have a Fumoto valve on the metal sump of the 3.5 Ecoboost.
And I would claim the whole procedure is tooless, but technically the oil filter Cap-socket is a tool.

I even have a 55 gallon plastic drum in the barn for dumping the oil. So the whole procedure is easier than my German car. ?

It requires my lift.

 

[rtf150]

(this is not mine, BTW, just copying this from a reddit post but OMG...)

Toyota Camry owners…”what parts should I have checked?”

I suggest the muffler bearings connected to the flux capacitor next to the coffee pot HEAT EXCHANGER. Start there and get back to me with your findings.

That’s a bad day and hope they took care of him!

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

@Dale B Mercedes-Benz NA headquarters was located in Montvale NJ up until about 10 years ago, 3 miles from my home. Consequently the area was always flooded with used 1 year old MB's as an employee perk they were able to order a new car every year and if you knew someone they could order a car for you if you were willing to wait a year to purchase it from them after it's term. Over the years one of my favorites was the 95 E500 AMG I picked up. That was one hell of a car and final assembly was done by Porsche in Germany. The MB v8's are great engines, and with that said I've also owned 7 Ford pickups over the years all v8's and the current generation Coyote 5.0 as in my 21 has got to be one of the most refined well balanced engines Ford has ever made, you wont be disappointed.
I to, have always changed oil in all of my vehicles, having started when I was a young man in the late 70's. You won't need a lift to get under there but you might want to drive it up on some low ramps even if it's a 4x4. The oil filter is a bit of a mess but not to bad the worst part is wiping the plastic oil drain guide mounted on the frame rail. Yes, not as slick as you have it with the German cars. Good luck with your new American made Truck! post some pics when you get it.

@Snakebitten changing oil on Ferdinand's engines with the dry sump is a big project, I've only tempted once. Not a fun job.

 

[Dale B]

I have picked some good ones over the years. My first Mercedes was a 1992 500E. It was without a doubt the finest vehicle that I have ever owned. I gave it away with 340K miles on it. I regret it to this day. My first Porsche was a 1978 930 Turbo (I still have it). Oil changes are not a problem. A spin on filter in the engine compartment, but you do need a large catch pan to accommodate the 12 quarts in the dry sump. There is a factory sticker under the hood that states to use Mobile 1 only. It is my oil of choice to this day. My first car was a 69' Camero Z/28 that I ordered the summer of 1968. I worked 40 hours a week during high school and 90 hours during the summer to pay for it. I pumped a lot of gas at $.19 a gallon and changed a tanker full of oil to be able to drive that car. It's another car that I wish that I still had. I don't understand why kids won't even think about working these days. I wouldn't be the same person today without the cars that I have owned and the jobs that I have had. I learned from every one of them.

A question about new F-150's, I have a regular cab with 6.5 bed, 4x4, and a 5.0 V8 on order. The 3.73 rear end is the only rear end available, which happens to be the same gear as my Z/28. Back in the day, I could only dream of a ten-speed transmission with the gears spread like the ones today. I can run the numbers, but I just have a tough time picturing how it will behave in the real world. Some of the models come standard with 3.31 gears with the same 5.0 in a heaver truck. First gear is so low that I hear that it is rarely used and 9 and 10 are so high that they are seldom used. Does the rear end gear really matter when you have a ten-speed transmission?

Sponsored