Oil change hell!!!

[pgpd324]

I would love to get ahold of the commie bastard that put the oil filter there and let me cut my wrist on that plastic guard while going around that damn gutter that gets oil all over hell and half of Georgia.. I can change my Z-71 oil in about ten minutes compared to this debacle..at least put it vertical instead of horizontal so it doesn't douse you with oil. That engineering degree didn't teach you crap apparently. Ok I'm done now.. ,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Whew..

[JeniorNV]

Put a rag on that little gutter to catch the oil. Sit next to the passenger side tire and reach around the skid plate to access the filter. Makes it much simpler. The hole in the skid plate is just to allow oil to drip out. It's not meant for you to put your hand through.

[boom]

If it makes you feel any better I had to have a MRI on my hand after trying to change my oil the first time due to the filter access. Reaching in there crooked and twisting as hard as I could I thought I re-tore a ligament in my thumb! And I still didn't get it off lol. Moral of the story is get an oil filter wrench, I like mine it's the one that goes over the end that a ratchet goes into. Took me 10 minutes total the second go 'round.

[barmato]

What drives me crazy is how a crapload if oil dumps out all over the swaybar and skid plate as soon as you pull the filter away from the threads no matter how long you let it sit there to drain.

Although as bad as this is, the filter on my miata is WAY worse.

[09eq]

Originally Posted by pgpd324

I would love to get ahold of the commie bastard that put the oil filter there and let me cut my wrist on that plastic guard while going around that damn gutter that gets oil all over hell and half of Georgia.. I can change my Z-71 oil in about ten minutes compared to this debacle..at least put it vertical instead of horizontal so it doesn't douse you with oil. That engineering degree didn't teach you crap apparently. Ok I'm done now.. ,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Whew..

You'll get the hang-of-it. I remove 1 bolt and loosen other on access plate and turn it out of way - look through hole, reach aroung skid plate on passenger side with above mentioned cap style filter socket on a 3/8 ratchet - built in drain channel works ok. Yes - it seems all factory filters are put on dry and over tight, because every new car I've owned has been same PITA.

[dubie2003]

Do yourself a favor and install some edge molding on that access cover if you continue to reach thru it.

[JeniorNV]

Originally Posted by boom

If it makes you feel any better I had to have a MRI on my hand after trying to change my oil the first time due to the filter access.

Is this a true story? Sounds like an expensive oil change.

[crzycrkr]

I can't believe people here are still complaining about the oil changes, lol. As others have said, it's very simple. Just reach around the side of the skid plate. I use a cut soda bottle on top of the drain slide to extend it a little so no oil goes in the skid. Simple and takes no longer than any other vehicle

[Mhannis]

Originally Posted by crzycrkr

I can't believe people here are still complaining about the oil changes, lol. As others have said, it's very simple. Just reach around the side of the skid plate. I use a cut soda bottle on top of the drain slide to extend it a little so no oil goes in the skid. Simple and takes no longer than any other vehicle

soda bottle is a damn fine idea. if im ever not a dealer tech, i may have to try that out.

actually...no i probably wont.. because working at a dealer i know that i can get my oil changed in a v6 frontier, for cheaper than what it would cost me to do it myself. and it gives me free right to ***** if its left dirty at the end

i long for the days i get to be a cranky customer.

[SnoopySV]

Ive found the easiest and cleanist way to change the oil is to just remove the entire skid plate.