Corndogler
Member
I had read that we are supposed to take our cars to the dealer for the first oil change; is this true, and if so, why? Thanks
Oil Change question
- Thread starter Corndogler
- Start date
Corndogler
Member
Okay, so you hadn't heard anything like that before? Good, I'm going somewhere else then. And the only car I had before this one was a 2000 Tiburon, changed the oil on it once and it was a little difficult.
You just have to be careful there are two seperate o-rings...
Plus on the filter assembly you have to remove the centre silver bolt before you can unscrew the plastic cover...plus its a paper filter insert...its just different and of you have NOT done a lot of oil changes I would not reccomend doing it yourself...you will make a mess...6 quarts has a lot of pressure sitting behind it when it sits the bottom of an oil pan it squirts out about two feet when hot...some people remove the plasti undertray to get at the filter...thats a pin and the jesus clips will definitely break...i figured out a way to do it without removing it and not make a mess..but hard to explain...
Safe bet? Take it to a dealer...
Plus on the filter assembly you have to remove the centre silver bolt before you can unscrew the plastic cover...plus its a paper filter insert...its just different and of you have NOT done a lot of oil changes I would not reccomend doing it yourself...you will make a mess...6 quarts has a lot of pressure sitting behind it when it sits the bottom of an oil pan it squirts out about two feet when hot...some people remove the plasti undertray to get at the filter...thats a pin and the jesus clips will definitely break...i figured out a way to do it without removing it and not make a mess..but hard to explain...
Safe bet? Take it to a dealer...
If you remove the plastic under-tray the oil change is very simple and straight forward. The key is having all the correct tools to do it. Now because it's not as simple as reaching under your car and removing the oil filter, I would recommend you do this in the confines of a garage not out in a driveway etc. Also remember the oil filter sits in a spring loaded plastic filter housing and the torques are written on the housing to include the center housing drain bolt. Filter housing is 25/30NM and the center small bolt is 10nm. O-rings on the plastic housing and center drain bolt that come with the new filter and you'll be fine. New filter and some 5w 30 and your off...
I managed to do it without removing the undertray and without making a mess. If you place a rag just so between the bottom of the filter and the hole it acts like a wick. put the oil drain pan under thehole and most of not all of the oil will drip down into it. The just reached up inside gave it a wipe and was all done. It wrked pretty well. I dont ant to remove the undertray because the damn jesus clips are a pain and always break.
oaklandopen
Member
but bimmer have top mounted filters don't they...that's a little easier than ours. except when the owner wants to go by bimmer's recommended 10k oil change intervals and their filter falls apart in your fingers as you try to take it out.
personally i want to change to a screw on type
coololddude
Member
be sure to keep a record that you can verify, in case you will need it for warranty work. (and you will!)
FrequentFlyer
Member
- :
- 2008 CWP Mazdaspeed3
There's really no way to keep a record that anyone can verify if you change it yourself and if the service manager wants to be a dickhead and deny a warranty claimed based of this, he will. In their eyes, you're guilty until proven innocent walking into the service department with a warranty claim unless you've got a history of buying several vehicles there and/or follow their overpriced service schedule because they wouldn't dare piss off a customer who puts food on the table for them. If they know you just walk in every so often to get warranty work out of them (and IMO, there shouldn't be anything wrong with this), they're going to be less inclined to be cooperative with you.
MikeHTally
Member
- :
- 2008.5 Speed3, 2006 Chrysler 300C, 2003 Ram 1500
Easiest long-term solution is the spin-on filter conversion. Did mine this past weekend.
- :
- 2010 Mazda5 GT
And add a Fumote Valve 
I'm not really looking forward to doing the oil change on my MS3. My Subaru was way easy. I've got a free oil change at my local Mazda dealer so I'll use that first and then think about doing it on my own. Will the dealer mess up those clips, too? If they're as hard to take off as you guys say, I'm thinking I should double check the clips before I leave the dealer lot to see if they need to replace anything.
I'm not really looking forward to doing the oil change on my MS3. My Subaru was way easy. I've got a free oil change at my local Mazda dealer so I'll use that first and then think about doing it on my own. Will the dealer mess up those clips, too? If they're as hard to take off as you guys say, I'm thinking I should double check the clips before I leave the dealer lot to see if they need to replace anything.
MikeHTally
Member
- :
- 2008.5 Speed3, 2006 Chrysler 300C, 2003 Ram 1500
Ditto the fumoto valve. I put mine on when I did the spin-on conversion.
The clips aren't bad -- work the center part loose with a small flat-head screwdriver, just enough to get your fingers around the head of the insert, and pull. Then take the actual clip out. THEN use a cordless drill and a 10mm socket to get the eighty-three screws out.
The clips aren't bad -- work the center part loose with a small flat-head screwdriver, just enough to get your fingers around the head of the insert, and pull. Then take the actual clip out. THEN use a cordless drill and a 10mm socket to get the eighty-three screws out.
oaklandopen
Member
that's not completely true. if you show receipts for oil and filters, given they can be divided into the mileage to show a good interval (say 3,000miles), that should be sufficiant evidence that you changed your oil. i mean come on, if you have a 21,000 mile vehicle, and you have 7 $50 receipts that say oil and filter, wouldn't it be safe to assume you were changing your oil. seems like an awful waste of money if you weren't
bykeryder4life
Member
I went to the dealer for my first oil change(1k Miles) so they could look over everything on the car once it had been broken in and driven. Since then I have never gone back for anything, I do it all myself because I dont trust them after the service tech told me they use 5w-20 and tried to argue with me so I took the owners manual out and threw it at him when I got to the page that says 5w-30 for the turbo engine and 5w-20 for the regular mazda 3. To make oil changes easier I cut the undertray a little so I dont have to remove it to get to the filter. Takes 20 min. to change with correct tools, I recommend you get the filter wrench from mazda..it's cheap and fits better than any aftermarket stuff you'll find
MikeHTally
Member
- :
- 2008.5 Speed3, 2006 Chrysler 300C, 2003 Ram 1500
Just having receipts saying you bought oil and filters proves nothing if Mazda says so. Who's to say it went in that car, or any car? I buy oil and filters when I find 'em on sale. Just today I ordered ten K&N oil filters from Amazon.com, four more for the Speed and six for my daughter's Camry.
The ones for the Mazda won't get used for a while. When they do, there'll be a shop receipt for the work. If I have an oil-related problem (HIGHLY unlikely) during the warranty period, there'll be a reputable shop's receipts, showing the VIN and the interval.
The ones for the Mazda won't get used for a while. When they do, there'll be a shop receipt for the work. If I have an oil-related problem (HIGHLY unlikely) during the warranty period, there'll be a reputable shop's receipts, showing the VIN and the interval.
Go steal a fork from the kitchen drawer, remove one tyne w/ needle nose pliers. Sand or grind the two opposing tynes to provide a ramp to lift the 'tab' or 'hat' of these "jesus clips". (Jesus-rings exist only on Jaguars)
With said needle nose, manipulate the two opposing tynes to fit symmetrically about the root of this clip. It's shaped like a tee "T".
Change your own oil. It's fun to learn about your car. I'm 6'2, 240 and I built two ramps from 3/4 plywood 10" wide and staggerd lenthths (it's a ramp), 3" thickness's total. It brings the front end up 3" that is enough for me to reach all 10mm bolts, lift the aft clips through the slot and out. Everything is up at the front where you want it. Use your favorite fork to remove the J-clips first. The oil does shoot-out when warm/hot. Who gives a s***. It's fun! Do it!
I use Mazda filters, $5 ea just to safeguard the warranty stuff and kept the blend for the first several thousand miles. I did this because I'm old and old-school and who gives a s***.
MikeHTally, where did you get the spin-on kit from?
With said needle nose, manipulate the two opposing tynes to fit symmetrically about the root of this clip. It's shaped like a tee "T".
Change your own oil. It's fun to learn about your car. I'm 6'2, 240 and I built two ramps from 3/4 plywood 10" wide and staggerd lenthths (it's a ramp), 3" thickness's total. It brings the front end up 3" that is enough for me to reach all 10mm bolts, lift the aft clips through the slot and out. Everything is up at the front where you want it. Use your favorite fork to remove the J-clips first. The oil does shoot-out when warm/hot. Who gives a s***. It's fun! Do it!
I use Mazda filters, $5 ea just to safeguard the warranty stuff and kept the blend for the first several thousand miles. I did this because I'm old and old-school and who gives a s***.
MikeHTally, where did you get the spin-on kit from?
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Speed3Rookie
Member
mr_mazda329
Member
- :
- 97 Mazda Miata; 09 CWP Mazdaspeed 3
Where can we buy the spin-on coversion at?
Speed3Rookie
Member
PG....vendor on this site.
http://siteground207.com/~protegeg/product_info.php?cPath=160_256&products_id=1210
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