[Magnum6464]

Well today I did my first oil change at home. I usually have it done (provide my own oil and filter) but decided, hey why not.

So I took the day off today to have a longer weekend.....I remove the air box, remove and replace the oil filter, empty the oil tank, change the drain plug and copper washer. All done, now the bottom engine plug.

That stupid engine drain bolt is a bitch to get to when not on a hoist. So I can’t reach it and barely have any room under the car. No I didn't raise the car... I figured if I can do it without why not? So I realize I need to lift the car....crap....but want it on a level. My garage has a small dip coming onto the driveway of about 2 inches. So I go into the garage and get 2 pieces of 2X6 about 30 inches and 2 other one about 12 inches long. I cut them into an angle and made ramps. So I back the car out of the garage, well more like push the car with my wife in it and when it reached the top I told her to apply the hand brake.

I remove the pan underneath it and then removed the plug from the passenger side at the end of my arm holding an air ratchet...and I just reached it....damn what a shit job doing it without a hoist...I know what I want on my next Xmas wish list...hehehe!!!


~

Mario

[tazandjan]

I did all the work for years using steel ramps and they make much better ones now that you can stick together like Leggos. The old ramps and jack stands worked for me for years. Too lazy now, so congrats on figuring out how to do it.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[Night Life]

Mario congrats bro, I find sometimes some things are best left to others to do. I almost started last year to do my Oil change on my 348 then I thought about it, although it would be nice to do, would I really enjoy changing my oil ??(NO, Hell NO) The other is I have to get rid of the old oil which is a pain in the A$$. Then my time came into question and I decided it's just to expensive for me to do it so I let my Mech do it.

I'm glad you did and if you like doing it all power to you, I like tinkering and hands on but Oil + Mess + Time = No thanks

[Kurby69]

Good to know Mario! It gives me some ideas for my garage now. I will most likely be doing my own oil changes as well on my 348...


Greg

[Magnum6464]

It took me about 2 hours to do because of the unexpected things and as well, my oldest daughter was there snooping around asking a million questions which was cool.

My wife refused to leave my side in fear of the car falling on me and she had the phone on my work table… I guess she likes me, I was more worried she would remove the hand brake…HAHAHA!!!! She said…”I can just see the headlines now…Dream Car Kills Owner”.

Unless you lift the car at least 12 inches or higher, I don’t recommend doing it without an air ratchet because you need a long reach due to the fact that you cant get under the car and use a smaller ratchet. As well, the air ratchet provides an additional lenght to our arm for an extended reach.

Roberto, I understand what you mean but here, nobody wants to even look at my car because of the name. My car fits on any alignment rack out there and doing an oil change is so damn easy. I could bring it to my uncle but I kind of like doing stuff like that on my own…well the things I can.

I will be building either bigger ramps or buying them.


~

Mario

[Jimmy Chen Shiba DDS]

Well done, Mario. w/ smiles Jimmy

[bill ward]

Mario-
a two post hoist is under $3,000.00 and the best thing you'll ever do for yourself. So much easier to change oil, detail your car, EVERYTHING. You'll find more uses for this hoist than you can imagine. look at northern energy and if you have any questions about setting it up contact me. I have a 10, 000 hoist and i love it, will never be without it. bill

[Magnum6464]

Yeah, I want a hoist in my garage but...there is always a but... My garage is not high enough and last year my floor cracked and slightly shifted. I had a groundhog make his home under my floor and I guess that was enough to shift the corner of my garage down about a half inch. But luckily enough, my garage is big, 1000sqf (well, big for my salary).

I want to rebuild it but wife wants the basement completely redone and I have to wait. She only wants one project at a time because she says I will spend all my time in the garage rebuilding it and not in the basement, and she’s....ummm kind of right....hehehe!!!!

Now, when I do, I’m not sure if I should get a 4 post with casters of a 2 post lift from this company here http://www.carlift.ca/index.php

Reason is a 4 post can be moved around but a 2 post can be a hassle when still needing the area to park/work etc...


~

Mario

[svldvc]

good job Mario.
I do my oil changes all the time...(well on a Ferrari..don't have one..yet)
did it on my Porsche 911 and all my other cars..

once you get the hang of it, the process goes pretty smooth.

[champagne612]

Good work Mario - suggest a mono post lift.

I have one that may be for sale

[tazandjan]

I remember my first oil change on my old Daytona. Place 12 quart pan/carrrier on floor. (Remember those plastic pans that were also a jerry can with a bolt in the middle of the pan depression? Really messy, but worked great for the Dino.) Remove pan bolt and allow sump to drain, all OK. Remove dry sump oil tank bolt and allow tank to drain. OK until the last 4 quarts or so overflowed onto the garage floor. Look at Carbooks copies of owners manuals (Daytona, Dino, 365 GTC, 365 GT 2+2, all I had then), find car holds ~17 quarts of oil. Oops. Guess that is where the oily finger prints in the book originated. Maybe. Learn how much oil absorber it takes to absorb 4 qts of oil. Lots. Beer helped. Had to buy more oil, too.