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AHHHH!!!! Oil change from He!!

Joined
19 January 2003
Messages
1,084
Location
Maryland
Oh my goodness........

Seems like such a simple thing... Oil is dirty. Take out old oil. Remove filter. Install new filter. Pour in new oil.

Yeah.....

Not really....

Step 1 (removing oil).
This step was super simple with my handy dandy oil extractor. Pump up this clever device seven or eight billion times and voila, I've got all of the oil out of the car and am ready to move on to Step 2.

Step 2 (remove filter).
Who's brilliant idea was it to put the friggin filter behind the tire. Could it really be in a less convenient place? Okay, well it is what it is, so I go get the floor jack and was pleased as punch that it fit under the car. It was especially handy to have the arrow showing me where to put the jack! Thanks Acura! I'm still bitter about the filter placement though. Anyway, cars up in the air, so I grab my spiffy new oil filter wrench and wiggle under the car and slip the the wrench over the filter and voila... Who knew that oil filter wrenchs come in different sizes?! I'll bet you figured out that I have the wrong size. Mine's too big. No biggy I think to myself, my beautiful pregnant wife is inside watching tv and will be going to bed anytime, so I have all night to get this thing right. I go and get the old filter wrench which has never worked very well for me, but it's all I had, so I give that a go. This again requires my wiggling back out from under the car to go get the other wrench. Anyway, back under the car I go with the old wrench. I contort my arms and wrists in the most unnatural of positions in order to get the wrench on the filter and try to take it off. Uh oh... It won't budge. Keep trying I think to myself. I'm strong, I can do it. 20 minutes of groaning, banging my knuckles on the beauty of the NSX suspension and, well, nada... Darn thing won't budge. Now what? I consider asking my wife for her help. Maybe she can get the filter off. Not sure whether she can get her belly under the car, but she's pretty strong too, so it was worth thinking about. Well, since she was tired, I figured I'd let her alone. Okay, back to the filter... I'm not done? How can I not be done? If I'd gone to Jiffy Lube, I'd be done. Darn, I hate being cheap. Okay, the filter... How do I get it off? Perhaps I can drill a hole in it and pry it off with a screwdriver. I have always heard of that approach and this seemed like my only option. Out comes my new drill. Well, it's not that easy to drill at at this angle. 10 minutes later, I've scuffed up the filter pretty good, but I don't think I've gotten anywhere with drilling a hole into the filter. Alright, what if I drill more toward the bottom of the filter? Well, that seems to work pretty well and before I could say "Exxon Valdez," I had my very own oil slick in my garage! Oh S$#11#@$#!#@$. If my wife see's this, she's going to take away my tools for a long time! Little tiny filter holds a heckuva a lot of oil. Well, I've got my hole in the filter, so in goes the screwdriver. Hmm... I'm pulling pretty hard, but oddly, the filter isn't moving. No wait, it is starting too... Uh, no... that's the screwdriver bending... Man.... this sucks. Okay, larger screwdriver... Hey, it's working, the filter moved. I'll spare you the next 20 minutes devoted to moving the filter 1/4 inch at a time. Anyway, I finally get the filter off. Yeah!

Step 3 (install filter). At this point, Sue and Penny (my doggy) come out to visit.... Please don't see the oil slick, please don't see the oil slick, please don't sick the oil slick... Ok, they went back inside, so back underneath the car I go with my oil filter filled with oil. ahhhh.... the filter doesn't fit! Darn Advance Auto Parts... They told me that this particular K&N filter is the right one. I saw the computer screen and it showed the item number I picked up. Well, I guess that's that. Off to Acura in the AM to get the right filter and I'll finish up tomorrow night.

Hopefully the next time I go to take the oil filter off it will come a bit easier...

I really liked that K&N filter because it has a 1 inch bolt like thing on the top to help you spin it off. Anyway have the right part number for a K&N oil filter?

Have a good night NSX'ers.
 
:biggrin:

Your commentary's are hillarious... Thanks for the good laugh before bed.

Yeah.. ever since I started doing everything on my car(s) I stopped purchasing a lot of things from advance and places like that. The fitment is just not right.

What really did it was when I bought cam seals from advance auto b/c the oem's were leaking. Well after changing them and starting the car.. go figure..the cam seals are just off enough such that they spin WITH the cam.. go figure...

Seriously filters, and things like that.. always acura...

Oh yeah.. for your filter.. may I suggest:
http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/catalog/index_browse_part.cfm?focus=968

When you go to acura you should be able to order it there also.

Makes life MUCH easier.. heck.. I think that tool was the second thing I bought for the nsx. (Service manual first).

Again.. I like your commentary's.. very visual..

good luck w/ the rest.. :wink:

x
 
wow... i can't imagine a filter being on so tight! :eek:

next time..dip your finger in the oil and lube up the filter gasket... also.. since our filters goes in top side up.... fill the filter with oil prior to installing it....

I agree with vbNSX... it's best to use the OEM filter...
 
If you ever struggle with the filter again, I would suggest taking the right rear tire off and that will give you room to fit a large pair of channel locks right where you need them. That gives you the most leverage and the filter will have no choice but to come off. That's what I did the first time I went to do the filter, some guys put them on way too tight.

After that I would suggest also sticking with the OEM filter and using the filter wrench made for that particular filter.

Also, you didn't mention using jack stands at all. You just said you jacked it up and crawled under. NEVER do that. I have had a hydraulic jack fail on me before, do not depend on them to hold the car up while you are under, get a good pair of jack stands. Of course, disregard these comments if you indeed did use jack stands.

good luck
 
Hey Mike. Next time, let me know when you do it so I can instruct you to do mine while sitting on my butt. :D Anyway, I would suggest calling up the local acura dealer around here for the filter. I'm pretty sure Tischer and Pohanka have them in stock but not sure about the one near you. Also, if you remove the right rear wheel, you should be able to twist off the filter with your hand. You just have to grip with both hands, but taking the wheel off makes it tons easier.

akio
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. With regard to the jack, I had a jack stand as well. I swung past Rosenthal Acura on 355 in Gaithersburg this AM and they have an awesome price on our filters... only $9.99 and it includes the drain plug washer (which if anyone wants them locally, you can have 'em since I'll be using the oil extractor). I haven't ever seen a price that before low before. I don't drive the NSX much, so the 5 that I purchased will last a long time!
 
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A large pipe wrench does the trick too.

If you "bite" with the wrench teeth vertically and the jaw is pressed against the bottom radius of the filter ...the width of the teeth will grab onto the filter body and the handle will work as a lever.

Takes about 30 seconds, keep the tire on and no mess.

I've had the filter tool slip as the OEM filter flexes and allows the tool to spin.

Whenever I get close to my NSX with a either a pipe wrench or prybar, I feel as if my knuckles are dragging on the ground.

Drew
 
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I swung past Rosenthal Acura on 355 in Gaithersburg this AM and they have an awesome price on our filters... only $9.99 and it includes the drain plug washer

Which filter would that be?

15400-PL2-004?

Drew
 
In all my years of changing oil filters on all the cars that I've owned and own, I never had a hard time removing the filter. I always use a torque wrench to tighten the filter to the manufacturer spec and never have a problem removing them with the proper oil filter removal cap tool.

In your case, the filter was overtightened and that's why it was a bitch to remove.
 
GOTTSPD said:
At this point, Sue and Penny (my doggy) come out to visit.... Please don't see the oil slick, please don't see the oil slick...
I enjoyed reading your post, you made me smile…I thought you were going to tell us the dogs stepped in the oil and got back into the house b/f you could get out from under the car to stop them. Good thing they stayed away from the oil slick! Funny post! Thanks! :biggrin:

Paul
 
Great story! Thanks for the memories I had getting started when I could barely fill the gas and tried to do my own maintenance.

Anyway - another couple tips. Get a "strap wrench" from sears or auto parts store. It is a great tool and makes removal and re-tightening a snap. You really don't need a lot of torque to put it back on so don't make the same mistake the last person did.

Another tip. I loosen the old filter to about where it is going to fall and then I put a zip lock bag over it and loosen it the rest of the way. That way it catches the oil and you can recycle the oil from the bag as well.

Good luck.

PS: Here are my "getting started" stories you might find amusing

http://www.ourfamilyinteractive.com/PhotoAlbums/NSX/headers_for_dummies.htm

http://www.ourfamilyinteractive.com/PhotoAlbums/NSX/springs_for_dummies.htm
 
hlweyl said:
If you ever struggle with the filter again, I would suggest taking the right rear tire off and that will give you room to fit a large pair of channel locks right where you need them. That gives you the most leverage and the filter will have no choice but to come off. That's what I did the first time I went to do the filter, some guys put them on way too tight.

After that I would suggest also sticking with the OEM filter and using the filter wrench made for that particular filter.

Also, you didn't mention using jack stands at all. You just said you jacked it up and crawled under. NEVER do that. I have had a hydraulic jack fail on me before, do not depend on them to hold the car up while you are under, get a good pair of jack stands. Of course, disregard these comments if you indeed did use jack stands.

good luck


Another alternative (and my personal preference), go to Wal-Mart and get a set of ramps for $25.

Will
 
WillErickson said:
Another alternative (and my personal preference), go to Wal-Mart and get a set of ramps for $25.

Will
While they work great on most cars, these are not advised on the NSX, chances are you'll scrape and hate yourself in the morning. :smile:
 
I had the filter wrench that looks like a plier, and it never failed removing any "canister" filter I had problem with. Yes, it's long enough for you to assert adequate torque to remove.

The K&N filter is good, but you have to be very careful getting the 1 inch socket, you must use the hexagon type (instead of the one with more teeth). My experience is tht the K&N's nut is not strong and it's very easy to deform and stripped, if the filter is installed in an angle. I never tried it on nsx, I don't think they make one for the nsx.
 
Ramps are awesome. Make your own but cutting a shallow approach angle on 2x8s or 2x10s. Bolt 5 or 6 together on edge and you have an nsx friendly ramp!

I LOVE them for oil changes - couldn't be easier.

P.S. to the original poster, we all started at the exact same spot. Keep after it and enjoy the learning curve. Working on my NSX is about the best stress reliever there is. In this case, I HIGHLY recommend the oem filter wrench - those straps are a pain in comparison. This is it.
 
LOL, that's halarious. I'm lazy, (and pretty bad with tools, lol) I just drop it off a Rosenthal Acura for $25 bucks. Get quick car wash while I'm there too.
 
UPDATE:

All is well in the world... Mostly...

Got home and lifted the car again (jack and jack stand) and installed the Honda oil filter that I preloaded with oil. Dropped the car back down and grabbed the rest of the oil containers and my funnel and started pouring. Everything went well. Yeah...

Sue & I go out for a drive and when we come back, she got out before I put the car in the garage and noticed the oil slick that I apparently hadn't cleaned up all that well. Uh oh... I just got that look of extreme disappointment and a minor talking too.

The good news is that all is well and I'm set for a good while.

ibDursty, is the $25 just for labor and your provide the parts? Clearly that price is not a full P&L price with synthetic and a $23 filter...
 
hlweyl said:
While they work great on most cars, these are not advised on the NSX, chances are you'll scrape and hate yourself in the morning. :smile:

I've not had any problems on my stock ride height '95, perhaps it might be tough with a lowered car though.....
 

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GOTTSPD said:
Sue & I go out for a drive and when we come back, she got out before I put the car in the garage and noticed the oil slick that I apparently hadn't cleaned up all that well. Uh oh... I just got that look of extreme disappointment and a minor talking too.
I guess alot of husbands get this mother/son treatment from their wives and I just don't get it. Maybe my wife just doesn't act like that and I surely wouldn't tolerate it.

Maybe your wife should get out there and do an oil change herself for cripes sake (ok maybe after she delivers ;) ). Why doesn't she admire you for trying rather than scold you if you didn't do it like a professional mechanic? That's ridiculous IMO.
 
She's frustrated that I keep messing up the garage floor with oil and paint... I can understand where she's coming from...
 
GOTTSPD said:
She's frustrated that I keep messing up the garage floor with oil and paint... I can understand where she's coming from...

Should consider a special floor coating.. makes it easier to pick up after your messes..

Although i'm not one to talk considering my garage floor is all carpeted with crappy pieces of random carpet.. :tongue:
x
 
Vytas said:
In all my years of changing oil filters on all the cars that I've owned and own, I never had a hard time removing the filter. I always use a torque wrench to tighten the filter to the manufacturer spec and never have a problem removing them with the proper oil filter removal cap tool.

In your case, the filter was overtightened and that's why it was a bitch to remove.

Overtightened AND didn't oil the rubber gasket. I've seen several of these, one requiring a hammer and chisel after the screwdriver through the center failed to get it off, .........but they always seem to learn after the first time.

The good thing about the location of the filter is that you can prefill it full with oil before install. I think that makes a big difference during a life time of oil changes.

 
What a great post! That was totally funny.

I also, just did my first oil change. Sure isn't like doing one on a standard vehicle. I went down to Acura got my filter, then took the filter with me into Autoznoe and found a filter boot that fit perfectly. Don't forget:

Change the oil when the engine temp is at normal running temp (hot)
33ft pounds on the oil plug (overtightening can strip the threads)
16ft pounds on the filter

Have fun in your freshly lubed X
 
I'm pleased to report that I changed the oil today (2750 miles since my last change that had taken 2 nights). Today's job went MUCH, MUCH better than my last attempt. I used my handy, dandy oil extractor to remove the old oil (highly recommend this device), jacked up the car, climbed underneath the car and with relative ease, I removed the filter. I still managed to recreate my own rendition of the EXXON Valdez fiasco in my garage. I (once again) underestimated the amount of oil that would come out when removing the filter.

Nonetheless, the whole thing, including a test drive (I had to do the test drive, right??? It would have irresponsible not to go driving around the neighbor for a while to make sure everything was okay) took an hour or two (I drove very slowly around the neighborhood). I'm pleased that it went so smoothly!

Happy trails everyone!

-Michael
 
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