Maintenance: Classic oil change writeup

[kobalt]

You asked for it, so here it is! DIY oil change can be a rewarding and a learning experience. When Omegaic showed up in my driveway with his '98 Classic, we found out it was easy and fun as well.

** L47 oil + filter change **

Difficulty: beginner

Time required: 30-45mins

Tools required:

- ramps

- ratchet wrench

- 3+ inch extension

- socket size 15mm

- filter cap socket size 75mm

- torque wrench (optional)

- oil drain pan

Parts required:

- AC Delco part# PF61 oil filter or equivalent

- 10W-30 motor oil




Take the car for a 15min drive before proceeding



Use gloves to protect your hands - the oil will be hot





Never went up ramps? See my 2nd-gen oil change guide for proper ramp use





Open the hood and undo the oil fill cap



We used some cardboard to protect the driveway - a good decision (see below)



The oil filter - accessible easy to reach



Luckily the oil drain plug is located on the aft of the pan



Undo the drain plug with a 15mm socket



There goes the oil into the drain pan (mostly) CAUTION: it will be hot



This is why you want the cardboard folks. It happens to the best of us.
Right click to download the video below (1.6mb) to see how it happened.

www.weekendwars.com/aurora/oilchange/drainplug.wmv



Use the filter cap socket to loosen (not remove) the oil filter





Let the oil drip out and unscrew by hand the rest of the way - let it drip for at least 5 minutes



Drain the remaining oil in the filter into the drain pan



Oil filter sump up close and personal



Prep the new filter by smearing some oil on the gasket





Install the new filter and drain plug - torque to manual specification or hand-tighten



Place the old filter in the new filter box to prevent small spills



Fill with 7 quarts of oil - top off later as needed





Please dispose of the old oil properly - take it to the local recycling center



I usually hang the pan over an old gas can with a funnel and let it drip overnight



Reset the DIC oil life indicator





According to the oil dip stick more is needed - we added the remaining pint

All done! Congratulate yourself and drink a favorite alcoholic beverage as a toast to a job well done.

Final thoughts: What proper drain plug plcement can do - this oil change was much less complicated than the shortstar one last week all because the new guy did not get to design the L47 oil pan Seriously, anyone with a little time, some basic tools and common sense can change their oil on the Classic!

GM designed a proper oil drain but this time they fudged up with the dip stick. We filled the engine to capacity (7.5 quarts) only to find out that barely past the lower end of the scale on the dip stick. This would indicate that we need at least 3/4 quart extra to reach the "full" mark. 3/4 quarts of extra oil is not healthy for the engine and that's conservative considering the fact that 100% drain is almost impossible. All this because of a poorly designed dipstick.

UPDATE: Quick fix for the problem above - Once the oil has settled in the crankcase, carefully take measure of the level and notch/mark the dipstick at that spot. This is your true "full" mark and will help provide accurate readings in the future for top-offs and oil changes.

Once again there is something to be learned from this oil change - no matter how many times you have done it before, oil spills are still possible just watch the video (right click to save):

www.weekendwars.com/aurora/oilchange/drainplug.wmv

I was not a happy camper when that oil got on my forearm, but in retrospect it its quite amusing

[JimW]

Top quality work gents, informative and concise, good choice of oil as well.

You can really see how black the used oil is once it comes out of the drain hole.

Thanks for the efforts!

[stevensolds]

damn nice job guys. could you come up to my place and teach me how to do it lol. GREAT mobil 1 oil too.... im going full synthetic the next change at the shop. The engine having a triple chain drive system is reason enough to have full synthetic.

Good job guys!

[erw38]

I need an oil change. I don't have ramps yet so I guess I will wait another month or so till I get them. Nice writeup though.

[omegaic]

FYI: After driving the car, then letting it sit for many hours, the dipstick reads dead center now. I guess it takes a little while for all that oil to settle down.

[stevensolds]

erw, cant you take it to the shop if it really needs it?

also omega, did you use the full 8 quarts in the motor? i would think it would take 10 minutes for it settle all down anyway.

[miklar]

Excellent job guys! Very detailed and, for an oil change, pretty interesting too. You have almost inspired me to go out and buy the ramps and required tools to do my next oil change myself. Mmmm..on second thought, I think I'll take it in to my local shop. They kick in a fluids check, lube all around and even rotate the tires for one price. Hard to beat that, but I will change the type of oil I use thanks to your instructional guide. From now on I will use synthetic. Thanks!

[omegaic]

The service manual calls for 7.5 quarts for oil + filter change, which is what we put in. After running the motor again, the oil settled to satisfactory on the dipstick.

[scottydl]

erw38 said:

I need an oil change. I don't have ramps yet so I guess I will wait another month or so till I get them.

FYI, I use a hydraulic jack and two jack stands (if you have those) for my oil changes, rather than ramps. Whatever is easiest for you!

[erw38]

I don't have anything yet

[kobalt]

I used ramps in the write up as they are 1/4 the price of a good jack/stands setup. You can pick up nice ramps for as little as $25 from your local auto chain.

[erw38]

I'm waiting. I should be getting a gift certificate from wally world soon. In the meantime I got it done for 20 bucks.

[stevensolds]

just so you changed it all that matters. how many miles was on the oil before you changed it? 5000?

[erw38]

I put so little mileage on the car. I bet I didn't even come close to the 3000 mile interval.

[SupaStealth]

I would recommend that when you change your oil, if possible, don't do it when the oil is hot, so let the car cool for at least 2-3 hours. i guess it's not a huge deal on this car, but i know it was when i had my 98 taurus, they put the oil filter on the side of the engine right between the manifold in the front and the engine block, that was a pain.

[stevensolds]

I would not recommend that, not with this easy design, no way. When the oil is hot, it flows out more easier and you are able to get more of the contaminants out. next week when it goes into the shop i scheduled a mobil 1 oil change. they want 44 dollars for it.

[Aurora40]

I really don't know where that "hot oil flows contaminents" comes from. Why would it flow more contaminents? It's not like dissolving salt in water where the hotter the more it can hold. Contaminents are suspended in oil, not dissolved in it. And it flows quite well at room temp. When the car is hot, there are fire risks with the exhaust pipes (not really an issue in the 'Roara, though), and I'd wonder about pouring room temperature oil back into a hot cylinder head.

The reason for changing oil is typically that all the additives and modifiers have been used up or broken down, not that the oil is full of crud. Your filter takes care of the crud, and the oil could probably still lubricate for a lot longer. But the additives and modifiers aren't cutting it anymore.

As an FYI, the dipstick is meant to be read hot. 7.5 quarts should show you where it needs to be when cold, which will be above the fill, but below the full. Many folks put in 8 quarts to make up for this, and then complain of oil consumption because it's overfilled. That tip about using the level as your "new full" is great, that's exactly what I do too.

And it isn't necessary to have ramps, but it's certainly a useful thing to have. I use one scissors jack on the pan side of the car just so my drain pan will fit. You could use the spare tire jack for this if you wanted. I can reach just my arm under the car and do everything if only the 8+ quart pan would fit...

[stevensolds]

yeah 8 quarts was accidentially put in last time by the shop ;D Morons. I dunno about anyone else, but with Mobil 1 in the aurora V8, it seems to run a hell of a lot smoother.

Aurora40 you are right about the additives and detergents being used up, that is most the reason to change it every 3k, but synthetic can be run up to 10k in some cars and still have plenty TBN left for a few hundred miles or so more. Of course, there are folks who will run their dino oil 10k and until it goes to sludge, but i would never chance it. i expect to change this synthetic probably in june or july. i doubt i will put 10k on it. i doubt i will have more than 3k added miles by that time. i want to keep this a low mileage car.

[MattW]

Wow, one thing I just learned..that crankcase on the 4.0 is BIG! Mobil 1 is good stuff, the Alero takes 4 litres of it, and im sure it loves it as it pures like a charm.
Is the duragaurd filter much better than the AC Delco standard filter..thats what i used on my Bonneville and its what I currently use on the lero.

[Aurora40]

MattW said:

Wow, one thing I just learned..that crankcase on the 4.0 is BIG! Mobil 1 is good stuff, the Alero takes 4 litres of it, and im sure it loves it as it pures like a charm.
Is the duragaurd filter much better than the AC Delco standard filter..thats what i used on my Bonneville and its what I currently use on the lero.

The Duraguard is the standard ACDelco filter. They used to make an Ultraguard but dropped the line. The capacity is big because it's an OHC V8, so more oil will fit up in the head, and I believe it's also for a performance standpoint so that under high-g's the pump won't starve.

[kobalt]

I recommend changing oil hot as it flows better with higher temperature. But there are two schools of thought on this subject. To each is own IMO.

[Marc]

Always change the oil hot. The hotter the oil is, the faster it'll drain.


______________

GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!

[Zipzag]

first dont tilt your car for an oil change , keep it level, your leaving old oil behind, remember theres two oil pans and two heads you want all the oil out and oil does break down and it does get contaminated {gets full of carsiniagens}, thats why its a health risk so in a way your both right , never jack your car up and go under, use stands, even if your just reaching under, somtimes you just dont realize how far your reaching under {like maybe your head is under the rocker for a few secs }those spare tire jacks are the most unstable things ive ever seen ,there as bad as bumper jacks, and make sure you lube any rubber seals you see {plug and filter} and i recomend EOS with every change.

cold is faster BTW the oil will have already drained from the heads and case.

[erw38]

whats EOS?

[Zipzag]

Engine Oil Suppliment , from GM , i get it for cheap cause i work there, but its cheap any way 3 bucks for you i think.

[erw38]

Does it make the oil flow better or adhear to parts better? Is it like marvel mystery oil or something?

[Zipzag]

it does protect the engine better , helps to keep the seals lubed ,less ring wear, helps to keep the carbon build up off the valves, marvalas stuff .

[Marc]

EOS also helps to reduce oil consumption. I used it in the car I had prior to my 2001 4.0, a 1972 442 455
W-25. Even with the HD cooling system, this car ran so hot (especially with the A/C on), that oil use would be
100 miles to the quart at about 70 mph. EOS stopped
the oil burning.
But the 2001 Aurora owner's manual, page 6-19, says,
"Engine oil additives: Don't add anything to your oil. The
recommended oils with the starburst symbol are all you
will need for good performance and engine protection."


_______________

GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!

[erw38]

Is EOS a brand or a just a general term the encompasses a lot of additives?

[Zipzag]

no its not a brand , its an abriviation ,Engine Oil Suppliment,

Mark , what do you think ?