General Oil Change.....help!

[hebby]

Decided to do an oil change at the weekend on my 2.0 Marea - all was going swimmingly (including getting the sump plug off which some monkey had wrecked - guess previous service people didn't have a torx set) until it came to finding the Oil filter.

Not a hope - not even the workshop cd was much help. So basically I put the fresh oil in before I thought I had spotted it, up near the heatshield on the front of the engine.

I hope that this is not the case as I can see it is going to be a pain to get off otherwise? Am I correct? If so, does anybody have any hints/tips to make this job easier?

I have big hands which means I could have difficultly in trying to get my hand around the filter if it is where I think it is.

Also, just checking it is 10-40 Fully SYn? I have put 5-40 in at the moment but I plan to do another change shortly (If I can find never mind get the flipping filter off)

Ta!

 

[Hellcat]

Have you taken the undertray off? The oil filters are not usually hidden!

 

[bulldog5046]

Have you taken the undertray off? The oil filters are not usually hidden!

oh my hellcat, you havent seen it on the 20v have you?

yes it is a real bugger to get to and to get off.

looking from the front of the block its at the front on the left, just above the alenator.

good luck with that

 

[mountainmachine]

Cant remember having major problems with it myself.. was a while ago mind.

 

[hebby]

oh my hellcat, you havent seen it on the 20v have you?

yes it is a real bugger to get to and to get off.

looking from the front of the block its at the front on the left, just above the alenator.

good luck with that

I have a horrible feeling that I may need it!

But I may just make use of National Tyres as they are offering oil change and filter for £18 (if you book online) - let them have the initial hassle of messing about with it!

Marea ownership is new to me as I am getting rid of my 03 reg vectra SRI - it failed its' first MOT and is well on its' way to failing the second due to dodgy rear shocks.

Cheers guys.

 

[Migaard]

Hi!

If you decide to do the change yourself, use 5-40 Fully Syn, it runs better in the winter time.
Use 10-40 if the engine is using oil...

Michael

 

[Hellcat]

oh my hellcat, you havent seen it on the 20v have you?

yes it is a real bugger to get to and to get off.

looking from the front of the block its at the front on the left, just above the alenator.

good luck with that

They not put it in a daft place have they? It's quite simple on all the diesels and on my Tipo..

 

[jug]

also very easy on 1.6 and 1.8 petrols

 

[Marea147]

You are supposed to be able to access the filter through a small flap in the undertray, but like most things the bolt are probably rusted in place, and it is too small anyhow.

You need to take the undertray off, and get a 3 pronged oil filter wrench (the kind that the prongs tighten as you turn it). You will see the filter between the exhaust downpipe and the engine on the driver's side.

It is a bit of a fiddle, but not too tricky, the bugger is that the oil goes everywhere and needs to be mopped off the subframe prior to refitting the undertray.

I normally part fill the new filter with new oil, smear some old oil round the rubber gasket and then refit by feel alone, as you won't be able to see anything....

I change my oil every 6K with 10W40 semi, and the engine is on 122K miles now without any problems. It still cruises nicely at 120mph on the Autobahn

 

[mountainmachine]

I change my oil every 6K with 10W40 semi, and the engine is on 122K miles now without any problems. It still cruises nicely at 120mph on the Autobahn

God love those autobahn's

 

[mountainmachine]

Use something like this if access is a problem:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...rench/path/automotive-hand-tools/brand/clarke

 

[hebby]

Cheers folks - thank you for the tips & info.

Am feeling pretty pleased with myself as buying a 51 plate 2.0 HLX with 48k miles on the clock has only cost me £1500 including cambelt change......

Wherehas my Vectra failed its first MOT and cost £800 to fix and was going to cost another £1000 in July............work out the maths!!

 

[mountainmachine]

And buy a new sump plug if the old one is wrecked! Expensive ie £4ish and O-ring, but if the old ones mashed its worth it. I did and makes the job much easier.