do it myself oil change
 

Hi,

I am wondering what is involved in doing an oil change on a 300D turbo myself. I looked at a filter and it is an odd looking thing, unlike any other Ive ever seen. Id almost guess that there is some permanent type housing that it drops in.
If anyone could give a quick overview of what is involved, Id appreciate it. In the box I saw there was a rubber gasket and three copper washers. What do I do with them? The only oil I have changed is in my chevy truck which is super easy, plus it only takes 4.5 qts, not the huge 7.5 of the 300D. Any info is most appreciated. Thanks

JMH

Since I'm a relative newcomer I guess I'll take a shot at this...

DIY oil change is very easy, just messy. Diesels produce a lot of byproducts that end up in the oil which is why it turns black so fast. Most on this forum will recommend you only change the oil when it is hot and change more frequently than the normal owner's manual recommendations. I'd also suggest you get a CD or Haynes manual if you plan on doing any kind of regular maintenance. As to changing the oil it's pretty much like any auto if you've done it before except the filter is a bit different.

1. Run the car to be sure the oil is up to operating temperature. This is especially important on a diesel because it helps get all the byproducts suspended in the oil before you drain it.
2. Remove the oil filler cap
3. Remove the drain plug under the car and be careful of the hot oil and engine.
4. Remove the two nuts on the top of the oil filter (which is near the brake master cylinder at the left rear side of the engine) and carefully pull the top and center pipe straight up (they are one piece). You will need to push some vacuum hoses out of the way so be careful you don't disconnect anything as you move them. Inside the cover lip you'll find a large O-ring that you should remove and replace with your new one. I usually smear a bit of oil on the new O-ring to make assembly easier.
5. Pull the old oil filter out of the canister, there should be a wire handle to help with this.
6. Insert the new filter with the wire handle up and replace the top of the filter canister being careful to push it straight down and align it so the studs go through the two holes. Once again watch that you don't pull apart any of the vacuum lines. Don't force it, you should feel it all slide into place. Screw the two nuts back on the housing top but be sure not to overtighten.
7. Replace the drain plug underneath using a new copper washer - you'll only need one, fill it back up with oil to just above the top mark on the dipstick and start her up.
8. Top off the oil after you run it a minute or two because you'll take about an extra 1/2-1 quart to fill the filter.

One last thing. There are two small rubber O-rings on the end of the pipe attached to the filter canister cover. You shouldn't have to replace these often but do inspect them to see if they are hard or cracked. The dealer can sell you new ones for cheap so when in doubt replace them because they are important to your filter doing its job.

I think that covers it. Did I leave anything out anyone?

TXBill wins. I'd never have thought of the necklace idea.

Drain it Hot and Often! I drain mine after a hard drive at at operating temp as the others said.

Do it every 3000 miles and it will last forever. Oil changes are simple on these things.. All you need is a 13MM rachet.

The oil being blacker than coal is completely normal.. but its a real bastard to get if off your hands!

And your oil will appear dirty again in exactly .0035678 of a second after you start the engine...

Two things to add to these excellent posts about changing oil.
One, you don't have to drain the oil when it is hot. Let it drain overnight and it will be just fine. When you put the new oil in, it will quickly clean all the old oil off the parts anyway.
Two, I don't see any need to oil the O-ring gasket on the filter cover. What you DO need to oil, is the small rubber gasket on the bottom end of the new filter, where it slides over the tube at the bottom of the filter housing. It is about a half inch in diameter.



Ducati,
You are incorrect in your timing.
The new oil turns black as you are pouring it into the engine!

I change the oil without a jack or ramps by simply taking a knee and reaching under oil pan from front driver's side corner and loosening plug.

If you change hot be quick with final turn and plug removal so you don't get burned. You may want to use gloves until you get it down through subsequent changes.

Also, use a funnel to fill. Otherwise, you will likely make a mess as it takes practice to fill without drips.

Good luck.

It is actually the 15 quart one. I don't slide it under until plug is loosened enough so that I can use my hand to loosen the rest of the way. Additional advantage with pan so close to drain hole is that there is substantially less splatter.

I also use 13mm combination wrench to loosen/tighten which is a little shorter than typical 3/8in socket driver.