2K1NighthawkTL

Im changing my oil myself for the first time since i had my car. Usually I take it to a shop and they do it but since im kinda broke now, i doing it myself. Where should i put the jack when i use to lift up my car? Im using the factory jack since i dont have a real one. Is it easy to find the screw cap that is under the car to let the oil drain out? All i need to do is drain it out, change the filter, and pour in new oil correct?


Thanks,
Nighthawk

Bitium

For oil change, you could jack the car on the front, there is a metal mounting on the center of the car right after the plastic shield. If don't find it, you could jack it up by the passenger side, you should know how to do that.

It is easy to find the drain bolt to drain the oil. I believe is a 16mm or 17mm bolt. Make sure you used a six point socket. This bolt could be really tight.

Before you do anything, make sure the car has cool down, since the oil pan and the oil filter get very hot.

After you drain the oil pan, you could put back the drain bolt. Then take out the filter, oil WILL come out of the filter so you might get a little dirty if using your hands to take it out. The reason I said to put back the oil drain bolt, is because you want to move the oil retainer(pan) so the oil from the filter does not drain onto the floor.

Put new filter (Honda of course). Make sure the drain oil bolt is tight. Put 4.6 quarts...probably easier to put 4.5 quarts. 4 bottles and 1/2 of one. That's it. Close oil cap and start your engine.

Good luck.

ElegantTL-S

Our cars only use 4.6? hehehe..i never knew that..i was hoping for 5...so it would be even..... that's how much my old accord used...it was a 2.7 liter V6.

SinnedTL

I just put 5 quarts exactly after removing almost all of the old oil...works great for me...

AK_MOBBER

before you put the new oil filter on(Fram of course ) pour enough oil into the new filter to fill it 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up. Dip one finger in the clean oil and with that oily finger rub it along the oil filter gasket to coat it for a tight seal.

What I also like to do;
I like to run my car hard to break all the oil gunk up and put it into suspension, then I drain the oil (watch out it's gonna be hot!!). When almost all the oil is out I like to put 1/2 into the new filter and pour a clean 1/2 quart of oil into the motor, then I lay under my car and watch all the black gunk at the bottom of the oil pan drain out with the clean oil.

I use the fram double guard? filters that claim to work until 6000 miles without an oil change. I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil. I still change my shiat at 3000 miles though

Bitium

I forgot about that, thus not necessary, is a good thing to do.

I use K&N oil filters. Very good so far.

pianoman41

Word of caution--you should not trust *any* jack to hold up the car while working underneath it. Jacks are for lifting, jack stands and blocks are for holding. Go into any automotive store or section and pick yourself up a good set of jack stands. I realize you're trying to save money, but a one-time investment of $25 could save your life. Once the car's nose is in the air, you can put the jackstands on the factory lift points just behind each front wheel.

I built myself a set of wooden ramps from 2X12s and they work awesome, plus I never have to worry about the car dropping on my head.

Also, don't forget you're supposed to replace the crush washer on the drain plug at each change. You can get these at any Acura dealer, or better yet go to a Honda dealer--they're cheaper.

Seotaji

sorry dude, you are doing your car a dis-service by using fram filters (even air filters), it's all hype now.

you could use a blue honda filter, green HAMP filter, grey mobil 1, white k&n, purolator pure one, or hastings and they would filter better.

fram was almost a good as OEM back in the day, now they are weak and filter very poorly.

i've had 2 collapse and clog the filter so that it was running on the bypass and let the collapsed paper and dirt into my engine.

i took some blue honda filters (metal endcaps) and orange fram filters (cardboard endcaps) apart earlier and it's just cardboard (cellulose) as are most filters.

the thing you want to look for is cellulose, synthetic, and glass fibers (i.e. more expensive).

the hastings, mobil 1, and white k&n use this.

they perform better and are excellent for both regular and synthetic oil.

it's more expensive, but so is your car.

Augustow

I change my oil without jacking the car up. Easy to get at the filter and the drain bolt.
Use only HOnda filters. Best ones IMHO.
Punch a hole in the used oil fiter to drain all of the oil.
HTH

Seotaji

punch a hole into the oil filter?

what do you use to do this?

erik

i change my own engine oil and filter many times every 5k, no problems except this one time.... went from mobil 1 filter to bosch and it started to leak oil really badly, what a disaster.... oil undercarraige, splashed in the tires, brakes (not good at all).

oil in brakes = dangerous

so i had to clean it up before i kill myself or anyone else on the road

Seotaji

was the filter faulty or was it just the way the gasket was set?

maybe the filter was too big for it?

acuraTLao

is it imperative that we change the crush washer each time?...i'm assuming we can buy this in packs at dealership right?....is it a generic crush washer or do we have to identify that it is for a TL....

CKacura

I changed my TL's oil 4 times already, and i never use any new crush washer. So far, i haven't seen any oil leaks.

1999TL

It comes with a honda filter when you buy it. Or go to the dealer and ask them for some.