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Car question (oil change related)

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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
So im pretty tight for money right now. I need an oil change for car (2003 vw jetta). Now an oil change around where i live is going to run about 45 bucks. My question to the NS car people is, can i just buy some oil and pour it into the oil area in the engine. Idk if this is a solution or should i just get a normal oil change. I know its a pretty noob question i don't want hate. I dont know how to do oil changes myself. Buying a quart of oil will save me enough for gas for another week. But i feel like that pouring oil into the thing isn't going to really help anything
May 1 2012 7:12PM
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Bear_Grylls
Posts: 1223 - Karma: 300
no it won't help. do it yourself. you'll save a lot of cash. you need a ratchet and somethong to catcth the oil. (Plus oil and filter) but seriously really easy.
May 1 2012 7:14PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
You need to drop the oil out of the pan by removing the oil bung. Then remove the oil filter. Put a new oil filter on, hand tightened, snug tight. Then put the bung back in the pan, snug tight. Then put new oil in. You would have to look up a capacity and grade of oil on amsoils website (google amsoil) when on their site they may need a few numbers/letters from the vin. The vin will be at the bottom of the windshield, drivers side.
May 1 2012 7:15PM
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Big_Willy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 6
Read your manual. What type of oil filter do you need? What viscosity oil (probably 5w30). How many quarts? Drain oil, replace filter, fill engine with proper amount of oil, done.
May 1 2012 7:16PM
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kris.....
Posts: 759 - Karma: 43
nope cause with an oil change you have to get the filter changed as well. Do it yourself hopefully this will help


May 1 2012 7:17PM
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Bertrand
Posts: 423 - Karma: 457
You can do it yourself. Just don't screw up, cause then you'll have a seized engine.
May 1 2012 7:25PM
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MrWadsworth
Posts: 29 - Karma: 10
This literally takes 10 minutes. Do it yourself. Should cost you $25 using the BEST synthetic for your engine.

Man up. I was taught how to do this at age 10.
May 1 2012 7:25PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
so that video was pretty helpful...and as far as i can tell, if im not replacing the oil filter, all i do is just unscrew that plastic shield, then just undo the oil and let it drain out. Close oil cap, put plastic back on. Fill with oil. done.

Is that all that really needs to be done? Seems way to easy. Going to try tomorrow
May 1 2012 7:33PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
maybe synthetic, maybe not. he should get what his engine calls for. no more, no less. anything else is a waste of money.

and why circulate fresh oil through a dirty filter? a quaker state filter is like 7 bucks. you that fucking cheap?

May 1 2012 7:37PM
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Bear_Grylls
Posts: 1223 - Karma: 300
Buy a new filter. Hard on your engine ti use an old one.
May 1 2012 7:39PM
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Bassage.
Posts: 512 - Karma: 822
you NEED to change the filter unless you want to really fuck up your engine in the near future
May 1 2012 7:41PM
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wynnyk
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 555
just replace the filter with the oil. if your filter is dirty/clogged, it will just make the new oil dirty. you'll probably need a filter wrench to take it off ($5) and the oil filter doesn't cost much either ($5 - $10).
May 1 2012 7:43PM
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JzD.
Posts: 1615 - Karma: 153
swag
May 1 2012 7:49PM
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Bassage.
Posts: 512 - Karma: 822
Click for larger image
May 1 2012 7:50PM
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Ye_ol_wild_Koala
Posts: 270 - Karma: 121
Look in the yellow/white pages.

Should be able to find a deal somewhere for 20 bucks.

Let the grease balls get dirt in their fingernails.

Yeaaaaa buddy
May 1 2012 7:55PM
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Billek
Posts: 5665 - Karma: 98
Make sure you oil the gasket on the filter.  Dip your finger in oil, and run it all the way around the rubber gasket.  Any shop will take waste oil for free.  I know a mechanic that uses old engine oil to heat his garage.  If they don't use it like, it's not hard for to dispose of it properly.
May 1 2012 8:07PM
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DubV134
Posts: 1541 - Karma: 690
related anecdote: i change my own oil, last time i did it i snapped the bolt (oil bung?) when i was screwing it back in. i was under the impression that it needed to be super fuckin tight and cranked in so ive always used a breaker bar attached to the wrench to tighten it. unnecessary. had to get my car towed to the garage and then they used a smaller drill to bore a hole into the piece of the bolt that was broken off inside the oil pan

May 1 2012 8:28PM
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Darth.Maul
Posts: 2472 - Karma: 652
Like others have said, buy a filter. Plus almost all of the car part places nowadays have deals where you can get x amount of quarts and a filter for a bundle deal. Usually around 25-30 bucks and its good oil.

1. Loosen drain plug and have container to catch oil underneath.
2. Tighten plug once all of the oil is drained.
3. Remove the filter. (This will be full of oil so don't spill on yourself.)
4. Put a little oil around the gasket of the new filter and tighten it hand tight so its snug.
5. Remove top and put oil in. Check your owners manual or the internetz for the recommended amount.
6. Make sure you wipe off the dipstick and then reinsert it to measure the level. I've seen way to many people who think they're fine because the oil gets sloshed on their dipstick and it looks like the level is right.

I don't think I could of made that any more simple. Just man up and do it. Its a good task to have and doing it yourself will save you around 10-15 dollars. Extrapolate that expense to a year long period and you will be easily saving over a hundred bucks a year or more depending on how much you drive. So if you really want to talk about saving money, neglecting the oil filter is not the way to do it.
May 1 2012 9:04PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
to add to that, i unscrew the oil cap, so it's loose before draining the oil. i am assuming that the same principle as loosening a water jug at the top allows for a faster flow rate at the exit spout due to the changes in vacuum air pressure.
May 1 2012 9:07PM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
Also, after you check the dipstick once, start the car, wait for the oil pressure warning light (the one that looks like an oil can) to turn off, then shut the car off and remeasure. You will almost always need to add a little more after the engine sucked some oil into areas that were drained.
May 1 2012 9:15PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
ill just buy the oil change haha...im not a gear head at all. For the extra 10 bucks screw doing it myself. I dont have tools anyways since i live with my mom
May 1 2012 9:16PM
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MrWadsworth
Posts: 29 - Karma: 10
Just said synthetic because that's the most expensive option. And of course you change the filter. That is a given.
May 1 2012 9:17PM
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Bear_Grylls
Posts: 1223 - Karma: 300
lame
May 1 2012 9:18PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
not worth me fucking up my car somehow
May 1 2012 9:24PM
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wynnyk
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 555
you'd have to be an idiot to fuck up your car doing an oil change.
May 1 2012 9:28PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
about how. often do you need an oil change?
May 1 2012 9:29PM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
3-5000 miles depending on how poor you are/how much you care about your car.
May 1 2012 9:30PM
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Dirty.Harry.
Posts: 1779 - Karma: 351
Or...you can run synthetic and the interval becomes much larger. Even conventional oil can go 7-8k and be perfectly fine under normal driving conditions (Consumer Reports tested this). The 3k oil change interval is a scam.

I run synthetic and I change the filter every 5k (then top off oil) and change the oil every 10k.
May 1 2012 9:48PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
what do you think your savings are by running synthetic, but not having to change as often, compared to running a cheaper oil (if you engine can handle it) and changing more often?
May 1 2012 9:57PM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
Depends on when your car was manufactured. Newer cars need less frequent oil changes.
May 1 2012 9:58PM
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andybob
Posts: 474 - Karma: 35
10k oil changes? You're crazy.

I drive fairly hard and don't like pushing it past 4k. I run full synthetic Valvoline and Bosch Distance Plus filters. $40 oil changes are way cheaper than an engine swap, I don't care how "normal" you drive.

I'd actually like to read that Consumer Reports article to see what they deem "normal driving."
May 1 2012 10:03PM
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Captain_Slow
Posts: 1677 - Karma: 24
While there are benefits to changing your own oil and it is pretty damn simple, I feel like it would be better for my mechanic to do it because he checks other things as well (brakes, chassis, tire pressures, fluid levels, etc).
May 1 2012 10:04PM
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Dirty.Harry.
Posts: 1779 - Karma: 351
This is the only article I could find that referenced the study:
http://www.triumphspitfire.com/Oiltest.html
They used NYC Taxis, though, so not your average mom SUV.

I use my truck as a work truck and a wheeling rig, so it sees its fair share of abuse. It tows stuff, hauls mulch and topsoil, and carries all of my tree cutting and rappelling gear on a regular basis. I'm going to stick with my 10k Mobil 1 intervals. If the engine poops out, it's fairly easy to drop another 5VZ in.

Chances are, though, if I even need a new engine it won't be because of the oil.
May 2 2012 8:12AM
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saskskierftw
Posts: 898 - Karma: 62
. This
May 2 2012 8:35AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

The oil area???  As in, just pour it on the valve cover and let diffusion take care of the rest? 

What exactly are you trying to "fix" if you don't mind my asking?  Or is this just scheduled maintainance? 

May 2 2012 8:52AM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
I go 5k-7k on my full synthetic 5w-40 in my passat, that along with a nice purolator filter and my oil is still cleanish when I change it. Takes all of 10 minutes, but I dont have that damn belly pan like you do, thatll take the most time to get off.
May 2 2012 9:06AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

If you have a newer car this will be fine but I would not recommend a 10k oil change with an older car- pretty much anything with 80k+ should have regular 3k oil changes imo.  Oil changes are obviously a cheap way to keep your car from seizing or blowing a ring, etc but it's more than that.  Especially with older cars it pays to keep checking your oil for antifreeze, metal shavings on the bung, burnt oil or low oil levels, which would indicate something wearing, it leaking, running hot or burning off somewhere.  I do it as much as a peace of mind thing as a maintainance thing.  It gives me a good excuse to check my belts and hoses, other fluid levels and basically take stock a few times a year in what's going on under the hood.  

The oil you choose makes a bigger difference than most would think too- In some cases a la Royal Purple, a new lube set for your whole ride can net you horsepower gains.  I remember a HPTV episode where they took a brand new wrangler and swapped out the engine oil, tranny fluid and diff fluids with Royal Purple synth and got +8hp on the dyno.

Also most people don't lube their chassis when they change their oil, which a lube shop will include in the price of a LOF.  Don't do that a few times and squeaks, creaks, rattles and other horrible noises will start to come out and play.  Well worth it imo. 

May 2 2012 9:16AM
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nhudson
Posts: 248 - Karma: 28
Depends how many miles over you are, and if your low on oil or not you can just buy a quart and pour it in, Its not the best thing mixing old oil with new oil, but it won't damage your car, if your just running low on oil and need to save money Id just throw a quart in.  But as soon as you get enough money I would just take it to the shop and have them do it, or just get a 10 mm socket wrench 5 quarts of oil and a filter its really easy to change.
May 2 2012 9:24AM
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Dirty.Harry.
Posts: 1779 - Karma: 351
'Trucks!' did this with a Dodge Ram and it made a similar difference on the dyno as well. They also took dif and tranny/tc temps and they were lower with RP synthetic than conventional. I have all synthetic fluids in my truck.

I have also relocated all the breathers so that there's no potential for water to enter if the difs/tranny/tc are completely submerged.

As for the chassis, I can only speak for myself and my Toyota buddies. I know I grease everything every 6 months or so. I also have greaseable shackles and spring pins, which makes that part much easier.
May 2 2012 10:06AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Man hug.  No homo. 

May 2 2012 10:12AM
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WestWoods
Posts: 960 - Karma: 414
Did you say... Oil Change.

tumblr_kzirtrwpcq1qzj755o1_400.png

May 2 2012 10:31AM
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Dirty.Harry.
Posts: 1779 - Karma: 351
It's mutual, don't worry. No homo.
May 2 2012 6:56PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
As far as the how often thing....

Check the Manual, it will tell you.

My subaru recommended every 7500 with regular oil if you are easy on your car. A lot of people freak out about this. I asked the dealership and even they said that it's ok if you are pretty easy on your car. If you drive your car hard or in tough temps. then yeah, it changes. But I was driving in temps between 45 - 80 in distances of around 250 miles at a time.. basically ideal. So they said it was absolutely fine for me to push an oil change up to 7500. That being said, I still would check it often and make sure the oil wasn't getting low or dark or anything of the sort.

Quick statement about the 3000 oil change. http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/UsedOil/OilChange/


May 2 2012 7:37PM
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