OK, before anyone points me towards the stickies and starts snickering about changing the oil... this ain't my first oil change, just the first on the CTD.

I've put it off long enough and it must happen soon. I've got 3 gallons of Rotella T 15W40 and a WIX filter, but got to thinking... not sure I have any vessels large enough to hold (almost) 3 gallons of oil and short enough to fit underneath!

Any ideas how to get this "lowrider" up high enough to get a bucket under it? Any advantage to putting in up on some short ramps?

Anyone else use the plastic bag "condom" when removing the filter to keep cleanup to a minimum?

 

Use heavy duty ramps 7 the zip lock bag trick works good.

 

do they condoms that big i've been looking for some

 

If you don't have ramps you could use a block of wood under each front tire - a short chunk of 4x6 on each side would get you enough space to get your jack under it. I've never used the bag/condom trick, the filter is mounted vertically with the opening at the top so no mess unless you drop it and it falls over and you spill oil on the fenderwell.

 

Well, my track record as of late isn't too good!

1) Was changing the oil in the Jeep... last pint takes a weird path outta the hole, missing the bucket (5gal bucket clears it just fine) = small mess.

2) Changing the oil in my brothers 2500HD (8.1L) which fills my lowrider catch pan to within .75" of the rim. We'd used cardboard underneath so we didn't "contaminate" my wifes side of the garage (like mine)... slide the cardboard out pan & all, the floorjack wouldn't roll, so I slid it over with my foot, which caught the cardboard, jerked the pan, and sloshed at least a quart *EVERYWHERE* = HUGE mess!

Ah, who am I kidding... might as well just pull the plug and let it run out on the concrete! Not like it won't take an entire roll of paper towels anyway!

 

Everyone had a neighbor that nobody likes....Always #$%&^!#$ about too much noise, or too many people over visiting...

Use his driveway

 

I did that before. I was changing the oil in my 90 and the drain pan had oil in it already (more than I thought). It overflowed onto the drip pan I put underneath. When I went to move the drip pan it flexed and popped (it's made out of sheetmetal) and about a quart of oil spilled on the floor in my dad's garage. Oh well, that's why cat litter was invented, right?

 

I use a 15 qt capacity pan I got from the local auto parts store, it slides right under. It's a closed top style, so I have to leave the cap off the pour spout to provide adequate venting.

Looks like this one:



I have never had any trouble getting the filter off with no mess. Try the bag if you want but I think it's a waste of time.

 

I find it helps to remove the turbo intake tube; this gives me a good excuse to go ahead and inspect the air-filter, also.

Some real smart member put me onto using old bread-sacks slipped over the oil-filter; that works real good.

The absolute best thing I have done to my trucks to make oil-changes a breeze was installing FUMOTO drain-valves.

I have a bull-stout set of home-made ramps, made of two identical steel wheels with angle-iron ramps welded onto the rims.

I pull onto the ramps and that gives me enough clearance to stand a gallon jug upright under the FUMOTO.

I use those CLEAR plastic jugs that Hawaiian Punch comes in; thus I can see how full the jug is getting and close the valve, so I can change jugs.

This works wonderfully and I have yet to spill the first drop, plus I already have the used oil caught in nice clean jugs for use somewhere else.


I like the valves so well that I order one for any vehicle I plan to be changing the oil, and when the drain-plug comes out for the first time, I screw in a valve and it is there for the next time.