pwabbott

I just couldn't keep my hand off of her. Removal of old filter and installation of new Fleetguard Stratapore took 10 minutes thanks to all the good info on this site. <br><br>Since I have a 4 x 2 there is 4' less clearance but enough. To remove the drain plug you use a 3/8 square drive. Plug is recessed in pan so I had to feel around. Drained oil into a 4 gallon drain container. Retorqued drain plug to 40 lb-ft. Three gallons, twelve quarts (eleven into crankcase, one into the filter) registered on dip stick 1/8th inch below full after running engine.<br><br>Now I know it has been done right and the price was right. $30 for oil &amp; filter. Don't want some &quot;grease monkey&quot; foolin around with my baby's bottom side.<br><br>Oil came out a chocolate brown, not black.

FiverBob

How many miles? How hard to get filter off? <br><br>Are we having fun yet?

pwabbott

2510 miles Fiver, got bored waitin for the next storm. Filter came off easier than posts would lead you to believe. I used a standard metal strap filter wrench. Before I attacked the filter removal I had to clear the way.<br><br>First I loosend the screw clamp holding the air intake to the turbo charger. Three clamps hold the top of air box housing,which I unfastened. Then I was able to work the entire turbo intake hose and air box cover up and out. This gave good access to the oil filter. I placed my filter wrench on from the bottom and slid it up to where it surrounded the base (gasket end). Since has a rolled seam it is less likely to collapse under pressure. Looking down at the filter I placed the wrench handle in the 7:00 o'clock position and pushed it toward the 9:00 o'clock position using a steady force. I had to reposition the wrench handle at 7:00 a few times until I could turn with fingers. I removed the wrench and slid a 1 qt. Zip-Lock bag up around the old filter. I finished turning off the old filter by one handand it dropped into the bag held by the other.<br><br>I filled the new filter with fresh oil made sure the rubber gasket had oil on it and screwed it on. Then I replaced the turbo intake hose and air box cover. This took ten minutes.<br><br>For under the vehicle I place a large piece of old carpet under vehicle so I can lay there in comfort. For me I found behind the right front wheel game me the best view of what I was doing plus the most freedom of movement <br><br> <br>

PADZZ

Thanks for the info! What oil did you use? Synthetic? <br>So I take it the filter is in a vertical position?? Haven't peeked under there yet...couldn't you just add 11 qts, let it run, and add another quart insted of putting it in the filter? <br>I'll be doing this as soon as I receive the filter.

pwabbott

Mobil, CI-4 15w-40, Dino oil, Not supposed to use synthetic for first 10,000 miles. The filter is installed in vertical position just behind the alternator. By adding oil to the new filter when I started the engine I had full oil pressure in 2 seconds. If you install a dry filter parts of the engine won't have oil pressure for 30 seconds or more. The stresses on a Diesel engine parts due to compression, almost double a gasser, is much more than stresses of a gasser.
This filter is easy to install full of oil. Treat your new baby the best you can. 8)

UTAH

8) Outstanding instructions, Phil. Thanks. ;D<br><br>Best to y'all,<br>Bill

pwabbott

Another plus to changing your own. Where I live it takes 30 minutes to drive to dealer or other garages. It took me 30 minutes for the whole job, saved an hour of time driving. Time is priceless, can't be purchased at any price. 8)

Commatoze

Now get yourself an EZ change oil valve and see how rediculously simple and clean it can be. The hardest part is getting all of that old oil back in the bottles to take back to Wal-Mart. ;D

FiverBob

What is DC's policy on warranty when you do your own service?

pwabbott

Fiver, The issue of whether you can do your own work was settled by the feds some thirty years ago under legislation regulating warranties. A company cannot require purchaser to have required warranty service on automobiles by any specific person. All they can require that you keep a record of work done and when, mileage at which it was done. In addition you must be able to provide evidence that supplies were purchased that were needed to do the service, ie, receipts. Your documentation must be pretty much the same for maintenance as would be required by IRS to claim a mileage deduction on an income tax return.