I just had a tangle with the Chevy 2.2L OHV engine

"KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs" (kusabisensei)
11/02/2013 at 15:54 • Filed to: WTFlopnik, DIYlopnik

WTF General Motors? You put the oil filter on the side of the block facing the firewall, and then don't give access to it without removing extra things?

Seriously, did anyone at GM consider this before approving the design?

(A friend had asked me to help with an oil change and general "Make sure my car is in good shape". I have my own thoughts on that whole thing. I'd like to make a proper post that might make it onto the Best of Opposite Lock)

DISCUSSION (10)

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/02/2013 at 15:59

Here is the question: would it be easy to get to on a lift from underneath? If so then they were thinking that they wanted extra money for their dealers from oil changes.

dogisbadob > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/02/2013 at 16:03

Remove all the things!!!!

Well I guess the best you can do is use one of those extended range oil filters for like 15k and synthetic oil! Or if you have the OLM, go twice the interval with synthetic (which they can handle)

Everything else doesn't seem too bad though, and at least you only have one bank of cylinders.

My 1MZ engine is a silly transverse V6 that's tilted back, and a bunch of shit is piled on top of the back row! Replacing anything like the spark plugs, valve cover gasket (which does fail after some years and miles), etc? Forget about it! For the record, the oil filter is on the side of the front of the block, facing upward a bit; you reach it from above, and it's not too bad.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
11/02/2013 at 16:23

It's much easier if you have the car on a 4 post lift, for sure. It's very annoying when the car is on jack stands.

My arm doesn't contort that way.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > dogisbadob
11/02/2013 at 16:28

If it were my car, I'd do just that. I'm just used to my Ford V8 where things tend to be in reasonable places (or have access holes cut to be able to get to them).

I'm not a fan of transverse engine mounting, that's for sure.

Involved work on an MZ isn't the most pleasant experience. At least the maintenance stuff is easier to do.

dogisbadob > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/02/2013 at 16:33

I wish I could replace the valve cover gaskets! Because I'm leaking a quart of oil a month!

But yeah maintenance isn't too bad, and they don't require that much maintenance anyway!

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > dogisbadob
11/02/2013 at 16:37

That would get painful to keep putting in oil frequently.

But less painful than removing the entire rat nest of stuff on top of the back row of cylinders, I suspect.

Is that Toyota's approved service procedure?

dogisbadob > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/02/2013 at 16:43

Yup!

And I think that is actually Toyota's official procedure.

People have managed to change the spark plugs without taking that shit off, but that's it!

I've tried stop leaks like ATP Re-seal and Liqui Moly motor oil saver and still no luck! Do you think 10w60 would stop the leak? hahaha

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > dogisbadob
11/02/2013 at 16:44

Only if you want to do what my aunt did to her 3MZ in her Highlander.

Feed it diesel fuel.

dogisbadob > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
11/02/2013 at 16:45

Oh wow! How did she even get diesel in there? Aren't the diesel nozzles larger?

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > dogisbadob
11/02/2013 at 16:47

Yes, the nozzles are larger. But she is a determined woman, who will not be stopped by such trifles.

See, she's from Chicago like I am. They used to have a nozzle per grade of gasoline, and 87 was always on the left.

Where she lives now, in NC, the one on the left is the Diesel nozzle, and the right is gasoline.

"But it's always the one on the left!"