A Girl Changed Her Oil and Everything Still Works!

"Ferrero1911" (Ferrero1911)
12/06/2013 at 17:05 • Filed to: DIY, Jalopchick

This was my first time changing the oil in my car! I've decided to post a how to. I know you guys know how to change your oil, but the most informative part of the how-to is how I got the car in the air.

My car is too low to get a jack under…now before everyone jumps all over hating stance etc. It is a performance mod that also happens to look good (and is really not that low). If my car were lower it would handle even better! Anyways, normally to change the oil I would just drive it up on a piece of wood and then drive it onto ramps, but this time I also needed to rotate the wheels. So the car had to go up on jack stands.

Given !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , some of you may be swearing off jack stands. Do not be afraid. Jack stands can be your friend if you use them in a paranoid what-if-there-is-an-earthquake kind of way.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Getting the car up is easy, but a little fiddley. The first step is to drive the car up onto some wood so that he jack will fit.

There is no place to jack the car up in the front or back so it has to be done from the sides. Bird has this nifty adapter for the jack that allows the car to be jacked up from the pinch welds safely (it is made for a Miata, but works for the Abarth too).

So you jack up one side, place the jack stands, jack up the other side, place those jack stands a little higher, then jack up the original side and raise those jack stands to match. My car only sits on one of the jack stands in the back, so the other one is there for safety. I also left the jack in the final place we used it for safety.

Here's the car half way up. I don't seem to have a picture of it all the way up.

So now the car was in the air. Time to get under it and take a look around. I was surprised how clean the underside of my car is. I've had it for a year and a half and it looked brand new!

There's a large plastic tray that covers up the oil pan that needed to be removed. Bird acted as my assistant and we found the right sized socket to get the bolts out. With the tray removed I took a look around. There seems to be a little bit of oil seepage between the engine and transmission, so I'll need to get that checked out.

Now to drain the oil. I know from experience that you need to use something to direct the oil coming out because the drain hole is angled so they the oil shoots out parallel to the ground and hits a piece of metal on the way down. This made a huge mess the first time we drained the oil. I placed a funnel in front of the hole and took out the plug.

Success! I had to lay there for a few minutes before enough oil was drained and the funnel would stay in place on its own.

While we waited for the rest of the oil to drain I started removing the filter. The oil filter in my car is fairly deep in the engine bay and some parts need to be removed to get to it. The oil filter housing barely fits through the opening even after removing things.

The filter is way deeper in there than this picture makes it look.

Once the filter was out I removed it from the housing and replaced the rubber ring with a new one. To do this I used a hook tool.

I also notice that insulation around the battery has completely disintegrated, when I touched it there was a puff of dust. The canyon drive over Thanksgiving was more spirited than I thought! (I also kinda melted my center caps). We took the battery insulation off, so that will need to be replaced asap because the battery is very close to the turbo. Luckily I didn't really go anywhere this week, so it should be fine.

Back under the car the last of the oil had drained so I put the plug back in. I replaced the plastic tray while Bird put new oil in the car.

I use Rotella T6, which is actually branded for diesel engines so it has zinc in it. According to Bird and a bunch of guys on the internet this is good for turbo motors, so that's what I use. If it's good enough for a bulldozer it's good enough for me! (kidding, this was a well researched decision). It is the recommended 5w-40 full synthetic.

Next we rotated the wheels and lowered the car. The main thing to remember here is to lower it back onto the wood or you won't be able to get the jack out.

Last step was to torque the lug bolts and adjust the tire pressures for their new positions. We noticed that the fronts were showing wear signs from over inflation (even though I run them 2psi under recommended anyways) so we put a little less air in the new fronts, I probably won't know until the next canyon ride if that fixes the problem, but the ride quality on crappy L.A. roads feels as good as it can with stiff suspension.

So that's it. I changed the oil and everything still works! Thanks for reading!

DISCUSSION (92)

oldirtybootz > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:08

I really want to drive an Abarth. My Dart has the 1.4 and I really want to feel the engine in something that doesn't weigh 3200lbs.

And on the oil, the Pennzoil 5-40 that Chrysler uses for 1.4 Darts is the same oil we use for Sprinters.

ChengaizK > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:09

I'm conflicted whether or not I should go the "Tits or GTFO" or "you go girl!" route here...

Just kidding, good job! Good read, bookmarked. Also I am very, VERY jelly of your Abarth.

HammerheadFistpunch > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:09

I'm loving this recent influx of Women Jalops. Keep being awesome and spread the word to your fellow kind.

doodon2whls > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:09

Bravo !

More ladies need to twirl wrenches like you...

Takuro Spirit > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:10

Nice write up!

Don't worry about the lowering, at least it's a Abarth, and not a Civic.

I'll have to dig up the post, but I heard Shell lowered the Zinc content in the Rotella recently.

505Turbeaux > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:13

Well done!

I know gals that do it. I had one girlfriend that used to adjust air cooled VW valves too. I also know alot of guys who think a wrench is something you drink out of

Ferrero1911 > Takuro Spirit
12/06/2013 at 17:13

Thanks!

Lowering the Abarth actually gets rid of most of the body roll. It feels great around corners. Not looking like a lifted jeep is just a nice side effect.

Interesting about the Rotella, I'll have to look into that.

For Sweden > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:15

...the drain hole is angled so they the oil shoots out parallel to the ground and hits a piece of metal on the way down.

Thanks Berlusconi.

oldirtybootz > Takuro Spirit
12/06/2013 at 17:16

Kinja'd!!!

Like this?

Brian, The Life of > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:17

I gotta say, when I saw the headline I immediate thought, "Onion article"

Ferrero1911 > oldirtybootz
12/06/2013 at 17:17

I've driven the Dart with this engine and all I can say is you really should drive an Abarth. It's not just the weight that makes a difference.

Does the Pennzoil meet the Chrysler standard that they recommend in the manual? When it was time for my first oil change there were no oils that met their recommended standard, even the one they were using at the dealership.

HammerheadFistpunch > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:19

Kinja'd!!!

What did you win!

More Power!!and also some brakes. > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:19

Kinja'd!!!

But really though it is nice to have ladies that are into cars.

dogisbadob > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:20

Awesome car, awesome writeup!

Harbor Freight has an awesome low-profile jack for like $70

Ferrero1911 > dogisbadob
12/06/2013 at 17:24

Thanks!

We already have like 3 jacks already, so I'm ok with the wood for now. I'm pretty sure even a low profile jack wouldn't fit under one of Bird's Miatas. We don't have room for anymore tools since we park in an apartment building garage.

Ferrero1911 > ChengaizK
12/06/2013 at 17:29

This is the reason I posted a picture of me draining the oil even though I look ridiculous with my hair in a bandana. I had to prove I was real ;)

You should for sure be jealous of my Abarth. It is awesome.

Bird > Takuro Spirit
12/06/2013 at 17:29

I had heard that too, but then also found someone that had an analysis done on used oil, and the content hadn't changed...

Maybe some more research is needed...

Textured Soy Protein > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:29

When I had my NB Miata, it had the factory front lip spoiler and side skirts which made getting a jack under anything except the rear bumper nearly impossible. Well...except for replacing my cheap Craftsman floor jack with a fancy low profile one.

I got a set of Rhino Ramps which are very handy for getting the car up in the air without messing around with a jack. I was just barely able to drive my Miata up them without scraping the front lip, but if they don't clear under your Abarth, you can always put down some boards like you did to get the jack under the car.

Kinja'd!!!

Bird > Textured Soy Protein
12/06/2013 at 17:32

That is literally the exact setup we normally use!

dogisbadob > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:32

No problem!

Wow I didn't know apartments even allowed people to work on their cars!

If you ever do have the space for it, the jack I mentioned goes down to 2.5 inches.

Ferrero1911 > dogisbadob
12/06/2013 at 17:36

I'm sure most apartments don't, but our building is owned by a nice couple that doesn't mind. We are always very careful not to get in anyone's way or leave a mess, so no one seems to mind.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > For Sweden
12/06/2013 at 17:39

Have you ever tried to change the Oil on a BMW f650? The last time I did it (which was NOT the first time I did it) it took two hours and I had to wash the oil off my front tire.

Ferrero1911 > Textured Soy Protein
12/06/2013 at 17:39

Yep, that's what we usually do. I really could have used this picture when I was trying to describe this method to YourStereotypicalIndian.

Saracen > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:44

Very nice write up.

It looks like you have to remove the turbo outlet pipe just to change the oil filter? Yeesh.

Ferrero1911 > Saracen
12/06/2013 at 17:49

Yep. And it is connected at 4 points all at angles that are diffulcult to get at with a screwdriver.

Ferrero1911 > HammerheadFistpunch
12/06/2013 at 17:52

I don't know. I didn't check! Now that bottle has old oil in it, so it needs to keep the cap...

Tom McParland > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:54

Great write up...and awesome car!

Ferrero1911 > Tom McParland
12/06/2013 at 17:55

Thanks!

johnr240z > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 17:55

Mmm.. Abarth. I kinda want to get rid of my Focus SVT and get an Abarth for my daily driver. This isn't helping.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 18:19

What I did with S2000 was to get some 6x6 pressure treated lumber and cut 2 pieces, about 20 inches long. I cut a notch at one end, and fit piece of 2x6 about the same length to serve as a ramp up onto the 6x6. That way, once the car is up on the block portion of the ramp, I can slide the ramp piece out of the way. Makes it easier to get under the car when you need to be near the wheels. If I were doing it again, I might use 2 pieces of 6x6 and fasten them side by side to give a wider parked surface. Easier to aim at, since it would be very unlikely that a standard car could crush a 6x6. Actually since your Front drive, the other thing I would have done would be to drill two holes through the top of the ramp board into the block, then drive some nails in to keep the board from shooting back as you try to go up the ramp. quicky photochop illustration should explain better than I can typing.

Edit: btw, where did you get the pinch weld lifters from? those look like they would be fantastically helpful for just about any car.

Kinja'd!!!

Tekamul > For Sweden
12/06/2013 at 18:21

Also fits for 80% of Japanese motorcycles. Extra bonus, one of my bikes can ONLY be lifted on my frame lift with one of the cross members 2 inches below the drain bolt, so I have to 'play the drip' and wipe down the lift every time.

NaturallyAspirated > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 18:22

I pretty consistently make a huge mess either down my arm or on the ground when i take the oil drain plug out, regardless of what car I'm working on. The funnel is a great idea that makes me wonder why I hadn't thought of this (or heard of it before).

oldirtybootz > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 18:47

As far as I know it is. I'll have to check the manual and the bottles at work tomorrow. It's what we use on the few 1.4s we've sold. I haven't made it to my first oil change yet though.

Stupidru > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 18:49

Congrats!

Rotella T6 is some of the best stuff (especially at the price) you can feed your car. Kudos!

MooseKnuckles > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 18:49

A girl? Get her!

Bird > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
12/06/2013 at 18:54

I'll chime in because it's my adapter. I got it from Flyin Miata . I would only use it on lighter, short wheel base cars. I'd be afraid some long, heavy cars pinch welds may not be up to the task of supporting half the weight of the car mid span. On cars like hers and my Miata's it's fine. They're all between 2100-2600 lbs and the span isn't very long.

Frank Grimes > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 19:07

Will your cats die cuz of that oil?

Dusty Ventures > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 19:08

THE ABARTH IS BACK!!!! MOAR!

twinturbobmw > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 19:11

Love the Abarth with the red wheels!

Ferrero1911 > twinturbobmw
12/06/2013 at 20:04

Thanks!

Casper > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 20:53

Good for you, more people in general need to change their own oil.

Vincenzo71 > Ferrero1911
12/06/2013 at 21:21

Whenever I see an abarth I just want to get down on all fours and put my ear right up against the exhaust. SO good! SOOO good! Congrats on the oil change!

Ferrero1911 > Vincenzo71
12/06/2013 at 21:27

Like this?

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Long Live the Longdoor > Ferrero1911
12/07/2013 at 18:14

MMMM ear bacon!

stoke > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 12:57

Oh man, I wish I knew about those Bird pinch weld jack adapters about eight years ago, before I flattened the pinch welds on my Impreza.

Quentin0352 > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 15:40

I strongly recommend one of these with your car then. I have used this brand for years and never had any issues, even on work trucks in the north with snow and salt or using them at farm and construction sites. You get the one with the nipple and a piece of cheap fuel line and it will drain the oil right where you want without a mess. Best $30 you can do if you change your own oil.

http://www.oildrainvalve.net/

Team6.1 > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 22:56

+1 For changing your own oil. Man, woman, or child. It's something everyone should do. Also driving on wood is so common in my garage that i just keep 2x4's next to my jack

leicester > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 23:07

Sorry, but you're obviously doing it wrong. You didn't end up with oil running down your elbow as you pulled the drain plug, followed by at least a quart of oil missing the drain pan, then a bashed knuckle trying to get a stuck filter to loosen. And your white t shirt is still relatively clean.

Amateur.

benn454 > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 23:10

Rorty little thing, innit?

Lancevfx > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 23:17

I'm so jealous of your sweet car ;_;. The exhaust is AMAZING for a teeny car.
Anyways, kudos for the article + the Miata reference. A true Jaloper right here.
And definitely a skill everyone should learn regardless if you're a car enthusiast or not.

elkris > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 23:52

My ex-gf changed her oil once. She filled it all the way to the brim. Literally, until it started pouring out of the valve cover cap, and just about everywhere else lol.

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > Ferrero1911
12/09/2013 at 23:54

I will wait till my daughters have their own car, and if they change the oil themselves, I will know I raise them good.

reijin64 > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 00:07

YOU REMEMBERED THE AXLE STANDS! YES!

Ferrero1911 > Lancevfx
12/10/2013 at 00:47

Thanks! The exhaust on this car almost makes going to work fun. Bird has 3 Miatas, so we're pretty Jalop over here.

Gaseous Clay > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 01:02

why why why would you ever do this while wearing white?

Ferrero1911 > Gaseous Clay
12/10/2013 at 01:17

Because it was a crappy t-shirt I didn't want anymore. I was planning on ruining it, but it's still white!

Lyle Petersminkle > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 02:00

Way to keep those stereotypes alive. You're a real leader for women aren't you?!

Pathetic.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 02:03

I take a mild amount of offense to being used as an example about jack stands. Jack stands were not the issue, rusty VWs were.

Ferrero1911 > Lyle Petersminkle
12/10/2013 at 02:35

Your reading comprehension level seems quite low.

Ferrero1911 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
12/10/2013 at 02:40

I wasn't trying to say anything about you or your use of jack stands. I'm sorry if it offended you. It was more this thing happened, so some people might think jack stands are not a good idea, which is not the case. I'm really glad you're ok though.

Smiley Cyrus-Poo > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 03:10

themanwithsauce- I read your article and came away thinking it was just an issue with your jack stands... scared the shit out of me! Glad to know it was just old VW.

Fezzasus > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 03:45

"I use Rotella T6, which is actually branded for diesel engines so it has zinc in it."

*Slaps forehead* all oils have ' z inc' in (which by the way isn't the active part, the zinc just complexes the d ialkyl d ithio p hosphate to prevent it reacting in the oil). The ZDDP (zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate) content isn't the differentiator between diesel and gas oils, the dispersant content is.

Micro-dosing Gawker's Tears > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 05:08

How much hotter you are because you can change your oil is proportional to how hot you already are. Also, how hot you are is inversely proportional to how much we expect you to know about normal things like changing oil.

timgray > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 06:46

Wow! Why dont they think if ease of service when they build cars anymore?

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 06:47

Never thought of the pieces of wood trick. I always roll the jack as close as I can to the front subframe (NA Miata) and then lift the nose with one arm to stretch the suspension up a half inch or so, then roll the jack into place with my other hand.

timgray > leicester
12/10/2013 at 06:52

If you dont bleed on the car, it was not serviced properly...

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 07:14

Kinja'd!!!

Now I know what to ask for, for Christmas. After having to replace multiple weld seems on my project car, where rust got in, I hate putting the lift on the lip know what it will look like in 10 years.

uberbigpete > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 08:01

Great write up. Looks like a pain to because of how compact the engine bay is, but its a labor of love, because tiny raging turbo power.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 08:20

That's certainly an interesting oil filter Fiat came up with. What a pain. Nice work, ma'am!

Bubs > For Sweden
12/10/2013 at 08:23

A lot of the Chevrolet / GMC trucks do the same thing, except the oil drains straight into the exhaust pipe. Engineering!

STIKleinWagon > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 08:49

Kinja'd!!!

NASIOC Approved. You'll be fine with this, but do some Used Oil Analysis (UOA) to see how the oil does in your car.

STIKleinWagon > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 08:49

Where did you get that jack adapter?

bfisch1629 > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 08:51

If you check out some of the FIAT 500 forums, there are a number of folks who have written about seepage between the trans and the engine. It seems to be a known issue that Chrysler/FIAT will take care of if gets any worse.

From a fellow 500 driver - congrats on the Abarth. Did you name it yet?

Gaseous Clay > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 08:54

Better luck than I've had. I always come out from under my truck covered in road grime and flakes of rust, and I always manage to get oil on myself, even after I learned the hard way (with my face) which way the oil shoots. No amount of preventive planning protects me from my truck ruining clothes

Luckily I once painted some rooms white so I have a full stock in of clothes that are already not fit for wearing in public. Now they just look like dalmatian clothes

CarlitoBenito > oldirtybootz
12/10/2013 at 09:13

If it's Pennzoil Ultra 5w40, then it's the one that meets the spec. I ended up ordering Amsoil Euro 5w40 Mid-SAPS formula for my Dart as it too carries the spec. Now, according to some of the bottles of Mobil 1 0w40, it also meets the spec.

Interesting about the use of T6 Rotella. It crossed my mind, but I was worried meeting the spec. Let us know how the Abarth runs on the T6. When I finish my Amsoil stash, I wouldn't mind switching to T6 since it's fairly priced and easy to find.

Nice use of the pinch weld adapter! I need to buy those, or maybe just use ramps on my Dart. The only positive about the 1.4T in the Dart, you don't have to remove any parts for the oil filter. ;)

oldirtybootz > CarlitoBenito
12/10/2013 at 09:21

Yep, it's good enough for Ferrari.

Blze001 > More Power!!and also some brakes.
12/10/2013 at 09:30

*Cringe*

Radcardude > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 09:37

Nice write up and idea with the wood boards.

veteran011 > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 09:40

just a tip: when i change my oil before i put the drain plug back in, i usually pour an eighth of a quart or so in to help flush out some of the remaining gunk at the bottom of the oil pan.

Mash_Tun > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 10:00

For especially PITA oil changes I use an oil extractor from Griot's to get the majority of the oil out. It helps to keep the process really clean for the occasional, discreet, on-street oil change. Also eliminates the needs for jack stands if you need to get it done quick. Probably not a good idea for every change though.

mlevere1988 > More Power!!and also some brakes.
12/10/2013 at 10:27

God, I hope this is not real. I just cringe at how stupid some people can be.

AtomicTree > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 11:02

I too just started using T6 in my 92-x Aero after spending WAY too much time researching Subaru forums on recommended oil for my car. Is there any more hotly debated topic than what fluids car enthusiasts recommend for cars? I think not....

Great write up by the way....I always salute my fellow self-oil-changers!

E36TitanM3 > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 11:08

Yep I have to drive up onto 3 0.75" MDF rounds just to get a jack under my front subframe and I am not even stanced, it's just the huge lip and huge sway bar. Glad to hear a girl actually doing work. I "showed" most of my ex-gf's how to change there oil, this mainly consisted of them laying on the ground watching me do it.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 11:28

It's okay, it wasn't real offense, just in the "I hate my car...." type of way. Like out of all the ways for that thing to be remembered by, it seems it will go down as a little murderous crapcan instead of the unique looking and styled crapcan like I hoped it would.

Good job on a successful start into the world of car maintenance and repair. You own a fiat so I hope you're a fast learner ;)

Ferrero1911 > CarlitoBenito
12/10/2013 at 12:17

Good to know. Nothing had been certified to meet the spec when I got my car, so I had to make the best choice I could. As long as the oil is API certified everything should be fine with the warranty.

Ferrero1911 > bfisch1629
12/10/2013 at 12:23

I named him Ferrero!

Ferrero1911 > STIKleinWagon
12/10/2013 at 12:27

Flyin Miata

Here's what Bird says about it:

I would only use it on lighter, short wheel base cars. I'd be afraid some long, heavy cars pinch welds may not be up to the task of supporting half the weight of the car mid span. On cars like hers and my Miata's it's fine. They're all between 2100-2600 lbs and the span isn't very long

STIKleinWagon > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 12:40

I'm not looking for a mid jack point to lift my WRX up with, I just want a pinch weld adapter in general so I can jack @ the factory jack points with my nice jack.

WhyRovers > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 12:41

Nice job and thanks for doing the write up. Every time I do a simple (or not so simple) project I think, I really need to take pics and write this up. Just because there are folks out there that want to do their own work and just don't know where to start, even on simple stuff. Alas, I haven't done it yet, I always think about it when I am half into whatever I am doing and covered in grime already.

Anyway, I don't have a Fiat, but I appreciate it anyway.

STIKleinWagon > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 12:42

You might want to invest in some Race Ramps, they make life super easy for oil changes (no jacks needed).

http://www.raceramps.com/car-service-ra…

Super light and easy to store.

EtrnL_Frost > More Power!!and also some brakes.
12/10/2013 at 13:56

Every time I see this gif I think of a parent drowning their infant in their bathtub.

bfisch1629 > Ferrero1911
12/10/2013 at 15:50

I like it! Mine is named Dante, after his great-grandpa Dante Giacosa. And fittingly the last three of his VIN are 666. Too bad he's not an Abarth!