How to hate your new Ranger in 50 steps

"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus) 01/03/2019 at 21:19 • Filed to: None

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I do my own oil (well its a team effort w/ my b rother-in-law) but we also do his wife’s my wife’s his sister and sometimes a friends will drop by. Its easy, usually a 1 beer effort. but shit, i’d be drunk by the time I finished with a new Ranger

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wafflesnfalafel > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:27

4

that is total bs...  don’t tell me they couldn’t engineer a gd oil change that didn’t require removing wheels.

NKato > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:30

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What the fuck. I was considering the Ranger but this killed any prospects of me ever buying the newer ones. 

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:30

3

Meet your boss level Jiffy Lube. 

jimz > NKato 01/03/2019 at 21:35

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if this is the tipping point, you were never going to buy one anyway.

daender > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:35

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T o be honest, this “ issue” is overblown. Coming from Miatas this procedure is normal for those without a lift, can’t reach between the frame, the firewall, and the motor, and don’t have the luxury to freely (and safely) crawl under their car while it’s jacked up.

Give the aftermarket some time and you’ll see an oil filter relocation kit being sold for $300-$400 like the ones for NA/NB Miatas.

jminer > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:38

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I mean it takes like 2 minutes to remove a front wheel...

MM54 > wafflesnfalafel 01/03/2019 at 21:38

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They don’t much care, it’s cheaper to build it this way than a more complicated way that’s easier to do, and dealers get to charge more labor (aka margin) on regular maintenance. There’s no reason for them to make it easy.

Urambo Tauro > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:44

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We can already hear the internet trolls sharpening their pitchforks over the Ranger’s more complicated oil change procedure.

I don’t appreciate how dismissive the author/e ditor/ what ever is being about this topic. Oil changes are a pretty fundamental aspect of car maintenance and their frequency of service makes accessibility  imperative.

CB > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 21:58

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You used to have to remove the front wheel of the Sebring to get at the battery, so it's really just par for the course.

DipodomysDeserti > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 22:02

4

As someone who owned an old 3L Ranger, I’d rather remove the wheel than have to fit my hand past the headers, spilling oil on them every goddamn time, and spend twenty minutes trying to find the right angle for the new filter.

This is an improvement over the 3L.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 22:05

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I’m not really sure why this is not considered a thing. Having to remove an undercover via a few bolts or push clips t o access the drain plug and/or filter is common on modern cars. Call it a small price to pay for aerodynamics. For a couple of mainstream examples, any current generation Mazda 6 requires removing a cover to access the drain plug and filter. The 2015-current F-150 requires removing a large under c over via bolts to access the drain plug.  

LongbowMkII > daender 01/03/2019 at 22:10

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You can absolutely change the oil on a na /nb Miata. It’s not the easiest but definitely doable.

bhtooefr > daender 01/03/2019 at 22:13

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...I was always able to just reach down in there on my NA6 and NB1...

daender > LongbowMkII 01/03/2019 at 22:14

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Yup! I’ve done it two ways: on the lift in a friend’s sweet garage and on the street with a jack (wheel comes off in that one for better accessibility ) . It sucks trying to squeeze my hand in there but I get over it.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > CB 01/03/2019 at 22:20

2

We've been using internal combustion engines for the last 100 years. Why is the course still so terrible?

daender > bhtooefr 01/03/2019 at 22:20

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I can’t without getting cuts all over my hands.  Kudos to you for being able to do it.

bhtooefr > daender 01/03/2019 at 22:22

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Oh, I didn’t say it didn’t hurt, but I had a way to snake my hand in there and get on the filter without too much damage.

(I could reproduce it if I had a Miata in front of me (I don’t have one any more) , and IIRC it was easier on the NA6 , but...)

His Stigness > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/03/2019 at 22:29

1

Well, there’s that, and there’s also the fact that at least you can remove things to easily access the filters. There are some Ford engines where you just have to struggle, and struggle, and then spill a bunch of hot ass oil, and then struggle some more, and you have no alternative. Taking off a wheel and a cover is much better than spilling hot oil all over the car and yourself.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 22:33

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While this is annoying, it’s not going to be a big deal for most folks. Oil change vacuum pumps eliminate crawling under the truck. The change interval is probably at least 10k miles, so it’s 1.5 times a year for most people. The whole process adds maybe ten minutes to a DIY-er, though making it annoying  to do it if you don’t have a garage.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 22:39

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Change the battery on an early 00's Sebring/Stratus.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > CB 01/03/2019 at 22:53

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But you don’t replace the battery every 5-10k miles.  Pretty shitty deal.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > wafflesnfalafel 01/03/2019 at 22:55

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You’d think they could make a cartridge type up top like the pentastar or Audi or GM, or....  much simpler.  Grab an oil extractor pump it up, pull the filter while it extracts, then add new oil.  Don’t even have to get out the ramps or jack.  

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 22:57

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You should probably rotate the tires at the same time anyways. Sounds efficient to me. And it's still easier than the Subaru exhaust ring of death thing.

CB > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc 01/03/2019 at 22:58

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On a Sebring you might.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/03/2019 at 23:18

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Common, but I’m not sure if it is really necessary.  My ‘13 and ‘14 Subarus both have an opening in the bottom panel to access the drain plug and the filter on top of the engine.  You don’t even need a jack.  I can change the oil in 5 minutes.  6 if the filter is stuck and needs to be persuaded.

facw > jminer 01/03/2019 at 23:22

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Probably a much bigger pain in the ass for pit- type oil change places like Jiffy Lube. If it actually works like this I predict a lot of filters not actually being swapped during the change.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 01/03/2019 at 23:32

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I guess I’ve never tried to change oil without jacking up a car . On the cars I maintain, a tire rotation and brake/suspension/exhaust/undercar inspection is something I do with every service. I’ve always got them on jack stands and wheels removed before I roll under to do anything else.  

IJustWantMyZBack > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/03/2019 at 23:34

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I am not sure what big deal is. On my 08 Si I always took the front passenger wheel off to access the oil filter. Side mounted oil filter with a shield from 9 o clock to 12 o clock. At the time all I had was the factory jack so accessing from the wheel meant I wasn’t going under the car.

Pull ebrake, break nuts loose, jack up car, remove wheel and place under car, remove two clips and bend wheel well liner back . Viola easy access to the filter.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 01/04/2019 at 00:25

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Yuuup. I freakin hated snaking my hand in and inevitably unplugging several vacuum lines trying to get to that stupid-ass oil filter on my NB2. NA is soooo much easier.

Gerry197 > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2019 at 01:00

1

Not a big deal to me, quite a few cars require doing a few more things than normal to do an oil change.

Also, with modern oil change intervals, you probably should do a tire rotation anyways, so why not?   

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2019 at 03:48

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I have to jack up the Twingo and remove a wheel to get the oil filter out. It's annoying but not uncommon sadly. 

pip bip - choose Corrour > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2019 at 06:26

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still better than the 3.2L diesel here

you have 10 minutes to drain old oil and refill , more than that and the vehicle may not restart

Sovande > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2019 at 08:54

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This is not that big a deal.  My old Volvo required removing the belly pan which was 6 bolts to access the drain plug, then you had to take apart the air intake to access the filter cartridge.  Sometimes things take a few minutes, removing a wheel isn’t exactly a difficult task.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 01/04/2019 at 09:21

1

I have that fucking ring of death. Hate it. I bought a filter socket just to do the job. WHAT THE FUCK SUBARU!?!?!

jimz > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc 01/04/2019 at 10:36

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you’re getting into “re-design the engine block” territory which is a non-starter. The costs for that would easily have made the Ranger federalization program unfeasible. So when the decision is “spend millions of dollars on making a unique engine block” vs. “make it somewhat less convenient to access the oil filter every 7500-10000 miles” the choice is clear. it’s the simple truth that this is a case where the engine and vehicle were not designed with each other in mind.

mind you, this also used to be a pain in the ass with the GM 3800 V6; it was originally a longitudinal engine with the oil pump integrated into the front cover and driven by the crank snout with the filter hanging off of it.

easy as piss to access when the engine is longitudinal, total &%^*$& ball-ache when it was transverse.  basically the filter was parked right above the inner CV joint.  I remember there were warnings to never use those “quick replacement” CV dust boots which came with worm screw clamps, because the worm screw and housing was big enough to hit the filter once the axle started turning. 

HammerheadFistpunch > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2019 at 11:19

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Eh, its stupid and it sucks and it shows that no one currently has a clean sheet midsize on the market - but - it’ s hardly a deal breaker. I have to remove the skid plate to do the oil on the GX and while its a pain, it’ s not like its any harder than the subaru which required removing the splash guard or any of my other cars save the cruiser which is happy to just let you crawl under the truck and get at the oil and filter.

My only real worry is that this will prevent people from changing their filters and just draining the sump or vacuuming it out.  F rankly if you aren’t keeping your oil fresh and clean on a high pressure turbo motor...

WiscoProud > HammerheadFistpunch 01/04/2019 at 12:04

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I put a fumoto valve on my cruiser so i wouldn’t have to drop my TJM skid plate to do my oil. They’re apparently designed for the diesel 100 series, and the holes are wrong for the gas version. But a fumoto and a 12" hose work great. 

HammerheadFistpunch > WiscoProud 01/04/2019 at 12:12

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Its not the drain valve that’s the trouble, I can’t get to the filter except from the bottom.  No biggie, its only 4 bolts.  

WiscoProud > HammerheadFistpunch 01/04/2019 at 12:13

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I’m surprised its that many. Mine has two to get the panel off, and honestly I only have one at the time being. 

BahamaTodd > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2019 at 14:06

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With my 08 V6 Accord its much easier to change the oil filter after removing the wheel. Its possible with the wheel on, but much more difficult if the filter is more difficult to get turning.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > jimz 01/05/2019 at 12:07

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Yeah, understandable at this point, but it’s just surprising they don’t go to the cartridge filter layout in general. 

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > CB 01/05/2019 at 12:09

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Nah, I had two over the years and the batteries were fine.... now the valve cover gaskets and the transmission shift pack modules and gaskets ... well that’s a whole other thing.  Oh yeah, and the blower motor resistor that meant if you ran the fan on low, you’d burn it up in less than a month.  

Urambo Tauro > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/07/2019 at 23:14

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Update : Wh eel does not need to be removed after all... It’s supposedly three fasteners to flex the panel out of the way to access the filter, instead of nine fasteners to remove it.