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Ever changed the oil in your car yourself?

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    #62
    Tipsy Mac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭Tipsy Mac


    ninty9er wrote: »
    I triedI helped my dad try, but I we couldn't get the sump nut off.

    Yes sometimes you need to give it a gentle bruising with Mr. Hammer to get it to comply :D


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    #63
    ninty9er
    Registered Users Posts: 9,366 ✭✭✭ninty9er


    Tipsy Mac wrote: »
    Yes sometimes you need to give it a gentle bruising with Mr. Hammer to get it to comply :D

    Well the car was on the ground, so getting to the nut was difficult enough. Mr. Hammer did attempt to persuade Mr. Nut but to no avail. Need a ramp methinks.

    The sump on the Astra faces the footwell so some imaginative positions were adopted trying to get at it.


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    #64
    Plug
    Registered Users Posts: 9,248 ✭✭✭Plug


    ninty9er wrote: »
    I triedI helped my dad try, but I we couldn't get the sump nut off.
    Its hard to get it off when your just lieing under the car, I use a power bar to crack it.


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    #65
    mkem
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭mkem


    I'm in the 'No I don't but would like to' bracket. But I only drive about 12K per year and wife only does about 10K, so Im just wondering if it is worth my while. As regards sump nuts, a friend of mine bought this vaccuum pump, it's like a container with a lever and a long narrow tube, you put the tube down into where the dipstick goes and the lever creates suction wich drains the oil from the engine. I think he paid 70 or 80 euros for it. I was thinkingif you got some tubing and one of those small pumps that work off a drill, wouldn't it do the same job.


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    #66
    Voodoomelon
    Registered Users Posts: 9,660 ✭✭✭Voodoomelon


    I can't see a vaccuum pump working as well as draining the oil from the bottom of the car. With a vaccuum, you're working against gravity to get the oil out, whereas the normal method allows all the oil to flow downwards with gravity, clearing most areas of the engine fully.

    All you need for oil changes are a spanner, a bucket, a decent jack and jack stands. 30 minutes from getting the stuff out of the shed to having it back in. Absolutely worth the money in my opinion.


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    #67
    kazul
    Closed Accounts Posts: 645 ✭✭✭kazul


    Kinda off topic but I changed my anti-roll bar drop-links and my catalytic converter today :-)
    Fingers crossed for the NCT re-test next week...


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    #68
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    what are the symptoms of an engine being overfilled with oil??

    cause i noticed a few drops on the ground each morning and its spluttering out white smoke from the exhaust


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    #69
    L-M
    Registered Users Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭L-M


    fryup wrote: »
    what are the symptoms of an engine being overfilled with oil??

    cause i noticed a few drops on the ground each morning and its spluttering out white smoke from the exhaust

    The oil level too far up your dipstick. It's there for a reason. Take it out, wipe it, replace it, take it out again and make sure the oil level is betweem the two dots.


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    #70
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Limerick-man wrote: »
    The oil level too far up your dipstick. It's there for a reason. Take it out, wipe it, replace it, take it out again and make sure the oil level is betweem the two dots.

    between the dots..........so not to the top dot then


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    #71
    L-M
    Registered Users Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭L-M


    fryup wrote: »
    between the dots..........so not to the top dot then

    If you haven't topped it up in a while, it could be a bit lower than the top dot(where it should be).If your trying to rule out if it's over filled, it has to be inbetween these. But too much is as bad as too little.


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    #72
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    fryup wrote: »
    what are the symptoms of an engine being overfilled with oil??

    cause i noticed a few drops on the ground each morning and its spluttering out white smoke from the exhaust
    White smoke is fine, it's just condensation turning into steam and going out through the exhaust.. blue smoke means you're burning oil and is time to worry.
    As Limerick-man said, as long as it's between the marks then the level is OK.

    If you have a few drops on the ground then maybe there's a leak.. give the engine a wipe down and you should be able to spot where it's coming from.


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