First Oil Change (Myself)

LincMercLover

LincMercLover

Off duty.
I'm sorry, but I love my car to death, but that had to be the most frustration oil change I've ever had! I mean, my sis had a 1996 Contour and I thought that was retarded! This surely takes the cake! I couldn't even really jack up the car from the direct front. My 1979 Lincoln is longer than this car and I can AT LEAST jack the whole front end up from the front cross member with ease. And the oil filer, DAMN... Is it rather convienent that the sway bar and the new steering system is right in the way of the oil filter? Oh, and could there be a couple more hoses in the way maybe? You could tell the engineers didn't think ANY of this out when someone said, "Hey, lets drop the old Cobra motor in here!" I could just see one guy saying, "Well, see these drawing here indicate an oil change will be a pain in the ass for the consumer..." and another guy saying, "You're fired." OK, done dissing my car. At least she's got good Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5W-30. Oh... speaking of which. When I drained the oil, the motor was fairly warm, probably not quite opperating temp, and that stuff looked thinner than water! Almost made me sick I've had 1000mile on that crap! Thanks Ford... OK, now I'm done again, I think... Hmm... Yah, done! Drive on (no plug intended)! :D
 
When I first put Mobil 1 in my Impala as it was pouring out I was thinking, "Hmmmmmmm, seems kinda thin..."

Two years and all is well though. I hope.

Jeff
 
My Mobil 1 didn't look thin to me. That 5W-20 did though, slightly warm. We're talking microscopic thin... THIN beyond your wildest conception of thin! LOL, but yah, it was pretty thin...
 
I'm with ya LincMercLover. Changed the oil in my MM last week. It was a pain getting to the stock filter never mind unscrewing it with great difficulty and then having the oil drain all over those hoses and the front cross member. The only thing that worked out was the Mobil 1 oil filter that I replaced the stock filter with could use the cap style filter remover that goes on the old 3/8 ratchet. That will make it easier for the next change and I am more confident in the Mobil 1 5W-30 than that 5W-20 that I just replaced. I don't think it will have any effect on the fake oil pressure gauge though LOL. I would highly recommend the ramps. I used my good ole Rhino Ramps and that beats the heck out of jacking the thing up.
 
Moparzz,
Did standard ramps suffice, or are the Rhino models wider and therefor can accomodate the MM tires? I will have to buy a pair as I took a quick creep under and MAN is it tight down there!!!
 
Yah, I've got ramps, their pretty old though. I excellent shape, seeing how no one's really used them, but like gja said, I don't know about the width. I wouldn't think it'd present a major problem though. My problem right now though is their at my other house. So my bulky 3Ton had to surfice. Wasn't fun, but I got the job done. I did replace mine with a regular Motorcraft oil filter (just in case dealer wants to raise a stink about stupid stuff), and what I thought would be easier to get on, wasn't. It took forever to find just the right placement for my wrench to get that extra 3/4 turn. I've got a thing that you can put on a ratchet somewhere, maybe that'd work better (keyword there is SOMEWHERE). I do like the location of the fill. The radiator hose and air tube hold my funnel rather well while grabbing another bottle of my Mobil 1. :D LOL, I know the feeling about the gauge. It slipped my mind to when checking it, I was hoping for something a tad different, but then my memory resevered me and I preceded to clean up as I let the motor run for a little before checking the dip stick. At least I don't have to crawl under there again for another 3000 miles (knock on wood).
 
Here's how I handle oil changes in my MM:

First you buy a 1997 C5 in 1997. Then every 3K you take it to your neighborhood full service gas station (nice hydraulic lift system) whose owner you've known since you were both kids. He installs the Mobil One 5W30 and the AC/Delco filter you bought at Trak Auto and on the fifth oil change he leaves an oily shopcloth laying on the exhaust header and you get about 15 minutes of summertime hot rodding before the smoke coming from under the hood of your Seattle Silver $44K chick magnet becomes excessive and when you pop the hood and smoke turns to fire and you rip off your best white short-sleeve dress shirt and tie and jam them onto the flames while you singe the backs of both hands and finally the fire department arrives to snuff it out.

Guess who paid the medical bills back then, buys the oil and filter for the MM now, and installs them GRATIS every 3K for me? AND counts every shopcloth before and after like he was an OR nurse counting sponges! That "arsonist" at the gas station, that's who! He said he'd do it for free 'til one of us dies. Friendship and customer service redefined!
 
After chaning the oil for 5 years in my '97 Thunderbird V8 Sport, changing the Marauder is a snap. Seriously, guys. The only problem is some of the power steering lines. On the T-Bird it was a cast iron b*tch!

It's a 30 minute job tops on the MM.
 
LML Have faith in Ford! I have 15 fleet vans (E-350) with 5.4l gas engines.(one 6.9 V-10). Some have 200,000! My shop changes oil every 3000. for most of my vans it ever other week. I know the 5.4 is no 4.6 but, are we putting 1600 miles a week on our cars! 5W-20 is good oil!

Big Dog
03'Merc
87' F-150 4X4
01' Highlander
 
For those who still crawl around under their cars and are interested in ramps I highly recommend the Rhino Ramps. You can get them at AutoZone, Walmart etc. They are made of plastic and are rated at 6 tons for the pair. They aren't noisy like the metal ramps and they are wider than most metal ramps. They easily accomodated the tires on my MM. All this for about $30 a pair (when I bought them 4 years ago).

Bozobill, I loved your story and envy you now for the free labor on oil changes.
 
Oh yah, I'm not saying this was a day in the garage project Fourth. Took me about the same 30 mins. But I'm used to my older cars where everything's right there and it takes me like 10 mins tops. Even my Dads 1998 F-150 5.4 is easier that this, but it's got room since it's a truck.

As for faith in the oil, I don't doubt it works, and I have total faith in Ford (that's all I own); but those Eco vans aren't running 14's in the 1/4! :D I'd just like to see something with a little more substance to it lubricating my motor.
 
I don't know about my MM yet. Still trying to decide whether or not to go for the "1st oil change free" deal. But I've got about 2400 miles to make up my mind.

Like Fourth above, I wrestled with a 97 TBird 4.6 until recently. Definitely no fun. For that matter, it was a pain changing the oil in the wife's Windstars and the 94 Mustang (dang cross-member!). Come to think of it; the only "easy" oil change I've managed recently was on my old '68.

I guess that's it, LincMercLover, we're spoiled by that big iron with plenty of room.
 
Yeah, I understand where you guys are coming from. I had a '76 LTD and changing the filter on it was a snap.

I'm just so happy to not have to change the T-Bird any more that I can't (yet) bring myself to complain about the easier to change Marauder. :)
 
If you go to a non Ford garage for an oil change, make sure you have your Motorcraft oil filter number to cross refference (It's in your manual). Pep Boys , VIP and most places don't show the 03 Marauder. They will say there is no filter made for the car yet. They can't do a filter find without your Motorcraft number. I just had my oil & filter changed at a VIP Auto Center.Had 6 Qts of 5-30 Mobile One oil with a Mobile One oil filter (M1-210) for $38. The filter alone went for $9.99. Doesn't pay to do your own oil change at that price. I'll think about the rag on the exhaust every time I have an oil change from now on ;)
 
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Any room for a remote filter under their? I run a double oil filter, got it mounted where it takes 2 minutes to change both.
 
Mikeenh,

I ran at about $38 changing my own oil, and that was with having to go to Wal-Mart to get 4 of my 7 (thought I'd get an extra just in case) needed quarts, their prices on some automotive stuff is a wee bit high. Evidentally this Mobil 1 stuff is the shiznit cause every auto part store I went didn't have enoph for my car. So, minus the $4.99 for the extra quart that puts me at about $33,possibly $32 if I bought the oil all at one place. So I'm still saving a little dough and have got the piece of mind with changing MY OWN oil.
 
One nice feature is that, with the proper wrench, you can loosen or tighten the filter from above. Unfortunately, you can only finish removing or installing it from below.
 
At V8SHO we have experienced several owners denied ESP coverage only because they changed their own oil. (No independently verifiable record, like a receipt. Even if you can prove you purchased and a filter they have no independent way of proving it to their own satisfaction.) These were immaculately maintained cars, very clean and never abused.

May I suggest if you are a DIY-er you invest in oil analysis kits from Amsoil, Cat, Cummings or Detroit Diesel, I if you can show them oil analysis history, annotated with dates, mileage, Oil brand & grade – Oil filter brand they are pressed to call you a non-technical idiot.

A V8SHO can empty a 7 qt sump every 7 seconds, even has a factory oil inter-cooler above the filter, So I have passing interest in oil and oil filters.

I wrote a 40+ page technical paper on SHO oil systems for www.SHOCLUB.com which also reviews oil filters for Ford engines which I think will fit MM. Conclusion was the discontinued AC-Ultra oil filter was the finest made. (I have a private stash).

Mobil 1 oil filter is made by the same folks Champion filter in IL. It has the finest synthetic media which maintains high flow and 10 micron in non bypass mode.

The K&N filter looks identical but sacrifices sub 15 micron filtering for increased flow rates. (It is a marketed as a racing filter.)

My oil analysis history is available on http://v8sho.com/SHO/oilanal.html, it looks out of date, I have to update the page.
 
I 'm not sure after reading several postings if the consense is that it's hard/difficult or not to change the MM oil==mine is only at 500 miles - so got a while to go yet--had a '98 Vic HP and all was necessary was to turn the wheel fully in one directrion while on the ramps (having a paper plate under tires helps the turning) and the filter became clear of any rods , etc.. to get access ... so ..what IS REALLY NECESSARY FOR THE mm?
 
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