Changing your own oil?

[BigHoof]

I've read somewhere in these pages that one thing to be cautious of is the oil plug on the Bronco. The pan is plastic as are the threads and can easily be messed up/cross threaded.

Apparently, there is a better plug you can buy for the pan that will help protect against this. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong....

It doesn't cross thread. It's a 1/4 turn to install, the plug is plastic and supposed to be replaced each time. The hole is so big you get a giant rush of 6 quarts of oil when the plug is removed. The expensive replacement plug you can buy will slow the flow and make it more manageable.

Another one of those it wasn't broke but yet we decided to fix it anyhow. If you are too stupid to not be able to thread in a plug at oil change you shouldn't be working on a car yourself. No need to redesign cause you can't fix stupid.

On disposal, Walmarts with an Auto Center take the used oil too.

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[Rednek]

I will change my own oil,but i work in the dealership shop so nevermind.

 

[Mickey21]

I don't think that would fit under 2 of my 4 vehicles...(that Jetta is low...)

Do they just have a drum that you can empty that into? I used to be able to drop containers at the transfer station but they stopped taking it several years ago.

(maybe I'll start doing my own maintenance again when I'm done running around to baseball and softball games, practices, etc in a few years).

Generally people use inexpensive drive up ramps to use pans like this to drain their oil btw.

They have a very large tank that used oil gets poured into at their locations, usually with a drain/pump location out the back of the store that a truck comes and removes the oil with from time to time.

 

[Rick Astley]

Yeah it was. I remember recently reading it

@Rick Astley

Sorry, it's tax season so I can pick through some pages, but not read them all right now...

I haven't seen what engine you're planning on going with for your Bronco in this thread. However, the GF who bought her 2019 Ranger (via the same reservation process we're going through now) had NEVER worked on her own car before. I'm talking changing a tire, oil, even putting air in tires or checking fluids.

With just a bit of guidance she can now do an oil swap on her Ranger by herself in just under 15 minutes (this would be about a 2-beer job if I were doing it, she doesn't like to wait for the oil to drain from the pan).

Tool list for oil change on Ranger:

• ratcheting combination wrench
  • 12 mm if memory serves and its the same size for oil pan plug and the bash plate
• flat head screwdriver for popping the plastic fender clips
• Oil filter wrench (I prefer the strap style with pivoting handle for Ranger, smaller size only)
  • https://www.pepboys.com/cta-ritefit-swivel-type-oil-filter-wrench-65mm-83mm/product/292863
• Drain pan (Picked up a very nice 15 qt pan at Home Depot of all places for less than $20, don't skimp on pan size, this will catch more splatter as well as making the trip to oil recycle easier without spillage)

You don't need to lift the vehicle and you can fit under it without ramps. Or at least I can, if just barely, at 6'1", 250 lbs with maybe a few too many beers affecting what would otherwise be a Mr. Olympia body.....

Pretty much as easy as it seems.

• drain pan behind the drivers side CV boot
• Steering full lock to the right
• remove 3 plastic clips on fender well splash pan to access oil filter
• Remove oil filter
  • Consume first beer while that drains into pan
• Once that's done, prime new filter with a dollop of oil and lubricate gasket, install filter
• Clean up the oil drain path Ford provided
• Remove oil filler cap
• Relocate drain pan to oil pan drain
• Remove bash plate under Ranger that impact access to drain plug
  • Not a necessary step, however, it will ensure you don't cross thread the bolt during re-install
• Drain engine oil into pan
  • Consume second beer while the pan drains
    • I prefer a mid-strength beer for the second beer before breakfast
• Clean drain plug and remove any shavings from plug magnet
• Re-install drain plug, then bash pan.
• Fill engine oil to factory spec MINUS 1/2 quart
• Check for any leaks, if none, warm up engine for ~5 minutes
• Check oil fill level and top off if required.
  • Our Ranger hasn't burned any oil or had the oil level rise (sign of fuel dilution in the oil, see your dealership if this happens, it's quite rare)
  • We haven't needed to add that last 1/2 quart with oil changes as there will always be oil in the crank and pooled in areas of the engine.

 

[Vigor]

Sorry, it's tax season so I can pick through some pages, but not read them all right now...

I haven't seen what engine you're planning on going with for your Bronco in this thread. However, the GF who bought her 2019 Ranger (via the same reservation process we're going through now) had NEVER worked on her own car before. I'm talking changing a tire, oil, even putting air in tires or checking fluids.

With just a bit of guidance she can now do an oil swap on her Ranger by herself in just under 15 minutes (this would be about a 2-beer job if I were doing it, she doesn't like to wait for the oil to drain from the pan).

Tool list for oil change on Ranger:

• ratcheting combination wrench
  • 12 mm if memory serves and its the same size for oil pan plug and the bash plate
• flat head screwdriver for popping the plastic fender clips
• Oil filter wrench (I prefer the strap style with pivoting handle for Ranger, smaller size only)
  • https://www.pepboys.com/cta-ritefit-swivel-type-oil-filter-wrench-65mm-83mm/product/292863
• Drain pan (Picked up a very nice 15 qt pan at Home Depot of all places for less than $20, don't skimp on pan size, this will catch more splatter as well as making the trip to oil recycle easier without spillage)

You don't need to lift the vehicle and you can fit under it without ramps. Or at least I can, if just barely, at 6'1", 250 lbs with maybe a few too many beers affecting what would otherwise be a Mr. Olympia body.....

Pretty much as easy as it seems.

• drain pan behind the drivers side CV boot
• Steering full lock to the right
• remove 3 plastic clips on fender well splash pan to access oil filter
• Remove oil filter
  • Consume first beer while that drains into pan
• Once that's done, prime new filter with a dollop of oil and lubricate gasket, install filter
• Clean up the oil drain path Ford provided
• Remove oil filler cap
• Relocate drain pan to oil pan drain
• Remove bash plate under Ranger that impact access to drain plug
  • Not a necessary step, however, it will ensure you don't cross thread the bolt during re-install
• Drain engine oil into pan
  • Consume second beer while the pan drains
    • I prefer a mid-strength beer for the second beer before breakfast
• Clean drain plug and remove any shavings from plug magnet
• Re-install drain plug, then bash pan.
• Fill engine oil to factory spec MINUS 1/2 quart
• Check for any leaks, if none, warm up engine for ~5 minutes
• Check oil fill level and top off if required.
  • Our Ranger hasn't burned any oil or had the oil level rise (sign of fuel dilution in the oil, see your dealership if this happens, it's quite rare)
  • We haven't needed to add that last 1/2 quart with oil changes as there will always be oil in the crank and pooled in areas of the engine.

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[Rick Astley]

Somebody will say the oil filler cap should be removed at the start of this operation, I found it to cause the oil to drain from the filter housing faster than necessary and could potentially spill oil over the sides of the aqueduct Ford designed. Leaving the filler cap on for the filter draining slowed that down quite a bit.

Let's not rush here, we're trying to change the oil before breakfast, not solve the world's problems.

 

[kodiakisland]

I put my used oil right back into the same recyclable container it came in and drop it off whenever I buy more oil. Simple exchange.

 

[Mattwings]

Now I'm not saying you need a torque wrench to tighten your drain plug, but having someone show you what "too loose" and "just right" feels like will help you build a lot of confidence.

One thing I will say is make sure you use a quality filter and choose an oil that meets the requirements for your engine. Oil quality is much more important with these turbo EcoBoost engines. Most of the inexpensive filters at the local parts store are absolute garbage. I run WIX filters in my vehicles when available because they are good quality at a reasonable cost.

That's the #1 thing I have a hard time communicating with my son. I have torqued and worked with so many fasteners and materials over time, I have some "feel" for how hard (or not) to wrench on things. I have toque wrenches and my son knows how to use them, but often even just getting the feel for when a bolt or screw is "stripping" is such a tactile experience, hard to learn other than by doing.

 

[Rick Astley]

@Tilzbow hit the nail on the head!



This is the perfect size drain pan for Ranger and Bronco. It will be close enough to the chassis that there isn't a huge drop, yet far enough away you can access the drain plug.

The only problem with that pan is there is no mesh over the center drain hole, so you can lose the pan bolt into the pan (ask me how I know!). I punched a thin piece of sheet metal then drilled a bunch of holes in it an use that as my drain guard on that very pan. Should have used aluminum, but anyway, it's thin enough you can still screw down the cap over it so it's always in place.

This has been the best drain pan i've ever had. Even with the T-bird being about 3" above the ground (static drop), i'll simply lift the vehicle higher to keep using this pan instead of the slim pans that hold a toddlers bladder instead of a proper amount of fluids.

 

[OX1]

whatever you do, do not use power tools to screw the oil pan plug back in. That's a great way to cross-thread it, and then you have a whole new mess on your hands. I've never done that, but I took an old car to a quick oil change shop many years ago and the young wannabe oil change kid jacked up my car by doing so.

If it's the same as my fusion, you can't use power tools on the 2.7 plastic oil plug.

 

[Deano Bronc]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before but I'm not reading over 7 pages of oil change info, but the only issue in 40 years of changing my own oil was the rubber O-ring from the old oil filter stuck on the engine block and I put a new oil filter right over it. Let's just say 2 O-rings are not better than 1 especially since I didn't notice it until 7 miles down the road. What a mess but I never made that mistake again.

 

[Vigor]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before but I'm not reading over 7 pages of oil change info, but the only issue in 40 years of changing my own oil was the rubber O-ring from the old oil filter stuck on the engine block and I put a new oil filter right over it. Let's just say 2 O-rings are not better than 1 especially since I didn't notice it until 7 miles down the road. What a mess but I never made that mistake again.

Mentioned already but nothing wrong with you mentioning it again and driving the point home! (No pun intended)

 

[RoLyMa27]

I don't know about you, but I take my vehicle to Ford and pay $39 for "The works" package. They change the oil, replace the filter, rotate the tires, inspect the brakes, check the condition of the battery, and fill all the fluids, no appointment necessary. In addition, when I take it back to the dealer I bought it from, they wash the car too. I have no compunction to climb under my vehicle and screw around changing the oil when I can get all that for $39. It just doesn't make sense.

I bought a 2019 F150 and got 60,000 ford pass rewards points, I now have about 26k mi on it and have had the works done 4 times. Haven't paid a dime!

 

[timhood]

I'm sitting at a pep boys right now with an hour-long wait, to get my oil changed. I know with the Bronco, I want to change my own oil

For those of you planning to change your own Bronco's oil, do you plan to just slide under there and figure it out yourself? Or will you let the techs do it first and pick it up from there on after?

I don't imagine the Bronco being too different than say, a Ranger. But this is coming from someone who has never changed oil before a day in his life

Be gentle... my dad didn't teach me these things

I would change my own oil, if it was worth my time and trouble. But the Ford dealers here like to run loss leaders where an oil change with filter, tire rotation and multi-point inspection is $33. Considering how much a pain tire rotation is DIY, this is a no-brainer.

So, I say, skip the oil change and learn how to replace the air filter, cabin air filter, and swap out brake pads. That's easy work that will save you significant money and probably all the work that will be needed for the first 100K miles.

 

[timhood]

I would change my own oil, if it was worth my time and trouble. But the Ford dealers here like to run loss leaders where an oil change with filter, tire rotation and multi-point inspection is $33. Considering how much a pain tire rotation is DIY, this is a no-brainer.

So, I say, skip the oil change and learn how to replace the air filter, cabin air filter, and swap out brake pads. That's easy work that will save you significant money and probably all the work that will be needed for the first 100K miles.

I should have mentioned that it's certainly worth learning how to change the oil, even if you don't actually do it. And, to be fair, it's $100 for three services, so the first one is expensive and the next two are free.

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