DIY oil change

[jjrho]

hi guys, wanted to do my oil change on 95 nsx.
what's so special about the oil fiter that it needs a special wrench to undo, according to the manual....
i was just gonna suck out the old oil , like the MB does.... and pour in some mobile 1....

 

[MJK]

You can use a standard filter wrench no problem. The special wrench just fits over the end of the filter, allowing you to use a socket set on a 'nut' welded onto the end of the special wrench. Its worth buying for ease of use and to be able to use a torque wrench, but I would not let it be the deciding factor in whether you change you own oil. Its an easy 15 min job either way.

 

[jjrho]

oil filter

oh ok... i was actually thinking of just hand tightening the filter anyway.... as long as i can take the old one off...
actually, i change the oil with mobile 1 every 5K or so but sometimes forego the filter 'til every other oil change...
not ideal, but probably doesn't make that much difference... as long as oil pressure isn't getting high because of dirty filter element....
can i just get some Fram filter at pep boys?

j.rho

 

[MJK]

I'd get the standard NSX filter. Be sure to replace the crush washer too. The price is not much different, and it is a much better filter. If not OEM, get mobile 1. There is an oil filter review on here somewhere (albeit for preludes), but I am too lazy to dig it up.

Edit, there are 2 honda filters that fit the NSX. One is an old legend filter, which is shorter with less filtration area. The real one is what you want, Honda part # 15400-PL2-004.

 

[titaniumdave]

I change my oil every 3K, new filter and cruch washer under the drain plug included. I only use the Honda NSX filter and synthetic oil, this is very cheap insurance to make sure the car lasts a long time. If you don't change the filter you start with 1 quart of dirty oil in the engine and that does not seem wise to me.

Make sure you tighten the hell out of the filter, I believe it is 19 FT-LB spec form the manual. One full rotation of the filter once it has made contact with the mating surface, with the o-ring lubed. You will find marks every 90 degrees on the filter to help make sure it is tight.

 

[hlweyl]

Re: oil filter

oh ok... i was actually thinking of just hand tightening the filter anyway.... as long as i can take the old one off...
actually, i change the oil with mobile 1 every 5K or so but sometimes forego the filter 'til every other oil change...
not ideal, but probably doesn't make that much difference... as long as oil pressure isn't getting high because of dirty filter element....
can i just get some Fram filter at pep boys?

j.rho

A good filter (i.e. OEM) is cheap insurance for your engine. Change it EVERYTIME you do an oil change. I would do my research before using a Fram filter. I used them for years in my cheap cars before I did my reading. There are sites that show cutaways and the differences between quality filters and Fram. And I have heard of catastrophic engine failures due to the fram filter.

BTW, the filter is actually very easy to get to compared to any other car I've owned. I don't take the right rear tire off, but that does make it easier.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

I believed if you are talking about the more expensive Fram filters

I don't know if they make one for the nsx, but Fram had 3 to 4 trim levels of oil filter, I believed the double guarded one (sold more expensive then Mobil 1 or K&N in WA) is the best one.

The cheapest, normal oil filter Fram made (orange one with a black grip) is not recommend for any Honda if you care about your car; I had a chance to look at the cut away of the Newest OEM honda filter (which is also made by Fram) and compare that to an orange fram, the orange's spring is weaker and it used a cheaper material as the filter element...

Hope this help... With the ridiculus increase on Fuel ($2.65 a gallon), I found it so hard to "save" the extra $5 on oil filters.

 

[jjrho]

filter change

yeah, i agree.... on some of my cars, when i 'm too busy to do a full oil change, i do the oil change but forgo the filter...out of laziness/lack of time.....
i did buy a oem filter today.... will watch the guy at jiffy lube take it off and hand thread/tighten back on....
i usually bring my own mobile 1 there and watch 'em put mine in.... then i give 'em 'tip' for their srvc....
they do have m1 and castrol full synthetic but what bothers me with that is that i noticed that the bottle cap was already opened/loosened once already , which makes me think that maybe they, at best, use the can and bulk dispense their synthetic or, at worst, they are cheating their customers....
i befriended those weekend shift guys and they usually do well for me but still would watch the guy actually doing the filter below...
any advice/ pearls?

jr