Oil filter change = dealer item?
 

I am getting ready to do my first oil change on my 97 Protege ES that I bought a few months ago. In checking out oil requirements in the manual (# of quarts, viscosity), I saw that for the oil filter it said something like:

"Due to requiring a special tool for tightening, it is recommended that a Mazda Authorized mechanic should do the work."

Does anyone know if a special tool is indeed required? I find that hard to believe, since my Prot. uses the exact same oil filter as my 93 Mazda RX-7, on which I changed the oil yesterday and I did not require any special freakin' tool!

All I could figure was that the location meant it might be tough to tighten by hand, but I didn't get a chance to crawl under there to confirm.

Either that or Mazda wants to use their special tool on me. Which I imagine is shaft shaped and works best when I bend over!

Anyway, thanks for any input.

Brad
97 Protege ES
93 MBM RX-7 Base
http://home.early.com/~mrtwr/myrx7.htm
http://home.early.com/~mrtwr/cardata.html

the "special tool" is a filter socket, with a 3/8" drive ratchet. go to autozone, match up the filter with the socket, then buy the socket, and go under your car...oil change complete.

Is it a 1.8L engine?

Regards,

Oz

your filter is a ph6607 , fram , the wrench you can get from where you get the filter ..
Bruce

Oz, yes, it is the 1.8L engine.

Thanks, guys...I will check out this filter socket at Autozone. I still find it strange that my 93 RX-7 uses this exact same filter, but I don't need this socket to change it...

And I'll avoid the Fram filter, thank you very much as the seals of these have failed on several RX-7's. I'll steer clear of them for that reason.

Again, thanks for the feedback guys. It is appreciated!

Brad

Well, I got the oil changed this weekend. This filter socket is definitely not a "required" item. It was plenty easy enough to change by hand.

The only tools needed were for the oil pan drain plug. Unfortunately, the person who did the last oil change really tighted this sucker down. I needed a 1/2" breaker bar just to get it to budge!

Well, it's done and it was a piece of cake.