Question about changing Oil on 03 protege LX
April-27th-2004, 11:08 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 349
If this is a serious question, unless you raise the car, you can't get underneath to remove the drain plug or reach the oil filter. Either jack the car up and place it on jackstands or run the car up on ramps.
If you don't want to jack it up, put the car on a hoist or run it over a pit.
If you don't want to jack it up, put the car on a hoist or run it over a pit.
April-28th-2004, 08:20 AM
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 349
Originally posted by Stitch626
I know u have to jack up the car, but why did they have to design it that way?
I know u have to jack up the car, but why did they have to design it that way?
02 DX Millenium Red
April-29th-2004, 06:49 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Colorado
Posts: 69
Re: Question about changing Oil on 03 protege LX
Originally posted by Stitch626
My fioncee wants to know why does she have to jack her car up to get at it from underneith?
My fioncee wants to know why does she have to jack her car up to get at it from underneith?
April-29th-2004, 10:30 AM
#9
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 169
Also.. the major point you all are missing.. is that oil is a liquid. and it responds to the effects of the earth's gravity... therefore.. since it drains to the bottom of the motor... which also happens to be underneath the car, the drain plug needs to be where it will drain with gravity... can't drain upwards last time I checked. <shrugs>
April-29th-2004, 11:21 AM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 165
I think the gist of this is the way everything is placed so out of reach. I think it sucks having to jack the car up to get at the oil filter to change it.
I remember my '85 GTI was great to change oil. Never had to crawl underneath to reach the drain plug, and the oil filter was accessible from the top, on the front of the block. Never had to cram my arm through any braces or supports or anything like that to get at it. Heck, even my Miata was hard to get at, but I never had to jack it up!
I think its intentional to make changing the oil difficult, just frustrating enough to make you want to bring the car in for servicing.
I remember my '85 GTI was great to change oil. Never had to crawl underneath to reach the drain plug, and the oil filter was accessible from the top, on the front of the block. Never had to cram my arm through any braces or supports or anything like that to get at it. Heck, even my Miata was hard to get at, but I never had to jack it up!
I think its intentional to make changing the oil difficult, just frustrating enough to make you want to bring the car in for servicing.
April-29th-2004, 12:42 PM
#11
The man behind the mask
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 11,572
I can't believe this question.....I want to preface my comment by saying that I'm not trying to be mean......that being said:
Tell your fiance to stick to making pies in the kitchen and leave lubrication of advanced automobile systems to the japanese. These guys make good points but forget one crucial thing....engine blocks and heads are designed with flow patterns in them....moving these things to accomdate someone changing their own oil....
(in Jesse Jackson voice) It's proposterous to think that the pernification of something so incrduling as this would be allowed to be brought to ramification. so I say let's raise an offering.
Tell your fiance to stick to making pies in the kitchen and leave lubrication of advanced automobile systems to the japanese. These guys make good points but forget one crucial thing....engine blocks and heads are designed with flow patterns in them....moving these things to accomdate someone changing their own oil....
(in Jesse Jackson voice) It's proposterous to think that the pernification of something so incrduling as this would be allowed to be brought to ramification. so I say let's raise an offering.
April-29th-2004, 01:47 PM
#14
The man behind the mask
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 11,572
there are numerous cars out there that allow you to change filter top side....Toyota makes some....the trucks....the 3.0L in-line 6's....VW made some older ones....Volvo makes them on the 2.3L....
What it boils down to is engine design and space management and overall function. If you look at a FS block there is NO other place that the filter could go on that block....if it botrhers her so much she should buy a filter relocation kit and move the filter to outside the wheel well or even into the passenger compartment!
What it boils down to is engine design and space management and overall function. If you look at a FS block there is NO other place that the filter could go on that block....if it botrhers her so much she should buy a filter relocation kit and move the filter to outside the wheel well or even into the passenger compartment!
April-30th-2004, 07:05 PM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 22
Why is everyone giving this person such a hard time? My '03 Protege5 is my FIFTH Mazda and TENTH car since 1995. I have never owned a truck or SUV. This is the ONLY car I have had that will not allow you to reach the oil filter from above. My older Mazdas had the 2.2 Liter engine in about the same size engine bay. You could reach the filter from the top, just like in the Miata. I've never needed jackstands, ramps, a hydraulic lift, or a pit to change my oil before, and it frustrates me that I will need more than oil, a filter, a drain pan, some newspaper, and a socket wrench to change my oil. Used to be, I could change my oil anywhere with very limited supplies.