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[x25xe]

Changing the Oil on a V6

Seeing as there is not an oil change guide for the V6 and we have one for the four pot and the diesel, I thought that I would do one for the V6. This covers the metal spin on type filter, though the paper element type is similar...

This is a simple and easy job to do.  It is essential to change the oil around every 3 thousand miles or so.  This will help keep the breathers clear and prolongs the life of the engine.  Without going into too many technicalities, oil does many things for the engine, not just lubricating it.

Featured Car
My 1998 2.5 V6 minifacelift.  The principles apply to any V6 (or any other engine for that matter).  Please note that later engines have the paper element filter not the spin off canister filter as featured here.

Tools & Items Required

Items
5.75 Litres of your favourite oil - I use Vauxhall’s Own
New Oil Filter - again I use the genuine filter
New sump plug washer (not reqd if your car has the newer torx sump plug)
Drain Container
Newspaper
Marker Pen
Good supply of clean tissue paper (the blue stuff that the AA use) or kitchen roll etc.
Latex Gloves
Funnel

Tools
Trolley Jack
Axle Stand
Socket Wrench
T45 Torx Bit for sump plug (older cars use standard bolt)
Oil Filter Removal Tool (optional not required if filter is fitted correctly)



Warnings
Do not get under the car if it is supported only on a jack.  An Axle Stand MUST be in place first.  I recommend that you wear Latex Gloves (the same that doctors use).  I saw these in Halfords at a huge price of £7.99 - they are available at independent car shops for half this.  Both new and used oil is carcinogenic (causes cancer in large enough quantities) so you do not want it getting on your skin if you can help it.

Preparation
Firstly, you want to get the oil nice and hot.  To do this, I go on a fast motorway run of around 30 miles.  This brings everything nicely up to temperature and ensures that all the contaminants will be flushed out of the engine with the old oil.  Locate a suitable place to park the car remembering that you will have to jack up the passenger side and that you will require space at the front of the car.

Jack up the front passenger side of the car as shown in the pictures.  I use a piece of wood to protect the chassis as shown in the pictures.





Draining the old oil
Position your drain container on top of old newspaper under the drain plug.  I have a proper drain container which I reuse.  You can use anything, an old washing up bowl, an old oil container with a side cut out etc, but I have found that the proper item is much better.  Using some tissue paper, clean the area surrounding the sump plug (pictured below).  Next, using a socket wrench and a T45 Torx Bit, loosen the drain plug on the sump which is shown in the picture below.  The thread is quite coarse and it feels tight, almost as if it is cross threaded.  Do not worry about this, it does loosen up at the end of the thread.  Making sure that the drain container is positioned under the drain plug and that it’s drain plug is open, loosen the drain plug by hand.  Be prepared for hot oil to come out at quite a rate and try not to drop the drain plug as it does so.  Monitor the oil going into the container for a while to ensure that oil is not being dispensed onto the ground below.  The picture shows the old oil being released from the engine.  Once satisfied, loosen the oil filling cap as this will help increase the flow of old oil into the container below.

The Sump Drain Plug


Old Oil Draining from engine


Whilst you have the cap off, inspect it.  If there is a creamy "mayonnaise" coating on it, take this opportunity to clean it as in the pictures.  At this point, remove the dipstick and clean all the old oil from this both at the bottom and the yellow top where the two black sealing rings are.  Once this is done, replace the cap, but do not do it up.

Cap with Mayonnaise


Cap after cleaning

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Filter preparation
I like to write the date and mileage onto the new filter so that I can see at a glance when I last changed it.  This is why I have listed a marker pen above.  When I have done this, I prime the filter by pouring new oil into it and shaking it round and round so that the paper element inside absorbs the new oil.  This means that when the engine is started when the new oil is inside, the filter is partially full and the oil pressure will build up much quicker thereby ensuring less metal to metal contact upon initial start up.  Assuming that you are wearing the latex gloves, dip your little finger into the new oil that will be on the top of the filter and smear it on the black rubber sealing ring.  This will prevent the new filter sticking to the engine block.



New Filter Primed with new Oil


Finishing the Draining
As we have jacked one side of the car up, the engine sump is not level.  Carefully lower the car to ensure that all oil can escape.  When the car is lowered, I pour in a little fresh oil in order to give that "final flush".  The picture below shows this.



Oil will still be flowing from the drain plug on the engine, so I use this time to perform a general check of things in the engine compartment like the drive belt tightness and condition, hoses, battery connections, brake fluid, evidence of any fluid leaks etc.  By this time the flow of oil will have stopped.

Closing the Sump
Using some of the tissue paper, thoroughly clean the sump plug, particularly the black sealing ring and threads.  Now move your drain container further under the car so that you can replace the sump nut.  Start off by hand to ensure it is not cross threaded and then tighten with the socket wrench.  Please note that there is no need to tighten it up like a wheel nut as so many garages do.  I let it tighten up and then give it a ¼ turn to "nip it up".  This achieves the fluid tight seal that is required and makes it easy to undo the next time.  The manufacturer states 10Nm for the torx type sump plug, and 55Nm for the older Hex bolt with copper washer.

Removing the old Oil Filter
Raise the passenger side of the car once again and support it with an axle stand.  Get under the car and take the new oil filter in it’s box and a supply of tissue paper with you.  Locate the oil filter which is at the far back of the engine on the passenger side.  The picture below shows the filter as viewed from the top of the engine.  There is not a great deal of room to move but it is quite accessible from under the car.  Unscrew the filter.  If it is tight, you may well require a filter removal tool.  Once again, be prepared for oil to flow as the seal from the engine block is broken.  Once removed, place the old filter on top of your drain container or on your newspaper.  With the tissue paper, clean the old oil from the filter mounting point and the surplus that will be on the engine block and surrounding the black plastic part near a metal pipe.  This is the all important crank sensor which needs to be kept clean.  Whilst you are in this area you could also make sure that the serrated metal pipe leading away from it is not close to the solid pipe.  This is the oil cooler pipe and there have been issues in the past with the crank sensor cable being routed too close to the oil cooler pipe.



Fitting the new Oil Filter
Place your little finger in the oil on top of the NEW oil filter and smear this around the ring on the engine block.  On a cold day, the engine is nice and warm on your finger!  Now screw the new filter on, taking care not to cross thread it.  Place the old filter in the box that the new one came in.  As with the sump nut, there is no need to tighten it with force.  Let it tighten up naturally and, when resistance is felt, simply give it another ¼ of a turn.  Some of the new oil will have escaped and I wipe this off the filter housing with the tissue as I like the filter to look clean.  At this point, you could look at the exhaust and check it’s mountings along with checking for any fluid leaks from the gearbox, rear axle, brake and fuel lines etc.  As you crawl out from under the car, bring the oil drain container with you along with the old filter newspaper, tissues etc.

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Filling with oil and initial start up
Carefully lower the car to the ground and refill the engine with 5.75 litres of new oil.  You may wish to use a funnel to aid this process.  Add the first container of oil which will more than likely be 5 litres (if Vauxhall oil it will be, if Castrol it will be 4.5 litres).  Wait a short while for the oil level to settle and then check the dipstick.  The level should, at this point, be around the minimum mark.  Carefully add a little oil at a time until the level reaches the maximum mark.

Ensuring that the oil filler cap is on, start the engine but DO NOT rev it.  Observe the fact that the oil light takes a little longer to extinguish than normal.  If the new oil filter had been left empty, this would be even longer!  With the engine running, check that oil is not leaking from either the sump drain plug or the filter.  Switch off the engine.  After clearing away the tools recheck the oil level and top up if necessary.  The level will more than likely reduce slightly after the first start up as the filter is fully filled, the hydraulic valve lifters are filled etc.

Make a note of the work that you have carried out in your service records and rest in the knowledge that you have another 3 thousand miles or so before you need to do it again.

The Environment
Finally, and I am sure that I do not need to remind about this, but please dispose of the old oil at your local dump where recycling facilities exist (or should exist).  I recently saw someone pouring their old oil down a drain on the public highway whom I am afraid I reported for this environmental vandalism.