My First Oil & Filter Change.....

[Big Panda]

....was completed this evening without incident. YEA!!!!

With the use of the proper tools, I had the change completed in no time. As someone else suggested, I removed the oil filter FIRST, THEN the drain plug.

I checked the screen on the drain plug and was remarkably absent of metal, which certainly didn't hurt my feelings. After the oil was completely drained (stopped dripping), I reinserted the drain plug with a new drain plug gasket (copper washer), installed the new oil filter, wiped off all areas to make sure I had no access oil and VOILA....almost done.

Then I moved on to the top of the engine, where I had already pulled up the carpet and removed the engine cover. I added my oil and after 3 qts, I checked the level. Added another approx .5qt and that put me right at the "F" mark on the dipstick. Installed the oil fill cap, dipstick and started the engine. The 'OIL' indicator went out immediately and I let it run for about a minute, checked for leaks underneath and then shut it off. Pulled out the dipstick, wiped it off and checked the level again. Just a hair below "F", so I left it 'as is' and replaced the dipstick, engine cover and carpet.

All ready for our trip to Missouri this weekend......WOO HOO!!!!


Tools: 24mm box wrench, "Cap Style" Filter Wrench (65mm with 14 flutes) and a 3/8 Drive Ratchet.

Parts: Mitsubishi Oil Filter # A0189974445 ($12.60), Drain Plug Gasket #A1321800010 ($2.70) and 4qts of Mobil 1 0W40 (from Autozone).

All in all, a VERY EASY oil and filter change and for anyone unsure of doing it themselves.....YES, YOU CAN DO IT!


Now for the 'bad news'. I've only got 9,093 miles, so now I have to wait for my maintenance indicator to 'go off' and attempt to reset it. I copied the instructions that 'macaw' posted, so I'm hoping that works.

[mvaldes]

Congrtatulations on a successful venture. My first change went pretty much as you described but I only had a large crescent wrench and a large channel locks. It was smooth as silk and I couldn't understand why folk had complained about the difficultly of removing the drain plug. My second (the car's third) change was yesterday. This time I had the right sockets and filter cups, torque wrenches and such and expected to breeze through it. NO WAY. Well, at least until I got out the breaker bar left over from work on very large vehicles, and freed up the drain plug. Then all went smoothly. Either the dealer tech torqued that baby down HARD to assure a repeat customer, or there may be something to the theory about dissimilar metals causing tightening.

[chieftmc]

Congrats Big Panda

Did you think about getting that "old" oil out of the tranny ?

Just as easy a change as the engine, maybe easier

[Big Panda]

Originally Posted by chieftmc

Congrats Big Panda

Did you think about getting that "old" oil out of the tranny ?

Just as easy a change as the engine, maybe easier

I didn't see THAT one on the 'check list' in the Maintenance Booklet.

[jwight]

Originally Posted by Big Panda

I didn't see THAT one on the 'check list' in the Maintenance Booklet.

That's because it's not there. Just my .02, but a lot of this fluid changing is just not necessary. YMMV, of course.

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by Big Panda

I didn't see THAT one on the 'check list' in the Maintenance Booklet.

It isn't, anywhere or at anytime. But think about this - the transmission is a piece of manufactured machinery, with a lot of high-speed metal-to-metal contact (and not bearing surface metal either), and there is no filter. There can be detritis originally left in the transmission from the manufacturing process, as well as metallic particles deposited as the metal surfaces break-in with each other. Even though smart doesn't list a transmission oil change ever (like most other manufacturers do at some point), it would be well to get rid of anything that may be trapped in the case. It isn't difficult or expensive.

smartUSA has provided a somewhat perfunctory maintenance regimen with the goal of making the car appear to need little care and expense to operate. If you want to get the best out of it, you may have to take command of your own situation.

N.B. Mine was changed at 5K during the 2.0 upgrade. I don't know if there were any "fines" in my oil, but I am happy that it isn't in there anymore.

[chieftmc]

Originally Posted by Big Panda

I didn't see THAT one on the 'check list' in the Maintenance Booklet.

John is right, it's not on the list, BUT, when I changed mine, there were "some" shards of metal in the oil. I personally wouldn't want them floating around in my tranny. Just MHO

[churpee]

you are near 10000 miles and one might think 1 yr. so next time you have a chance change air filter and cabin air filter see info on both here on forum
as for the air filter i went with the BP claenable filter for a few more $$
and did their mod of removal of air baffels-i did notice the diference in acceleration

[WhiteNBlack08]

[QUOTE=Big Panda;256929
Now for the 'bad news'. I've only got 9,093 miles, so now I have to wait for my maintenance indicator to 'go off' and attempt to reset it. I copied the instructions that 'macaw' posted, so I'm hoping that works.[/QUOTE]


Panda, even though the indicator has not "tripped" you can still go ahead and reset it. I reset mine to show Redwarf it could be done, and I still had about 1000 miles to go. FYI

[Big Panda]

Originally Posted by WhiteNBlack08

Panda, even though the indicator has not "tripped" you can still go ahead and reset it. I reset mine to show Redwarf it could be done, and I still had about 1000 miles to go. FYI

SWEET! I'll do that in the AM before leaving.

As for the trans service, sounds good to me too. I'll look for a thread on that. I'm sure there IS one. There's one on EVERYTHING ELSE!

Maybe I'll do that when we get back.