I'll never complain about oil filter access again...

[Gone in 60]

No, the oil filter access on the FIST isn't convenient. And I do understand that it's part of the car's anatomy, and that if it were on a standard Fiesta 1.6, it would be hanging off of the engine, easy to get to.

But, as I look at my burned and bruised arms, I'll never complain about it again. Because, my friends, I have just changed the oil on a GM vehicle. More specifically, my mom's Saturn Vue with a 3.6. She doesn't drive much, so the oil change is just about annual, and just enough time for me to forget what a PIA it is.

How's this for planning... the oil filter is located above the catalytic converter. Now, do you usually change the oil when the engine is hot, or cold? and what's the hottest part of the car? Yup. Try to get the filter off while working around something that fries your skin.

By this time next year, I will have forgotten, of course.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^LONG 'welder's gloves' are in order!

 

[Brick]

or waiting for it to cool down

 

[Gone in 60]

Yeah, but I'll forget all of this by next year...

 

[CanadianGuy]

Wow how is that not a fire hazard if the oil filter leaks on the cat. Wow.

 

[Gone in 60]

Yeah, if you don't get all of the oil off of the cat when you're done, it smells pretty nasty the next time you drive the car.

 

[A FiSTful of...]

Of the cars I've worked on, I find the FiST has one of the more accessible filters (even when using the bigger FL-400S). Easy reach if the front's already in the air for draining, no other parts to remove... thumbs up from me.

 

[KKaWing]

Sounds like you need a "turbo blanket" for the cat when you do oil changes

 

[Ktaggart]

or waiting for it to cool down

So never in the summer in Ridgecrest....lmao

 

[Wayward67]

Try changing the oil on an older a4 Quattro...

 

[sluggyjunx]

Are you familiar with the Subaru "Ring of Fire"? You haven't changed oil until you've done one of these babies...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/comments/2zhmxh/i_call_this_oil_change_the_ring_of_fire/

Edit: one more
https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/comments/3uaso6/subarus_ring_of_fire_why/

Can confirm; changed oil & filter on my Mom's Forester and hot damn, it's no fun! With a filter wrench and enough luck to fuel the QEII you might get it off straight away. I wasn't so lucky.

 

[GravityKillsYou]

Saturn Ion Redline was pretty suck-tastic as well. You had to removed the supercharger air inlet to get to the filter. Dont even get me started on changing the stock air filter.

 

[Wayward67]

The Subaru one isn't even close ....I've done every change on all my cars including a GTI and 3 Subarus....check this shit out. Changed it for a friend at work and it took almost an hr .

https://blog.europaparts.com/audi-a...tm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=audiction.com

 

[OffTheWall503]

I don't understand why it's such a hard access point for people. Use long needle nose pliers to turn the oil cooler line clamps around so they don't poke and then use an oil filter wrench to remove, it's super simple. After doing this, you can even use the larger Motorcraft filter. From there on, as long as you lube the seal on the filter before installing and tighten it by hand, it's easy to remove every time. It's literally out in the open.

 

[Wayward67]

Yeah I thought ours was pretty easy...only one better is the new engine Subaru with the filter right on top like the air filters.

My wife's Accord has the filter in the wheel well so it's always a pain to remove. Still not an Audi though.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I don't understand why it's such a hard access point for people. Use long needle nose pliers to turn the oil cooler line clamps around so they don't poke and then use an oil filter wrench to remove, it's super simple. After doing this, you can even use the larger Motorcraft filter. From there on, as long as you lube the seal on the filter before installing and tighten it by hand, it's easy to remove every time. It's literally out in the open.

+1

The only 'pain' about our oil change is trying to keep the oil from the sideways filter, and what is still in the oil cooler/fitting from going all over the place (MANY wadded-up paper towels is MY solution ).

Other than that, it is about as easy as it gets.