Completed my first DIY oil change today with the mityvac and I believe everything went great...thanks for all the input on how to do everything from filters to reseting the FSS! This is a great forum
__________________
Sitting on 20s/updated upper and lower chrome grill/chrome door handles/brabus step plate & shift knob/debadged for that clean look/exhaust tip/K&N filter***More upgrades to come
MityVac is the way to go. In case you have doubts, you can always try the conventional method:
1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.
2) Stop by 7/11 and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20, drive home.
3) Open a beer and drink it.
4) Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7) Place drain pan under engine.
8) Look for 14mm box end wrench.
9) Give up and use crescent wr ench.
10) Unscrew drain plug.
11) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. Cuss...
12) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
15) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off
16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.
17) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
18) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
19) Remember drain plug from step 11.
20) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
2 1) Drink beer.
22) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
23 ) Get drain plug back in with only a minor spill. Drink beer.
24) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame removing any excess skin between knuckles and frame.
25) Begin cussing fit.
26) Throw stupid crescent wrench.
27) Cuss for additional 5 minutes because wrench hit bowling trophy.
28) Beer.
29) Clean up hands and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
30) Beer.
31) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.
32) Beer.
33) Lower car from jack stands.
34) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during any missed steps.
35) Beer.
36) Test drive car.
37) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
38) Car gets impounded.
39) Call loving wife, make bail.
40) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.
MityVac or any other similar product will make oil change relatively simple task.
However, I find it relatively simple also to change the oil the oil fashioned (via drain plug). The ML truck doesn't need to be jacked up to change oil. Oil Filter housing doesn't need a "wrench" to remove the cap. I use bare hands with very little effort, it comes right out. I don't over-tighten it either. No leaks (because there is a big gasket inside, remember).
I thought of putting the Fumuto valve in place of the drain plug. That valve makes changing oil even simpler. Before anyone starts having a fit, there is a safetly notch to prevent accidental opening of the valve.
So to recap, there are 3 ways to change oil: (1) The old fashioned (via drain plug), (2) Mityvac, topsider, etc. (3) installing a Fumuto valve.
Hey, great job.
Did you go with the Mobil 1 0W-40 and MB fleece filter?
You saved some cash and it feels good to do it yourself.
I used mobil 1 0w-40, oem cabin filter, k&n drop in filter, oem oil filter, added techron and cleaned air mass sensor with CRC....Now days I need to save cash anyway possible, but this way at least I know that the right products are being installed on my vehicle. basically I cleaned my storage locker which is adjacent to my vehicle while it was draining...
So to recap, there are 3 ways to change oil: (1) The old fashioned (via drain plug), (2) Mityvac, topsider, etc. (3) installing a Fumuto valve.
See the above for old fashion way. I was considering installing Fumoto valve on my motorhome and couple of other vehicles, but what stop me was the fact that few times when I got the beast buried in sand it was actually resting on oil pan. I definitely wouldn't like to deal with pulling out 15 tons of machinery with engine having no oil.
That is not a case on ML, but no matter what you say I still prefer white gloves exchange with MityVac. If only I could figure out cleaner way to pull those o-rings out. Garbage bags helps a lot, but I still need a pick to remove them.
Linear Mode
