Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Classifieds
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's New?
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More Options
Advertise with us
Contact Us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
The Water Cooler
General Discussion
thinking about switching to synthetic oil
Search titles only
By:
Reply to Thread
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="dru" data-source="post: 1903833" data-attributes="member: 3047"><p>Thanks for the recommendations on filters. i had originally bought an STP filter, but after seeing what you wrote and an article comparing filters, I opted for a Purolator instead. Honestly had never heard of the brand but after reading up on them I like what I see.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>One of the reasons I want to go to synthetic oil and have better filters is so that I can get away with having to change my oil less often. It looks like using synthetic and non-insane driving should allow me to nearly double the miles between changes. Also, I like the idea of getting slightly better gas mileage (possibly) and having the satisfaction and peace of mind knowing that it was done right. The ion does have an oil change indicator but truthfully we have never really gotten past about 4500 miles before it starts chirping at us. According to my owner's manual, synthetic is only required if it is a 2.4L DOHC (I think, its the ion redline). But since ours is just the 2.2L, we can use conventional. Still I would like to squeeze every last mile out</p><p> </p><p>.</p><p>Seriously, this looks like an awesome resource. I look forward to reading more on this stuff. If this was reddit I would upvote you sir.</p><p></p><p>Wow, thanks for all the replies so far. This is why I love this place! <img src="/images/smilies/bowdown.gif" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":bowdown:" title="Bowdown :bowdown:" data-shortname=":bowdown:" /></p><p></p><p>So here is my oil change story thus far. Its not my first time doing this but it has been several years since I have changed it myself. Anyway, I purchased some jack stands, wheel chocks, and a drain pan to use. I jack up the car and promptly discover that the jack won't get the car high enough to even place the jackstands at the lowest height. Since I was using the tire-changing jack that comes with the car I guess I wasn't too surprised by this. So at 8:20pm I find myself heading over to harbor freight to pick up a floor jack (I figure that I can at least use it for future car maintenance projects right?) $85 later, I have a 2.5 ton floor jack and get to work: chock wheels jack up the car, position jack stands, everything is awesome. </p><p></p><p>Or so I thought. I get a couple of 6 point box wrenches (I couldn't find the right size socket wrench) thinking to myself "better not use the 12 point closed end wrenches, might round out the corners of the drain pan and that will really suck". For anyone who is curious, a 2007 ION uses a 15mm wrench to remove the drain plug (verified through car forum searches and also best fit). I tug and grunt and groan and said naughty things which is coincidentally also the same thing that happens when I get lucky and this damn plug will. not. budge. Finally I feel it give, except that the plug was just trolling me and what had really happened was that the wrench had slliped around the bolt and rounded some of the corners. So I double check that I really do have the right size for both metric and standard, and yes the 15mm really does fit the best, reposition the wrench, add a bar for additional leverage, and try again. and AGAIN, the wrench slips around the bolt.</p><p></p><p>Now I am starting to get irritated. I go and ask my wife which jackwagon at Jiffy Lube decided to use his impact wrench to channel all the wrath and fury of Zeus into over torquing my drain plug. She didn't know which was a pity because it meant I didn't have anyone to bean in the forehead with a drain plug! i go back out, try again and even double checking a few times that I am actually turning to the left and not to the right by accident. Again the wrench slips and I now have a nicely rounded drain plug. Uckfa.</p><p></p><p>To the internet I go, searching for how to remove a rounded drain plug. Vice-grips! Perfect! Get vice grips attached, place bar over the handle for increased leverage, pull with both hands while bracing myself against the (elevated) wheel. Finally after a great massive push I feel the drain plug break free except with the high pitched sharp *crack* I thought I had actually snapped the head off the drain plug. It actually had just broken free and could now be removed. SUCCESS! i debate whether to stick an impact wrench up the ass of the next jiffy lube guy I see but decide against it. Place the drain pan under, back the screw out, and apparently wasn't completely prepared for the way the oil would rush out because when it did, it shot all over the floor and I had to scramble to get the drain pan positioned properly (the jack stand was kind of in the way). So I get about 4.5 of the 5 quarts of oil into the drain pan, and the other half quart on my floor.</p><p></p><p>I let it drain for about 10 minutes, while I try to mop up what I could of the oil. Back to the internet I go to check up on how to get rid of an oil spill. I felt certain that BP might have some good tips but as it turns out only some water, powdered detergent, and scrubbing were necessary. Oh but wait, I can't put in the new oil because my drain plug is completely rounded. Put the car in neutral, roll it out onto the driveway, and just let it sit until tomorrow when I can go get a new drain pan plug, add oil, and torque it properly. Honestly I was expecting something between 30-50 ft-lbs but I would not have been surprised if this had been torqued on to 100 ft-lbs or more. From my inspection, the threads haven't been stripped so tomorrow after I get a new plug I will just keep an eye on it to see if any leaks come from the plug.</p><p></p><p>ye gods. hopefully this isn't what I get to look forward to every time I change the oil on my car! But I do have a torque wrench so at least I know that I will be torquing that baby to proper specs and not (hopefully) not having that problem the next time I do this. Anyway, thanks again for the advice and for letting me share <img src="/images/smilies/smile.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dru, post: 1903833, member: 3047"] Thanks for the recommendations on filters. i had originally bought an STP filter, but after seeing what you wrote and an article comparing filters, I opted for a Purolator instead. Honestly had never heard of the brand but after reading up on them I like what I see. One of the reasons I want to go to synthetic oil and have better filters is so that I can get away with having to change my oil less often. It looks like using synthetic and non-insane driving should allow me to nearly double the miles between changes. Also, I like the idea of getting slightly better gas mileage (possibly) and having the satisfaction and peace of mind knowing that it was done right. The ion does have an oil change indicator but truthfully we have never really gotten past about 4500 miles before it starts chirping at us. According to my owner's manual, synthetic is only required if it is a 2.4L DOHC (I think, its the ion redline). But since ours is just the 2.2L, we can use conventional. Still I would like to squeeze every last mile out . Seriously, this looks like an awesome resource. I look forward to reading more on this stuff. If this was reddit I would upvote you sir. Wow, thanks for all the replies so far. This is why I love this place! :bowdown: So here is my oil change story thus far. Its not my first time doing this but it has been several years since I have changed it myself. Anyway, I purchased some jack stands, wheel chocks, and a drain pan to use. I jack up the car and promptly discover that the jack won't get the car high enough to even place the jackstands at the lowest height. Since I was using the tire-changing jack that comes with the car I guess I wasn't too surprised by this. So at 8:20pm I find myself heading over to harbor freight to pick up a floor jack (I figure that I can at least use it for future car maintenance projects right?) $85 later, I have a 2.5 ton floor jack and get to work: chock wheels jack up the car, position jack stands, everything is awesome. Or so I thought. I get a couple of 6 point box wrenches (I couldn't find the right size socket wrench) thinking to myself "better not use the 12 point closed end wrenches, might round out the corners of the drain pan and that will really suck". For anyone who is curious, a 2007 ION uses a 15mm wrench to remove the drain plug (verified through car forum searches and also best fit). I tug and grunt and groan and said naughty things which is coincidentally also the same thing that happens when I get lucky and this damn plug will. not. budge. Finally I feel it give, except that the plug was just trolling me and what had really happened was that the wrench had slliped around the bolt and rounded some of the corners. So I double check that I really do have the right size for both metric and standard, and yes the 15mm really does fit the best, reposition the wrench, add a bar for additional leverage, and try again. and AGAIN, the wrench slips around the bolt. Now I am starting to get irritated. I go and ask my wife which jackwagon at Jiffy Lube decided to use his impact wrench to channel all the wrath and fury of Zeus into over torquing my drain plug. She didn't know which was a pity because it meant I didn't have anyone to bean in the forehead with a drain plug! i go back out, try again and even double checking a few times that I am actually turning to the left and not to the right by accident. Again the wrench slips and I now have a nicely rounded drain plug. Uckfa. To the internet I go, searching for how to remove a rounded drain plug. Vice-grips! Perfect! Get vice grips attached, place bar over the handle for increased leverage, pull with both hands while bracing myself against the (elevated) wheel. Finally after a great massive push I feel the drain plug break free except with the high pitched sharp *crack* I thought I had actually snapped the head off the drain plug. It actually had just broken free and could now be removed. SUCCESS! i debate whether to stick an impact wrench up the ass of the next jiffy lube guy I see but decide against it. Place the drain pan under, back the screw out, and apparently wasn't completely prepared for the way the oil would rush out because when it did, it shot all over the floor and I had to scramble to get the drain pan positioned properly (the jack stand was kind of in the way). So I get about 4.5 of the 5 quarts of oil into the drain pan, and the other half quart on my floor. I let it drain for about 10 minutes, while I try to mop up what I could of the oil. Back to the internet I go to check up on how to get rid of an oil spill. I felt certain that BP might have some good tips but as it turns out only some water, powdered detergent, and scrubbing were necessary. Oh but wait, I can't put in the new oil because my drain plug is completely rounded. Put the car in neutral, roll it out onto the driveway, and just let it sit until tomorrow when I can go get a new drain pan plug, add oil, and torque it properly. Honestly I was expecting something between 30-50 ft-lbs but I would not have been surprised if this had been torqued on to 100 ft-lbs or more. From my inspection, the threads haven't been stripped so tomorrow after I get a new plug I will just keep an eye on it to see if any leaks come from the plug. ye gods. hopefully this isn't what I get to look forward to every time I change the oil on my car! But I do have a torque wrench so at least I know that I will be torquing that baby to proper specs and not (hopefully) not having that problem the next time I do this. Anyway, thanks again for the advice and for letting me share :) [/QUOTE]
Insert Quotes…
Verification
Post Reply
Forums
The Water Cooler
General Discussion
thinking about switching to synthetic oil
Search titles only
By:
Top
Bottom
