servicing your own car

[tidyneil]

hi folks, i had a look through the search function but i couldn't find any info on servicing your own car, is there a guide somewhere? I think it would save me alot of money doing it myself, if i just had a bit of knowledge, although i managed to change the air filter myself lol!

 

[Vtec6000]

There is a gearbox oil change guide on the forum somewhere. It's not hard to change your engine oil. 17mm nut on sump open that to drain oil. Oil filter is located at rear of block roughly in the middle, access from underneath. Apply thin film of oil to rubber seal on new oil filter then fit(hand tight is enough) Fill up with new oil. Two marks on the dipstick, you want oil level to be at top mark. I always disconnect distributor and crank engine over for a few seconds or till oil light goes out after oil change, this will fill the filter with oil so you don't get a loss of oil pressure initially when starting the engine after oil change.

 

[tidyneil]

I guess you need the car quite high to find the sump plug? I tried to find it today but no joy but maybe I wasn't far enough under, what tool do I need to change the spark plugs?

 

[leeK9]

a good trick is to take the car for a good blast

oil will flow out quicker when its hot

two jacks either side behing the front wheels

jack up the car and drain the oil

 

[MugenGT]

I was trying to do this, but its not high enough. Plus to take off the filter is pain in the arse.
Ive bought 4 halfords stands, but failed to do this.(

 

[Jake123]

a good trick is to take the car for a good blast

oil will flow out quicker when its hot

two jacks either side behing the front wheels

jack up the car and drain the oil

and axle stands!

 

[stevenEK9]

there is a front central jacking point on the front lower crossmember just in front of the lower radiator support brackets (offset slightly to the passenger side, bizarre really as it's bang in the middle on the DC2 / FD2 chassis), if you need to work on the front end of the car then jack from there and support the car on axle stands at the front anchor points on the sills

similarly if you need to work on the rear of the car then jack the car from the rear towing eye then support the car on axle stands at the rear anchor points on the sills


if you want to service your car DIY then buy a haynes manual for a 96-01 civic hatchback for guidance, may not be specific to the type R but it covers the VTi which service wise there is not a huge difference with


but FYI to locate the sump plug, it is central to the rear of the sump, so you need to get fairly far under the car. the oil filter is located on the rear of the block and is easiest to access from underneath - the filter can be very stiff so i would recommend using the "cup" type tool that slots onto the flats on the end of the oil filter, makes removal a breeze, Tegiwa stock this tool and costs about a fiver

 

[Ellis]

Id think about getting yourself one of these to remove the filter:

Can get them for aprox £10 off snap-on, smallest size they do and fits most jap metal filters i find. Alot easyer than the sockets.

 

[t3gav]

I did mine on a gravel drive the other day, I thought the sump nut was a 3/8" drive ratchet i.e. without a socket? I removed the oil filter by hand lol.

 

[joe]

I think you are referring to the gearbox oil plug mate - that is removed using the end of a 3/8' drive rachet - the sump nut is a 14mm IIRC - and yes in most cases the oil filter can be removed by hand because they should only be hand tight in the first place but some garages to wrench them right up.

I did mine on a gravel drive the other day, I thought the sump nut was a 3/8" drive ratchet i.e. without a socket? I removed the oil filter by hand lol.

 

[elchunk]

a good trick is to take the car for a good blast

oil will flow out quicker when its hot

two jacks either side behing the front wheels

jack up the car and drain the oil

I hope this is sarcasm? not only is it damgerous but completely unnecessary, also only need one jack and 2 axle stands. Relaying on the jack is also dangerous greater risk of it comming off the jack and you being crushed!

To OP if you want to start servicing your own car get the Haynes manual for a 96-00 civic, It will cover 99% of the stuff you need.

 

[R1PPU]

When i did mines, i jacked it up to about this hieght, was nice and easy. Everytime i've done an oil change i've started the car for a few mins to warm up the oil too.

 

[k33rxn]

If your really having that much trouble mate I'd just get someone else to do it, it's not worth the hassle if you mess it up!
Oil filter is easy to get to and should come off by hand, oil should be around 4.2 litres and spark plugs are easy enough.
Good luck!

 

[Usy786]

If your really having that much trouble mate I'd just get someone else to do it, it's not worth the hassle if you mess it up!
Oil filter is easy to get to and should come off by hand, oil should be around 4.2 litres and spark plugs are easy enough.
Good luck!

Not when a garage services a car and uses King Kong to put the oil filter back on. No man grip on earth can take it off. I experienced this and had to use a clamp to get it off. It was possibly the worst experience I ever had at changing a filter.

 

[KieranO]

Not when a garage services a car and uses King Kong to put the oil filter back on. No man grip on earth can take it off. I experienced this and had to use a clamp to get it off. It was possibly the worst experience I ever had at changing a filter.

Try having to take off the whole filter housing unit to put the filter in a vice and then using a long spanner to twist the housing off the filter because it was on so god damn tight!

Happened me servicing a Nissan Qashqai, broke 2 chain oil filter wrenches and not even the good old screwdriver through the filter would work! To make things worse it was a Nissan main dealer that had done the previous service!

 

[dhdavectr]

If its minor service and you want somewhere under cover to do it mate, give me a shout start of January when I'm back a work to use the ramps etc.

 

[tidyneil]

It's running a bit low on oil just now so instead of keep topping it up I'd rather just give it a good service, god knows when it was last done, I bought Fuchs Titan race etc so ill give it a shot if I feel brave enough. Cheers everyone for the response, much appreciated!