Mazdax605 wrote:DaveEstey wrote: Just wait a day and the filter on a rotary will be empty - thus not dumping oil everywhere. Can't help you on the placement though, it's easy on a 13B.The RX-8 is a 13B as well
It may share the name, but it's a very different animal.
My C5 required putting the front on ramps, pulling the plug and then jacking the rear to level the car so the oil would drain. At least the filter was mounted downward unlike my 944, which spills its guts all over the front sways and belly pan and then drips for days after a change. Guess I like high maintenance oil change cars...
The filter on the 3800 Grand Prix is easy to get to, the problem is it dumps out right onto the tie rod end, LCA bushings, and crossmember. That reminds me, I need to buy one of those flexi-shield things before I change it again...
Mazdax605 wrote: The RX-8 is a 13B as well, and the trick to less oil spilling on any rotary is to poke a hole in the filter first. I use an awl, but any pointy screwdriver will work.
This!!!! Never had an issue with all my Rx's doing this. For added protection wrap a rag around the base of the filter and you will spill little if any oil.
Tyler H wrote: IS300. Have to unbolt the transmission filler tube and even then, it is very complicated to snake the filter out between the intake mani and brake master. Meanwhile, pissing oil everywhere and skinning up forearms.
I've done it from the top without messing with the trans tube. Usually I take mine out from the bottom, but yeah, not fun. This past weekend I let my friends do it for me, my buddy Phil has smaller arms than me and got it out the top.
The oil filter on my Mustang is on the side of the block. It's easy to get to, but the aero shield isn't removable without removing the subframe brace. It simply hangs down on hinges otherwise, making it rather difficult to get the oil filter out without dumping its contents all over the place.
Methinks I (and a lot of the members here) should invest in this spill-proof oil filter wrench:
http://www.sears.com/strategic-tools-equipment-company-oil-filter-wrench-and/p-00924561000P?prdNo=1
The TSX isn't hard, I guess, compared to some of these. It is, however, impossible to do without spilling hot oil all over the crossmember, and, therefore, your chest.
Daughter's '98 Imprezza was easy - I could do oil and filter without jacking the car at all. The '02 isn't quite that easy, but like Vigo I don't consider jacking a "difficulty".
The Manic Miata requires taking off the intercooler piping to even be able to see the filter, but that's not Mazda's fault.
if you have a filter ontop of the engine. A sharp screwdriver and a hammer will drain any remaining oil back into the engine before removal. All you need to do is allow air into the housing and it will all flow back
mndsm wrote: strangely, the winner is my ms3. As much as I hate the oil change on the Cooper S- at least MINI made it ALMOST feasible w/o a jack. The ms3 you need to jack up, and you need to remove the splash shield, which you are GUARANTEED to lose at least 3 bolts and snap one more every time you look at it. Mazda was thoughtful enough to put a hole in the splash shield to service it through- HOWEVER, it's nice and not in the right spot so it's effectively useless.
QFT. Same on the regular 3 too. I cut a hole on the splash shield under the filter. I used a Dremel, but a hole saw would be faster and neater.
Now it goes up on the ramps and is quick and almost painless.
Porsche.
ah yes.. the 911 with 12 quarts of oil.... hope you have a -big- pan
MA$$hole wrote: I was annoyed when I had to rent a 36mm socket to access the oil filter on my E36.
MINI is just as bad. I bought some, because I lose sockets. I have.... 4 now?
The NC Miata and STi both have the dreaded belly pan which has to be removed first and then you reach up and around and..........well you get the idea.
My wife's Jag xtype. The filter isn't too hard to get to, gotta jack the car up of course, but the filter hangs down and at an angle. When you take it off, oil goes alllll over the exhaust and everything else no matter what you do with tinfoil or funnels or screwdrivers and hammers or whatnot. It's like they did it on purpose.
In reply to Woody:
I was wondering when someone was going to mention the 911. I've never done it myself, but jsut looking at the oil filters in the bay makes me think, "how can that NOT make a mess?"
My old '82 Subaru was the easiest I've ever owned. It had no power accessories (p/s or a/c - just the alternator) to get in the way, so the spin-on filter was easily reached from up top. And being a 4WD car, it was tall enough that the plug could be reached and a pan fitted under it without raising the car.
For such a huge engine bay, the filter in the Cummins was surprisingly annoying. Not terribly difficult, but I expected it to be easier.
Ian F wrote: In reply to Woody: I was wondering when someone was going to mention the 911. I've never done it myself, but jsut looking at the oil filters in the bay makes me think, "how can that NOT make a mess?"
It does make a mess. I was going to mention it before, but it's almost too obvious. That and I secretly hold a hope that I can figure out how to do it without making such a big mess.
In reply to mazdeuce:
I wonder if the "whole in the top of the filter" technique mentioned for the rotories would help?
Woody wrote: Porsche.
That looks like the scene of a stabbing! 
Ian F wrote: In reply to Woody: I was wondering when someone was going to mention the 911. I've never done it myself, but jsut looking at the oil filters in the bay makes me think, "how can that NOT make a mess?"
The oil filter has never really been a problem for me. It's at the top of the system. Put a few paper towels under it and you're fine.
The real issue is the volume of oil and the rate at which it comes out of the oil tank.
You need to get one of these...
...and do this:
It would seem to me that after seeing how this was done one time, I'd be buying a remote oil filter kit, like, PRONTO.
KTM LC4/Duke/et al. Two filters, three drain plugs, two places to fill oil (carries some in the frame) and you have to "burp" the frame after it's full.
Did it once professionally and that was enough to curb my lust for a Duke. I'd rather do a valve and belt service on a Ducati, or a major service on an oilhead BMW - at least the complexity is justified in that case, but it shouldn't take more than a half hour to change the oil on a damn single cylinder motorcycle.
Insight is a pain because of all the front aero stuff going on underneath.
You can do it only taking one piece off, but you're really supposed to do two of the pieces.
DaveEstey wrote:Mazdax605 wrote:It may share the name, but it's a very different animal.DaveEstey wrote: Just wait a day and the filter on a rotary will be empty - thus not dumping oil everywhere. Can't help you on the placement though, it's easy on a 13B.The RX-8 is a 13B as well
No it really isn't that different. Same size rotors, housing, etc. Different ports, and form of intake, but really the block isn't all that different. Hell the Renesis says 13B right on it. I know the oil filter is in the same place. The thing is the car around it makes for a much tougher oil change. Mazda didn't change much of the original design over the years of the rotary. That is why I could probably bolt a Renesis in my REPU with little effort. With a little re-engineering of a garden sprayer I could change the oil in my rotaries without jacking the car up, and spill little to no oil. On an RX-8 probably not because of the filter location in regard to the intake and firewall.
S2 win, cant say I feel you're pain 
Personally doing anything on an OTR 18 wheeler is terrible due just to the mass of everything and the fact some filters hold more than whole cars!!
E36 M3 like this sucks, and you still have to fill it with 35-45qts.........
Woody wrote:Ian F wrote: In reply to Woody: I was wondering when someone was going to mention the 911. I've never done it myself, but jsut looking at the oil filters in the bay makes me think, "how can that NOT make a mess?"The oil filter has never really been a problem for me. It's at the top of the system. Put a few paper towels under it and you're fine.The real issue is the volume of oil and the rate at which it comes out of the oil tank. You need to get one of these...
...and do this:
That's cool................you hot rodded an oil drain pan. Actually a good idea.
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