In our last episode, Blackstone Laboratories suggested we change the oil now rather than wait until the oil life monitor told us to. Why? Our 2010 GMC Terrain is still new-ish, and Blackstone saw a few more residual break-in metals than they'd like to see in a sample of our current oil.
That gave me an excuse to try something I'd had in mind for a while: a stand-up or, as I like to call it, a "Top Kill" oil change. Instead of diving deep under the sea car, I'm going to do the whole job topside, from right under the hood.
This works because the GMC Terrain's 2.4-liter Ecotec engine has a cartridge-style oil filter. On top of that, Edmunds co-conspirator Phil Reed lent me his vacuum oil extractor.
Follow the jump to see a video of the process.
Here are a few "DVD extras" for our regular readers.
The vacuum pump in question is made by Moeller. I decided not to add the smallest of the three interconnecting hoses, even though it would have made it possible to set the unit on the ground instead of a stool, because I was going for maximum oil flow.
I'm pretty sure that I got all of the oil out, too, because the manual says it takes 5 quarts to fill the Ecotec after an oil change, and that's exactly what it took to reach the "full" mark on the dipstick. I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago when I used my wife's minivan as a guinea pig.
After it starts sucking air, you may have to push and pull the tube in and out and move it around like a kid trying to get every last drop of a milkshake, but it's not difficult. It does take a bit more time than draining it out the bottom, but it's a thousand percent cleaner.
Finally, Blackstone says there's no reason to fear chunks or other solids sitting in the bottom of the pan. The detergent in the oil (represented by the TBN number we discussed last time) keeps such particles in suspension. The big ones get trapped in the filter and they say the smaller ones don't settle out for many hours -- a day or more.
But a vacuum pump doesn't make sense if you have to jack up your car and crawl under to get the oil filter off -- you may as well drain it out the bottom at that point.
The oil filter is a pretty simple device. The orange o-ring on the cartridge cap is a new one that came in the box with the new filter.
My local Pep Boys had this 32mm catridge filter socket in the same aisle as the oil filters and other kinds of filter wrenches for $9.99. There was at least one other size, so you might want to measure if you have this kind of filter on some other kind of car.
No "Top Kill" procedure would be complete without a little BP oil down below.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 16,903 miles
fastboss says:
06:17 PM, 10/ 8/10
Pretty cool write up/vid. One thing I didn't realize is how noisey the DI ecotec can be.
firstwagon says:
06:40 PM, 10/ 8/10
Isn't easier (and cheaper) to just undo the oil drain plug and let it all drain out.
I've never owned a car where the plug wasn't easier to reach then the filter.
brn says:
07:22 PM, 10/ 8/10
I thought the reason this method was frowned upon was that the bottom junk didn't vacuum up nearly as well as it flows out the bottom.
hondanut says:
07:49 PM, 10/ 8/10
Cool, never seen that done before. Also folks, remember that this movie was made before the "talkies". I just love these old silent movies!
theripepunani says:
07:53 PM, 10/ 8/10
Where's the nasty oil spill? You're supposed to spill your used motor oil on the ground and not do anything about it. When someone asks about it just say it's being taken care of. It's the BP way, right? :P
Joking aside, I've heard those vacuum pumps are pretty handy. Some even come with the attachments so you can vacuum bleed your brakes too.
Personally I just prefer the good 'ol "get under the car and do it like a man" way, but I can see why some would benefit from this pump. Great writeup and video.
actualsize says:
10:37 PM, 10/ 8/10
I'm not saying this is a superior method -- it's a different method that happens to be a decent option for someone who owns a car that has a filter of this type. But I would point out that I wore a white t-shirt (that I like) and a "good" pair of jeans while doing this, and neither were harmed in the least. Didn't spill so much as a speck of oil on the driveway, either, so I didn't have to spread around any post-change kitty litter. Also, no warm oil ran down my arm as I unscrewed the filter. Personally, I don't mind those things, but there are those that won't bother because of the mess.
cruiserhead1 says:
10:49 PM, 10/ 8/10
I have this same Moeller unit (except twice as large). I've used it on my cars for years with no problems. It's perfect for frequent changes.
I use a sharpie or silver paint pen to write the mileage on the oil filter-- easy reference reminder.
The cartridge oil filter is interesting, I've never seen one before.
ocramidajzj says:
05:16 AM, 10/ 9/10
Once again a nice write up and a neat option for those who have the catridge type. There's another reason to change your oil this way: if your prone to vertigo while looking up. Both my father and me have this, which makes doing any work under a car quite unpleasant. I'd love to change my own oil and do regular maintenance on my car but everytime I try I end up getting dizzy and, in many cases, vomit violently. It isn't pretty. So thanks for offering an alterntive way to change oil. I may just try it.
acbayard says:
10:09 AM, 10/ 9/10
This is lightly a glimpse to the future. Most car companies are transitioning to cartridge oil filters.
ralphhightower says:
12:03 PM, 10/ 9/10
Cool! I'll have to use this method when I start doing my own oil changes on my HHR. I'd have to ramps or jackstands to get to the drain plug.
How's the crawlspace under the Terrain with the wheels on the ground?
It was a piece of cake changing the oil on my 84 Chevy G10 Sportvan and 99 GMC Savanah. No ramps or jackstands to get to drain plug or oil filter needed. Just crawl under.
theripepunani says:
02:01 PM, 10/ 9/10
@cruiserhead1: This cartridge style filter is essentially the de-facto filter for all BMWs (at least all of them that I've seen and worked on). It's great because you don't have to worry about oil spilling out or anything. You just drain the oil, tighten the drain plug and you can just put the car back down to work on everything else.
bimmerjay says:
04:42 PM, 10/ 9/10
Grille ahoy!!
banhugh says:
07:52 AM, 10/10/10
How much would the oil change cost at the dealer?
cruiserhead1 says:
01:52 PM, 10/10/10
Thanks theripepunani: I like the cartridge, it seems less wasteful than a standard filter. However it looks like no anti-drainback valve. Do they cover this another way?
Dealer oil changes are a HUGE waste of time, imo. It takes me about half hr to change the oil and 10 min extra to stop by the oil recycle dropoff once every 3 to 4 months.
Paying myself a few extra hours of weekend time is worth the half hour of work!
Over a one year period, I imagine it's also hundreds of dollars in savings.
threemopars says:
04:16 PM, 10/10/10
"Dealer oil changes are a HUGE waste of time, imo."
Based on what claim? Because you sit in a waiting room reading a magazine, watching tv, or looking at new cars?
It takes me 30-45 minutes at the dealer which includes a tire-rotation, car wash, and topping off and check of fluids and lube any points on the chassis that's set out in the factory service schedule.
It's cleaner, for me and the environment and costs a little over 20 bucks each time. Cheap compared to what people waste on tobacco and other "frills" (Starbucks anyone?) items daily/weekly
firstwagon says:
09:12 PM, 10/10/10
You have to drive there, sit around and wait, pay and then drive home. In the time it takes to do any one those things you could have done it yourself.
How is having the dealer do it cleaner for the enviroment? I drop my used oil and filter off to be recyled just like the dealer. Don't even need a special trip.. next time I'm at Canadian Tire I just put it on the cart.
If your dealer will do it for $20 bucks then you're getting a great deal, everyone I know pays 2 to 3 times that.
supermonkey says:
10:26 PM, 10/10/10
"Top Kill" Ha Ha Ha......
stovt001 says:
10:42 PM, 10/10/10
@firstwagon: While I don't use a stealership...er....dealership, my mechanic charges $30m which seems reasonable to me. He's a couple blocks from my workplace too. I live in an apartment with a no-wrenching policy, so that's my only option, but I don't mind it.
slickersdrip says:
01:12 AM, 10/11/10
Erm... I guess I'm the only one who actually just enjoys the intimate time with his car for an oil change, cost not being an issue?
My RX-8 will hit 70K miles soon. I'll be changing out the trans fluid and diff fluids myself. Just because I feel like it.
I'm only 22, surely I'm too young and disconnected to care about working with his car?
cello_one says:
06:50 AM, 10/11/10
Living in the barren wastelands of the Midwest, changing the oil in the un-heated garage prior to a cross-country ski trip is a pain in the @#($&@#(*^%#@&. With that said, both of our dealerships, Hyundai & Ford do a fine job, charge a bit less than the oil change shops, and both wash the cars (Ford gives me a code and I have to run it through myself).
I agree with sickersdrip though. I do change my own oil in fair weather and enjoy the afternoon process. My 3yr old has taken to laying down on the blanket with me and helping (however, she is NOT allowed under the car, and that is a battle unto itself...). Please don't put the drain plug in your mouth... I know it looks like chocolate milk but it isn't... no it isn't...
vvk says:
06:52 AM, 10/11/10
Wow, that oil filter is difficult to access. At least it is better than SAAB 9-3SS with the Ecotec engine. There you have to deal with turbocharger plumbing.
All my current cars have top mounted cartridge oil filters. They sit front and center, obstructed by nothing, and are very easy to access.
Now it would be very interesting to get this Castrol GTX analyzed in 5k-6k miles and compare it to dealer oil results.
farvy says:
08:10 AM, 10/11/10
As usual, nice work Dan.
I think the cartridge type oil filter is a European design. With today’s global reach of the car companies, I think this type is becoming more popular here in the US.
I work for a diesel engine manufacturer. We used spin-on type filters for decades, but our newer globally designed engines use the cartridge type. There are a few things to keep in mind when using this new style of filters.
1. Use the OEM oil filter. Aftermarket cartridge filters may not yet be as plentiful as OEM filters, or be an exact fit. We’ve seen cases where aftermarket filters don’t meet OEM specs for dimensions (too long or too short, etc.), oil flow, etc. This is not an area to make a mistake. You’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on a new car, so saving a few dollars on an oil filter does not always make sense. If you do use an aftermarket filter, make sure it meets OEM specs.
2. Follow the OEM instructions for removing & installing these filters. They are different than a spin-on type. Most of the items listed below are directly related to following the instructions.
3. Take care when removing the oil filter cap (with filter attached) from the housing. Some filters have a hole in the middle to fit over a stanchion pipe in the housing. You don’t want to break or crack the stanchion pipe when removing the filter/cap assembly.
4. Take care when removing the filter from the cap. You don’t want to break or crack the cap.
5. Most of the time, the new filter gets installed into the cap first, & then you put the filter/cap assembly into the housing.
6. The new o-ring that comes on the cap usually needs to have a coating of clean engine oil added to it, just like the seal on a spin-on filter.
7. Torque the cap properly. There is usually a torque spec with an actual number for this vs. a “hand tight + ¼ turn” procedure for a spin-on type.
northsparrow says:
09:56 AM, 10/11/10
Thanks for the very practical video lesson but I have a question about the oil itself.
I switched to synthetic oil about 15 years ago. With synthetic the engine idles more quietly, the oil flows in sub freezing weather and does not vaporize in hot weather plus oil change intervals are extended.
Synthetic is so superior in every way that as the years have gone by I've wanted to know why conventional oil is still even made.
The oil in this video is Castrol GTX which was state of the art around 1975. Castrol themselves make
two lines of lines of synthetic oil which are superior : Syntec and Edge.
I just don't see the point of having 10 bucks worth of oil lubricating a modern engine worth as much as a whole car used to cost
lazyhater says:
12:24 PM, 10/11/10
Thanks for the writeup, it is always nice to see something new. But I don't find this to be any easier or less effort, especially on a truck like this where you don't have to jack it up or put it on a ramp. And letting it drain by gravity makes more sense then pumping it out from the top. It is less messy though.......but common sense tells me more dirt comes out by draining.
threemopars says:
03:53 PM, 10/11/10
"You have to drive there, sit around and wait, pay and then drive home. In the time it takes to do any one those things you could have done it yourself."
Righhhtt...and you forgot the part where you went and got the oil and filter, checked out, drove back home and then did the work. Is that stuff going to magically going to show up?
You can change the oil, rotate the tires, wash the car, check and top off any fluids and lube the chassis points in 30 minutes? I don't think so either.
And yes it would be cleaner for the environment, there isn't a risk of getting any fluid onto my driveway/parking lot.
If people are honestly paying 40-60 bucks per oil change on a standard domestic car, then they deserve to pay it, because they're a bunch of suckers.
wjtinatl says:
07:02 PM, 10/11/10
Guess I'm missing out on the new oil filter tech by have older cars, but foggy memories of my VR6 GTi with a cartridge filter were not pleasant. Seems like I always ended up with warm oil running down into my 'pits while frantically reaching for the roll of Viva to prevent the inevitable driveway stain and questioning glance from my wife. As a result, the local Ford dealer's $19.95 Oil and Filter special is a bargain in my book. Quality oil and filter from mechanics who at least should know what they're doing (Jiffy Boobs left the filler cap off my Grand Cherokee years ago, that was messy) and a good excuse to wrangle a quick test drive in a new rig make the 45-60 minutes a good and fun investment for me. However, last weeks drive in a new 5.0 might cost me 35k in the long run. To each his own on the oil changes, just make sure the oil gets recycled properly!
vvk says:
08:22 AM, 10/12/10
threemopars,
> You can change the oil, rotate the tires, wash the car, check and top off any fluids and lube
> the chassis points in 30 minutes? I don't think so either.
And you think the grease monkey will do all this in 30 min?! I have to talk to you about a bridge I have for sale...
danielpund says:
08:28 AM, 10/13/10
Dan breathes loudly.