First Oil Change and Pressure Clamp Tightening

[Alan Reagan]

No doubt, getting the filter off the first time is one of the hardest things I've ever done working on one of these trucks. Three extensions, a grease rag inserted into the wrench band and a two foot pull bar finally broke the filter loose. It popped when it came loose and I had that feeling I get when I almost turn over backwards in a chair, but don't.



I went under the truck four or five times before I managed to get the right combination of tools to do a job that normally takes about 15 minutes. This time it took over an hour. It appears as though the filter is installed and then some sort of clear coat was sprayed on the filter head with the residue dripping onto the filter. The outboard side of the filter was covered in this crap. I don't like having to take it off from under the truck either.



After the oil change, I got out the torque wrench to snug all the pressure clamps on the intake system. There was only one that was tight. That was the one coming off the turbo itself. All the others were very loose.



I also checked the torque on the intake plenum bolts. One of the four on the big elbow took two turns before the wrench clicked. All others across the top of the intake were on the money.

 

[rbattelle]

I don't like having to take it off from under the truck either.

Of the vehicles I have owned or changed oil on:

-2003 Ram

-1994 Mazda B4000

-2002 Honda Civic

-1985 Ford Bronco II

-1992 Saturn SL-1

-1985 Olds Cutlass

-1996 Toyota Corolla

-1999 Grand Cherokee

-2004 Subaru WRX

-1999 Mercury Cougar

-2004 F-150

-Others I'm forgetting



plus all the cars my friends have ever owned, the only one I ever heard of where the oil filter was accessed from above the vehicle was the 1985 Olds Cutlass. Nevertheless, I frequently hear people comment about what an annoyance it is to change the filter on these trucks from beneath. What cars are people owning where the filters are changed from above? I have always assumed the filters are almost always removed from below. Am I mistaken? [I'm not being cruel here, I've honestly always wondered why its considered so "abnormal" that the filters on the 03's are changed from beneath].



Anyhow, good move tightening all those bolts, Alan... makes me wonder how many of mine are loose!



-Ryan

 

[Alan Reagan]

Both my 98 and 01 were easier to change the filter from the top. Plus, after filling the filter, it was easy to lower from the top and install. My wife's Grand Cherokee is changed from the top, too. Just lean over the starboard fender and grip it barehanded and screw it off and then reinstall.



I'll get used to this. I'm still skinny enough to slip under the air dam and do it. I just hate thinking that I might slip and drop that thing on me and get soaked in oil. Black oil. :{



The clamp tightening I learned from my 01. After a few heat cycles when everything starts to seat, it's a real good idea to check those clamps. Mine was built in Mexico so it was probably nice and warm when they were installed. Now it's in the 20s and they were loose. No explanation on the intake plenum.

 

[bymiller]

What torque for the clamps?

 

[David Oxland]

mercedes '87 turbo diesel: canister change from the top; Slickest setup I've ever done.

Crack the lid and the oil drains to the sump then lift out the element to a basin (no drips) replace and close up. Almost perfect no mess job. Can be very quick

 

[Alan Reagan]

What torque for the clamps?

72 in/lbs on the intercooler and 95 in/lbs on the others (metal tube connections). Don't overdo the intercooler clamps.

 

[bpenrod]

I always change my 03 from the top. I pull off the hose from the air box to the turbo and everything is right there. It also allows me to inspect the turbo real quick to make sure no dirt is getting in there. It seems that with the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan there is no way out of going underneath I just prefer to handle the filter from the top.

 

[RankRam]

I always change my 03 from the top. I pull off the hose from the air box to the turbo and everything is right there. It also allows me to inspect the turbo real quick to make sure no dirt is getting in there. It seems that with the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan there is no way out of going underneath I just prefer to handle the filter from the top.

Same here!!!!!



I got used to doing it this way with my 99 and will continue to do it with all my CTD's.

 

[Rosco]

mercedes '87 turbo diesel: canister change from the top; Slickest setup I've ever done.

Crack the lid and the oil drains to the sump then lift out the element to a basin (no drips) replace and close up. Almost perfect no mess job. Can be very quick

The new 6. 0 Powerstrokes have that same setup.



On my truck I do it from the bottom with very little trouble. However, I must be lucky, on all three of my 3rd gen trucks the factory filter came off with no trouble.

 

[Alan Reagan]

I looked at pulling the hose off but this is a cable or hard line there, also (don't remember what it goes to (EGR maybe?) that prevented me from getting the filter wrench on the filter from the top. I'll look at it again. On my 01, I didn't have to remove anything.



From the bottom, it's a clear shot. Was a PITA to get started with the filter full, using one hand and freezing to death.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I always change my 03 from the top. I pull off the hose from the air box to the turbo and everything is right there. It also allows me to inspect the turbo real quick to make sure no dirt is getting in there. It seems that with the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan there is no way out of going underneath I just prefer to handle the filter from the top.

Yep, me too. I did my '92-D350, '97-3500, '00-3500, and now my '03-3500 all from the top. So much better than the Ford/IH 6. 9 and 7. 3s with the spin-on oil filter set at an angle. No way to remove them without a mess!



Bill

 

[whamby]

I always remove mine from the bottom with a long extension and filter wrench. I usually put a paper towel in the bottom of the filter wrench with it hanging over the edges a litle just in case some leaks down it will catch it. I have always been able to get the filter out without making a mess. If it is over tightened it can be a pain though.

 

[rbattelle]

The nice thing with this engine is the oil filter housing is mostly drained of oil, so you don't get too much mess when the filter comes off. Unlike my wife's Honda, for example, in which the filter is horizontally mounted. Can't take that one off without making a mess.



As an aside, I've often considered getting a job at Jiffy Lube for a summer working just a few hours for minimum wage on Saturday mornings just to get some experience beneath a wide range of vehicles. Might be interesting work.



-Ryan

 

[LowellR]

i change mine from the top as well. i remove the turbo inlet hose first. then i get a one gallon zip lock bag and slide this over the filter. next is my trusty extra large channel lock pliers. just grab the filter near the top crimp. get it just loose enough so you can turn by hand. slide the bag all the way up and spin the filter off by hand. zip up the bag and no mess.

 

[whamby]

You should try a Jeep Liberty. Almost impossible to get to the oil filter with or without the skid plate on. I think about taking it to Jiffy Lube everytime I do it but I am scared they would just say the heck with it and leave the old filter on. It has a built in channel that catches most of the oil once the tilted filter is loosened and redirects it to a hole in the skid plate. Either way it is nearly impossible to get your arm or any tool in there to remove it.

 

[rbattelle]

My neighbor has an 05 F-150 2wd. It's almost impossible to get a strap wrench on the filter to loosen it. Once it is loose, it's almost impossible to remove the filter from the vehicle because of a large black plastic trim piece that sits right in front of it. Had to bend the plastic piece to get the filter.