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Old 03-31-2013, 02:56 PM   #1
DJCarbine
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Drives: 2013 FR-S
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Topside oil change without jacking up car

**The point of this DIY is to change your oil out using a vacuum pump, without needing to remove the drain bolt and without needing to jack up the car. Everything is done with the car on the ground**
**Some people do not agree with this method, but I have never has any problems/issues**
**WARNING if you do not remove the dipstick tube, you are required to use very small tubing to fit in the dipstick. This can cause the tubing to roll inside the oil pan, and get stuck. This HAS happened to me.**
**Removing the dipstick tube takes 10 seconds, and you can use a larger diameter tube that will not get caught, will not bend/kink, and it will remove all oil in approx. 3-5 minutes**

::edit
People are using smaller dipstick tubing with no issues. Maybe I was just unlucky! The oil change is a lot faster with larger diameter tubing, but if you don't want to mess with the dipstick just use smaller tubing!

I've been a big fan of doing topside oil changes coming from the E36 BMW family. The oil filter was right on top of the engine in these cars, making them a perfect candidate for topside oil changes without using jacks/ramps and without disturbing the oil drain plug. Its also very convenient and clean, as you don't have to deal with draining the oil under the car while on your back with hot oil splashing everywhere.

The FR-S is pretty much the same with a twist.

First, grab yourself one of these on amazon or your local auto parts stores. This model has both a vacuum/dispense function, and it will help drain/dispose of engine oil, trans oil, diff oil etc.


The second step would be to drive the car until it has reached operating temp. This will help the oil flow through the tubing you will insert into the oilpan. Warm oil flows easier than cold oil, and by running the car you will suspend any particles that may be floating in the oil so they will get sucked out (although your oil filter should be filtering that anyways)

You can insert a skinny tube down the dipstick hole, but I have found that the small tubing will catch on the dipstick tube and cause it to break off/get stuck inside. You do NOT want that to happen.

Remove the dipstick tube bolt, it is easy to reach, takes a few seconds (10mm), and then remove the dipstick tube from the engine.


In this picture, the dipstick tube bolt location is circled in red, and the hole where the dipstick tube goes into the engine is in blue (also where you insert the LARGE diameter tubing in). The large tube allows you to suck all oil out in about 3 minutes due to its size and the ability to really get it the oil pan without risk of catching on anything and getting caught.


Give the handle a few pumps and while the oil is being evacuated, go ahead and change the oil filter. The oil is halfway done in this picture, the vacuum container will be almost full when its complete.


When its done,remove the vacuum tubing and reinstall the dipstick tube/bolt.
Make sure the oil filter is hand tight, fill with the proper amount of oil, and start the car. You don't need to check for leaks under the car as the oil drain bolt has not been touched. Just check the oil filter seal. Recheck oil level after startup, the oil filter will hold some oil.

Save your old oil containers and change the vacuum to "dispense" mode to easily fill your old oil containers with the used oil for proper disposal.

On my e36 I cracked my drain bolt after sucking all the oil out to see how much was left, and I got 2-3 drips of oil out, that's it. Might check this on the FR-S, but it took an entire 5+ quart jug of mobile 1 and another half quart, so it appears to suck all the oil out as well.

Last edited by DJCarbine; 07-21-2013 at 11:50 AM.
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