I about to do a oil change on my DS for the first time. I have had the shop do it before due to warrenty issues. Are thier any tricks to dao the oil change? The owners manual makes it look really easy but I have a feeling thier is a catch. i have a 2004 Baja x.

Any help would be appreciated. I am not a gear head but have mechanical ability.

 

try this

hightowers method in this thread

 

Do you own a wetsuit?

 

Do u like clean garage floors?

 

best advise i can give is to use as large of a catch basin under the machine as possible. wide enough so you can have the hose from oil tank and drain the motor case and catch the oil from the filter at the same time. it is hard not to have oil seep out and lay on the skid pad under the motor. i always spray degreaser under there then use as high pressure water as possible to get rid of the excess oil. just did mine yesterday and after doing it many times over the years there is still no way not to have some oil get away from you.

 

The trick I use to empty the oil tank is to use a length of clear fuel hose like the ones that you use on the big fuel jugs. Once you take out the plug slip the tube over the nozzle. Use your finge to plug the hole till you get the hose on there. The oil spilled is minimal !!! The filter makes the worst mess!!!

 

Whats amazing is the owners manual says nothing about draining the oil canister. it just says drain the oil from the the drain plug and than change filter and refill.

 

i use a tranny funnel and a butter tub. No mesy clean up just cut a hole in the botom of the butter tub and then in to the funnel and then in to the old milk jug.

 

tried that and the oil from the oil tank did'nt come out.

 

What I want is a ball valve on the bottom of the oil tank. Then off that vavle have a barbed hose fitting so you can slip on a 2 foot clear hose.......wouldnt that be sweet!

Of course you would have to safety wire the lever on the ball valve....for piece of mind.