Change Your Own Oil?

never got to hange my own oil, as the truck was still under warranty...but always greased it myself....god chance to look over the underpinings....new gig has a full service shop, every two weeks the trucks are brought in for at least grease and whatever else the techs catch or what i report.....its nice to not have to get dirty.....

wrenching is still one of my pass times....but on cars lol

 

Well, the changing your own oil thing is neat... to a point. I used to do it all myself all the time. But it can really be a pain to drop oil when the temp is -20F and a 30 mph wind. Let alone doing the filters. If one has a nice shop to do this, that is one thing. Many folks do not. While I did my own before all the time, I am getting older and lazier. I do all my own greasing, but it is worth it to me to have Housby truck lube in Des Moines change the oil. I bring the oil I want to use, since they do not have it, and they drop the oil, do all the filters, check fluid levels underneath and give it a general look see under there, for a around $130. I get a good oil in bulk delivered to me for free along with free oil sample kits and analysis. To pay just over a hundred bucks to have the oil changed is worth it to me. Especially in winter time. They are just 40 miles from my house, so I stop in and get the job done before heading home.

I guess, for those that don't get enough "bonding" with their truck all the time they are operating it, it might be substantive to spend that extra time at home "bonding' with their truck by changing the oil themselves. I like my truck, but not that much.

 

I don't know where you guys buy that it's costing you over $200 to DIY. I use CAT filters too. I don't especially enjoy changing the oil but I do see it as an easy way to save money. If the EPA ever comes knocking they'll get a door slammed in their face.

Oil in a 5 gallon bucket -$55 x2
CAT filters - $16 each oil and fuel
Tube grease - $8
Shop rags - $2. (25 pack cost about $10? I don't even know. I only use a couple)

 

If one is in a situation that it is practical, the by all means, I support changing one's own oil. But that is it, it is not practical for everyone. Unless one gets a joy out of lying on the ground at sub zero temps with 20+ mpg winds making things even more difficult. From purely a numbers standpoint, it does save some to DIY. But numbers on paper only go so far. Many folks do not have nice comfortable shops to do this in, nor live in areas where above freezing temps are a regular thing all winter long. Greasing the truck is tough enough in cold winter weather, to add changing the oil to the list is being a glutton for punishment. Some of this chasing and cutting every penny of cost can get ridiculous. Save 60-100 dollars 5 or 6 times a year? Man, more people waste a heck of a lot more money in other areas, even per month, that they could cut and make a greater difference. I'll spend the bulk of my time chasing the lowest cost on fuel, stocking my truck fridge and bringing prepared meals from home to limit road expenses, etc, that more than make up for what I spend on having a shop change my oil 5 times a year.

Now I suppose, someone could invest in a $25,000 small shop so they could save a few bucks on oil changes out of the weather. But that is kind of defeating the cost benefit of DIY oil changes.

 

The way I see it if I am going to crawl around with a grease gun spinning filters off and on and popping the drain valve on the oil pan is not adding much to the job .
I don't do it save money I do it to make sure it is done right !
One would think changing the oil would not be a brain drain of a job but I swear it is more than the average speedco brainiac can handle from what I have experienced !!!!

I find by doing my own stuff I no longer worry when the man says pull around back and bring in your paperwork !
I am lucky and my buddies have a shop in town that I can and do use when I need too so that does help .
I will also admit it was allot easier to do a full service when I was 24 than it is at 54 LOL .
I also I get to fool around on the truck more the older she gets and I get to fool around with the wife the older she gets LOL !!!

 

Great posts. I ALWAYS changed my own oil, and it was always a mess. And this was years ago before the EPA went on the rampage. Used oil is not that hard to get rid of, but pouring into big tanks from 5 gallon pails, always a mess. Filters too. You are now supposed to crush them to get all the oil out, put them in a 55 gallon drum, seal it, and it becomes hazardous waste. New empty oil jugs, same thing, you can't just throw them in the recycling bin, as they still have a little oil. Funny story, years ago, I lived in a rural setting, and had to take our trash to these dumpsters. There was an old guy there, who didn't care, you could throw nuclear waste in there, he didn't care, "Throw it in", he'd say. Well, he retired and some young guy took his place, he was very strict about what went in the dumpsters. I was going to throw my new oil jugs in, he said, "You can't do that". I said, the other guy said it was ok, he said no. I said, ok, I'm going to throw them into the woods, he said, "you can't do that either".
Bottom line, take it in somewhere , TO A REPUTABLE shop. I've heard nightmares of guys getting their oil changed and the plug fell out, or they put the wrong oil in.

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JLoge6QzcGY

I change my own or get the kid to do it. I don't like other people touching my "stuff".

 

And it is one thing to use the sub par quick lube places or truck stop quick in and out. I use a Mack dealership's lube shop in Des Moines. Those guys have no problem with me sticking my nose in their business and watching things. They do a great job. I have 10 gallons of my own oil on board for them to put in. They have the Donaldson filters I want, and even stock the extended life version I want, just for my use. No one else asks for them. $130 and I am out of there. One of the best driver's lounges around. Free coffee and fountain drinks. They do a complete inspection of every thing, check the boxes, etc. Last time, they caught a U-joint that was starting to go, cap was starting to turn. They were spot on, and I changed it out later. I do my own greasing of the truck at home. Just picky in that regard. It is worth it to me to do it this way.

 

Good shop makes a difference. The kid has guys that won't bring their stuff in if he isn't working.

I watch him when he helps me......just the way I am and he knows it. Do it my way or don't do it.

 

I do my own and we get 130,000 miles a year change every 12,000 and grease every 6,000. You would be surprised the "other things" you see starting to go and have someone fix before it leaves you stranded. Your local farm coop would be a good source for setting you up with bulk oil - often times providing the tank at no charge. I took a 55 gallon drum and cut the bottom third off and made and bolted some handles to it. If you can't hit that I don't know how else to help a guy. I rarely get a spot on the floor bigger than a quarter. Your savings would quickly buy a nice floor jack to lift it to grease the front end properly as well. Yes I have a shed I can get into and yes when it is cold it sucks. Usually a guy can use his head during the winter months such as "boy its nice out this weekend and next week is cold lets change it now etc." Ask around for someone who has a shop that burns waste oil and take it there if you don't want to take to local collection. I have yet to be told about being certified for bulk storage etc. and until then not dealing with it. I save about $50/hr to me doing myself and when it is cold seems to take some of the bite out. I guess also I get a lot of satisfaction from doing it as it is about all I am good for as far as mechanical.