We just passed the 20k mile mark with the CS. I have been changing the oil every 5k miles out at work where we have a two post lift making the job very easy. Well, the lift was in use so I decided to change the oil at home.
I had always wondered if it was possible to change the oil without lifting the vehicle and I found the answer, JUST BARELY! First let me state that the vehicle is NOT lowered in any way and has the OEM 19" wheels. Also let me state that I am exactly 6'0" with a normal arm length for my height.
Working from the driver's side of the vehicle I was just barely able to reach the drain plug with my finger tips. I used a 3/8" drive 8mm alan socket with a small breaker bar to remove the drain plug and a 4" deep, 18"x12" tub to catch the oil. I had to let the socket and drain plug fall into the tub with the draining oil and retrieve them later. I then used a 3/8" drive 74mm/14 flute oil filter tool with the small breaker bar to remove the oil filter which was easier than the plug as it wasn't as far a reach. I let the oil from the filter drain into the same tub.
Reinstalling the filter was easy, but the drain plug really tested my reach. Using the allen socket as an extension I was just able to thread the plug into the drain hole. If you are any shorter than me then you will not be able to do this unless you have the arms of a monkey. Properly torquing the plug and filter housing was done with "click" type torque wrenches as there is not enough room to be able to see a dial.
The entire operation took about 45 minutes and not one drop of oil hit the garage floor. The hardest part was locating the Mobil 1 0W-40. I had to go to three different stores before I had collected 8 quarts.
I had always wondered if it was possible to change the oil without lifting the vehicle and I found the answer, JUST BARELY! First let me state that the vehicle is NOT lowered in any way and has the OEM 19" wheels. Also let me state that I am exactly 6'0" with a normal arm length for my height.
Working from the driver's side of the vehicle I was just barely able to reach the drain plug with my finger tips. I used a 3/8" drive 8mm alan socket with a small breaker bar to remove the drain plug and a 4" deep, 18"x12" tub to catch the oil. I had to let the socket and drain plug fall into the tub with the draining oil and retrieve them later. I then used a 3/8" drive 74mm/14 flute oil filter tool with the small breaker bar to remove the oil filter which was easier than the plug as it wasn't as far a reach. I let the oil from the filter drain into the same tub.
Reinstalling the filter was easy, but the drain plug really tested my reach. Using the allen socket as an extension I was just able to thread the plug into the drain hole. If you are any shorter than me then you will not be able to do this unless you have the arms of a monkey. Properly torquing the plug and filter housing was done with "click" type torque wrenches as there is not enough room to be able to see a dial.
The entire operation took about 45 minutes and not one drop of oil hit the garage floor. The hardest part was locating the Mobil 1 0W-40. I had to go to three different stores before I had collected 8 quarts.
