Civic, Where's the damn filter!

[Jesda]

Changing the oil on the 98 Civic. Where the hell is the oil filter! I cant find it -anywhere-. The picture in the manual is zoomed in so far I cant tell where it is.

[sensibleS13driver]

they are notoriously strangely placed (not like a KA:)), the only way to locate it is to get under the car and you'll see it.

[Jesda]

Thank you!

[Axel Grungy]

its usually on the backside of the block

[Rex]

its usually on the backside of the block

I was just gonna say, look behind the motor, it's hiding from you .

[sensibleS13driver]

The filter is on the back of the engine, offset to the driver's side, sticking rearward. but you have to get at it from under the car

[crzycav86]

they are notoriously strangely placed (not like a KA:)), the only way to locate it is to get under the car and you'll see it.

Who doesn't get under the car when they're changing oil? How else does someone fit the oil catch pan under the car, not to mention remove the drain plug?

[sensibleS13driver]

i used to be so lazy I'd drive 2 wheels up on the curb so i could reach the drain plug but now my car's too low so yea i have to jack it.

[flohtingPoint]

Who doesn't get under the car when they're changing oil? How else does someone fit the oil catch pan under the car, not to mention remove the drain plug?

You mean you DONT have 9 foot arms that can bend in any fashion needed? What a freak...

[crzycav86]

You mean you DONT have 9 foot arms that can bend in any fashion needed? What a freak...

Some of the posts in this thread made it seem like people miraculously change oil without getting under the car. I just wanted to get in on this secret. Is that so much to ask?

[crzycav86]

i used to be so lazy I'd drive 2 wheels up on the curb so i could reach the drain plug but now my car's too low so yea i have to jack it.

Yeah.. and what sucks is when you have to use two jacks because it's too low in the front.

..and then you have to use two jacks to take it down.

[flohtingPoint]

Some of the posts in this thread made it seem like people miraculously change oil without getting under the car. I just wanted to get in on this secret. Is that so much to ask?

haha, I was just kidding around Bro =)

[Rex]

Who doesn't get under the car when they're changing oil? How else does someone fit the oil catch pan under the car, not to mention remove the drain plug?

I'd say most people think the oil filter should be reachable (at least visable) from the top, even though they may have already put the pan under the car and pulled the plug.

[nametakennow]

Ding.

The SR's is on the back too, it's a ***** to get to, and once you do, you hardly have leverage to get it off. Grrr...

The first change was really tough, since the place I went before changing my own liked to put it on quite tight, of course. That and there is hardly a filter wrench in existence that's small enough to grab the SR's tiny friggin filter...

[Axel Grungy]

i could change the oil on my civic hatch w/o jacking it up or taking off a wheel. im a small guy lol

[flohtingPoint]

Ding.

The SR's is on the back too, it's a ***** to get to, and once you do, you hardly have leverage to get it off. Grrr...

The first change was really tough, since the place I went before changing my own liked to put it on quite tight, of course. That and there is hardly a filter wrench in existence that's small enough to grab the SR's tiny friggin filter...

Longit mounted SR's are just as bad. Its under the intake manifold and between a motor mount and your alternator. I remember thinking I was badass, trying to change it w/out unplugging my battery, BOOM, no cabin power till like 2500rpms.

[nametakennow]

Longit mounted SR's are just as bad. Its under the intake manifold and between a motor mount and your alternator. I remember thinking I was badass, trying to change it w/out unplugging my battery, BOOM, no cabin power till like 2500rpms.

What's this business about unplugging the battery? I guess that would have to do with the alternator being right there. My oil filter sits slightly to the pass. side on the back of the block below the intake mani. The alternator is further toward the front. There is a hell of a mess of pipes and such to wade through. Last time I got oil in my nose, couldn't smell **** for 2 days.

[Jesda]

Stupid-*** filter is in a stupid location. Its also too tiny for any typical oil wrench. I'm going to have Jiffy Lube put my new filter on tomorrow.

When I drained it I got TWO GALLONS of oil!!! The book says it has a capacity of 3.5 qts! I was also missing a 5-quart jug of Castrol GTX I was going to use on the Q. Turns out my stupid-*** unlicensed stepbrother poured oil into the Civic (why?!?!?) and drove it around, probably drunk/stoned with his rich, spoiled, idiot friends.

He's done worse, but this time he touched my stuff, so I hope he gets arrested and sent to a pound-me-in-the-*** prison.

[Axel Grungy]

omg, he could have serious messed up the motor with that much oil!!

[bcar240]

oo, that sucks. I hate when people mess with my stuff!I just changed my oil/filter a couple weeks ago, apparently I tightened my filter too much last time I changed it, and I couldn't get it off for crap. I ended up pounding a screwdriver clear through the thing and using a prybar. Kinda messy though.

[crzycav86]

haha, I was just kidding around Bro =)

Sarcasm sucks on the internet.

.....See?

[Jesda]

I put the pan underneath and the french guy and I removed the drain plug, which some tard at Jiffy Lube or the Honda dealer put on way too tight. We stood around drinking RC Cola and waited for it to finish. He looked underneath and said "Uh oh its overflowing"

I looked underneath as well and oil was quickly getting all over the driveway. I ran inside and grabbed the first thing I could find, a tray in the oven with a piece of chicken in it. I ran outside, placed it underneath. I couldnt believe the second tray was filled up all the way.

[Mr1der]

ahahahahahahahaahahah

5w-30 chicken!

[gniknave]

I put the pan underneath and the french guy and I removed the drain plug, which some tard at Jiffy Lube or the Honda dealer put on way too tight. We stood around drinking RC Cola and waited for it to finish. He looked underneath and said "Uh oh its overflowing"

I looked underneath as well and oil was quickly getting all over the driveway. I ran inside and grabbed the first thing I could find, a tray in the oven with a piece of chicken in it. I ran outside, placed it underneath. I couldnt believe the second tray was filled up all the way.

Ok don't ask why I know this, but I do. On Civics of all years, it's a good idea to change the drain plug washer whenever doing an oil change (well that's so on most cars - even more so on Civics). Also change the plug every few oil changes if not every other. Those oil pans suck and strip easily if the plug is on too tight and causes you to struggle with it. Good idea to have a rethreading kit around if you own a Civic.

Also, even though the book says 3.5 quarts, 4 quarts always does the trick. Try putting in 3.5 and then starting it, shut it off and check it again. You'll be a little short. 4 quarts always!

Another common problem 97-2000 Civics is the damn intake manifold. They have a tendency to crack right down the middle causing the MIL light to come on showing a code P0420. The bad part is there was only a recall issued on the 97's, but not on the other years. To fix it, you have to replace the intake manifold...I hope yours isn't one that is connected to the CAT. Just giving you a heads up for when it happens.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Stupid-*** filter is in a stupid location. Its also too tiny for any typical oil wrench. I'm going to have Jiffy Lube put my new filter on tomorrow.

When I drained it I got TWO GALLONS of oil!!! The book says it has a capacity of 3.5 qts! I was also missing a 5-quart jug of Castrol GTX I was going to use on the Q. Turns out my stupid-*** unlicensed stepbrother poured oil into the Civic (why?!?!?) and drove it around, probably drunk/stoned with his rich, spoiled, idiot friends.

He's done worse, but this time he touched my stuff, so I hope he gets arrested and sent to a pound-me-in-the-*** prison.

Come change the filter on my Ranger some day.It'll make you fall in love with that poorly placed civic filter.

It uses the same massive filter as the 3/4 ton gas ford pickup, but it's got 1/8th the space. You can reach it from top or bottom easily, the problem is fitting it out of there without spilling all over...you have to twist and turn and twist and shout and then you probably drop it because your hand and the filter are coated in oil. It's impossible NOT to get messy changing the oil/filter in this thing. And everything is so damn high off the ground that the oil pan underneath only serves to help splatter the oil around beneath the truck more uniformly.

It's the wierdest engine. Was used in the 70's on cars like the Pinto, now it features two plugs per cylindar, a cone air filter, and other wierd crap.

I'll trade you for the Civic.

[metalsyth]

Ah another episode of Garaging with Gulati.