Maybe stuff specific to particular models would be good too.. for instance, BA XR6T's usually need their exhaust manifold bolts tightened every service, and the boost solonoid lubricated in addition to the usual stuff.

Excellent idea considering everytime I go to a mechanic I cant but feel that I am getting ripped off.

Also on the BA's the heat cover on the exhaust comes loose as. So this needs to be tightened.

gezz how long has this service been going for.. must be very thick oil to pour if it taken this long.

my car is up for a service. would you guys like me to take pics (el i6) and soemone can write up a doc or do you guys want me to write it up?
ill probly be doing the service some time at the end of this week. i will be changing oil and spark plugs.

Well I am doing my service today...going to get some oil, oil filter and some radiator fluid if needed...I will try and start this thread with the oil change.

phong =P~

i'll do the diff oil part tommorow, ill take pics too

Okay so I have started and finished my oil change. I did finish ages ago but had to help H3AT put his original air box in and went for dinner. Anyways here are pictures with captions and what I did...have fun with your oil change.



These are the tools I used and also the replacement parts. Starting from the left:

Fresh motor oil - up to you if what you want to use. I use Magnatec, they seem to work well for me. Usually I buy 2 but I had no money.

Oil Filter - pictured is a Valvoline brand, I just bought it because it was there...part number is V01 which is interchangable with the Z9.

Funnel - so you can pour the fresh oil into the engine.

Oil Filter Remover - not sure what thing is called but it is used to remove the old oil filter. If you haven't got one I am sure you can get one for less then 20 at super crap.

Shifter - used to remove the sump bolt.

Bucket - well you should really use an oil bucket but I have got none...so a red bucket is better then nothing for catching old oil.

Trolley jack - Used to jack up the car but really isn't needed. It just makes things easier. When I didn't have the jack I used to squeeze under the car to get to the bolt.

Jack stands - Holds up the car once you have jacked it up using a trolley jack. Not really needed unless you have a trolley jack and a set of jack stands available, just makes things easier and safer.

Creeper - used to lie on to roll under the car, rather then scraping your back on the concrete floor...much more comfy. Not really needed but is easier if the car is high enough.

There are also gloves there but not really needed unless you are draining the oil after the car has been running. That way you won't burn yourself when removing the sump bolt.

Well those are all the tools that I use to do a oil and oil filter change.


I forgot to take a picture of jacking up the car...but yeah the first thing you want to do is jack up the car. Make sure it is on level ground or it may be dangerous. Once the car is jacked up and all safe to go under, then you can find the sump bolt which looks something like the image below...a small bolt, not sure what size but I just use a shifter to undo and tighten it.





Place a bucket or something to catch the oil underneath the bolt. Then with a shifter or a socket undo the bolt turning the bolt anti-clockwise. It may take a little effort to get the bolt to budge, but once it budges you can pretty much use your hands to undo it. Try not to lose the bolt in the bucket...or else you'll be going fishing in oil always fun.



Let the oil drain for a while.

What I usually like to do is drain the dirty oil out until it starts to drip. Once it starts to drip I put the bolt back on with my hands until it is tight and then pour about 1 - 2L of fresh oil back in and run the car for about 30 secs to a minute. This way the fresh oil can get some old oil which may still be in there. After that I just let the mixture of fresh and old oil drain back out until no drips are left.



The filter can be seen when you look between the air box, the BBM and the radiator hose. It is the white thing hiding underneath the BBM which I forgot to circle. You can see a blown up picture of where it is below.



it is the white thing which has the letters VAL on it, which is the Valvoline filter.



This is the oil filter remover tool...can find it at any auto shop.





Alright above are 3 images of how I have placed the oil filter remover around the old oil filter. I placed it on from underneath by putting the handle up first and then the ring to follow. Once I got passed the K-Frame I placed the ring around the filter and adjusted the tightness via the pin and made sure that the handle is in a position where I can turn the filter in an anti-clockwise direction. The oil filter remover ring gets tighter depending on which direction you pull the handle, in my case I had the handle facing towards the rear of the car so that I was able to pull on the handle for it to get tighter and turn the oil filter in the anti-clockwise direction. Once it becomes loose you can just turn it by hand. There is some oil left in the filter so if you do remove it, make sure you have a bucket handy to empty out the rest of the oil.

When all that is done you can now clean up and get ready to put the oil filter on. Before you put the oil filter on you can also put the sump bolt back on...tighten it up if you want, I choose to only tighten it with my fingers and later on tighten it up nice and tight with the shifter (habit I guess).




These are just pictures I thought I'd put up. First picture has old and new oil filter next to each other and second picture shows 5L of old oil...seems damn black and I don't think that is healthy at all...might need to change my oil more often rather then 10000km.



Before you put the new oil filter back on, you have to place a thin film of oil on the gasket and if you want around the gasket too. I just dip my finger in the fresh oil and smear it on.

Once that is done you can screw the new oil filter back on. Screw the filter back on only by hand...don't use the oil filter remover tool to tighten it...it will tighten itself up due to vacuum.



Alright once filter is back on you can now tighten up the sump bolt as tight as possible, and if you are weak...tighten it up even more or else it will leak. Once everything is in nice and tight you can top the engine up with new oil. Should take at least 5L or so.

Once you have done that you can clean up and start her up to let the oil go through the filter and also around the engine. Take it for a drive if you wish...I usually do so just to see if there is anything missing and to check if the bolt was tight enough without leaks.

That is how one can change the oil of the car. Good luck and get dirty

phong =P~

where is the doco dude hurry up, I am getting 3.45 gears soon.

phong =P~

hehe i have bought the oil, thats a start right??? right!!!

ill be doing the diff oil, slightly adjusting my cam, and fitting a left handed blivit to my car over the weekend, will take some photos for you phong.

p.s. s**t, i changed leads today and didnt take pics.

p.p.s. get of your butt and fit your T5 you lazy basterd guy your almost as bad as me with the "T5 in soon" bit in your sig, roffle

ok i have done the diff oil, took some pics, ill write it up tonight.

I have to replace the heater tap....i might take a few pics of that bastard when i do it....Just going out to see if its cool enough to do it.

oi what happened to the rest of the general maintenance?

phong =P~

Can someone please put up something about changing the brake bulbs in the back of an EF Fairmont?

My brake lights and park lights seem to be shorting (the parkers come on when I apply the brakes, the tail lights stay lit when the lights are on at night making myself a hazard to other road users.

I can see some loom going into the metal cover, but is that cover supposed to come out or do I keep pulling on the loom in the pic untill it comes off, I dont want to break whats behind it.

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im not certain but when you open ur boot is there screws around tail light lense try unscrewing if so

you would need to remove the whole tail light. The tail lights in EF/ELs are removed from the outside rather then the inside like EA-EDs. When you open the boot you should be able to see some screws on the sides of the tail lights rather then behind it. Undo those and the light should pop out.

hope that was correct.

phong =P~