So I'm by no means a skinny guy. I'm 6'0" and weigh 215 lbs. How is it that I am able to unscrew the oil filter from the top and change the filter with hardly a drip, and almost everyone else is forming funnels to catch the deluge of on-rushing oil? I think I might be doing it wrong? Are you changing the oil hot, with the filter full? Maybe I'm doing it wrong, and I'm completely open to feedback, but I change it in the AM, cold, and just take my time letting the oil drip out. Not much filter spill at all...because the filter is empty.
Let it drain...tidy up the work bench for a few minutes...take a whiz...go back to your rig and it'll be finished.
Again, completely open to a rational, well formed critique of this method but this simple way is much easier than removing wheels, shields and skids.
I always change oil when the engine is hot. Perhaps it doesn't really benefit us to do so, but I haven't done a scientific analysis to prove either way, so I go with the often bogus reason of "just because...I've always heard...). I let it set for a little while as the oil pan drains, to let it drain fully and to let the filter cool off some. To me, it seems that the oil doesn't drain much from the filter. Perhaps it would if I let it set longer.
I snug the filter back on,
just a little, with a wrench. Just for extra mental assurance. If I find that I can remove the filter from the top, then I will stop snugging it (while keeping a close eye out afterward for leaks).
Drips on my chassis don't bother me at all. Drips on my basement floor bug the living chit out of me. Especially when it leads me to believe that I have a real oil leak.
I will do some experimenting during my next oil change, using some of the tips above (like situating my Form-a-funnel more vertically) - thanks for that tip. I have tried the plastic bag trick previously, and that didn't help much at all. Perhaps if I let the filter drain longer, that trick might work. I have tried stuffing a bunch of paper towels under the filter. That helped some, but not enough.
I take my 2WD T4R offroad frequently, so I am leaving my skidplate on (which is a PITA to remove). As a side note, I continue to be amazed at how well a 2WD T4R can do offroad. Haven't gotten it stuck yet, but that day is coming. Reason why I always carry a Come-a-long and 150' of rope in the back. :biggrin1:
