I will be doing my first oil change on the Dmax later this summer and was wondering what everyone else is using to catch the used oil. I've drained plenty of small blocks and even a few big blocks but nothing that holds 10qts and other than sticking a 5gal pail under there I don't have anything that will hold that much. I have seen some that will hold that much but are like $300.


Thanks

Just park it over the storm sewer and let'er rip.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Wink.gif No, not really, I use a cat litter pan, big size. Holds the drain oil just fine. Cost maybe $5.

Jim

How difficult is it to change the oil on these rigs? I know the service dept will use Delvac and will cost me @ $100 for them to do this for me. How much oil do these rigs hold?

How difficult is it to change the oil on these rigs? I know the service dept will use Delvac and will cost me @ $100 for them to do this for me. How much oil do these rigs hold?


Not difficult at all. Oil pan holds 10 qts. Oil filter from NAPA about $10, AC Delco filter from stealer about $20. Now would be a good time to install a Fumoto valve to make the next oil change even easier!

Thanks jholly... I'll give that a try as the one I have now only hold 7 qts. I read somewhere that the Ford's Powerstroke holds 15qts That seems like a LOT of oil for that size engine.


I'll probably put in one of those Fumoto valves at the time too. Only thing I wonder about is how warm they get if you are changing the oil when it is warmed up some instead of cold.

I just changed my oil today and I catch about half the oil with the skid plate and half with an oil pan. I had modified my skidplate once before and I removed it again today and modified it again. It's no real problem to change the oil on your truck. I have one of those large enclosed oil pans (maby 14 qts.) I purchased at O'Rilies(sp).

I installed a Fumoto valve with the nipple, and it clears the skid plate, no problem. I buy drinking water in 1 gallon jugs and save them for oil changes. No muss, no fuss! Oil and filter then goes to the county recycling center.


I buy Baldwin filters from the local Cat dealer, (Ring Power) and Delvac 1300 at Wal-mart.

I went to Wal Mart and bought one of those oil drain pans that costs about $6, has a spout and cap formed into one end, and is low enough that I can even slide it under my MR2s. The drain pan I'm talking about holds 13 quarts and has a funnel shaped top with a center hole and a screw in plug for that center hole. Should've bought one years ago.


I just remove the skid plate to change the oil, and that makes it much easier to lube all the grease fittings, too.


Good luck.

I don't have a skid plate on mine yet but would like to add one sometime just for that extra little bit of protection.





Thanks 2fast2, I'll go see if the local walmart has one of those as it sounds just right. Does it have anything to catch the drain plug (in case you have one) The one I have does not so if it falls in your fingers are walking through the warm oil...

I did my oil change a couple weeks ago with the yellow 5gallon drain pan you can get from Auto Zone, Advanced Auto or what have you. The snap on one in the catalog has more handles to get a hold of the pan better when draining, I kind of like that one more and I think that one goes for about 14 bucks compared to the cheapy beapy $5 yellow one.

The thing is you need like a ramp or something so the front end is raised, due to the drain plug being in the rear left corner of the pan. As I drained it, it fell into the pan nicely, but as the level inside the pan got lower it began to drip onto the skid plate and well I made a mess... haha oh well. It upset me at first but hey what are ya gonna do. We live and learn.

Now I have some oil dry (you can pick up at Sam's 40lbs for 3.48 or so. Next time in the event it gets on my concrete floor, I won't have a problem (didn't think ahead last time). And I have some ramps to drive the truck up onto as well as a couple wheel chocks I picked up from the Med. Duty GMC truck dealer. The oil should not be touching my skid plate this time. *http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

I mean it'll wash off due to the amount of rain we get here, but I don't really like the thought of that.

Happy Oil Changing


bigdog,

What's wrong with playing with warm oil? haha Mine was a lil warm when I did it. I guess if you had a fumoto there wouldn't be an issue. I don't have one of those, I replaced my drain plug with the mag plug and have the other in the bag it came in.

Edited by: Wolverine

Bigdog the pan 2fast2 described is the one I have and if you drop the drain plug it will not fall into the pan. The plug will however plug the hole that goes into the drain pan allowing it to overflow in a hurry if you don't move it. This type of pan does seem to splash the oil a little more when you pull out the plug. It does help to raise the front of the truck to get all of the old oil out due to the split oil pan design. I just use my floor jack and raise the front of the truck untill the front wheels are just about to come off the ground.

I use the jugs that hold kitty litter. They hold about 2.75 gallons. Just perfect for the Dmax oil change. (At least the cat is good for something. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif )


Fumoto drain valve is a must for those of us with skid plates. Best $20.00 I've spent.

I've been buying my oil in the 2 1/2 gallon jugs (a perfect 10 quarts). After I drain the oil & change the filter, I close my Fumoto & pour the fresh oil in. Then I just pour the used oil, which is in my yellow 5 gallon drain pan, back into the empty 2 1/2 gallon jug. Quick & easy, & ready for the recycling center.

I went to Wal Mart and bought one of those oil drain pans that costs about $6, has a spout and cap formed into one end, and is low enough that I can even slide it under my MR2s. The drain pan I'm talking about holds 13 quarts and has a funnel shaped top with a center hole and a screw in plug for that center hole. Should've bought one years ago.


I just remove the skid plate to change the oil, and that makes it much easier to lube all the grease fittings, too.


Good luck.





I have a few drain pans from NAPA(made by Balkamp) that are similar to the one 2fast2 describes, but they hold 12.5 qts and cost about $15. The E-One we have at the fire station(cummins powered) holds 23 qts + 2 in the filter. We use 2 5 gal buckets for that thing. Our '97 psd brushtruck holds 17 qts + 2 in the filter. That thing also gets the 5 gal bucket drain.


The $15 pan:


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/33D_12773.jpeg


Napa also sells this one for about $12. It holds 4 & 1/2 gallons:


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/ZF1_12772.jpeg


Just check around at your local auto parts stores and Wally world. I'm sure one of the stores will have something to suit your needs.Edited by: flhrciblueice

I use 2 pans, since I have an Amsoil dual remote filter setup. I run the truck up on a pair of poly ramps (gives a better drain angle AND a bit more "belly room" under the engine and the frame rail.) I have one of the open top ones like flhrciblueice shows and a semi-enclosed one. I put my short hose on the Fumoto valve and start the oil pan draining into the semi-enclosed and then use the open one under the Amsoil mount to start the filter(s) draining. After the filter quits dripping, it's a lot easier to drop,tip and dump it into the open top pan. The Amsoil mount is inside the frame rail right under the driver's door and the ramps make it real easy to slide in and out for access. A good oversized drain pan and a Fumoto valve are must-haves if you do your own oil changes.

wall-mart has one for about $5.00 and made in USA!

Thanks I will take a look at Napa and Walmart (altho the local ones around here didn't even KNOW what a gear oil pump was) that valve looks like a good idea too assuming you don't burn your fingers opening it when the oil is still warm.

Changing the oil is easy but some things i have noticed.


Either you need to drop the skidplate or notch it or have a bag of kitty litter ready. First change I started draining it and every thing was going were it needed. I climbed out from under the truck to get the new filter ready and found out that with the oil 1/2 drained from the case the stream dosnt shoot too far and it hits the skid plate and goes EVERYWERE http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Angry.gif I cut a chunk off my skidplate and its been fine since. The aluminum cuts easy too.


Especially the first change since I think GM employs a gorilla to put the filters on. A metal type strap wrench does the best job of getting the filter off. Some come with a square hole that you put a ratchet in and some have a handle built in. By one that fits your filter. They are the best and make life much easier!


If you dont jack up the truck oil dosnt drip twards the back of the oil filter as you are unscrewing. If you kinda tip it forward as you unscrew it and unscrew it slow it dosnt seem to go every were.


I do the change with the motor fairly warm. I drain the pan and let it puke for ahwile and then use a jack to get the nose up a bit to let the last out. While waiting for it to drain I prep my atf and oil filters. I fill my ATF filter to were the threads start in the hole and let it soak in and repeat. I will fill my oil filter about 1/2 way or so and sit it sideways and roll the oil around till everything is soaked and add some more oil if i can without it flowing out the hole with it sitting on its side, i also oil the gasket while I'm at it. Clean off the plug and replace and drop the nose of the truck. Then I pull the oil filter and let it drip for a few and put a new one on thats been already preped. Now I yank my allison spin on filter. Dont forget the magnet! Grab it and clean it off and place it on the ATF filter you alraedy have mostly filled. Now I dribble a bit on the top till it is full up to the gasket. If you fill it all the way up and then go to place the magnet on the magnet will suck itself down and shoot ATF out, ask me how I knowhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif Put the spin on trany filter on.


Changing the trany filter every oil change may be over kill depending but thats the way i do it. Easy to remember anyway. Oh....definatly change it your first oil change.


Very easy to do and after the fiasco that caused me to hack my skid plate i can do it without geting dirty.


Oh yeah....dont forget to add the oilhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif I give her 11


also a good time to grease everything and check your airfilter, tire pressures ect while you are waiting for it to drain. I get all my filters from Eric(dmaxallitech) and use a wallyworld pan with the funnle top and the built in spigot. Might be a good time to do fuel filter too.....Edited by: ratlover

ratlover


I know what you mean about the skid plate. I take the top of the box the new filter came in and crease it to make a little chute. I then wedge that between the oil pan and the skid plate, and viola, the oil runs right down the chute into the catch pan.

I don't have a skid pan on this truck, but on previous models, after install of a fumoto with nipple, a length of tubing slipped over nipple allowed me to drain oil with pan not even under truckhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif! It took a little longer, but a floor jack helped it along a great deal.


FYI, I thought the oem drain plug had a magnetic end on it already. Mine did.

It doesn't have a magnetic plug in it?? I would think it would since the diffs do. OTOH if switching to the fumoto valve it does not matter since that is not magnetic... I wonder if the trans fillter magnet can be used on the oil filter as well???

Yes it does, the smoth round part on the end of the threads.

Bought an enclosed oil pan from Wall-Mart and a FUMOTO oil pan drain valve from someone here on the internet. Now when I change oil I just stick a 1/2 in. clear plastic hose ( Home Depot ) on the valve withe other end in the pan hole. Piece of cake. ( You have to install the valve on your first oil change) Then take the used oil to the parts dealer where I buy my oil. Punch a hole in the oil filter with a center punch and drain it into oil pan before removing, saves a little mess. I use BALDWIN, NAPA or CARQUEST Oil Filters. CARQUEST oil filters are made by NAPA. Will switch to OEM filters when I find them for $9 or less and I don't have to drive forty miles to getg them.

This brings up an interesting point. If switching to the fumoto valve for ease of draining, do you lose the protection the magnetic plug would add?





BTW I did find one of those big 17qt drain pans at Fleet Farm for like $8. It came in real handy when changing the rear end and tranny filter this weekend. I'll give it a real test later this summer when I do the engine oil..

This brings up an interesting point. If switching to the fumoto valve for ease of draining, do you lose the protection the magnetic plug would add?


Well, I lost nothing, because my OEM drain plug was not magnetic. I don't know if it was just a manufacturing error - or whether some are not. Mine is in the tray of a steel toolbox and is definitely not magnetic. I -DO- have a "supermagnet" on the shell of my full-flow oil filter and it had a nice dark shadow showing inside the can when I cut it open after changing oil last week. My iron results were good on my oil analysis too (6 ppm).

My OEM drain plug wasn't magnetic. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif Another bit of cost saving from the General???

My OEM drain plug wasn't magnetic. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif Another bit of cost saving from the General???

I don't think so. I've been unscrewing drain plugs from the Generals' products for many years, starting with a 1948 straight 6 cheby. Haven seen a magnetic plug on any of them. The last three trucks from the general (1985, 1999 and 2004) didn't have one either.

Jim

My OEM drain plug wasn't magnetic. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif Another bit of cost saving from the General???

I don't think so. I've been unscrewing drain plugs from the Generals' products for many years, starting with a 1948 straight 6 cheby. Haven seen a magnetic plug on any of them. The last three trucks from the general (1985, 1999 and 2004) didn't have one either.

Jim

My '98 & '00 both had magnetic drain plugs.

I bought the magnetic plug from George at avlube.com. It is very strong.

Ok well this will tickel your funny-bone. I place a camping pad under my truck (so it is nice and soft when I lay down. This weekend I followedd my plan as ussual but the campng pad went a little to far under the truck. I had already drive the truck and it was up to operating temperature. When I put the pan under the truck it sat on about half of the camping pad causing it to tilt. (Who cares I thought.) I removed the plug and out comes the oil. About 5 seconds later the pan shifts and I feel something hot on the top of my head. I then realize that the oil is splashing out of the pan. I am not talking little sprinkles. It was like every drop that hit the pan was then hitting my head. After I finished and my wife saw the mess (me and the drive way.) she started laughing. I told her to just call me "Sludge"

I haven't seen those supermagnets for the oil filter but I think it would be a good idea as it traps it in the filter and especially if you swap over to that fumoto valve. Where did you get yours?





Cruz_man how many miles on your truck? I bought mine like 2 days after you. I've had a few oil showers myself, thankfully it does not smell as bad as tranny or gear oil. That old gear oil smell would just stink for weeks or months it seemed like..

I haven't seen those supermagnets for the oil filter but I think it would be a good idea as it traps it in the filter and especially if you swap over to that fumoto valve. Where did you get yours?


www.kennedydiesel.com (http://www.kennedydiesel.com)


you can get one for your oil filter, fuel filter, extra fuel filter and Allison filter. (I only have one on my full-flow oil filter and OEM fuel filter - they are not cheap - but they work)

Thanks Idle Chatter, I'll go look there and see what they have. Why do they have them for fuel filters, is there a lot of iron in gas (diesel)?

Thanks Idle Chatter, I'll go look there and see what they have. Why do they have them for fuel filters, is there a lot of iron in gas (diesel)?


Not a lot of iron, but any contamination is very bad for the life of the HPCR fuel system. The gears in the low pressure pump and the plungers and valves in the high pressure pump, as well as the internals of the injectors themselves could produce small ferrous wear products that get flushed back into the fuel tank with return flow and brought forward again. This along with any metallic debris from the fuel supply tank or fuel pump pumping it into your vehicle (another steel gear-type pump) can be trapped and held against the outer wall in the "dirty" side of the OEM filter can. Just additional precaution and peace of mind.

Ah Ok that makes sense and I guess cheap (altho was surprised those magnets cost that much) insurance.

I don't have a skid plate on mine yet but would like to add one sometime just for that extra little bit of protection.








Sheet bigdog... send me $20 and I'll ship you mine. There ain't a rock within 500 mile o'here http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif and I'm tired of takin the damm thing off and scrubbin it.

But you do have some big gators down there http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif


What does it all cover, just the oil pan or more?

Bigdog the pan 2fast2 described is the one I have and if you drop the drain plug it will not fall into the pan. The plug will however plug the hole that goes into the drain pan allowing it to overflow in a hurry if you don't move it.


Man I thought I'd read this thread, but somehow I missed this part...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif


I got the drain pan from WalMart that folks have mentioned, got the truck in the air with the ramps from the fire station since the metal ones I had folded under the diesel, and proceeded.


I had it good and warm so the oil would drain well. Removed the skid plate so I could put in the Fumoto valve when done, and pulled the rather warm plug letting it drop into the drain pan. Needless to say there wasn't much I could do when it started to overflow...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Dead.gif


Guess where the drain plug was when it got low enough to look? I've got some kitty litter on the stain in the driveway, I'll use the pressure washer on it later.


Oh well, even with buying the drain pan, it was a bunch cheaper than the stealer who I don't trust, and it's got Delvac in it now which he doesn't have. The Fumoto will make it much easier the next time...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Also do not forget to open the little yellow air vent valve or the same mess will happen that the plug can cause.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

Thanks, I got a nice one at Fleet that holds like 17qts and has the pocket for catching the plug and a little ridge for draining an oil filter. For $7 I thought COOL...





I don't trust ramps, I have a set of 3 ton jackstands (unfortunately got rid of my 6ton ones) that should hold the front of the Dmax fine. I may not even need to jack it up to drain the oil.

I don't trust ramps, I have a set of 3 ton jackstands (unfortunately got rid of my 6ton ones) that should hold the front of the Dmax fine. I may not even need to jack it up to drain the oil.


I've got a pair of 3-ton poly ramps - they have a full "ribbing" of diagonal supports underneath. I wouldn't feel too comfortable under unsupported steel ones. I use them both front and rear for undertruck work - sure make it easier to get around under the frame rails and to put better drain angles on the pans and components.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gifEdited by: Idle_Chatter

I remember many years ago when I had my Camaro I had a set or cheapie jack stands (the pin through the hole type) and when I was under it I was watching as the pin was bending... I got out from under it REAL QUICK. I had a set of steel ones too that the neighbor gave me and my Blazer (converted to big block and Dana 60 front end) folded one of them up when I drove up so am leery of them too. I may have to get some 6ton stands again for this truck as I got rid of them when I got rid of the Blazer.