I haven't changed my own oil in over ten years. I have an '03 Ram 1500 quad cab (4.7L) and was wondering how difficult it is to change the oil? I'm looking to switch to synthetic oil and would like to save some money over what the oil change places charged. Anyone out there still change their own oil?

Thanks

 

LOL, I change my own oil... not everytime, but either me or my buddy does... the hardest part is getting the filter off sometimes... but that's once in a blue moon.

~Amanda

 

I change my own oil. It is so easy with the Ram, I can slide under and easily remove plug and filter.

 

I change the oil in mine. Easy enough to do and like you said, putting synthetics in yourself will cost just about the same as having the local Jiffy Lube putting regular oil in for ya. I will say that when you take the filter off it tends to get a little messy. Since the filter is pointing down, it still has oil in it when you take it off. (DC should have thought of a better place to put this, but it is very easy to get to) One way of trying to catch all that "extra" oil is to take one of those ziploc style bags and slip it around the filter as you remove it. This will help keep the oil from dripping down the side of your arm and engine, and make it nice when you throw that filter away. Ziploc the filter in the bag and its done.

 

When I changed the oil in my Ram I had the hardest time getting the oil fill cap off. It looked like it came from the factory cross-threaded, but when we put it back on, it went on the same way it came off. So my dad and I went to the Dodge dealership and talked to the service department and they said that they are all like that and that they had a special tool made to get it off.

 

Let someone else touch my truck......you must be joking...right????

I change my own oil. I don't know about the 4.7L engine though. I do know that the 94-01 Ram automatics have the filter placed just perfect to hit the transmission bracket then run all the way to the bell housing. It is that "OH S*%T......, QUICK....GET THE PAN UNDER THE HOUSING!!!!!" Then, as you place the pan perfectly under the housing without spilling, you realize that the filter mount location is now drizzling not on the bracket anymore but now on the ground. Those of you who have an automatic in these years one just to tell me that this has not happened to you.

I will say that every time I change the oil in my dads '96 this is the case. In my truck, the manual trans is placed perfect so the oil only goes strait down. Yet another reason I love my 5 speed.

Eric

 

Its so hard to get off, because they put them on at the factory dry and torque them down way to tight.

 

I change my own oil. I bought the Fram Quick Change (part # SD-1 for Ram 1500) that replaces the oil pan plug with an adapter that you just screw into and drain the oil. I also use the K&N oil filter (from Advance Auto) which has 1 inch head so you can use a 1 inch socket or wrench to change. I currently use Havoline but am considering changing to Mobil 1. I hear alot of good things about Mobil 1. Any feedback on it.

 

On my 4.7 Dakota I use a 2 liter bottle with the bottom cut off (and the cap on) to remove the oil filter. The bottle acts as a funnel to catch most of the oil that comes out.

For my Ram, I use a "car wash" bucket. I hold the bucket below the filter and loosen the filter from the side.

I only need to change my oil once per year, but I replace the oil filter and top off the oil at 6 months. I have about 4000 miles on my Ram's oil and 12,000 miles on my Dakota's oil. Both still run like champs.

Don't try this with petroleum oil.

If you want to avoid changing your oil for good, instal one of these and then all you have to do is replace oil filters at set intervals. http://www.amsoil.com/bypassfilters/canderson/index.htm
http://www.amsoil.com/bypassfilters/gast/index.htm
http://www.amsoil.com/bypassfilters/brilz/index.htm



100,000 miles or more without a true oil change is possible with the bypass system.
Here's proof http://www.amsoil.com/testimonials/409000.htm

Kale (Syntheticsman runs one on his Hemi and he picked up 2 mpg with Amsoil)

 

i change my own b/c i like to see the oil if there s any problems. plus like others stated, its easy b/c no ramps or jacks involved. im a pretty big boy too. now my monte carlo is a different story, but i still do it