Changing the oil in the Hemi!

[fathemi]

So, I just spent an hour or so under my Cool Vanilla C and have some info that I'd like to share for those of you who will be doing this eventually. Note that if you follow these instructions and still manage to mess something up, it's not my fault, so don't come whining to me.

To change the oil in your 300C, you'll need the following:

• 10mm socket
• 13mm socket
• a large filter wrench
• 7 (yes seven!) quarts of your favorite oil (5w20 recommended)
• oil filter (stock part #05281090, Purolator Pure One #PL14670 (same as the 300M))
• some way to get the front of the car in the air (ramps work great)
• a big oil catch container (7 quarts, after all )

After you get the car in the air (as I said above, ramps work great on this car) and properly secured, you need to get under there and remove a plastic cover that shields the entire bottom of the engine. It's held in place by four annoying little 10mm head bolts that are driven into clip-nuts (probably to make 'em easy to replace when some bozo strips 'em out). These take a few minutes to get out because they're deep-threaded and wobbly, but after they come out, the guard comes off easy.

After the guard is off, the filter is in an obvious location on the passenger's side of the engine. It points straight down, which is really nice from the standpoint of keeping the motor clean when you take it off. Mine was already seeping a little oil around the filter seal from the factory, but it wasn't too bad. First, take out the oil drain plug (13mm head bolt easily accessible) and let most of the oil drain out. Be careful, it flows pretty strong if it's warm.

After most of the oil is out, you can take the filter off. A cap-style filter wrench would be optimal, but you can get a band style on it from the side if you're clever (go up above the frame rail). Thread it off carefully and discard it. Then you can prep the new filter by pouring about half a quart of oil into it and rubbing some around the rubber seal. Install the new filter very carefully: don't spill any oil or cross-thread the filter. . . it should spin on with almost no force. Tighten only hand tight if you're fairly strong: if not, you can snug it down a bit with a filter wrench, but then all your friends will think you're a wuss.

With the new filter on, the pan should be almost dry: go ahead and clean and replace the drain plug. Again, watch the torque. . . new drain plugs will seal up nice while just snug + about 1/4 turn.

I pulled the Hemi cover off in the engine bay to put the oil in because (a) it's really easy to take off and on: just pull gently and (b) once off, the oil fill neck is elevated and easy to wrap a drip rag around eliminating the need for a funnel.

After you have the oil fill cap off and the fill neck well protected from spills, go ahead and dump in the remaining 6 and 1/2 quarts of your favorite oil (I used Mobil 1 0w20). After you're done, go ahead and replace the fill cap, the engine cover, and wipe up the engine bay if you dripped anywhere (or if it's just dusty.)

Note that you shouldn't have put the bottom engine cover back on yet: you'll want to start and run the engine for a couple of minutes and check the drain plug and the filter for signs of seepage or leaks. After you're sure it's okay, you can double-check the level on the dipstick (should be fine), and go ahead and replace the bottom engine cover, but be really careful not to torque those 10mm bolts too much: then only take 35 in-lbs, which is nothing: just snug them up. After you get the tools out from under the car, the oil put away, and the car down on the ground, you'll be done!

So, there ya go. The first documented 300C Hemi oil change that I know of. I hope that someone finds the information useful.

fathemi

[Hemiman]

Thanks alot. It's great fans like you that make these boards so helpful.

[300C]

Fathemi,

Would you be able to take pictures of the engine bay w/ the HEMI cover removed? I'd like to see what's underneath.

[MightyMax]

Originally Posted by Hemiman

Thanks alot. It's great fans like you that make these boards so helpful.

That is so true.... I so wish I could help / add more. But, I guess I need the car first.

[StCassel]

I have an easier method of changing the oil. I'll just stop by my dealer, on a Saturday morning, and have a cup of coffee. I have no need to become that initmate with my C. Why have to deal with disposing of used oil? That is why they have a Service Dept. Changed the oil already? Why not wait until the first regular change interval?

[GMLind]

I personally like to change the oil in my vehicles. For me it is a trade off in cost of labor for synthetic oil. It also affords me the opportunity to crawl around under the car looking for other potential problems or leaks. All that can be fixed under Factory Warranty. It has benefited me with the dealership used car guys. They know if anything was ever wrong with my car I have had it in to be fixed and in return they have been good about giving more for my trade in's. In fact they have purchased 2 cars from me outright. No need to buy from them. That is how I sold an F150 Super Crew King Ranch, (to my Ford dealer) and will use the proceded for the 300C on order.

[fathemi]

Ahh. . . to each his (or her) own.

For some automotive enthusiasts, the experience of owning a vehicle is not complete until they service the vehicle themselves as well. I happen to be one of them. I also happen to be quite mechanically inclined and find the experience of performing simple maintenance on my cars quite relaxing.

As far as why now: well. . . she had about 2K miles on her and I wanted to get the factory fill out and some synthetic and a better filter in there asap.

Incidentally, I've owned a couple of cars that I allowed the dealer to service exclusively, including my first 300M (a 2001 PHP), and have never been overly pleased with the inconsistent quality of the work performed on the car. Usually, a casual inspection on an exclusively dealer serviced car will reveal quite a bit of oil drippage, especially around the filter area, which they rarely clean properly and some degree of stripped, rounded, or otherwise mishandled bolts. Dealer mechanics often need to do things fast, and they often pass off "easy work" like oil changes to the least experienced mechanics, which eventually often results in a poor job. I would virtually guarantee that those 10mm bolts that hold on the bottom engine cover plastic and perhaps the plastic itself would be damaged within the space of a few oil changes.

Not to mention that you need to give up control of your car and trust that it won't be damaged or dirtied while being serviced (I've had that happen a number of times) and, at the end of the day, you don't know what they even put in there.

Oh. . . and then there's service cost. I own 4 cars. . . 3 of them brand new (2003 and newer). . . the savings per oil change isn't a ton, but it does add up.

. . .and disposing of oil these days is easy: Get a 5 gallon can with a tight sealing lid. Dump oil from your catch pan into the can. When the can is full, take it to your local auto parts store and have them recycle the oil and give you back the can. With 5 gallons, you can make the trip about once every 2 or 3 changes.

fathemi

[fathemi]

BTW:

300C: I'm posting those engine pics you asked for in the pictures forum right now.

fathemi

[Fast4Door]

Do you think 2k miles is a safe time to switch to synthetic???
I've always heard you should do at least your first couple oil changes with conventional oil to help with break in.. Switching to synthetic too early I have heard can cause problems with ring seal etc....
Just what I've heard...

[StCassel]

My cars have always had a log book filled with entries from my dealer service visits, that has helped my trade-in deals. All recommended service intervals followed closely. I have done business with relatively small dealerships with few junior grade mechanics in view. No oil drips or problems with the nuts and bolts seen. The service dept. always puts down paper floor mats and plastic over the seats. Never get back a dirtied up car. So for my time, doing my own oil changes does not save that much money. I just check the fluid levels and tire inflation and keep my car washed and waxed. Yes, to each his own.

So how much better is synthetic oil over natural lubricants?