Oil change made easy

Javier · 10-02-2020, 12:51 AM

Modified lower splash shield aft section to make easy access to oil filter and drain plug. installed hinge assembly from Home Depot and 3/16 dia. 1/2 inch length rivets. See attached pictures, also painted hinge assembly with rubberized 3M paint.

Cyber370 · 10-02-2020, 08:40 AM

Nice work!

That cover looks like carbon fibre or some other sort of fibre mesh. Is it aftermarket?

johnxxx · 10-02-2020, 08:58 AM

Good job.

I use to hold mine open with two bungee cords when changing my oil. I now have the Zspeed undershroud but TBH it only provides a small opening and what ends up happening is some oil hits and runs across the top of the aluminum shroud and now you have drips for days to come unless you reach your hand up in there and wipe it all up.

JARblue · 10-02-2020, 10:13 AM

Neat

I remove the entire undershroud every time I do an oil change as I like to inspect the underside of the vehicle on a regular basis to make sure everything is in good order. It is definitely worth the extra effort, which is a couple of minutes at most to remove and reinstall.

Javier · 10-03-2020, 03:47 AM

The shroud is aftermarket, I had it for a couple of months trying to figure out the best way to create a access point. I have seen all those metal shrouds, very nice but too expensive for something you do not even see except for once every 15,000 miles for oil change and access is very limited.

JARblue · 10-03-2020, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javier

...every 15,000 miles for oil change...

Don't wait 15,000 miles to do an oil change on your poor Z!!

Javier · 10-04-2020, 02:28 AM

I have sent the oil out for tests at 7k, 10k, 15k, and 20k. I have always used Mobil 1 synthetic with Nissan OEM filters. On my parent graves , I have a 8 qt. Capacity with JW oil pan spacer and G-Plus oil cooler without fan. You will be surprised at the viscosity of the oil at these milage points. My car has 159k and I loose only half a pint of oil at 15k. These days the oils are so good that even some new cars now suggest oil replacement between 10k and 15k. Of course if you get on it a lot, would do it sooner. I'm a mechanical engineer not a rocket scientist, but the numbers don't lie. My compression is a smi get below factory specs on the high side. This is an amazing engine!!!

Javier · 10-04-2020, 02:34 AM

Thank you for your concern on the oil change, but trust I take good care of my Z. It my everyday driver. Even in winter.

Javier · 10-04-2020, 04:03 PM

Adding additional pictures to original post with modified splash guard installed. Had to drill holes just fwd of original locations. Used a 3/8 drill bit. Holes lined up perfectly.

Javier · 10-04-2020, 04:11 PM

Uploaded new pictures of modified splash guard installed. Had to drill holes just fwd of the original positions with 3/8 drill bit. Aligned perfectly.20201004_142738.jpg

20201004_142755.jpg

20201004_143536.jpg

20201004_142642.jpg

20201004_141933.jpg

Zingston · 10-04-2020, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javier

The shroud is aftermarket, I had it for a couple of months trying to figure out the best way to create a access point. I have seen all those metal shrouds, very nice but too expensive for something you do not even see except for once every 15,000 miles for oil change and access is very limited.

Hmmmm... i guess I've been changing my oil too frequently.

JARblue · 10-05-2020, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javier

I have sent the oil out for tests at 7k, 10k, 15k, and 20k.

I'd be interested to see what Blackstone had to say about the 15K and 20K intervals...

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Oil changes are way too cheap and easy to be waiting for 20K mile intervals. I was doing them every 2-3 months when my car was my daily driver - I can't imagine what that Mobil 1 oil would look like after waiting an entire year to do one

jchammond · 10-05-2020, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

I'd be interested to see what Blackstone had to say about the 15K and 20K intervals...

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Oil changes are way too cheap and easy to be waiting for 20K mile intervals. I was doing them every 2-3 months when my car was my daily driver - I can't imagine what that Mobil 1 oil would look like after waiting an entire year to do one

Had my Z exactly 18-months & haven’t changed it yet

JARblue · 10-05-2020, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jchammond

Had my Z exactly 18-months & haven’t changed it yet

How many miles have you driven it in that time period?

ZoomZ · 10-05-2020, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javier

I have sent the oil out for tests at 7k, 10k, 15k, and 20k. I have always used Mobil 1 synthetic with Nissan OEM filters. On my parent graves , I have a 8 qt. Capacity with JW oil pan spacer and G-Plus oil cooler without fan. You will be surprised at the viscosity of the oil at these milage points. My car has 159k and I loose only half a pint of oil at 15k. These days the oils are so good that even some new cars now suggest oil replacement between 10k and 15k. Of course if you get on it a lot, would do it sooner. I'm a mechanical engineer not a rocket scientist, but the numbers don't lie. My compression is a smi get below factory specs on the high side. This is an amazing engine!!!

Viscosity is one thing but how about other crap suspended in the oil. So you saying that wear materials and metals in oil are the same at 7k as 20K?

If so, Interesting.

Sorry for thread jack. Nice build. I have the Zspeed metal shield. I take it completely off. Take 5 minutes with electric ratchet.

10-02-2020, 08:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cyber370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Montreal, QC Canada Posts: 679 Drives: 2016 370Z Nismo 6MT Rep Power: 19372	Nice work! That cover looks like carbon fibre or some other sort of fibre mesh. Is it aftermarket? __________________ "That’s when you know you’ve found somebody special. When you can just shut the fck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.”-Mia (Pulp Fiction)*

10-02-2020, 08:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
johnxxx Track Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NJ Age: 64 Posts: 990 Drives: 2014 370Z PW Nismo Rep Power: 2684366	Good job. I use to hold mine open with two bungee cords when changing my oil. I now have the Zspeed undershroud but TBH it only provides a small opening and what ends up happening is some oil hits and runs across the top of the aluminum shroud and now you have drips for days to come unless you reach your hand up in there and wipe it all up. sx moneypit and ZoomZ like this. __________________ FI TT Kit #099 making 794whp/713# torque@23psi

10-02-2020, 10:13 AM	#4 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 43 Posts: 36,450 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684440	Neat I remove the entire undershroud every time I do an oil change as I like to inspect the underside of the vehicle on a regular basis to make sure everything is in good order. It is definitely worth the extra effort, which is a couple of minutes at most to remove and reinstall. cv129, Ghostvette, jchammond and 2 others like this. __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

10-04-2020, 02:28 AM	#7 (permalink)
Javier Base Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 40 Drives: 09 nissan 370z Rep Power: 10138	I have sent the oil out for tests at 7k, 10k, 15k, and 20k. I have always used Mobil 1 synthetic with Nissan OEM filters. On my parent graves , I have a 8 qt. Capacity with JW oil pan spacer and G-Plus oil cooler without fan. You will be surprised at the viscosity of the oil at these milage points. My car has 159k and I loose only half a pint of oil at 15k. These days the oils are so good that even some new cars now suggest oil replacement between 10k and 15k. Of course if you get on it a lot, would do it sooner. I'm a mechanical engineer not a rocket scientist, but the numbers don't lie. My compression is a smi get below factory specs on the high side. This is an amazing engine!!! cv129 and ZoomZ like this. Last edited by Javier; 10-04-2020 at 02:31 AM.

10-04-2020, 04:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
Javier Base Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 40 Drives: 09 nissan 370z Rep Power: 10138	Oil change made easy part 2 Uploaded new pictures of modified splash guard installed. Had to drill holes just fwd of the original positions with 3/8 drill bit. Aligned perfectly.20201004_142738.jpg 20201004_142755.jpg 20201004_143536.jpg 20201004_142642.jpg 20201004_141933.jpg

10-03-2020, 03:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
Javier Base Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 40 Drives: 09 nissan 370z Rep Power: 10138	The shroud is aftermarket, I had it for a couple of months trying to figure out the best way to create a access point. I have seen all those metal shrouds, very nice but too expensive for something you do not even see except for once every 15,000 miles for oil change and access is very limited.

10-04-2020, 02:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
Javier Base Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 40 Drives: 09 nissan 370z Rep Power: 10138	Thank you for your concern on the oil change, but trust I take good care of my Z. It my everyday driver. Even in winter.

10-04-2020, 04:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
Javier Base Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 40 Drives: 09 nissan 370z Rep Power: 10138	Adding additional pictures to original post with modified splash guard installed. Had to drill holes just fwd of original locations. Used a 3/8 drill bit. Holes lined up perfectly.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
DIY: Whiteline Diff Bushings (Made Easy)	Nut_N_Much	DIY Section (Do-It-Yourself)	7	02-17-2024 08:08 AM
Tach signal made easy	TBatt	DIY Section (Do-It-Yourself)	7	02-10-2021 10:07 AM
CJM S1 RFS: Your 600hp Fuel System - Made Easy	phunk	Forced Induction	100	07-19-2017 03:28 AM
oil change made easy?	iidylii	DIY Section (Do-It-Yourself)	15	03-27-2017 11:53 AM