I did the first oil change on my wife's Explorer ST today. I used an extraction pump with a hose down the dip stick tube to remove the oil, so no ramps. Even then, holy cow, I could barely reach the dip stick, the oil fill, and the oil filter. The engine seems really low and pushed way back into the engine bay. Thinking of Edmonds question in the Tacoma thread about spark plug accessibility, I looked for them. I have no idea where they are. I don't see the stick coils. I see both turbochargers though. When the time comes, I may be paying someone to change the plugs for the first time in my life.

Doing an oil change on my truck requires no ramps or jacking either. I can slide under it to get at the Fumoto drain (thank you SIGforum) and oil filter. I do have to stand on the bumper and front tow hooks to get at the dip stick and oil fill.

How are people managing this? Step ladder? Step stools? Scaffolding? DIY platform of some sort? I need some ideas, please.

On a side note, I'd never used the extractor for a car or truck; I bought it for our Sea-Doo. I decided to skip putting the Explorer on ramps, undoing a multitude of two different types of plastic panel connectors, and eight bolts just to remove the panel under the engine. I also didn't have to deal with the plastic oil drain plug that has two ears that need to be manipulated just to remove it.

The extractor worked slick and pulled close to the six quarts the engine takes out. The oil filter is a cartridge type that you get at from above.

You should try setting the dual points on a castiron hemi in a 50s Chrysler 300. It's well behind the second four barrel carb. The oil filter change on an early one is no picnic either..

None of these modern vehicles are designed to be worked on at home to be honest, they are all designed with the idea that someone will take it to a service facility with a lift.

I had a car a few years ago, I think it was a Ford Focus, that you literally had to have the thing up on a lift to be able to change the headlight bulbs.

We have a 2018 Ford Escape and a 2022 Ford Bronco. I pay the local Ford dealer $70 to do the oil and filter change, rotate tires, multi-point inspection, etc.

I’m too old and stiff and modern cars have become too complicated for me to mess with anymore.

Saved lots of money in my younger years doing oil, brakes, belts, coolants, and everything else. It is worth the cost to me to have them do it these days and it actually costs me far less as I have the Ford Pass app and Ford VISA that earns points. As little as we drive I have about three years worth of oil changes covered just from the points awarded for buying the cars.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
None of these modern vehicles are designed to be worked on at home to be honest, they are all designed with the idea that someone will take it to a service facility with a lift.

This

Wow. I would take that one to the dealer most likely. I won’t ever whine again about crawling under a C7 on ramps for primitive spin on filter and pan bolt.

To be clear, it's not a lift issue. I'm talking about it just sitting on the ground with the hood up.

Just getting at everything with the Explorer on the ground seems like a real stretch for me. I don't recall this being an issue with our Nissan Armada even on ramps, and it was a much larger vehicle. We had that for 130,000 miles. Nor do I remember any issues getting at things in my V8 Dodge Dakota that I had for 127,000 miles which was probably about the same size as the Explorer.

I miss working on my CJ7. It had the 304 and everything was right there. Of course we ripped all the emissions stuff off and put headers on it. We replaced the entire body with fiberglass parts including the windshield frame. It had a 2" body lift, we put the springs on top of the axles, and ran 12.5"x33" BFGoodrich ATs. I didn't have trouble getting under it. I have to make do with a 1945 Ford GPW.

Ha, you said C7, not CJ7. Yeah, my dad has a C5 that we have to drive on boards just to get a jack under it. I'm looking seriously at one of those QuickJacks.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
How are people managing this? Step ladder? Step stools? Scaffolding? DIY platform of some sort? I need some ideas, please.

Here you go
https://traxionproducts.com/products/topside-creeper

I use a stepladder to change the battery on my '14 Silverado. It's not even very far in under the hood, but you could bust a gut trying to lift it out at shoulder height.

To work on the top side of many lifted trucks, I use a step stool and let the air out of the front tires. Not completely, as I don't want the rims to bite into the sidewalls, but most of the way. I have also been known to put the truck on a lift, take off all the wheels and then let the lift down just short of the floor. GM trucks have several service items that are best accessed through the wheel wells after taking out the inner fender liner.

Lifted Expedition and now a lifted Tundra I have a good step ladder.

quote:

The extractor worked slick and pulled close to the six quarts the engine takes out. The oil filter is a cartridge type that you get at from above.

I wish all engines were designed this way.
An extractor and too mounted cartridge filter make for pretty much zero mess and zero work.

I have Fumoto valves on both vehicles so the draining part is super clean.
The Tundra uses a cartridge style that you can drain the housing so it is fairly clean. I don’t need ramps since I am lifted a bit but it is tight.

The Suburban uses the messy spin on canisters and have to put on ramps to get to it.

I have a little platform work table. way better than a ladder or step stool. I think they one i got was originally designed for painting guys. But I see them at all the ladder dealers.

Got some old Dodge trucks that are simple enough to work on...

Till I have to change the plug wires.

When I was in the repair business a lifetime ago, we used something like this for underhood services.

I've got a 2011 FJ Cruiser with a 3" lift and a ARB Bumper.
I replaced my serpentine belt and it was a real pain in the you know what!
I also replaced my pre-cat sensors.
Good for another 100K, but what a pain!

Technically, what you're working is NOT a car...

quote:

Originally posted by BlackTalonJHP:

Here you go
https://traxionproducts.com/products/topside-creeper

That's a winner right there! Solves the other problem, where do I put my hand to brace myself when I'm leaning over the engine bay. Everything is plastic.

Although, for $6 more, I'm going to order the NXT version which they show with my truck, same color even.

I would never have found that; thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:
When I was in the repair business a lifetime ago, we used something like this for underhood service.

That's a neat idea as well.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Technically, what you're working is NOT a car...

Good point. I didn't have this issue with any of the cars I've had. Although, the 1979 Olds 98 was a bit of a stretch.

To work on the distributor on my 1961 K1000 4WD GMC Suburban, I climb into the engine bay and sit on the inner fender. I'll being doing that tomorrow when I install and new vacuum advance unit and a Delco cap with a point adjustment window. 1960-1963 GMC V6s are the only engines other than General Motors V8s that had a distributor cap with a point adjustment window allowing points to be adjusted externally while the engine is running.

You may need what I think is called an underhood creeper.

Same thing goes for trying to clean the windshield.

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
Same thing goes for trying to clean the windshield.

Extended reach & clean from the same people that make Invisible Glass.