'01 Honda CRV Oil Change

[StevieC]

Ok... I can do a lot of things mechanically and I'm very good at it but today tried my patience and I might even have permanent scars on my arm from the experience.

I'm thinking about suing Honda Motor Co...

So here is what happened... My soon to be father-in-law asked me if I could change the oil in his '01 CRV. (First Gen model) and I said no problem.

We went to Canadian Tire to get the filter and oil and all was fine. We put the vehicle up on ramps (because he didn't have a jack) and I proceeded to get to it.

The engine was semi-warm but nothing crazy.

The filter is at the back of the engine above the drive shaft and has a metal bracket-thingy around the filter and it's just to the left of the catalytic converter.

So I give is a good try with my hand and find it's on there super tight.

I tried taking it off with a filter wrench but there is no room and then tried channel lock pliers with no luck.

So then I got the bright idea to run the engine until it was warmer hoping that the heat would loosen things up.

I ran the car for about 15 minutes until the temp. gauge showed normal and then shut it down.

I put my arm back in the filter spot and tried again burning my arm really bad in the process on the catalytic converter.

In a panic and pain from the burn I pulled my arm as quickly as possible and my ring got caught on something and I couldn't get my arm out. Finally I broke it free and pulled out my now badly burned arm.

I fixed up my arm and went back to Canadian Tire to get a Filter Socket Adapter because I had had enough of the filter and it was so badly mangled that the car wasn't driveable in this condition.

We got the filter socket adapter and I attempted the filter removal again but couldn't get it off because it wouldn't fit on the mangled filter so I jammed a rag in-between the filter remover and the filter and managed to get it off like that.

I put the new filter on and snugged it up and drained the oil/refilled.

There was no need for honda to make this so RETARDED and difficult to get to.

Nor was there a need for such a short filter when there is so much room for a much longer filter which could easily be removed with a filter wrench.

They also didn't need to put that stupid bracket around the filter in that very spot.

I'm probably going to have the scar on my arm forever because of some engineers stupidity but I won the fight!

Safe changing out there!!!!

 

[pidster]

I know the feeling you think something like an oil change couldnt possibly be tiring or take more than 20min. I've changed dozens of sumps of oil on a few vehicles but the odd one gets you. The last oil change I did was the factory fill on my new Ranger. Over an hour to get that overtightened filter off.

 

[StevieC]

Like they know this is something that has to be done often and it should be easy with minimal mess. They all kinds of room to have a longer filter and make the job simple so why not?

Idiots!!!!

 

[xlt4me]

I have a 1st gen CRV and the filter is a bummer to get at. I use a K&N filter just because it has the 1" nut on the end. You can access that nut from the top with a ratchet and extension. I break it lose from the top and then go back under and take it off by hand. I also only do it with a less than hot engine.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Like they know this is something that has to be done often and it should be easy with minimal mess. They all kinds of room to have a longer filter and make the job simple so why not?


I know where you're coming from, especially on newer vehicles. It seems that every time I have a different vehicle around, I need a different oil filter wrench or strange procedure to get the filter off. I've got a bigger selection of oil filter wrenches now than Canadian Tire, I think; regular kind, regular kind large, sockets, swivels, straps, Channel Lock, you name it.

Of course, when all else fails, it's nice to be able to javelin a screwdriver through it. In your case, it was obviously not possible, which adds so much fun to the experience.

 

[StevieC]

Glad I'm not the only one noticing this.

 

[sciphi]

Wow, sounds like Honda was interested in keeping the assembly line happy.

Not all Hondas are like that. My fiancee's Fit has the filter out in the open, with nothing impeding access to it.

Now my Buick LeSabre is set up to gush oil all over its subframe when the filter comes off. I know now to have the pan and a roll of shop towels handy to wipe the subframe off. At least that part's never rusted!

 

[EricZoom]

I have to say the easiest filter I've ever had to change is on my Caddy SRX. It's located right on top of the engine bay. Even to drain the oil is so easy, because the vehicle is high enough where I don't even need ramps or jacks to fit underneath.
My Mazda 6 filter is located underneath by the exhaust manifold, so I'm very careful to make sure the car isn't too hot, and I put a piece of tin foil over the EH so i won't get burned getting to the filter.

 

[nfs480]

I can say from my two years of experience working at a quick-lube that the first gen CR-v is the most difficult Honda to change the oil on. We wear kevlar burn sleeves in the pit to avoid burns.

 

[StevieC]

Yeah I see why... *UGH*

 

[BBDartCA]

The CRV and Element are a little tight to get to the filter. So bad and messy on the that there is a class action lawsuit to pay for damages related to DIY oil changes!

http://www.crvclassactionsettlement.com/

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: BBDartCA
The CRV and Element are a little tight to get to the filter. So bad and messy on the that there is a class action lawsuit to pay for damages related to DIY oil changes!

http://www.crvclassactionsettlement.com/
I wonder if it extends on this side of the border...

Does anyone know about what filter I could put on that's longer?

 

[moklock]

There is a little warning about oil spillage on the shrinkwrap of the OEM Honda filters that was added after a few 2nd gens went up in flames shortly after an oil change.

Some of the the 3.6L GMs, the '08-'09 Saturn VUE in particular will burn like that also. Its out front of the motor but up high w/ a cat. very close by.

 

[ClarkB]

Let me see, I have changed oil on 4th and 6th generation Civics, a 3rd generation Accord and a second generation CRV. All of them had the filter on the backside of the engine which required sticking your arm right next to the exhaust to get to. So welcome to Honda!

It's good to know that some of the newer vehicles from Honda (Fit) are easier to change the oil on.

Clark

 

[Colt45ws]

A lot of Toyotas are like this as well.
What I like to do is push them out the door with no oil into the back forty. Then I stick about half a block of plastic near the oil filter. Done|

Just kidding.
Like nfs, a Kevlar burn sleeve is invaluable on these vehicles.

 

[StevieC]

Makes me love my Hyundai even more... The oil filter is in the front under an access panel in my skid plate. I don't have to jack up the truck and I don't have to risk burning my hand/arm or any other limb.

The drain-plug (now a fuomoto valve) is near the exhaust pipe but there is ample room to remove and replace it without burning our hands as the oil pan is a bit lower than the exhaust and they put the plug on the far side away from the exhaust.

Someone was awake in Korea!

 

[addyguy]

Not trying to criticize you, but I'd want to avoid the possibility of a burn as much as possible, so when I've done an OC on my car, I do it stone cold, and just let it drain longer.

Yeah, I know you leave stuff in the engine doing that, but if you do relatively frequent OC's, it all eventually comes out. Doing this, you can take your time, and not worry about accidentally hitting some scalding hot surface that you didn't think to avoid.

JMO......

 

[StevieC]

I only ran it to get hot because the stupid filter wouldn't come off and the dumb idiots in Japan didn't design it with enough access room to get in there.

 

[lairdwd]

Just another example of honda over-engineering while not keeping user accessability in mind.

Honda has really gone down hill in a large way over the years. I am not impressed at all. Nissan and Subaru seem to have the leg up with regards to quality. My altima is very user accessible. I can't speak to the rest of models, or to Subaru.

 

[nfs480]

In my experience newer Honda's have very much improved in quality in recent years, they had kind of a quality slump from about 1999-2004 but my family has been very satisfied with our four trouble-free and easy to work on Honda's.