09 Honda Fit Sport, new to changing my own oil

[Spiregrain]

Hi, I'm looking for suggestions for a good oil and any Honda Fit specific tips since I've never done it myself before. I also need a filter and a crush gasket. The manufacturer recommends SAE 5W20.

My driving habits are: at least one 2-3 hour trip on the highway each week, and really low key running errands around town. I live near San Diego so it's basically bone dry and up to 110 degrees in the summer, and never goes below freezing. Lots of hills because I'm in a mountainous region, not sure if this matters.

Can I get away with doing the change without ramps if I'm willing to be really uncomfortable?

Thanks!

 

[wi11iam]

I would go with a quality 0w20 or 5w20 and call it a day. Being that you live in SD, a 5w20 should be fine.

Ramps will help tremendously, I would invest in some. Makes the oil change much much easier.

 

[EdwardC]

I don't know the Fit's engine bay well, but that might just be a matter of if it's even possible for you to get to the drain bolt and oil filter without some kind of lifting assistance. Give it a try, maybe you can. One thing to note, if you do end up jacking up the car a little, don't do it and get under the car without jack stands.

As for oil selection, I would say that any nationally branded 5W-20 or 0W-20 would be fine (I say nationally branded referring to anything you can get at Walmart, even Supertech, I would avoid anything obscure you find at a gas station or corner store). For your climate, it will make little difference. Now as for conventional vs synthetic, this is more a matter of how long you want to run between oil changes. If you're going to stick with the Maintenance Minder (I think the 09 Fit has one), then a conventional would be perfectly fine. The real benefit of synthetic (at least for you where cold temps aren't a concern), is that you should be able to run a much longer interval between changes.

Video to get you started:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0K_MKLP660


Good luck!

 

[HTSS_TR]

If you have a floor jack and a couple jack stands you don't need a ramp to change oil, but if you willing to spend some $ for a pair of ramps then changing oil+filter will be much easier and faster.

I have a fluid extractor and the oil filter of my S2000 can be reach from the top, I don't need ramps nor jack up the car to change oil and filter.

 

[FutureDoc]

Previous vehicle was a '09 Fit Sport (now the 14 Outback)

You will want ramps or a jack/stands. You can't slide under and have any leverage. Heck, you might not be able to slide under.

Follow the oil life monitor to some extent but I feel it was a bit optimistic. Use 0w20 or 5w20 with an appropriate filter. Honda recommends changing the filter ever other time but I would use a OEM, Fram Ultra, WIX, or other better filters for the application. Avoid Purolator (tearing issue).

Another thing to change would be the Transmission fluid (if automatic). Very simple to do and needs to be done at 60K and then every 30,000 mile interval (ie 90K, 120k ect). It is a unbolt, drain, and fill (and maybe drive then repeat). Mountains can be tough on the Honda automatic transmission (and I am in the mountains) and Honda is unforgiving for using the wrong fluid and missing service intervals. If you are above 60K, then change it. Use only Honda DW-1 fluid.

Otherwise it is a good vehicle.

 

[Falken]

Get a good Dual Piston garage jack and 4 jack stands for more advanced stuff later on.

2 pieces of 2x4 to drive on before jacking to give more clearance for the jack.

My favorite oil is QSUD, PP, PU in 5W20. I prefer 0W20 such as Mazda or Subaru (Idemitsu) 0W20 for my cold climate, but you it makes no difference.

I like Wix filters the best.

Oil is 3.6L capacity, new crush washer from dealer with each change, 29 ft.lb torque on drain bolt.

Keep an eye out for oil sales!!

I never liked ramps, if you drive over the edge would cause damage, and if it shoots out from under a wheel on a dirty garage floor it isn't fun.

I had a bad experience with Rino Ramps on a dusty garage floor, but other love them so YMMV...

 

[bubbatime]

You will need some sort of lifting assistance, either a jack AND jack stands or ramps. Buy the ramps at Advance Auto if you have those stores around using one of their 35-40% off online coupons and the ramps will be pretty affordable. Ramps are usually much easier to use than a jack/jack stands.

Use a 6 point socket on the oil drain nut. 12 points are good at rounding off the nut and stripping.

You'll need an oil filter wrench to remove the filter. I've tried nearly all of them on the market and the best one I have ever tried is the Lisle 63600.
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-63600-Oil-Filter-Tool/dp/B0002SR4Q8

An extendable ratchet really helps to loosen a stuck drain plug. I have the Stanley one and really like it.
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-92-645-8-Inch-Extendable-Set/dp/B000NIK9XM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430425557&sr=8-1&keywords=3%2F8+extendable+ratchet

http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-940485-...endable+ratchet

Buy the crush washers in bulk online. In the past I have bought like 20 at a time on eBay for cheap. Sure beats $1.49 each at the local dealer.

 

[fdcg27]

When I was young and thin, I could slide under our then new '86 Civic Wagon far enough to get to the oil filter.
No way this would happen today.
The drain plug won't be your problem.
The oil filter will be.
A set of ramps make oil changing so easy and pleasant that I'd go ahead with the investment.
It won't be much if you buy your Rhino Ramps using an AAP coupon code.
Oil?
Hondas are typically not too picky.
I'd use syn, but I live in a place where real cold is seen most winters.
For you, any name brand conventional is likely fine, unless you're willing to pop for another five bucks or so a change for syn.
There are many good oil filters, so use whatever strikes your fancy. Many like the OEM filter while others would prefer the more efficient Fram Ultra. The Fit will live for a very long time either way.
Finally, the crush washer need not be replaced at each oil change.
I've had Hondas with which I've had the original crush washer for the life of the car.
No leaks and no thread damage.

 

[EdwardC]

The first oil change is likely to be the hardest, the filter and the drain plug will be on there much tighter than necessary.

Nowadays, I can get the filter off just by hand, and the drain plug comes off with just the socket and ratchet.

Because both cars I work on are Hondas, I bought one of these. It's fairly specialized, but it's perfect for Hondas. It has a 17mm on one end, and the other side fits Honda filters. I find it a little easier to get onto the filter than the cap-style, that I also have.

http://www.amazon.com/Show-Chrome-Accessories-4-201-Filter/dp/B0022ZFRM2

Also, I know that you're suppose to replace the crush washer every time, but my dad and I didn't do that for many years with no leaks yet. My last oil filter purchase included new washers, so I've been replacing them lately.


Oh, also, Mobil1 has a mail in rebate deal going on. Its reported to work on Walmart too.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3650954/Mobil_1_rebate,_maybe?

I've been using QSUD because it was cheaper, but switched to M1 0W-20 EP for the most recent oil change because it was cheaper after rebate, and the 0W-20 EP was the same price as the 0W-20 AFE. I'm using it in my 5W-20 spec'd Honda Element, btw. I know that we all agree that you don't need the benefits of a 0W-20 in your climate, but I don't think there are any drawback to using 0W-20 over 5W-20, especially if you're paying for a synthetic. Honda even recommends the 0W-20.

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Images/Install/FLUIDS_SEPT_2013.pdf

 

[bubbatime]

Oh and just to add, if you change your oil without ramps, it will be the LAST time you change your oil without ramps. You'll realize that spending the $45 and having the right tools for the job easily make up for the savings in not having them.

My sister in law texted me last week and said that she didn't want to spend $80-100 at the dealer any more for her oil changes and would be changing her own oil (car requires synthetic). She didn't know that she had to buy ratchets, sockets, socket extensions, ramps, crush washers, drain pans, and oil filters. She just thought she had to buy $13 SuperTech oil at Wal-Mart and that was it. It was supposed to magically get dumped and refilled, all without the proper tools and knowledge of how to do it. I told her she was dumb and to continue getting it changed at the dealer or at my house when she was in town.

 

[Quest]

Unless you are skinny and dealt with lower-profile (in this case: Fit Sport) Honda oil pan and such, doing oil change underneath w/o ramp is painful at best.

I can do mine w/o ramp in mere 10 mins or less (mine is the steel-wheeled version of Fit); my friend's fit sport requires a ramp.

Good luck and play it safe.

Q.

 

[Dan55]

Here's a video and a good forum http://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-gener...oil-change.html

 

[raytseng]

go to fitfreak.net and ask all your questions there.

The fit is very easy on oil, and many have reported that the MM will not tick to 0 until 12k miles or so. Additionally, the filter is rated to be changed every other oil change.

Given that the oil is in for a long time, you probably are not going to be changing it often, so putting in a premium oil maybe worthwhile. (e.g. only a couple extra bucks upcharge for good oil amortized over 12,000 miles gives it the best chance that the slight benefits of synthetic will pay for itself (e.g. the 1% in fuel savings for 0w instead of 5w for example).