Accord oil change

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HawkeyeScott

HawkeyeScott

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Jan 11, 2007
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I owe a friend a favor and have decided to change the oil in his 2004 Accord V6. This will be my first Honda oil change. Anything unique about these cars or the way you change the oil in them? Anything I should be on the lookout for, like the "special wrench" needed to get the filter off that happens to be available at the Honda dealer?

FWIW, I'll be using an old style SuperTech filter (pre-Ecore) and Valvo. 5W-20.

Thanks.
 
It's easiest to take off the front passenger side tire. The oil filter is right there, very easy to get to. These filters are smaller than the previous generation. A large set of channel locks could just about do it if you can't get it off with your hands. Have some rags ready, it will drip oil and that oil goes right on top of the suspension and runs everywhere. This is will help with the mess: Get a gallon size ziplock bag, I save the old ones that weren't too dirty, break the filter loose, put the zip lock bag around it and finish taking off the filter from outside the bag. Have the new filter at the ready and pre-lube the gasket. Then, quickly put on the new filter. Some oil is still going to get away from you, but it's a lot less.
 
I have the same car. Park with the front wheels turned all the way to the right. No need to remove the tire to access the filter. Jack the left side up with a floor jack, support the LH subframe with a jackstand, 17mm wrench for the drain plug. The plug is on the RH side and faces to the rear of the car. The filter should come off by hand. 4.5 quarts to refill. New crush washer if you want.
 
So the "special" wrench mentioned in the manual is just an oil filter wrench then?

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like a pretty typical oil change with a filter that's in a tough spot to get to. Will likely tackle it tomorrow.
 
I don't care how you slice and dice it, everything is so much more accessible when the front tires off. Also, I can inspect the brakes, brake lines, oil pan gasket, check for leaks, etc. etc. I like to look around at everything, especially since it's still under warranty. It also makes it a lot easier to clean up the oil that drips from the filter onto the suspension. I like my stuff clean. If I see oil in the garage, I know it's a tell tale sign of a potential problem as opposed to not cleaning it off well enough. My turn: why do you need a floor jack AND a jack stand? My floor jack locks into place and that's all I use on the passenger side. I also put 5 quarts in her and it pegs the "full" mark on the dip stick after leveling and running for about a minute. But anyway you choose, your doing it yourself and knowing that the job is done right!!!
 
Don't know if this will help or not, but the oil filter on my '05 Sport Trac sits directly above the right front control arm, so I take a sheet of aluminum foil and cover the suspension so the oil drains down the foil and into my drain pan. I hate having my suspension get oily and nasty and this has put a stop to that problem.
 
Quote:

I don't care how you slice and dice it, everything is so much more accessible when the front tires off. Also, I can inspect the brakes, brake lines, oil pan gasket, check for leaks, etc. etc. I like to look around at everything, especially since it's still under warranty. It also makes it a lot easier to clean up the oil that drips from the filter onto the suspension. I like my stuff clean. If I see oil in the garage, I know it's a tell tale sign of a potential problem as opposed to not cleaning it off well enough. My turn: why do you need a floor jack AND a jack stand? My floor jack locks into place and that's all I use on the passenger side. I also put 5 quarts in her and it pegs the "full" mark on the dip stick after leveling and running for about a minute. But anyway you choose, your doing it yourself and knowing that the job is done right!!!

Click to expand...


My 2-speed 6 ton floor jack dosen't have locking detents, thus the need for a jackstand.
banana.gif
 
Whoa Neally! 6 ton floor jack? That's some serious jacking! I've haven't had to use parts cleaner to clean the oil off. That's why I like the tire removal. You can really get in there with your shop rags and clean it up good enough so that it's a small film left on the suspension.
 
I propose a compromise: I admit the first time I did an oil change on my 2001 CL and 90 Legend, which both have the same layout, I took off the front wheel the first time, but then every other time afterward I just cranked the wheel to the right to give some clearance to the OF. I do jack it up a little under the RIGHT side (not left), just enough so I can slide under to get the drain plug from the front.

It's a very good layout, HawkeyeScott, not difficult at all. I think you'll find it's pretty straitforward once you peek your head under there.
 
Quote:

I don't care how you slice and dice it, everything is so much more accessible when the front tires off. Also, I can inspect the brakes, brake lines, oil pan gasket, check for leaks, etc. etc. I like to look around at everything, especially since it's still under warranty. It also makes it a lot easier to clean up the oil that drips from the filter onto the suspension. I like my stuff clean. If I see oil in the garage, I know it's a tell tale sign of a potential problem as opposed to not cleaning it off well enough. My turn: why do you need a floor jack AND a jack stand? My floor jack locks into place and that's all I use on the passenger side. I also put 5 quarts in her and it pegs the "full" mark on the dip stick after leveling and running for about a minute. But anyway you choose, your doing it yourself and knowing that the job is done right!!!

Click to expand...


aren't you suposed to use 4.5 quarts in the ACCORD V6
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driving.gif
 
I know that's what the book says, but from experience, 5 quarts, on both the 02 and 06 Accord, tops it right off to the full mark on the dipstick. I know there's talk on here about the accuracy on the dipsticks, but I haven't had any issues with 5 quarts.
 
Quote:

Whoa Neally! 6 ton floor jack? That's some serious jacking! I've haven't had to use parts cleaner to clean the oil off. That's why I like the tire removal. You can really get in there with your shop rags and clean it up good enough so that it's a small film left on the suspension.

Click to expand...


Oops, I screwed up. It is only a 3.5 ton floor jack. My bad.
blush.gif
Yeah, I'm sure there is some variation on dipstick level. If I add 4.5 to the 04 it is right on the full mark if I check it after it sits over night. I have put 5 in it before and it wasn't that far over the full mark.

I personally like to jack the left side for a couple of reasons. The oil drain plug is toward the RH rear of the oil pan and I can get at the trans drain plug without having to move the jack. (If I am going to drop 3 quarts out of the trans)

But, I agree, it is pretty easy to do. One could probably do it by driving one side on a curb.
 
I gotcha now! I have to admit, getting the drain plug off with the tire removed and without going underneath it can be tricky.
 
Our '06 Accord w/ the 2.4L I4 engine does kind of the same thing. I don't recall the number off the top of my head, but when I put the manual-recommended amount of oil in after a change, the oil level on the dipstick shows up barely to the "Low" mark. I've started adding about 0.5 qt more than that, which puts it in about the middle....

This is when checking on level ground, after the engine's been off for a few minutes, yadda yadda. I put the front wheels on ramps to do the change, so perhaps I get more old oil out than the manual anticipates. Or the dipstick could be poorly calibrated. Personally, I consider both to be about equally likely....
dunno.gif
 
Quote:

Don't know if this will help or not, but the oil filter on my '05 Sport Trac sits directly above the right front control arm, so I take a sheet of aluminum foil and cover the suspension so the oil drains down the foil and into my drain pan. I hate having my suspension get oily and nasty and this has put a stop to that problem.

Click to expand...



GREAT idea, I have the same problem with my Ranger. I'll give that a try next time.
 
get yourself a good 2 1/2 jack and jack the front passenger side up. Then you are good to go for filter and drain plug.
 
I was going to use ramps but the front spoiler is too low so looks like I will get to use my floor jack. I appreciate the input gentlemen.
 
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