Changing oil filter on E30 with skid plate

[Vincent Brick]

Is there a way to do it without making a huge mess? It runs right down onto the skid plate, and then dumps out the other side, it takes me at least an hour of clean-up every time I change my oil, and now I don't have anywhere to change it but my driveway any my landlord is pissed about the huge oil stains everywhere from it.

I try wrapping a bag around it all first but the oil dumps out too fast overtaking the bag and you can't spin the filter fast enough with it in there.

Any other ideas?

[ELVA164]

I've never seen an E30 with a skid plate on it so this may be completely unhelpful, but what about something like a dust pan to use as a funnel, direct the oil to the edge of the skid plate and into a pan?

[beta14ok]

I bought an oil extractor and pull it out the dip-stick tube.


I bought mine on sale a couple of years ago from BavAuto. They sell a different model now, but should work the same.

[estoguy]

Sounds like you're not using an oil pan. There are low profile ones that will slide under a stock height E30 without jacking or ramps. I have the factory under tray. I slide my pan under the car in position below the filter, unscrew and remove. Any oil drips into the pan. If you want to be anal about clean up, put something under the pan in case you miss or get errant oil.

This is one thing I've really loved about the E30, on the ground oil changes!

[Vincent Brick]

The dust pan idea might work, or some form of plastic, maybe I should track down one of those weird plastic roll-up funnels I have seen advertised.

My car pretty low, the only oil pan you are fitting under it without jacking is going to be one of those flat cookie shoot types and that isn't going to contain it alone. But that won't work anyway because the problem is the skid plate is directly below the filter, you loosen the filter and the oil immediately starts draining onto it.

Oil extractor would be cool but I don't have a place to store it nor do I have the loot.

Thanks for the ideas, guys, please keep them coming. I'm 2 hours in and still not done cleaning up, now I have to drive to the store for kitty litter. I rent a room in an HOA so I have to get it cleaned up ASAP. This wasn't so bad when I had access to a shop and sometimes even a lift for oil changes.

[efficient]

If you have a I motor maybe you should rotate the oil filter housing the other way instead of it facing backwards. Maybe next time you can put cardboard down so it doesn't land on the cement.

[jeffnhiscars]

Remote oil filter kits are not that expensive.

[dnguyen1963]

You can replace your drain plug with one of these. Connect a tubing to the outlet of the plug and collect your oil into a pan.

https://www.amazon.com/Fumoto-F-106N-Engine-Drain-Valve/dp/B003T7XUE4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1472436274&sr=8-4&keywords=oil+drain+plug

[efficient]

If you read the description ^ says not recommend for lowered cars

[Das Delfin]

my car is a lowered a bit and I can't do oil changes without jacking up the passenger side..

how hard is it to remove the skid plate? If it's only 6 bolts then just do that

You might try one of those funnels with the tube coming off, placed under the filter and with the tube directed town around the skid plate and into the oil pan

[AndrewBird]

Punch a hole in the oil filter near the end (opposite the block) and let the oil drain out into a small pan before you unscrew it. Punch it in the top, then rotate it 180º to drain.

I buy old loaf pans to use for parts and oil catch pans. Works great. I get them from garage sales/estate sales, but even new they are cheap.

[jeffnhiscars]

You can barely get the filter out from under the manifold so how are you going to get that pan in there, especially when he has a skid plate that he's trying to keep oil off of ?

Or am I missing something here ?

[dnguyen1963]

If you read the description ^ says not recommend for lowered cars

I do not like lowered cars, but the plug comes down about half an inch more than the normal plug. I think the skid plate might leave enough room for it. Yes, if the driver bangs up the skid plate then the oil pan will most likely be busted too with this plug.

[roguetoaster]

How about a large baking sheet to catch the spillage?

If that's not large enough try a piece of OSB plywood and route (or make a shallow cut with a circular saw) a perimeter bead as large as you need. This also works well for cars that drip, and it can be spray painted to the color you need to make it blend in.

[bangn]

how hard is it to remove the skid plate? late model bms have plastic under the whole car that have to be removed so its not much different in my eyes.. in fact most cars have plates/trims in the way. just part of doing the service.