Honda CRV oil change?

[RonT]

We just purchased for my wife a, new to us, 2004 Honda CRV and I have a question I'm hoping some CRV owner, somewhere, can answer for me.

Over the years I've always changed the oil and oil filters on the cars we've owned. This chore came about due to the fact that we live on a small farm 50 miles from the various car dealerships and it's normally been just a lot easier to do it myself than hassle with the drive and waiting around to have the dealer do it.

So, with that background in mind - I want to continue doing the oil & filter changes on this 04 CRV. The problem is: I can barely see the filter and short of jacking the car up and crawling under it (which I am fully prepared to do, if that's what it takes, when it comes time to do an oil change) I can't see how to get to it to remove it and drain the little bit of oil that will undoubtedly drip out without getting it all over the undercarriage.

So, I'm hoping there's someone out there who's familiar with the intricacies of removing this filter and can give me some guidance?

TIA

[deckeda]

On the Honda K24 engine (your CR-V, Element, recent Accord, Civic et al) you can reach the filter from the top, bottom, or passenger wheel well depending on how tall you are, the vehicle is etc.

I'd invest in some ramps and forget jacking it up to change the oil. Save you some time.

For the oil drain when removing the filter, you can shove a ton of rags on top of the exhaust beforehand or else fashion a "gutter" for the oil from an old license plate that diverts it away.

This page has it made for you already:
http://www.handa-accessories.com/crvmaint02.html

Here are two threads about this (Element site but the same engine etc.)

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/...hp?t=30527
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/...hp?t=30128

[deckeda]

And congrats on your purchase.

Just an FYI: While you're under the CR-V take a look at the catalytic converter. Notice that it's curved. Stuff gets trapped in there at about 100K or so --- it likely won't last the life of the car as you'd expect, and they aren't cheap unless and until a third party begins to sell them.

[Racer X]

I'd buy that drain gutter personally.

I managed a Jiffy Lube a number of years ago, and certain vehicles would dump oil on either the starter or a portion of the exhaust. We were usually forced to cobble something together with cardboard because of the sheer number and variety of situations, we couldn't stock a special solution for every one, or even the few most common. For the $20 or so, knowing you will be using it several times a year, I wouldn't think twice.

And ramps are a good idea. I have ramps, jacks and jackstands. Depending on what I am doing, I use the right tool.

[Markintosh]

And if it's like our Honda Pilot...at pretty much every oil change interval, Honda wants either the transmission, transfer case or differential fluid changed as well....it's never a simple job if you follow Honda protocols.

[deckeda]

[quote Markintosh]And if it's like our Honda Pilot...at pretty much every oil change interval, Honda wants either the transmission, transfer case or differential fluid changed as well....it's never a simple job if you follow Honda protocols.
Is it possible you're confusing dealer recommendations with Honda recommendations? How does what the dealer tells you jibe with what's in your owner's manual?

[Racer X]

some of the severe service intervals on Hondas were in the every 15K range IIRC (back in the 95-96 time frame that I ran the JiffyLube)

[Schpark]

There is a known problem regarding fires with CRV's due to "improper oil changes".

See the following link:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/crv_letter.html

So be careful.

[Markintosh]

From the Pilot manual...trans fluid and transfercase/differential fluid get changed every 15 K...so if your'e going by the 7500 mile oild change, at every change you're also changing either the transmission or transfer case. Honda got pretty aggressive on these changes after a number of tranny failures in 03 Pilots and 03 and earlier Odysseys. The service advisor made it clear that if we skipped it, he would make a note of it in our "permanent record". We haven't gone back to the stealership.

[deckeda]

There's some irony, I think, in a "consumer affairs" site that has popup ads.

Be that as it may, his CR-V isn't new (it's already had its first oil change) so he's in the clear.

But this problem was certainly exacerbated by:

1) the oil filter-above-the exhaust pipe design

2) Honda's decision to not continue use of Filtech as the OEM supplier for oil filters circa late '04.

They decided to save a few pennies and use something more akin to the lowest of low-end Fram (I'm not saying they're made by Fram, just that they look like it on the inside.)