Oil change on a 3.6 engine.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I guess whoever designed this engine was thinking like a mechanic. The oil filter is not what you would think. It's a cartridge attached to a plug on top and in front on the engine.

 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wix-57526/overview/make/dodge

Just don't change your oil for a few hours after you run it, until it has time to drain off the filter.      

[ViperMan]

Those filters are becoming much more popular these days.  I'm not really sure why, although my guess is that the cost of making filters is much cheaper...  ...but the filters themselves are much more expensive...  My Volvo uses one of those, and I think it cost me over $15 bucks.

They SHOULD drain pretty quick, especially since the oil will be hot.  The problem though is making sure you don't damage the cap that houses the filter as this gets reused.

[moparman82]

Yeah those has been on German cars for 30 years, it's kinda nice not to worry about how snug a slippery filter tucked underneath an engine is lol

[tommyg29]

I agree.
I love the top mount filters. Have one in our 3.6 charger and my tacoma truck.
Like you said....just wait 15-20 minutes for it to drain and when you unscrew it and pull it out it probably wont drip a drop.
Since I use fujimoto valves in all my cars, the oil filter was always the messiest part. Not anymore.
Too many cars the filter is hard to get to, you have to contort your arm, and when you unscrew it it runs all over suspension parts,etc.
Unfortunately for me, thats not the worst of all my problems though. 

[brads70]

Nice design! 
Bonus is you can see if any nasty's are lurking about without having to cut it open!

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Bonus is you can see if any nasty's are lurking about without having to cut it open!

My thoughts exactly.   

[Sulteric]

What about fulfilling the warranty requirements? How do you keep up the records if you do it yourself? I have the dealership do my 5.7l Hemi in my Challenger. I know the service manager VERY well and I don't have the facilities to do it myself.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

What about fulfilling the warranty requirements? How do you keep up the records if you do it yourself? I have the dealership do my 5.7l Hemi in my Challenger. I know the service manager VERY well and I don't have the facilities to do it myself.

That's a good question, but not one that I'm really worried about.

I would rather have the oil and filter of my choice installed, than whatever the dealership would do. I got to believe they take the cheap way out.  Just my opinion.

[tommyg29]

That's a good question, but not one that I'm really worried about.

I would rather have the oil and filter of my choice installed, than whatever the dealership would do. I got to believe they take the cheap way out.  Just my opinion.

 
This
I always do my own with synthetic and just maintain good logs. I do it for 8 different cars in the family!
I dont like the fact most dealerships and oil change places pump oil from 55 gallon drums which contain who knows what.

[ViperMan]

What about fulfilling the warranty requirements? How do you keep up the records if you do it yourself?

It would be prety difficult for a dealership to prove that any kind of warranty issue is related to engine oil - be it age or lack thereof.

Per the Manuson-Moss Warranty Act: "The federal minimum standards for full warranties are waived if the warrantor can show that the problem associated with a warranted consumer product was caused by damage while in the possession of the consumer, or by unreasonable use, including a failure to provide reasonable and necessary maintenance."

So I mean if the engine is seized and the oil pan is bone dry, you might be screwed.  Also if the oil pan is full of sand or the oil comes out in chunks, you might be screwed...  Other than that, it's really kinda hard for the dealership to win that argument, and I know 'cause I've been on the dealership side...  We once had a 3.0 Taurus with "blue metal" inside the cylinders - obviously a result of overheating due to what we suspected was "rampant abuse of a rental vehicle" (which the car was.)  However, for all the trouble it'd have taken to fight it, it was simply easier to throw a new block at it and move on to the next vehicle.