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This is why I change my own oil.


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Got to work this morning and after getting out I smell hot coming from the engine area. I can smell it by the windshield and driver wheel well. I had my oil changed back a few months ago when I brought my car in for the A/C and PCV issue. So I had the change the oil too, normally do all my own Maintenance.

So after looking front above with hood open I can really see anything. So I lay on the ground with a flashlight. I can see a slight drop on the filter and some oil on the pan area and such. As you know the filter is in an area that when doing a change will drip all over that area and the booth lip of the block.

Well I don't put lots of miles on my Spark and now the residue has made its way to the exhaust just below the filter and block.

Now why in the hell can't the dealer mechanic just wipe up the residue, it take a whole extra few seconds. I do this so you can see if there are issues between changes. I even take a little soapy water on s rag to make sure it's oil free.

So now I'm positive its because of this small oil residue but I will have to keep an eye on it now to make sure. Yes, oil level is fine, first thing I checked.

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You might want to give the oil filter a little twist to see if it is loose. A small (at first) oil leak won't really be noticeable in oil level at first but would leave a trail like you describe.

The filter is tight, that's the first thing I checked. I do all my own maintenance just thought that they could do it while it was there, mistake.

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That is the sad part about dealer service. Many people expect the dealership to have the best techs and when it comes to serious trouble they probably have the most experience. However when it comes to regular service many dealerships are using low wage entry level mechanics who have neither the time nor the inclination to do a careful thorough job.

I have been doing my own car maintenance for decades but as I age it gets a little harder each time to get up under the car to do the simple stuff. I do not yet own a Spark but have started looking at getting one for cheap local transportation. I haven't decided yet if I will do my own scheduled maintenance or get the free service from the dealer.

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Well I bought a spark even after reading all the problems on here . I think a lot of the problems have been addressed with recalls ,just make sure if you do buy one that they have all been done . The spark is a great run around car for short trips excellent gas mileage ,and I've had taken a few hour trips out of town too it's a comfortable ride for what it is .iam very happy with mine

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

I change my own oil also. Did my second change after work today. First thing I noticed after I got under the car was oil on the pan. GREAT!!! I have a leaky pan gasket! Now I'll have to take time to get that fixed (grumble, grumble, grumble). Then I noticed a drop hanging from the filter (which is ahead of the pan). Didn't notice any oil above the filter. Took the pan plug out and got the oil draining. Then put my filter wrench on the filter to break it loose and was VERY suprised at how little effort it took. Hmmmm........ Cleaned every thing up and put on a new GM AC Delco filter. Tightened like always, which is about as tight as I can do by hand, then (because of the oil I found on the bottom of the pan) put the filter wrench on it and gave it a little more for good measure. Added the oil, fired it up, checked for leaks - none. Good to go. Then as I was backing out of the shop, a little voice in my head says "I wonder if there's a 'torque' on that filter?" I dug the old filter out of the trash, and sure enough! 14-18Nm. Which is roughly 124-159 in/lbs. I knew right there the filter wasn't that tight, and it definitley wasn't that tight the last time I changed oil. I got out the torque wrench, calibrated of course, and checked the filter. I got at least another half turn out of it, maybe more. This is my first experience in 40 years of changing my own oil with an oil filter for a car that requires a torque wrench. And it explains all the oil I found on the pan. Feeling damn lucky I didn't loose all my oil! Anyway, some of you are probably aware of this. I wasn't.

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Wow, this is good info. My filter still is leaking very little. I ended up tightening by hand just a little a few weeks ago and now it's just that little. My oil level is fine as I always check it a few time a week. Maybe I will do the next change and do the normal 3/4 - 1 1/4 after contact. Then use a torque wrench to se how off it is with my filter cups.

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