Changing my own oil.

GN2018 · November 13

I’ve been having my oil changed at the dealer. They had a good deal - $200 for four oil changes and tire rotations. Before that it was part of the new truck package. Now I have a small problem. I got my tires at Costco and they’ll do the rotations for free. So I either need to find a good place to just do the oil or do it myself. I’ve changed oil before, no big deal. Just wondering if there’s anything on the 5.3 to be aware of. i.e. is the filter in a hard area to get at, does the oil coming out from the filter pool in a particular area that needs special attention, stuff like that. I’d prefer to take it somewhere, but the work i see being done these days astounds me, and not in a good way. At least a dealer has the resources to fix something if they screw it up.

64BAwagon · November 13

Its one of the easier oil changes. The filter is in the open and the drain plug is very accessible. All you need is a PF63 and 8 qts of 0W20 D1G3.

jwhjr · November 13

Everything is easily accessible and easy to do. Youtube is your friend if you want to see for yourself.

64BAwagon · November 13

Just did my sons 2014 silverado 1500 5.3L in the driveway last week, probably the last one for the year outside since its getting a little crispy here in MI. An AC PF63 on it and 8 qts of Dexos1 Gen 3 flavored Kirkland synthetic 0W20 in it.

GN2018 · November 14

8 hours ago, 64BAwagon said:

Just did my sons 2014 silverado 1500 5.3L in the driveway last week, probably the last one for the year outside since its getting a little crispy here in MI. An AC PF63 on it and 8 qts of Dexos1 Gen 3 flavored Kirkland synthetic 0W20 in it.

This made me look into the cost of doing it myself versus having it done. Wow, things have changed in the past few years. After my free oil changes expired i bought a package through the dealer for $200 for 4 oil changes and tire rotations, so $50 each. I knew that was a good deal, but today I called around to see what a couple quick change places around me charge and none of them were under $100. I was thinking maybe $75. Anyway, I figure i can DIY it for under $40 using the Kirkland oil and AC PF63 filter from Rock Auto. Guess I’ll be crawling under the truck in the near future.

Thanks all for the input.

CamGTP · November 14

I don't have a costco membership to know the cost of their oil and what kind of deals they run for bulk boxes but I'm sure it's similar to what I pay to do it myself using a different brand of oil.

What I do is buy bay boxes from Napa, they come in 6 gallon oil boxes. They retail for $133 plus tax for the bulk box. So you get 24 quarts and it's 8 quarts per oil change, good for 3 oil changes from one box.

Rough math on the box before tax puts it at $5.54 per quart or $44 an oil change, plus a filter. So about $50 total. I will say that I get a work discount through napa and it put it around $100 per oil box or $33 an oil change plus filter. Overall that's pretty cheap in my eyes and it's saving me $60+ over taking it somewhere.

PunchT37 · November 14

2 hours ago, GN2018 said:

This made me look into the cost of doing it myself versus having it done. Wow, things have changed in the past few years. After my free oil changes expired i bought a package through the dealer for $200 for 4 oil changes and tire rotations, so $50 each. I knew that was a good deal, but today I called around to see what a couple quick change places around me charge and none of them were under $100. I was thinking maybe $75. Anyway, I figure i can DIY it for under $40 using the Kirkland oil and AC PF63 filter from Rock Auto. Guess I’ll be crawling under the truck in the near future.

Thanks all for the input.

I`ll be crawling under mine tomorrow to drain the 0w20 oil out and put 5w30. It`s got right at 600 miles on it.

Grumpy Bear · November 14

The cost of the oil is not a determining factor for me. That said I do buy what I choose at the lowest price possible. Oil first, price second. Filter cost just is what it is. There is nothing on the property that continues to use *W20. I buy from Hoerr Racing at about a 30% discount to online retail. When there is a supply issue I have an AMSOIL account. Cost me less than the price of a sit down breakfast more and has historically doubled or tripled my powertrain life. I'm good.

Oil changes I do in the drive on my back year around and it is not my favorite thing to do in subfreezing weather at my age but I trust my slow and steady more than someone else's quick and dirty. I have made the job as easy as possible installing Valvomax units and perfecting my filter techniques and making funnels. I also don't get oil all over the undercarriage. Local NAPA store takes my waste oil. I use an old DEF 2.5 gallon container I garbage picked from the local truck stop to collect. Recycle my jugs and bottles.

While I will replace an engine in an otherwise good vehicle I see that for my neighbors an engine failure is the vehicles death warrant. I've seen several pristine vehicles go to the scrappers. I think that wasteful and sad. Scrapper loves it. He pays $400 and makes 25-50 times that much on it. I can buy allot of oil for the price of a motor and install and twice or three times that much oil for the price of a new vehicle. Even expensive oil is cheap compared too.......

Edited November 14 by Grumpy Bear

KARNUT · November 14

I use the Dealer once a year with my Honda and Genesis. They both have visual to the maintenance bays. My Honda dealership has a bar setup where you can see through a plate window. The check list gets checked. The other oil changes get handled by a privately owned valvoline quick lube. I get mailers with discounts along with emails with specials. I go often enough with three vehicles going there they know me. Even though you sit in the car while it’s getting done you can fully see the process across the shop. I’m very satisfied with the process it’s not worth doing it myself. My tire rotation is free at Discount Tire where I buy my tires. I don’t do rotation often my tires don’t wear unevenly. And I replace at 50 percent wear usually around 50K miles for maximum wet weather traction. My oil changes usually run around 75$ with the discounts.

64BAwagon · November 14

The Kirkland oil will go on sale for $31 plus sales tax for 2) 5 qt jugs. Like everything else I use I buy on sale and stock for later. I also buy oil filters either from Rock auto or from the local Chevy dealer with rewards points. so the Silverado change cost me 3.25 x 8 for oil and the filter was a freebie I got with points (if I had used one of my RA Champ XL filters it would have been less that $5) So just over $30 depending on the filter. My Equinox is only 5 qts and I use similar PF64 filters so that one ends up being just over $20

Thats pretty short money compared to engine work from neglect

GN2018 · November 14

Curious about how you all get under the truck. Can you just crawl under or do you need to lift it. Do you use ramps or jack it up and use jack stands? When I lived in a neighborhood with curbs, I could drive up on the curb and, using a piece of cardboard, slide under my car. That was a long time ago when I was a lot more flexible.

GN2018 · November 14

5 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

I also don't get oil all over the undercarriage.

Do you accomplish this by just being careful or is there a trick. I returned my truck to the dealer after an oil change thinking they didn’t get the filter tightened. There were oil drips on my driveway. After inspection, they said it was just oil on the frame and cleaned it off. Disappointing for sure, especially from a dealer.

PunchT37 · November 14

Got it done. Now, i`ll send a sample off to Blackstone to figure out my oci. Iv`e been stuck at 3000 miles my whole life. Maybe it`s time for a change? Still won`t be 7500 to 10,000. I`m much too hard headed for that. Been in the mechanic business for too long. Have built too many engines that we tear up. On purpose, of course.

PunchT37 · November 14

59 minutes ago, GN2018 said:

Curious about how you all get under the truck. Can you just crawl under or do you need to lift it. Do you use ramps or jack it up and use jack stands? When I lived in a neighborhood with curbs, I could drive up on the curb and, using a piece of cardboard, slide under my car. That was a long time ago when I was a lot more flexible.

Jack and stands for me.

PunchT37 · November 14

1 hour ago, GN2018 said:

Do you accomplish this by just being careful or is there a trick. I returned my truck to the dealer after an oil change thinking they didn’t get the filter tightened. There were oil drips on my driveway. After inspection, they said it was just oil on the frame and cleaned it off. Disappointing for sure, especially from a dealer.

That wouldn`t happen with me. I`m too ana!. Plus, working for 2 dealers, 2 independents, and a fleet for 12 years, I couldn`t let a customer have their car back like that.

My brother has a `24 1500 LTZ with the 5.3. Found the filter leaking halfway through a 1600 mile trip. Just had the oil changed before leaving. Thing was LESS than finger tight. Glad we didn`t lose the engine. Especially away from home.

Another reason I don`t like anyone touching my stuff.

Edited November 14 by PunchT37