Changing your Sonic's oil.

[attrapereves]

This has probably been discussed a lot but this thread is to big to go through all the pages. When should I do my oil change. My oil meter is at 47% I think I should do it soon. This will be my third oil change on the car.

I guess it depends on the person. I think I read somewhere that with the free service plan, dealers are refusing to change oil unless the OLM is below a certain percentage. I think the poster said 20%?

Both of my cars are around 40% (with only about 5000 on the oil). I'm going to get in the habit of changing it at 25% or 7500mi, whichever comes first.

I think I mentioned before, but I sent off a sample of Mobil 1 synthetic from my old Corolla. I think the oil had about 9000 miles of city/hwy mixed miles. According to the test, it still had another 2000-3000 miles left.

 

[Kuntryboy865]

I guess it depends on the person. I think I read somewhere that with the free service plan, dealers are refusing to change oil unless the OLM is below a certain percentage. I think the poster said 20%?

Both of my cars are around 40% (with only about 5000 on the oil). I'm going to get in the habit of changing it at 25% or 7500mi, whichever comes first.

I think I mentioned before, but I sent off a sample of Mobil 1 synthetic from my old Corolla. I think the oil had about 9000 miles of city/hwy mixed miles. According to the test, it still had another 2000-3000 miles left.

I changed my oil last time at 5k now its at 8775 with 47% on the meter, I was planning on changing it at 10k but don't know if I should sooner.

 

[attrapereves]

I changed my oil last time at 5k now its at 8775 with 47% on the meter, I was planning on changing it at 10k but don't know if I should sooner.

10,000 is probably good.

 

[ChrisJ]

I changed my oil last time at 5k now its at 8775 with 47% on the meter, I was planning on changing it at 10k but don't know if I should sooner.

I do mine every 10K or so, typically when the OLM is down to 10% or so. I think our Cruze is down to 4% and I'm doing it tomorrow. I use Mobil 1 extended protection or whatever it's called with the gold cap.

 

[attrapereves]

Just changed the oil on my black Sonic. I pulled a little over 4qt. What can account for the missing oil? Oil filter maybe?

 

[Hdmanny]

Part of it could be the oil filter and the rest could be the detergents used in oil to keep the engine internals clean. That is why if you check your oil prior to changing it and the engine is not leaking oil, it will show a little lower on the dip stick. That's just been my experience over the years, if I remember correctly they used to make straight oil with no detergents you could use to break in a newly rebuilt engine.

 

[tommylama]

What is the model number for the Wix filter? This will be the first time I do the oil change myself on my car. 1.4L Turbo RS

 

[zippypcs]

Wix 57674

 

[tommylama]

Wix 57674

Thanks!

 

[tommylama]

Just got done changing mine. Took about 15 minutes. Most of the time was spent trying to figure out how to get the jack up under and where the jack points are.

 

[seanp1]

Just got done changing mine. Took about 15 minutes. Most of the time was spent trying to figure out how to get the jack up under and where the jack points are.

Skip the jacking next time... toss a Fumoto valve on.

 

[ChrisJ]

Just got done changing mine. Took about 15 minutes. Most of the time was spent trying to figure out how to get the jack up under and where the jack points are.

Skip the jacking next time... toss a Fumoto valve on.

Maybe they have changed but I thought some people had issues with those a few years back?


Still, ditch the jack, use a set of small plastic ramps like I have been since day one.

 

[seanp1]

Maybe they have changed but I thought some people had issues with those a few years back?

I haven't had an issue with my Fumoto. What issues were had a few years ago?

 

[River_Rat]

Maybe they have changed but I thought some people had issues with those a few years back?


Still, ditch the jack, use a set of small plastic ramps like I have been since day one.

But some of us enjoy jacking our sonics , scrape going up ramps, and don't want to buy/store ramps will be used two or 3 times a year.

 

[Hdmanny]

I checked out the Fumoto valve and they did not have one for a Sonic 1.8 but the one for a Cruze 1.8 should work. It looks like a good idea to save time draining the oil but you would still have to raise the car somehow to replace the filter I would think.
I have a pair of metal ramps and they are scary sometimes. I once rolled both under my car trying to back get my the car onto the ramps. I had to get hydraulic jack out to lift the car off the ramps and it was an ordeal.
I think I may try to change my own oil next time and see how hard it is. I'm not as young or thin as I used to be so I would have to raise it up a bit.

 

[Stew]

But some of us enjoy jacking our sonics

I won't argue with that, but even easier is just lay back on your creeper, or simply lay on your back and stick your arm under there. You can reach the drain plug without jackin' anything .

 

[River_Rat]

Perhaps, but I can't slide a drain pan under there without lifting it somehow or another.

 

[muniorbust]

I just did my first oil change on my Sonic.
1 year, 2% oil life remaining, 7569 miles.

Of the 6 cars I've owned, it was the easiest oil change I've done.
The 1.8L has the filter in front and to the right of the engine.
I didn't have a 24mm socket, but found 15/16" fit like a glove. I had enough room to use my ratchet with no extensions or universal joint.

I own ramps but I preferred to use a jack for changing the oil.
For a jack point for my floor jack, I used a big bolt behind the front passenger side wheel, and it worked well.

 

[mowcowbell]

Of all the vehicles I've owned, an oil change on the 1.4L turbo in the Sonic has to be one of the easiest I've done. The cartridge oil filter is on top of the engine, easy to get to, and doesn't spill a drop of oil onto the engine (as long as you let it drain out a few minutes).

I use ramps to get enough ground clearance to drain the oil. The front spoiler slightly drags when I back off the ramps, but the spoiler is very flexible and undamaged from slightly dragging on the ramp.

Takes an even 4 quarts of oil to refill. I've been using Mobil 1 5w-30 since new. Only putting about 10K miles per year on my Sonic. Just changed it today, which was about 6 months since the last time. The oil life indicator was at 42%.

 

[Stew]

Perhaps, but I can't slide a drain pan under there without lifting it somehow or another.

Ah. My drain pan is low enough I just slide it under there.