DIY Oil Change for LR4

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rostov

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You are talking about a different style of engine. On an engine with no drain plug and a top mounted cartridge style oil filter (i.e. LR4 engine) I feel that it is best to loosen the filter first. This allows the oil in the filter to drain into the oil pan. Then you can syphon the oil out, once the oil is out you can replace the filter. The filter will have had time to drain and it won't be dripping with oil when you pull it out of the housing.
Oups... Did nor know LR4 has no drain plug... Agreed then!

Even if you have a drain plug I feel that it is still better to loosen the filter first.
If you drain/siphon the oil then pull the filter the half a quart or so of old oil that was in the filter gets dumped into your oil pan and mixed up with all the new oil.

If your engine has a drain plug and traditional oil filter mounted on the bottom or side of the engine you can do it any way you want.

Yes, it depends on where it is located, but not critical anyway... Everyone has their own way. Did not get the part about old/new oil mix. What do you mean, changing filter after new oil is in??
 

Land Rover Joe

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94 speedster,

Great post. Many thanks.

Folks,

The LR4 (or at least my 2010 HSE) has a drain plug.

Pull off the engine sump plate and check it out. I have drained my engine twice already.

I am getting fatigued of everyone saying that the LR4 does not have a drain plug. It does. But it is easier to suck the oil out vice unbolt the underbody plates (trust me). In my case, I need to inspect under the vehicle to make sure everything is still A OK, so changing oil is a good time to take a look.

Cheers,
Land Rover Joe
 

94speedster

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You are talking about a different style of engine. On an engine with no drain plug and a top mounted cartridge style oil filter (i.e. LR4 engine) I feel that it is best to loosen the filter first. This allows the oil in the filter to drain into the oil pan. Then you can syphon the oil out, once the oil is out you can replace the filter. The filter will have had time to drain and it won't be dripping with oil when you pull it out of the housing.
Even if you have a drain plug I feel that it is still better to loosen the filter first. If you drain/siphon the oil then pull the filter the half a quart or so of old oil that was in the filter gets dumped into your oil pan and mixed up with all the new oil.

If your engine has a drain plug and traditional oil filter mounted on the bottom or side of the engine you can do it any way you want.

I chose to keep the filter closed because a vaccum pump prefers a closed system. (easier for the pump to get pressure). As you can see from my pics, this method did not cause any extra oil mess when removing the filter. I think this is because the filter is located above the sump, and will naturally drain. With an almost closed system (minus the opening from the oil cap), the vaccum pump will actually help PULL the oil from the filter down into the sump.

Now on a car with a drain plug and "gravity-induced" oil changes, you want to MINIMIZE the vaccum effect. I agree completely that punching a hole in the oil filter helps the oil flow faster in those situations...

My $0.02,
-B
 

rostov

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94 speedster,

Great post. Many thanks.

Folks,

The LR4 (or at least my 2010 HSE) has a drain plug.

Pull off the engine sump plate and check it out. I have drained my engine twice already.

I am getting fatigued of everyone saying that the LR4 does not have a drain plug. It does. But it is easier to suck the oil out vice unbolt the underbody plates (trust me). In my case, I need to inspect under the vehicle to make sure everything is still A OK, so changing oil is a good time to take a look.

Cheers,
Land Rover Joe

:)) This is funny... :) I guess I will tell you folks for sure when it is time for me to change the oil, which is in... about a couple of years, since first one is free - but we will see, I hate dealers, may just do it myself... :)

But Joe, I did suspect that, and I am glad it does have the plug. I still don't trust that suction method, and will use it only if there is no other way. Thanks!
 

rostov

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Now on a car with a drain plug and "gravity-induced" oil changes, you want to MINIMIZE the vaccum effect. I agree completely that punching a hole in the oil filter helps the oil flow faster in those situations...

My $0.02,
-B
I thought open filler cap would do that... Punching a hole? wow, never heard of that, but sounds tempting - more fun into oil change procedure! :)
 

94speedster

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I thought open filler cap would do that... Punching a hole? wow, never heard of that, but sounds tempting - more fun into oil change procedure! :)

My #1 hobby is Porsches, and I have a small collection of 911s. Punching a hole in the oil filter is a standard way to relieve pressure with air-cooled engines. The filter IS the housing, so punching a hole directly in it is okay. Unfortunately, removing only the oil-filler cap just does not relieve enough pressure... Draining 13 quarts of oil goes by much faster with the filter-hole method!

94 speedster,

Great post. Many thanks.

Folks,

The LR4 (or at least my 2010 HSE) has a drain plug.

Pull off the engine sump plate and check it out. I have drained my engine twice already.

I am getting fatigued of everyone saying that the LR4 does not have a drain plug. It does. But it is easier to suck the oil out vice unbolt the underbody plates (trust me). In my case, I need to inspect under the vehicle to make sure everything is still A OK, so changing oil is a good time to take a look.

Cheers,
Land Rover Joe

I was not able to confirm or deny this prior to my DIY via web forum (per your point), so I decided to spend the $100 and try the vacuum method.... It makes sense to have a drain plug, so glad to hear that one exists under those plates!

I have a lift at my track garage, so will try the drain method next time. I promise to update this thread with that DIY in a few months!

-B ;)
 
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carguy 67

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OK stupid question fellas...I have a pneumatic oil evacuator, which I have used it a bunch of times on a chevy and 2 MB's. I usually just snake the drain tube right down the dipstick hole into the bottom of the oilpan and suck the oil right out. However the geniuses at LR have designed their system to not allow this to occur, aside from the lack of a dipstick ( if you look you will see that the oil tube bends almost 90 about 1" from the top) How big a tube (what diameter) do i need to purchase to fit OVER the LR oil removal tube when you open the fill car? Does the Mitey VAc tell u what sizes it come with? Thanks in advance...
 

rostov

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My #1 hobby is Porsches, and I have a small collection of 911s. Punching a hole in the oil filter is a standard way to relieve pressure with air-cooled engines. The filter IS the housing, so punching a hole directly in it is okay. Unfortunately, removing only the oil-filler cap just does not relieve enough pressure... Draining 13 quarts of oil goes by much faster with the filter-hole method!
Well, as a Porsche collector, I guess, it should not be critical since you should have enough of other stuff to do while it is draining... :) Did not work on Porsches much, but tuning those cabs is a *****! :)
I was not able to confirm or deny this prior to my DIY via web forum (per your point), so I decided to spend the $100 and try the vacuum method.... It makes sense to have a drain plug, so glad to hear that one exists under those plates!

I have a lift at my track garage, so will try the drain method next time. I promise to update this thread with that DIY in a few months!

-B ;)

Yeah, that shield looks tough, but if you have a lift - no promlem. ;)
 

bash535i

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I've had the oil, filter, filter socket, Snap-On 3/8" TechAngle torque wrench (for torquing the filter housing back on), 2" extension and MityVac sitting in my garage for the past 3 months waiting to put enough miles on mine to make it worth changing. With 4,000 miles on the odometer and this fine instructional manual I figured it was time.

Summing it up---- Super Easy! It took me longer to pour the new oil back in that it did to take it out (I was using a small funnel though). Putting the main suction line directly over the engine's drain line located under the fill cap worked well, but I was able to pull out just a little more oil by using the larger of the black rubber connecters that came with the MityVac to connect the main line to the engine line.

I don't think I spilled one drop of oil while doing this. I even managed to wear a white polo without ruining it.

HOWEVER, EVACUATING OIL FROM THE PUMP BACK INTO THE QUART BOTTLES DID NOT GO SO WELL. It was basically my fault for not using a large container to put the used oil in, but the moral of this story is to remember that just as the MityVac holds suction, it holds pressure too! Picture a large SuperSoaker water gun spewing a stream of oil all over my garage floor and you know what I was doing for the next hour. :)

That's a mistake I will not make again. Otherwise, I couldn't ask for a better experience.
 

h8cold

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About do a 1st DIY oil change on the lr4. Have 3500 miles and 7 months, not my DD.

Where else to buy: Dealer charges 11.80 for 9 qts of oil and 40.49 for LR oil filter.
Where else can you buy these oils. Located in NoVA area.
 

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