oil changes

How hard is it to do your own oil changes on these ? Can you do them without having to put it up on ramps ? Is the filter difficult to get at ? Thinking about buying one .

Yes it must be raised, there is a cover to expose the filter and drain plug, not difficult to do. There are more serious concerns than this before buying one of these, the reliability history is not stellar.

For your first oil change, you might want clearance. Now that I'm used to the locale of everything, I can do an oil change on my 2005 4.2L without lifting the front end off the ground. I'm not a petite gal by any means either.:disappoin I've found it easiest to completely remove the plastic undersheild as opposed to just opening the 'oil change door'. In fact, I've left my shield off all together. It's a useless appendage IMO. Loosen the filter until it starts to dribble, let the dribbling stop, then thread it off the rest of the way. My '05 has a drip catcher on the fame under the filter to help direct spillage into your pan, but some oil still gets on the chassis. Have some rags handy. All in all, it's an easy DIY oil change compared to most.

Joel

and have a big oil drain pan. at 7 quarts, this thing just keeps running and running out.

Just did mine again today. I have to say it's one of the easiest vehicles to DIY on that I've owned. I too take off the access cover completly. Make sure to prime the filter before install.

Update...I used Castrol syntec 10w30 on the latest oil change, part synthetic. Alot less valve train noise at cold start up with this. I do have the dreaded piston sleeve slap, but only at a warm start after the truck has set about 2 hours, at no other time. And then for only about 1 second. I drained out the Penzoil, never use that again! I have tried Mobil 1 before, but I think this Castrol is far superior. I use 10w30 instead of the 5w30 cause it never gets that cold here. My specific engine responds well to the Castrol. FYI

Carp, it shouldn't be a sleave giving you the noise. If it was, she would have grenaded by now. Honestly, I think the cold startup noise is the Atlas/Vortec 4.2L's own version of piston slap. GM 3.X's, 4.3L's and the V8's all have their own unique pisont slap sound (I've owned all but the V8's). The 4.2's pistons are super short, skirtless and have low tension rings like all engines today. No proof on this, but I think once the pistons warm and grow, the rocking within the cylinder walls stops and the noise goes away. I think this is the main reason why GM added piston oil squirters on 2006+ 4.2's. To help deaden the startup noise until the pistons expand slightly. :2cents: Either way, the noise is annoying, but these engines will still outlive the vehicle. You cant go wrong with Castrol products! I don't see the point in 10w-30 anymore for passenger vehicles, but that's another topic.

Joel

Yeah I meant piston slap, not sleeve. I had an Alero before this, it did the exact same thing, it had the 3.8 V6 in it, I think it was the 3.8 anyway. I hate the noise that's for sure, you guys sure there is no damage being done? I agree tho, if it were major the engine would have let loose by now.