Oil Change on a 03 Clio Sport

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nate

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Now i've done a few oil changes, but i'm no real mechanic... So i went & got some oil & a filter (genuine parts) and went to change the oil...

ARGH!!!

1) the sump has an unusual fitting to un-do it & get the oil out
2) my harms are bigger than 1cm2, so i cant easily get to the filter...

also, whats going to stop the oil from the filter going absolutely everywhere down the block/box when i remove it?

Whats the procedure to get the oil filter changed? (remove air box?)
As i can see the injection stuff, radiator hoses & a few other things in the way!!! Possibly remove the radiator?

Where can i get the right attachment for the sump?


HELP! :|
 
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Have never done a change on my Clio Sport, but all my other Renaults post 1980 have an 8mm sump plug square hole.

Usually, I gather, the cars are up on hoists when changing the filters and I think its much easier then. Otherwise, you will get more oil than normal dripping over the bottom of the block and sump.

Eg, for me on my 5 GT Turbo, the easiest way for me to change the oil filter is to remove the alternator.. but I can guarantee that was not the way done originally.
 
nate said:
Now i've done a few oil changes, but i'm no real mechanic... So i went & got some oil & a filter (genuine parts) and went to change the oil...

ARGH!!!

1) the sump has an unusual fitting to un-do it & get the oil out
2) my harms are bigger than 1cm2, so i cant easily get to the filter...

also, whats going to stop the oil from the filter going absolutely everywhere down the block/box when i remove it?

Whats the procedure to get the oil filter changed? (remove air box?)
As i can see the injection stuff, radiator hoses & a few other things in the way!!! Possibly remove the radiator?

Where can i get the right attachment for the sump?


HELP! :|
Click to expand...

try http://www.cliosport.net/articles/oilchange/index.asp

but why do you need to change your own oil? Since the Australian Clios are serviced every 10000k, or is that only for the clio sport?
 
I prefer to do my oil & filter at 5,000k's...

i've been told the rule of thumb is 10,000k's in the country & 5,000k's in city driving...

It might be a little overkill, but its my baby & i want to treat him well!
 
nate said:
I prefer to do my oil & filter at 5,000k's...

i've been told the rule of thumb is 10,000k's in the country & 5,000k's in city driving...

It might be a little overkill, but its my baby & i want to treat him well!
Click to expand...

fair enough, my rule was 7500, and I did that with the old Astra. I prefer my own oil change as well. I still don't get why Renault Aus insist on a 10000k minor serivce (which really is just changing oil), every where in Euro is 12000 miles! Maybe its a question i can raise with my dealer, if I don't take the minor service would I still retain the warranty, if so I'd rather do it myself as well.
 
Id rather change my own oil also. I think it does void the warranty.
 
danielsydney said:
Id rather change my own oil also. I think it does void the warranty.
Click to expand...

Are you speaking from personal experience Daniel??

Otherwise unless you use an inferior oil or poor quality filter or otherwise stuff the job up like forgetting to replace the sump plug which ends up leaking I really couldn't see why changing your own oil would invalidate the warranty. Especially if it is changed in addition to a regular dealer service.
 
It doesn't invalidate your warranty that is for sure. Only using oil outside of the specifications for the vehicle would be a problem.

Australia's servicing is shorter mainly due to our dustier environment compared to Europe, apparently.

I run my oil for 20000kms, with filter changes and top ups every 5000-6000kms, running a full synthetic. If you're running a regular full synthetic, like Mobil 1, I wouldn't run anything longer than 10,000kms with a mid cycle filter change and top up.
 
What Oil do other Clio Sport owners use?

I purchsed some "genuine" renault oil...
$35!!!
better be bloody fully synthetic & all the other stuff!!!

The guys at my dealer/service (Col Crawford) told me that i can use ANY oil as long as it meets the rating. (warranty NOT void!)

So it was $50 all up for oil & filter!!!

Now to change it!!!
hmmmm
 
Changing your own oil won't invalidate your warranty. It's pretty straightforward, really. If the manufacturer can ascribe the failure or problem to something you did or didn't do when doing your own servicing, then the warranty for that particular problem would be invalid. There is no blanket invalidation (except for, say, using the car for racing). So this raises a clear dilemma; if something major happens, like an engine seizure, and you have done all the oil changes, you need to be able to convince the dealer that the car has been serviced correctly. Therefore, a bit of overkill now may save heartache in the future.

1). Use oil of the exact specification (or better) as recommended. Not just the right grade, but the right service spec. (SG, SJ or the equivalent euro ratings).

2). Keep the receipts for the correct Renault supplied filters, the oil, and keep meticulous records of the date and kilometreage of the servicing, in a fancy looking note book for the purpose.

If something goes wrong, and you can impress them so much that they can't help but believe you've been carefully servicing the car, you're half way there with any claim. It'd still be more difficult to make a claim, though, than if you had them service the car.

One last point, though. It's HIGHLY unlikely that you will have a warrantable problem that can be ascribed to a problem with oil changes. The kinds of things that oil problems cause simply don't normally happen in warranty - they are usually from age and wear.

Hope that's of some use.

Stuey
 
sorry guys i meant the fact that you are doing it yourself might and not getting the log book stamped. That was what i was told anyway....:confused:
 
danielsydney said:
sorry guys i meant the fact that you are doing it yourself might and not getting the log book stamped. That was what i was told anyway....:confused:
Click to expand...
Ok, that's a bit different. Changing oil is different to a service.

But, even with a service you can do this yourself as long as you follow the instructions in the official book for your car. A Nissan dealer once told me how Nissan had to honour a warranty claim as the instructions said to drain the oil, but not to refill it. So the owner didn't refill it and blew his engine up! hehe.

But as Stuey said, during your warranty period, you have to be miticulous with logging what you are doing.
 
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I DID IT!!! WOO HOOO!!!!
I CONQUORED THE OIL CHANGE!!!

(trust me, if you own an RS Clio u'd understand!!!)

You can *just* (good 1/8mm gap all over) get an oil filter removal tool in the gap... so that was easy enuf...
and had to McGyver up a tool for the sump!

I'll put puttin some pics up & prolly also send em to ClioSport.net

Cheers for all the help guys!!!
 
I have mine changed every 10,000kms.. Running Mobil 1 0w40 in it. about $15-$22 a litre
 
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