2.2 Oil Filter on VUE

[ricksLS1]

I looked under the hood. The oil filter lookes buried in their. I use an opened wrench on my LS1. What do you guys use to get to the oil filter? A deep socket?

[skijay]

I am using a 1 1/4 inch shallow socket and an 8 inch extension. It works well. The 2001 L100 said to use a 32mm socket and the 03 VUE's manual says 32mm or 1 1/4 inch. I wish the owners manual for the L would of given the US equivalent.

I do not need the ramps for this car. I did buy a shallow oil drain pan to use.

[ricksLS1]

I used a 1 1/4 open end wrench on the L. Had to do a change today as the Futomo valuve and extension I bought on the L was leaking. No matter what I did it dripped (Wasn't too bad but I have spots on the driveway. Just put the old plug in. I do my L without ramps. I can reach the bolt on the back of the pan (I wished it faced the front would be easier)

[mike_94sc2]

Wow, I never needed anything other than my bare hands to get the filter off my car. Who is putting the filters on you guys cars, the hulk. lol. Really though, hand tight means hand tight, sometimes they get a little baked in there, but I just squeeze till it crushes in a bit and that gives me a better grip.


mike

[David 93 SL2m]

I think the oil filter that ricksLS1 and skijay are writing about is not a spin on oil filter. Rather, it is an oil filter cartridge and they are writing about the tool(s) needed to get the lid of the canister holding the oil filter cartridge off. By the way, the oil filter cartridge canister is near the top of the engine and this is the 4 cylinder engine used in the ION, VUE, and L-Series but not in the S-Series.

When I install a new spin-on oil filter on my cars, I spin them until the gasket is just about touching the engine. Then I make a mark with a marker or make a scratch with a screwdriver and turn it by hand about another 3/4 of a turn. Later on when it is time to remove the used oil filter I always have to use a filter wrench to loosen the filter. It must take quite a grip to loosen the oil filter by hand! Very impressive!

[ricksLS1]

Originally posted by mike_94sc2
Wow, I never needed anything other than my bare hands to get the filter off my car. Who is putting the filters on you guys cars, the hulk. lol. Really though, hand tight means hand tight, sometimes they get a little baked in there, but I just squeeze till it crushes in a bit and that gives me a better grip.


mike

Just like David said. You have a plastic cover with a bolt like top to loosen and tighten on the top of the engine. Just snap in a filter cartridge. Very easy and fast to do. No ramps!

[mike_94sc2]

Wow, I didn't know they had that. Sounds kinda....cool! Anyone who has crawled underneath a sc2 should know how cramped and deadly it feels.

[David 93 SL2m]

I think the motor oil filter deal on the 2.2 liter Ecotec engine is very cool too. Maybe we'll see this proliferate. Some other cars have a motor oil filter configuration similar to this, maybe Nissan or BMW - I can't remember which. Between the motor oil filter and the steel timing chain on the 4 cylinder engine used in the L-Series and in the VUE I'd probably choose this engine over the V6.

Yes, accessing the motor oil filter on the S-Series is a big pain. Here is a tip that might help: access the motor oil filter through the wheel well! Chock the rear wheels, loosen the lug nuts on the front right wheel, jack up the front right wheel, remove the lug nuts and wheel, move away the parts of the wheel well liner, and there is the motor oil filter. Before unscrewing the motor oil filter I lower the car to make things level so the trough under the motor oil filter works better. Remove the old motor oil filter, clean up the area, and put things back by reversing the process.

I tie my tire rotations into my motor oil and motor oil filter changes, so when I use my wheel well approach to the motor oil filter I'm sort of accomplishing two things at once. Also by raising and lowering each corner of the car we are gently rocking the engine which helps get a few more drops of used motor oil out!

Like ricksLS1 I have the Fumoto drain valves and I can start/stop the flow of the used motor oil without getting underneath of the cars. But I still have to raise the cars to get my basin which catches the used oil to slide underneath. Another benefit to the VUE - higher ground clearance and easy access when draining the used motor oil!

This afternoon I get to crawl under my SC2 to change one of the fog light bulbs. Another pain in the neck...