Oil Change Howto

(Pictures und original text taken from HOWTO by Jordan Rubin)

TOOLS

• Oil bolt removal tool (square type) for original part #103815. After market bolt would require a different tool.
• Oil filter removal wrench
• Optional: Shop rags

DELOREAN PARTS

• #102114 - Oil filter (Pruflux)
• #102101 - Oil plug copper seal (Often comes with oil filter).
• 7 - 1qt. bottles OIL (A:05:01 - Recommended Lubricants, Fluids and Capacities)

Step 1: Locate the Oil pan and Plug, Remove plug

	Here are the tools needed to remove the type of original plug on the Delorean. Because of the amount of room available, the multi size tool on the right will be used.
	Here is the tool in the Oil pan plug. The tool should just be used to break the tension, the bolt can then be loosened with the fingers. Make sure that an oil catching pan is positioned under the bolt before loosening. Its almost unavoidable that in the first few seconds of removing the bolt, oil will splash against the frame in front of the plug and go everywhere unless you fabribate some sort of shield. Some recommend draining the oil within ten-fifteen minutes of the engine running so that the debris has not settled in the bottom of the pan when you drain the oil.
	Notice how it splashed across and hit the frame. After a few seconds gravity takes over and it drains straight down. Let it drain until empty. Use your discression. Once the oil is reduced to a drip, its always a good idea to check the threads on the crank case to ensure they are not stripped out.
	Remove the copper seal from the bolt. Clean up the bolt with a rag. Clean the threads as well. It is possible that the copper seal could also be stuck to the oil pan hole, or in my case dropped into the oil bucket upon removal of the plug.
	Here is the cleaned up bolt with the new copper seal on it. Next to it on the right is the old copper seal. Notice that the new copper seal that it is thicker, its internal diameter is larger, and its external diameter is smalled than the old seal. This is because it has not yet been compressed. The copper seal is almost like a hollow donut, that expands when flattened.
	Once all of the oil has drained, the plug with the new copper seal can be hand tightened on. Because the bolt is narrower than the copper seal before compression, the copper seal hangs a few MM lower due to gravity, i do you following. Hand tighten the bolt.....Clean the surrounding area with a rag......gently push up on the copper seal with your fingernail so it is centered around the bolt.... Now it is ready to be tightened.....
	The bolt can be tightened down with the same tool originally used to loosen it. As you slowly tighten the bolt the copper ring will flatten out. You should be using a breaker bar, torque wrench, or a pheumatic impact wrench to do this. Once you feel that its getting tight, lock it down a little and thats it. If your are still not sure by this description, consult a professional mechanic on this matter. A thought on this: It is alot cheaper to not torque it down enough, leak a little oil, find the leak and torque it down more till the leak is gone, than to overtighten and strip the plug or the pan.

Now would be the time to replace your oil pressure sending unit if it is broken.

Step 3: Prep and install the oil filter

	Here is a picture of the purflex oil filter with the copper washer taped to the back. If you are on step three, your copper seal should be on the oil pan plug and not on the back of your filter. Using clean oiland your finger, oil the rubber black ring on the front side of the filter completely. The old filter on the car was a little thicker in diameter and half the height. Im not sure what the previous owner was thinking $20,000 ADVICE - Don't cheap out on the oil filter! You get what you pay for.
	I think my old filter was tightened down with a 6ft breaker bar. I used a good oil filter wrench to loosen the filter. This went inch by inch for about 10 minutes before it became loose enough to come off by hand. You should never never tighten an oil filter with anything except your hand. Oil will spill out when the old filter is removed, clean up any mess caused by this and continue.
	The accepted rule is to screw down the new oil filter by hand until it hits the mating surface and becomes tight, then give it anither 1/4 to 1/3 more of a turn to torque it down. This is the practice i have used.
	Check to see that you didn't accidently remove the wire from the oil pressure gauge, to the left of the oil filter. Now would be a good time to check the oil pressure wire terminal for corosion and clean the connection of required.

Step 4: Fill the car with oil and check the amount

	The obscure looking oil cap is located on the driver side valve cover, with two rubber hoses connected to it. The cap runs pretty deep as shown in the next picture.
	I found that removing this side of the crank vent hose to the air filter makes it easier to remove this oil cap. The Plastic blue funnel is also shown in this picture, where the oil cap was.
	Here is another view of the place to fill the oil along with the funnel. The car calls for 6.8 quarts of oil. I Put in 6.5 to start with, I then reattach the oil cap and hoses and start the car for about 30 seconds and check the oil after 5 minutes of the engine being off.
	Here is the location of the dipstick for the oil. The correct way is to remove the stick, clean it with a rag, re-insert the stick, remove it again, Hold it horizontally and check the reading. When reinserting the stick, make sure its all the way in. So you get an accurate reading and so you dont cause a vacume leak.
	There are two indentations on the dipstick, the correct oil level should be between the two.

Completion: Its always a good idea to make sure that no oil is leaking from the filter or the plug after this procedure. If parked overnight, check the street the next morning.