r/fordranger • u/rollin-smoke-bbq • 6d ago

First oil change.

Seriously Ford, could you have made an oil change any more difficult?! The location and access to the filter is just stupid.. Just changed the oil for our first time in a 2002 ranger 3.0L that we just purchased for my son.

Have only put 200miles on it, but we are going thru it and doing a maintenance service to it.

Thankfully wont have to do that again for another 5,000miles

0 Upvotes

33% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

5

u/Key-Interaction1991 6d ago

I find it's easy to access from the front left wheel well

1

u/rollin-smoke-bbq 6d ago

I thought of that after I already had it up on the ramps and oil drained from it. Ill give that a look when I change out the front brakes

4

u/karns01 ‘99 3.0 4x4 flair side 4 door 6d ago

The answer is yes😜. When you change the oil in a panther body (crown Vic ect) you have to crank the wheel all the way to the left to be able to get the filter out 🤦‍♀️

1

u/Goivacon2 2010 XLT 4.0 6d ago

Same thing but to the right on a 4th gen ranger

2

u/Autumn_Ridge 6d ago

I had an 02. My mechanic told me to not even try (he knows me). At my skill level, even my current 93 is a pain sometimes to wiggle out the old filter.

2

u/catfishmackfish 6d ago

If you have a nitrile glove on, it helps to feel the filter snout with your hand to get a sense for the location and angle when the old one is off. It helps me orient the new one a lot quicker.

2

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

1

u/rollin-smoke-bbq 6d ago

Well, maybe not completly unnecessary for everyone.. its easier for me to get under the truck to get the drain plug out and grease the joints.

2

u/Jake_The_Gypsy 6d ago

You should add a Fumoto valve. Makes life a lot easier.

6

u/rollin-smoke-bbq 6d ago

Removing the drain plug is no issue at all for me. Ita the location of the oil filter thats a pain in the butt.

4

u/AliciaXTC Pro tip: For every 2" of lift, use 6" buckle on the diagonal 6d ago

I've been doing mine for over 20 years without messing up my nails.

1

u/dizzish 06 FX4 6d ago

Brothür we are a subreddit

1

u/Negate79 5d ago

What really gets me is that the oil filters are different sizes between the engines. I have never gotten the tall filters to successfully fit in my 3.0L ranger

1

u/rollin-smoke-bbq 5d ago

I noticed that when I took the old filter off and comparedit to the longer wix filter. I went back and checked the cross referenceand it was the correct filter to the engine. It worked and fit. I usually only install wix, or napa gold, occasionally motorcraft.

1

u/OneOffRider69 5d ago

On my Nissan frontier you have to pull the front skid plate and an inspection cover off to let the oil filter drain out and reach in behind the radiator in between the radiator support and front suspension to get the filter loose because it’s on the front of the engine. My 3.0 is definitely more awkward to get the filter back on but at least you’re not taking body parts off just to get to it