[stumpk]

What idiot decided to put the oil filter on the front side below the manifold so you can't see it. You can only access the filter from the top. I'm almost 6ft tall and needed a ladder to get my butt on top of the engine and get to it. GM...you need to hire an asian engineer to show you how to place a filter. I've had many honda's....toyota's and ford. NONE...had a filter in this position. Bunch of retards I tell ya!!!

PS....you'll need a 15MM wrench for the oil plug and the plug is about 3inches long too!

 

[danthechevyman]

From my time as a manager of an oil change shop and certified tech I can tell you that I have many cuts and burns from every make of car. Engineers don't worry about where they put the oil filter because they don't change the oil. Many cars require 2 elbows to get to the oil filter and a Kevlar skin to survive this necessary maintenance item.

 

[rbarrios]

in that case....
can someone post a pic of the location (I have not bought a Traverse)....

If it is that tricky to get to--- then I will really enjoy doing oil changes based on the OLM...the longer the interval the better....

I already do 10,500 miles on my Trailblazer--- but the oil filter is easy to get to- so its not much of a hassle...

but if it is a hassle on the Trav.... then the OLM will be great.

 

[stumpk]

Here you go! Keep in mind that the pic is taken while off jack ramps. Try to loosen the filter just a little before placing on the ramps. Once on the ramps the car is so high that you need a ladder to get on top of the engine for leverage. On my LTZ I can not access the filter from underneath.

 

[rbarrios]

when you remove the filter--- does it spill oil?
Hard to tell.. but looks like its at an angle...

 

[stumpk]

Yep at an angle and yes....oil goes everywhere! Do it w/ a cool engine as you notice the exhaust above it.

 

[stumpk]

Engine cover on the traverse does not impact anything when trying to get to the filter. It's the height of the vehicle and placement of the filter.

 

[rbarrios]

didnt see any pics on the saturn page...

 

[6Sixathome]

Sorry guys I'll post the pic's here :-[ Buy taking the cover off the engine and by removing the dipstick it gives you or in my case a little more arm room to get the filter wrench down to the filter, it still sucks to get to the filter though. I could not get the Outlook all the way up on the ramps, the tires were too wide so you can improvise like this and it gives you plenty of room underneath, I stood on a bucket to get to the filter. I also took my time unsrewing the filter so that the oil would drain out steady and not all at once to make a huge mess, when I was done there was very little oil to clean up off the engine. 15mm socket for the drain plug, the oil change cost about $40.00

 

[stumpk]

First I was B*&chin about the placement of the filter. Second...you shouldn't ever need a wrench to take an oil filter off. USe your man juice! Most dealerships do torque it on way to tight these days and may need it time to time. However, really No need to take the cover off or dip stick out if you change your oil yourself. The height of the vehicle makes it a challenge to get the filter off using your tippy toes for the LTZ. I'm 5ft 11in and need a boost. Why do all this when you don't need to?

dan the chevy man...jump in here

 

[6Sixathome]

It was the 1st oil change, it was the factory filter and I think who ever put it on was upset that day. I've changed alot of oil in my day and I must say the filter placement sucks :bootyshake:

 

[stumpk]

Yeah...that thing was on super tight!! I think I streaked my undies getting it off....again. :happy:

 

[danthechevyman]

The oil filters installed at the factory are dry and installed usually by machine. I have changed many first oil changes and they all no matter what manufacturer are dry and tight.

 

[orlandjoe]

Just did my 1st oil change at 1,400 miles and was not a problem. I let the engine cool down a little, then I placed some plastic grocery bags under the filter and just break it loose to allow the initial drainage. Looks like the oil life will last at least 7,500 miles with our driving style so I put Mobil-1 in with this oil change. We really like this Traverse and do not have any issues after 6 weeks of driving.

 

[rbarrios]

thanks for the pics!!

 

[Narg]

I toured a GM plant before. I saw them hand screwing on oil filters.

I'd never put on a filter without torquing it to specs. Which, even with oil on the seal like it should have, would still require an oil filter wrench to remove for 90% of us.

 

[clbhk]

Did my first oil change yesterday. No problem with the ramps or draining the oil, but that filter was a pain, at least this first time. My usual filter wrench was too big to grab it, and the other one I have that is adjustable with a chain did nothing but dent up the filter- useless. Off to the store for another one, but it didn't work either with the filter all crushed. So I grabbed a large pair of slip-joint pliers. That broke it free easily. Put some plastic down under the filter and spun it off. Under a car, I'm used to just dumping a dirty filter right into the pan catching the oil, but that isn't an option here. Need to lift the filter, dripping oil, carefully straight up, over the front of the car, and out, where you'll need somewhere to quickly dump the dripping filter. Then the same deal with the plastic now holding a bunch of oil- more than just some drips. So I made a little mess, but it cleaned up pretty quickly.

I didn't like not being able to visually inspect the engine's oil filter mating surface, or that you can see hardly any of the filter/engine contact area to check for leaks after starting it. I also didn't like that the end of the dipstick has a burr that grabs and holds a tiny thread of the rag I used to wipe it.

 

[6Sixathome]

Did my first oil change yesterday. No problem with the ramps or draining the oil, but that filter was a pain, at least this first time. My usual filter wrench was too big to grab it, and the other one I have that is adjustable with a chain did nothing but dent up the filter- useless. Off to the store for another one, but it didn't work either with the filter all crushed. So I grabbed a large pair of slip-joint pliers. That broke it free easily. Put some plastic down under the filter and spun it off. Under a car, I'm used to just dumping a dirty filter right into the pan catching the oil, but that isn't an option here. Need to lift the filter, dripping oil, carefully straight up, over the front of the car, and out, where you'll need somewhere to quickly dump the dripping filter. Then the same deal with the plastic now holding a bunch of oil- more than just some drips. So I made a little mess, but it cleaned up pretty quickly.

I didn't like not being able to visually inspect the engine's oil filter mating surface, or that you can see hardly any of the filter/engine contact area to check for leaks after starting it. I also didn't like that the end of the dipstick has a burr that grabs and holds a tiny thread of the rag I used to wipe it.

I agree that not being able to see the oil filter mating surface is not good at all, next time I will take my welding inspection mirror and a flashlight and see if I can see the surface clearly. Are the ramps that you have very wide? I too had to get a new oil filter strap wrench, I kind of had to work it one handed (which was kind of a pain, but it worked) and slowly unthreaded the filter to drain the oil, I had no mess. Did you take off the plastic engine cover or remove the dipstick?, It really helped me alot having that little bit of extra room.

 

[clbhk]

I agree that not being able to see the oil filter mating surface is not good at all, next time I will take my welding inspection mirror and a flashlight and see if I can see the surface clearly. Are the ramps that you have very wide? I too had to get a new oil filter strap wrench, I kind of had to work it one handed (which was kind of a pain, but it worked) and slowly unthreaded the filter to drain the oil, I had no mess. Did you take off the plastic engine cover or remove the dipstick?, It really helped me alot having that little bit of extra room.

Yes, the ramps I have are low and wide. They are Rhino ramps, IIRC. Got them a while back for working on the Camaro, and they work fine here too. Hold 3000 pounds each- 6000 total. I just drove right up onto them.

No, I didn't need to take anything off of the engine. The manifold was the thing most in the way, and no way I was taking that off. I used a Mobil-1 filter this time and while I was at the parts store, I also got a tool that fits right over the end of that filter, kind of like a socket onto a bolt head. The tool attaches to a socket wrench. It didn't fit the filter on the car this time, but next time I should be all set. If not for some reason, the large slip-joint pliers worked just fine.

 

[RDMCWBY]

Hey there. Our salesman told us that with our new Traverse we don't need to bring it in for it's first oil change until it hits 5,000 miles, and future oil changes ARE NOT needed at the standard 3,000 miles any longer. He told us that GM advises that oil changes on the new Traverse are only needed once every 6,000 miles. I've not heard this from anyone else and when I called a different GM dealer to inquire they said I needed to follow the standard guidelines which suggest having the oil changed every 3,000 miles. Anyone else being told anything similar? Suggestions - when should I get the oil changed for the first time and all subsequent? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks