Modern Bollocks

[Bren]

I changed the oil on my 07 vectra CDTI 120 yesterday - what should be a simple job turned into a PITA.

 

Plastic undertray has an inspection panel with a plastic hinge that can be lowered - good on a professional ramp, no good on axle stands as there is'nt enough ground clearance.

 

Undertray was removed. I noticed the flats on the sump plug were intact and the area around it spotless - I began to worry it had never been removed. It had'nt and probably never will - even hammering on sockets would'nt shift the bloody thing. Off to machine mart for a vacuum pump then.

 

The oil filter was a pain as well - it's a paper element in a plastic housing. No room to get a socket and bar on it, eventually an adjustable spanner in between the exhaust and lower engine mounting slackened it off.

 

My car only has the SOHC 8 valve motor - you would think there would be lots of room to work on the motor but the ancillaries take up so much room - christ knows what the 16 valve must be like to work on.

 

As I put my tools away after doing the job, cursing,  I lamented about my first decent car, a B reg cavalier SRI - I changed the clutch on it in just over an hour - quicker than it took me to drop the oil and filter on my modern.

 

 I would'nt call it progress - I'd call it bollocks.

[overrun]

Sounds like you have had a bit of a mare, on what as you say, should be a simple job!

 

How much are the suction pumps out of interest?

 

I am a big fan of the paper element oil filter inside of an upright plastic housing as found on Vauxhalls. A 32mm socket, short extension and 1/2" drive ratchet usually shifts them no problem ime.

 

My Mondeo utilises a similar design. Except it is located at the front, bottom [joke goes here] of the engine, facing downwards.

Equals oil all over your hand.