oil change humor

[kajsdf]

just picked up my eagle today and went to wal mart to get the oil changed (blizzard coming up in sd and no garage to work in :/)

after a short eagle conversation, the guy took the vin/mileage etc and then came back and asked, "this might be a dumb question...but does that have an internal hood release?"  even though i checked under the hood, i hadn't realized my knob was broken off...i thought it was funny, but it's definitely 'nest humor with the common knob breakage...


after wandering around wal mart i went to pick up the car, and the cashier grabbed the papers and keys and started to ring something up, then paused, looked confused, and said..."actually, we couldn't change the oil...we don't stock the oil filter..."

the joys of having an older car 

[83Eagle!]

Must not be a very well stocked or  walmart.  I know the walmarts around here all have the oil filter for the Eagle.  Either that or it is a case of where it isn't in the computer it doesn't exist.

[Reaper_of_Souls]

walmart's computer system is screwy..my brother spent the last several years in the shop at one locally. he ran into tons if issues with cars not existing in the system, wrong filter numbers, or just silly things that make no sense.....and if the computer doesnt just give them the answers, most employees are totally lost. according to their system all eagles only had 4 cyls, nothing else is ever listed. gotta love the evil empire, haha

[dwa714]

Got my oil changed in O'Fallon Illinois before heading home to Mississippi just after I got her.

When I picked it up, the service writer told me they had to go to O'Reilly's to get the filter,
but that they weren't going to charge me for the filter.  Told me it's a Fram PH25 and to
bring one with me next time.

Then, after I got home, went to NAPA & bought a filter - they didn't carry FRAM so they
x-referenced to a NAPA #; which turned out to be incorrect.

[wagonmaster]

wow, if i didn't really love amc s i wouldn't drive them. i'm sure that goes for all of us here.

[83Eagle!]

Walmart even had trouble copying the key to the Eagle when I first got it.  They could not figure out what brand it was.  Luckily the locksmith that I know carries a number of AMC blanks.  They have nearly everything.

[kajsdf]

haha, i forgot about the key thing too -- tried to make copies of the keys.  the ignition is on a gm key and the doors is on the original amc key,...guess which one they had in stock??

[BenM]

How could you not have a PH25 in stock? It's one of the more universal filters. I think it fits nearly every American car built before 1980.

I believe the following cross-reference for pre-87 engines: PH3675, PH11, PH3506, PH3429.

87 Metric filter, and late 4.0 engines: PH3985

The early 4.0 uses a 3/4 thread instead of 13/16.

I don't know how they physically fit in the engine compartment, but I would imagine they work in a pinch. AMC used all of them at one time or another with the 258.

Oil is one of the things I'm a little picky about... I don't use Fram filters (but the numbers are useful, because everyone references them) and I change my own.

[83Eagle!]

I change my own oil all the time on the Eagle.  No place around here, except a mechanic will touch it.  Kind of funny.  I change the oil in the Saturn and Caravan too.  I had gone to a Valvoline instant oil change place, but they stripped the plug on the Hyundai, so I quit going there.  I found another place that was nice and only $10 more than I can do it myself for synthetic, but I am not going there anymore because they changed their prices and charged me $20 for a $6 cartridge oil filter.  They didn't tell me about the charge until after they already started.  Looks like I will be using Kenny's shed from now on. 

For other fluid changes I have a transmission guy who knows my Eagle's transmission inside and out.  He used to own an Eagle wagon.  I also have a mobile mechanic who charges $25-$35 for transmission, coolant and power steering flushes.

[eaglefreek]

I also couldn't get a filter at Walmart. Both when I lived in CO and here in TN. I change my own oil too. It's not for cost savings, but to keep some kid who shouldn't have a wrench in his hand from changing my oil. I've only had my oil changed by someone else a handful of times and two of those times had problems. I had a diesel van and went to a Walmart because I was busy and it was way overdue for a change. They came and got me and said they ran into a problem. When they took the filter off they wound up with a washer a spring in their hand. I had to go down in the pit and put it back together. Another time at a quick lube place, same van, I decided to check the oil the next day just to make sure they put enough in since it took a lot more oil than normal vehicles. When I pulled the dipstick it was way past the full. I looked at my invoice and they put 5 more quarts than it was supposed to have. I came across some info that the Advance Auto Parts had the K&N HP2003 on clearance for $1.99. I got the last 7 in my area than called my brother in FL and told him to get me a few. He calls back and says, "I got you 20". So I think I have a lifetime supply of K&N filters for my Eagle. 

[MaskNMI]

you can always set your engine up for a remote filter....the one I have sits on my fender just forward of the idler arm bracket, so you can just reach under the radiator and grab it, and not only is it SO easy to get the filter off, w/o crawling under the car or making a mess even, it also takes Motorcraft FL1A / Fram PH8A flter which is very common (used on previous generation Ford v8s)

there ought to be remote filters made to fit other filters, too....

this can be a real advantageous setup if you want to run an engine oil cooler, cause you have to set up the plumbing anyway....  plus well designed block-to-AN adapters (where you actually remove the original filter adapter rather than screw another adpapter onto it) will flow much better than the typical OEM filter adapter....Bulltear adapter for amc v8 is a good ex of what I mean

[thereverendbill]

walmart does carry the smaller filter a PH3675 and according to them that is the correct filter for the eagle (their stupid touch screen filter thing that hardly ever works/is visible, right beside the book on a chain that is folded and tore to shreads).  that filter is also used on the Chrysler 3.3 liter V6

[AMCKen]

NAPA number ends in '258', which kinda handy. Their website says 1258 but IIRC there were 5 numerals in the ones I've been getting

[JayRamb]

Stay away from FRAM. Go to NAPA, or WIX oil filters. They are constructed better.

[ritualsin]

you can always set your engine up for a remote filter....the one I have sits on my fender just forward of the idler arm bracket, so you can just reach under the radiator and grab it, and not only is it SO easy to get the filter off, w/o crawling under the car or making a mess even, it also takes Motorcraft FL1A / Fram PH8A flter which is very common (used on previous generation Ford v8s)

there ought to be remote filters made to fit other filters, too....

this can be a real advantageous setup if you want to run an engine oil cooler, cause you have to set up the plumbing anyway....  plus well designed block-to-AN adapters (where you actually remove the original filter adapter rather than screw another adpapter onto it) will flow much better than the typical OEM filter adapter....Bulltear adapter for amc v8 is a good ex of what I mean

Where did you find your remote filter kit?