Bay Area Oil Change for a /6, Who is cheap and trustworthy Options

[jonwatts]

I have a co-worker with a '73 914/6 conversion car. She is looking for somewhere to get an oil service that is competent but under $100. I'm a "get in there and screw it up myself" kind of person so I don't have any suggestions for her.

Anyone know of a place between San Jose and San Mateo to get this done?

thanks.

[Brad Roberts]

Is this Anne West ?? Change the oil Jon. Oil filter (Mahle). On the six, you should crack the oil line coming from the bottom of the tank (takes large 34mm wrench) and drain it as well as the engine. 100$ is cheap.

B

[olav]

I would suggest CT Automotive in Campbell. They have experience with modified 914s.

http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?Pyt=Typ&tu...r:regT:14:fbT:0


I don't know if they are cheap though.

Jon, why don't you do it?

[jonwatts]

Gwen Golub and the Krusty-mobile.

I don't like to do work on other people's cars unless I know them a little better. I figured the oil tank would complicate things and so a $30 Jiffy Lube place would be a bad idea.

How does cracking the tank line help it drain?

Is the oil drain on the case similar to the T4?

[Porsche Rescue]

There is no drain plug on the tank as there is on a 911 tank. Only way to drain it is by disconnecting the lower hose.

[jonwatts]

Hmm. I thought the oil would drain through the engine but I guess not all of the oil goes into the case when the engine isn't running.

So is this a good application for a long automatic tranny funnel to catch the oil from the tank?

I'll offer to do this for her if I get the details straight and don't look like I'm guessing. Not a macho thing, I'm trying to instill some confidence that she can do it herself.

thanks all,

[Porsche Rescue]

You are right that it is not a Jiffy Lube operation. Frankly,unless you have a lift, she should be a very good and needy friend. It is far more cumbersome than a type 4. You will be dealing with 8-9 quarts of oil. Only a quart or two will drain from the case. Since the car is a conversion I can't tell you exactly where to disconnect the lower hose since it may well be different than my factory six. Do the case, then the tank, then the filter. Since the oil/filter change is only needed every 6000 miles it probably would be a good idea for a pro to see the car that often anyway. Again, unless she is very needy and you are very chivalrous, I'd suggest a Porsche specialty shop. With 9 quarts, filter and labor it will be all of $100. Then there is the question of routine valve adjustment.....

[jonwatts]

Thanks Jim. Luckily we do have a lift here. I offered to help her out, she's thinking about it. If I'm lucky she'll refuse my offer and take the car in.

[Porsche Rescue]

Brad,
Why is it important to use a Mahle filter? Can't remember what I last installed but not Mahle (made in the Fatherland though, Mann maybe.)

[J P Stein]

The Mahle filters have a built in pressure relief valve which bypasses the filter section during extreme high pressure situations....cold starts, mostly.
"Other than Mahle" filters have been known to disembowel themselves under these conditions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Brad Roberts]

Thanks JP for answering him. I'm kinda slammed with work right now.


B

[mightyohm]

You honestly have to remove an oil line fitting to drain the oil on a 6? What was the factory thinking?

What about 6 conversions, do the tanks usually have oil plugs on the bottoms? Can you get to them?

[J P Stein]

The line from the tank to the pipe below the cooler is a 2 piece goodie. I split it there, when necessary.
There is NOWHERE to put a drain in the tank and if you could find a place, you couldn't get at it.

If my car sits for a month or so, most all the oil is in the sump and comes out the sump drain.

The down side here is all the oil in the sump.
If it's been sitting, I crank it over for a minute or so to get oil back into the tank. No oil in tank=no oil pressure.