So I'm getting ready to do my first oil change on our newly acquired '74 1.8.

Getting ready to order the following from Atlanta:

Mahle-Knecht oil filter
Victor Reinz Oil Gasket Set
(includes 2 gaskets, crush washer for strainer, washer for drain plug)

Anything else I need?

Any tips/trickes I need to know about? I change the oil on all my other cars, but those are Toyotas, Fords, & Chevys. This is my first time owning & changing the oil on a German car.

Also - my searches show most use 20W-50 oil in their 914. I'm in Dallas, Tx and I typically use 10W30 in most of my cars. Should I use 20W-50 in the 914?

Any tips / suggestions are welcome!

I still owe you all pics. Hope to get them by the weekend.

thanks

Chris
(auto_cran)

Air cooled cars run hotter so 20-50 is what you should go with. While I was in Oklahoma with mine. My oil temp almost pegged out at 250 after an 1 and a half hours of driving which was during the summer also. And I use 20-50.

You might also do a search on this site for oil recommendations. A number of folks like Brad-Penn, some Valvoline VR1 Racing oil because of the zinc (and something else I can't remember right now) required for our flat tappets engines to prevent premature wear.

Have fun,

Keith

Be careful with the torque on the strainer nut it's "low", something like 9.4 ft-lbs, check exact number to make sure. Over torquing can break a tab inside the engine that the bolt that holds the oil pick-up threads into and ruin the engine... Not sure if cleaning the strainer is required every oil change but with a new-to-you car, would be on my list....

I'd recommend you also adjust your valves, especially if the car is "new to you."

Valvline VR-1 no longer has zinc and is priced higher than Brad Penn. I found a local hot rod speed shop 1 mile from my shop that has Brad Penn for under 5 bucks a quart.

I like to jack it up outside and spray it down with a couple of cans of degreaser before changing the oil.

Thanks for all the tips & ideas! Will go with Brad Penn 20-50 oil.

Any other tips?

How is accessabilty to the filter? Will a regular oil filter wrench remove it?

Did some research on raising the car - looks like I can raise it from the center of the engine bar, then place my jack stands at the ends of the bar - or at the doughnuts.

Chris

If it was properly installed it will spin off by hand. If you need a wrench, it takes the kind that come from the bottom like a big socket.

Don't put it on stands. jack up the passenger side, support it with one stand. Slide under, remove drain plug, put it back on the ground and let it drain. Then raise it back up. Remove filter and sump plate. Remove sump plate slowly, its leaks oil all around. clean sump screen, use new gaskets and crush washers and reinstall everything. Use proper torque or you will go "oh shit!". Run and check for leaks afterwards.

Edi: The sump needs to be on the ground to drain too.

I highly recommend leaving the strainer plate alone unless your old oil is coming out in chunks. The screen won't stop anything your spin on filter won't catch. If you're new to type 4 engines, resist overtightening the oil filter if you see drips in the same area, it could be the oil pressure switch leaking down onto the filter or your oil cooler. Both are directly above the filter. Good luck!

Loosening the cap where you put in the oil helps get the old oil out.

Konrad

A "strap" wrench usually doesn't fit onto the 914's filter very well, it is up inside a recess in the bottom of the motor, with a bunch of "stuff" all around it. The type of oil filter wrench that looks like a big socket will work pretty well. (It can be a little tough to remove the socket from the filter though!)

I actually use a large pair of channel-lock pliers. I have the jaws facing upward, and grab the end of the filter. That gives me plenty of leverage to loosen the filter, then I can spin it off by hand.

Always tighten the filter by hand. Either "about as tight as you can with your hand", or until the gasket of the filter touches the flange and then 3/4 of a turn past that.

--DD

Wow - I'm getting a lot of good information here.

Is the sump/sump screen the same as the stainer plate?

Ok - so if I leave the strainer (sump - assuming they are the same thing) alone, am all I am looking at is:
- remove & replace the oil filter
- remove & reinstall the drain plug (with new crush washer)

(Starting to sound like as typical oil change....)

The oil gasket kit from Atlanta includes 2 gaskets - are they just for the stainer?

Many thanks!

Chris

Yes, the gaskets are for the strainer.

Don't forget new oil.

--DD

Is that the red 1.8 from craigslist? Looked like a good car and good buy. I'm glad somebody got it who will take good care of it. Good luck and photos when you can.

I was able to get to everything I needed by driving the rear end up on a pair of 2x6's stacked, I'm much more confident getting under a car that has no-where to fall.....there is a pretty startling thread here about a jack stand failing with the poor dude under the car.

I was able to spin off the oil filter by hand first time I did it....should be a piece of cake....enjoy!

td

Ramps are nice to use for this. If you do use jack stands, please use them in pairs, and give the car a bit of a shake before you get under it to be sure nothing shifts. I also leave the raised floor jack under the car 'just in case'.

Ok - if I don't need to get the car too high, then yeah, I'll just ride the car up on some ramps or some boards. Thanks td and George. And George - I do the same thing - whenever I raise a car & have it supported with jackstands, I keep the floor jack under there(raised) as a backup.

Eyes - yes this is the red 1.8 '74 that was for sale in Mesquite. PO took care of all the major stuff - I'm just wrapping up the loose ends.

I owe you all pics soon!

Chris

The Valvoline Vr-1 does still contain ZDDP .. as long as you get the one that does .. they have racing oil under the same banner that does not have the ZDDP ... just ordered 3 cases last week from AZ and got it for 5.29 per qt minus 2 dollar instant rebate net cost 3.29 qt ... next time it goes on sale I will be sure to post here .. at Pelican we have an oil on sale emergency broadcast system ...

Brad penn is a great oil though ran it in my 911SC for years .. and the PO had ran it before that ...

Steve

Steve - is this what you got at AZ?

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessori...ier=561829_0_0_

I was getting ready to go pick up 5 qts of Brad Penn in the morning (I found a place locally that has it) but at $7 a qt, the Valvoline at AZ sounds like a better deal if it's just as good - plus I don't have to drive clear across town to get it.

Chris

Thats the one .. the multi weight 20-50w .. had mine delivered at no cost and got a 15 buck gift card because I was over a hundred .. worked pretty good 130 +/- to the door ... another local pelican got to the three az in town before I could get there and emptied the shelves ...

Great oil and good numbers ... Plus for the price .... the 911 holds 11qts .. good thing it only gets changed annually ..........

Steve

Hey guys, not trying to hi-jack this thread but will the air-cooled engine in the 914 run hotter or cooler with the Brad-Penn 20w-50 oil vs. 10W-30 weight (assuming summer months). I am referring to the oil temps as read by the factory temp gauge or a dip stick thermometer.

Thanks

The car needs to be sitting level to completely drain. Drain it with the ass in the air on stands or ramps, and you leave a qt. of oil in the case. If this is a new to you car and you have no idea of past maintenance, I suggest you remove and inspect the sump. It could warn you of potential problems. After that, every other change.