Oil Change Day!

MOPAR, FIAT, WHATEVER

You know, there just aren't many days of the year that are as exciting as OIL CHANGING DAY! Here at NMS North we just happened to have two cars that both needed oil changes at the same time, so today was that day. Luckily I had the day off of work, so a trip to the auto parts store, (or maybe it was two to find that hard to find FIAT filter). OK, maybe it was two stores and one dealership, so, three then, and I finally  had the two oil filters and the right type of oil for two different cars!

Now I remember why last time I just ordered everything from Amazon and had it delivered to the house.

STP FOR THE CAMRY

Both the FIAT Abarth and the Toyota Camry are 4 cylinder engines, and they both use paper filters that fit inside a reusable cartridge. I've changed them both before, so my tool box had all the tools I needed. The reason I had to visit three stores was to find the odd size filter for the FIAT, and since the chain stores didn't have one, I actually went to the FIAT dealer, and they had them in stock. The only other odd thing was that at O'Reilly they only had 2 quarts of what I needed out on the shelf, but the folks working there eventually found some more 5W-40 in the back storage room. Thanks for the extra help!

The Toyota is on a 10,000 mile oil change schedule with its 0W-20 Synthetic, and the FIAT has an engine sensor that lights up when it's time to change. This week it came on at 7,000 miles since the last change, and since my commute to work isn't very far, that's been an entire year. The hardest part of the oil changing is remembering (or Googling every time) the procedure to turn OFF the "change your oil now" light on the dash. At least in the Toyota I've got it marked in the owner's manual so I can always find it, but the FIAT doesn't mention this in the manual, so excuse me while I Google it again.

Oh yeah, turn the key to on without turning on the engine, then pump the gas pedal three times. Hey, didn't Dorothy do that in the Wizard of Oz? Do I have to say "There's no place like home" all three times? Why am I asking you?

To reset the Toyota "change your oil now dummy" light, it's a bit more complicated, something like turn on the car power (without turning on the car), while AT THE SAME TIME pushing in on the Trip A Mileage re-set button. Oh, and only do this after you shut it off with the Trip A Mileage showing. Thank goodness for the owner's manual.

I'm thinking that oil change places really change your oil for free these days, but they charge for the oddball process to reset the oil change warning light. THAT'S the hard part!