Oil Change

[Tim Smithson]

Hi, Just bought a September 2003 Kalahari TD4, and want to change the oil myself. Bought 7 litres of oil, and a cartridge, and am now perplexed as to proceed. No sign of the oil filter cartidge from above the engine, and a protective sheild underneath the car. Is this the dealers ploy to get you to have it serviced at the garage all the time ???

[HMBFreelander]

This experience is for the North American V6 but maybe the TD4 is similar.

To change the oil you have to remove the belly pan. There are instructions for this in the Owner's Manual if you have one. If not - Remove two screws which fasten the lower plastic bumper to brackets on the belly pan; remove four bolts (two each side) holding the frame for the belly pan; remove two small bolts at the rear of the belly pan; and two bolts at the front of the belly pan. I do the last two steps together and ease it down so it doesn't fall on my head! It's mostly aluminum so it's not heavy.

If the oil sump on the TD4 is similar to the V6, the oil drain plug and the oil filter cartridge are near each other. The filter is vertical so you can fill the new one with oil before installing it. Be sure to renew the crushable aluminum washer on the drain plug. There are three drain plugs under there: engine, tranny and IRD so make sure you get the right one!

Sorry I can't be more specific but I've never seen the TD4 engine. Wish we could buy them here, though.

Brian

[garrycol]

Oil filter is underneath - you have to remove the undertray - a real PITA

[Tim Smithson]

Thanks a lot chaps !!!

Originally Posted by HMBFreelander

This experience is for the North American V6 but maybe the TD4 is similar.

To change the oil you have to remove the belly pan. There are instructions for this in the Owner's Manual if you have one. If not - Remove two screws which fasten the lower plastic bumper to brackets on the belly pan; remove four bolts (two each side) holding the frame for the belly pan; remove two small bolts at the rear of the belly pan; and two bolts at the front of the belly pan. I do the last two steps together and ease it down so it doesn't fall on my head! It's mostly aluminum so it's not heavy.

If the oil sump on the TD4 is similar to the V6, the oil drain plug and the oil filter cartridge are near each other. The filter is vertical so you can fill the new one with oil before installing it. Be sure to renew the crushable aluminum washer on the drain plug. There are three drain plugs under there: engine, tranny and IRD so make sure you get the right one!

Sorry I can't be more specific but I've never seen the TD4 engine. Wish we could buy them here, though.

Brian

[Tim Smithson]

I am happy to say that my Oil change situation is sorted. Thanks to Kwik Fit Milton Keynes. Seven litres of semi-synthetic oil and filter cartridge replaced, all for only £15.95. You can't even buy the oil for this amount.........
So my advice to those of you who don't want to scrabble under the belly pan to find it has only 2 bolts and the others are pop-rivveted on,
can saunter down to Qwik fit and get someone else to do it for less than buying the oil yourself. At this rate, I will do it every 2000 miles......
Tim

[garrycol]

Originally Posted by Tim Smithson

So my advice to those of you who don't want to scrabble under the belly pan to find it has only 2 bolts and the others are pop-rivveted on,

Tim

The underpan is actually held on by 10 bolts, 2 screws and no pop rivits.

The actual underpan consists of an aluminum frame that has a plastic pan pop rivited to it. To remove the underpan you unbolt the 10 bolts and remove the aluminium frame and underpan as one piece. The frame has four bolts at the front (2 either side), and 2 screws that secure the plastic body work. At the rear the aluminium frame has 2 bolts on either side and the rear of the pan is held on by 2 bolts on either side to the suspension cross member. There is no need to remove the pop rivets.

On my car - I have removed the pop rivets and replaced them with nuts and bolts so I no longer have to remove the entire aluminum frame and pan and only have to remove the pan itself.

Garry