Miata Mailing List: April 1993, Message #42
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   From: (none)
Subject: Re: mail order
   Date: (none)

>> I am also about to do the first oil change on my new Miata.
>> Is it necessary to get the special oil filter wrench from Mazda?
>> Any other advice on oil change procedure/process?
>
>IMO, yes. If you can get the car up on jackstands, I find it easier to get
>to the oil filter from underneath and behind the engine. I reach up over
>the bottom member of the front subframe. When you put the new filter on,
>*don't* use the wrench to tighten it. I'm small, and I can tighten it down
>far enough that it doesn't leak just with my hand. This way, you can get
>the old filter off without a lot of problems next oil change.

I had to have a service station remove my oil filter the first time because
I could not budge the oil filter.  They ended up serioulsy deforming it
with a big vise-grip type wrench.  Since then I tighten the filter by
hand and have had no further troubles.  I also have a set of ramps I use to
get the front end off the ground 4 inches or so.  This is so I can get my
oil drain pan under the drain plug!

What's the best way to put a Miata on jack stands?  The manual seems to 
suggest putting the jack stands under the frame at the point where you
put the scissor jack to jack up the car.  There are two problems with this:
1)  I already have the scissor jack there, hard to get the jack stand under
the same point.  2) Lack of a flat surface on the underside of the frame at
that point.  The scissor jack seems to be specially made to fit this area, 
but the jack stand is not.  Can I put the jack stand underneath the front 
axle/suspension parts somehow and support the car without damaging it?

>> Some books mentioned that engine oil, transmission fluid,
>> and rear axle fluid should be changed after ~2K break-in.
>> Any comments?
>
>Change the oil? Yes; I did it at 1k and 3k miles, and every 3k thereafter.
>Change the other fluids? Not that I've ever heard. Where did you read that?

Some people believe you can eliminate metal burrs from the gears that form
during the first few miles as the surfaces wear.  Don't know how important
this really is.  I just put the Redline gear oil in my differential - it
was pretty easy.  You do need an oil pump (hand pump) with some flexible 
tubing on it to get the oil in there.  Next I would like to change the 
manual trans. oil, but need a way to get underneath the car.  Comments 
appreciated.


-Jeff