Oil Change Problems

[scylla6]

Should be a simple thing I thought but when I brought my GT in for the half shaft update I asked the Ford dealer to change the oil. Turned out to be a problem as they said they tried but could not do it. Something to do with not having a correct lift and the under body pans? Anyone else have this problem. I'm wondering what to do now I'm in northwest CT up by Lime Rock.
Tom

 

[427Aggie]

Feel lucky that your dealer told you he couldn't and didn't try. If he put it on a two post wrong he could bend the belly pans and then you would be really upset. It can be done with a 2 post but the 4 makes it soo much easier.

 

[Pete S.]

.

Or, if you don't have a lift and are somewhat a do-it-yourselfer:
These Race Ramps from Brute Industries get it high enough to work on.

 

[GTJack]

You are lucky, very lucky. I had an SVT dealer who said he could do the 1/2 shaft blot change out, GT qualified tech, etc and they put the car on a two poster and bent the belly pans and came close to bending a body support strut. I thought I would keel over when I saw the car on the lift and how they lifted it....wrong. I put pics in a thread Mar 13 if you want to see what you avoided. The dealer replaced the inner fender well and belly pans, but the damage could have been worse.

You should canvass your area for an SVT dealer that has ramps/four post lift that will take the GT (or the new Mustang GT500). It will be worth the drive to a dealer that has done one or more of the 1/2 shaft bolt changes.

Lucky you living near Lime Rock. I tracked my Cobra there at a SAAC event in 2000, and went the the Barber Racing school. Met Paul Newman one afternoon when he was testing his Nissan. Beautiful area of the country.

 

[Midengine-man]

Thanks Pete S. I'm about to do my first oil change and I was wondering what ramps I should buy. You are one of the reasons why this forum is great. btw, is it OK for the car to lean forward while draining the oil, or should I level it??

06 # 1118

 

[Silverbullitt]

I use Rhino ramps, but I also now jack up the car using an aluminum nascar style jack I bought from Pep boys. I then lower the car onto the ramps that are also spaced up bu 2 by 4s. Having the nose down is no problem. There are two drain plugs on the sump. The rearmost bolt will not drip any oil especially if you drain out of the front one first.

 

[FM99]

Jacking

Interesting thread - where are the jack points for your jack?
FM 99

 

[Indy GT]

Follow Ford Lift Point recommendations

See page 100-02-1 "Jacking and Lifting" in the service manual. Believe the owners manual has locations identifed as well.

Two small forward located lift points (two on driver side, two on pass side) and one lift point each side in the rear location.

Lifting in any other location will cause damage to underbody panels.

 

[Kingman]

See page 100-02-1 "Jacking and Lifting" in the service manual. Believe the owners manual has locations identifed as well.

Two small forward located lift points (two on driver side, two on pass side) and one lift point each side in the rear location.

Lifting in any other location will cause damage to underbody panels.

Indy, I have not personally checked the Ford Service Manual, but I believe I read (in the Forum) that the service manual is incorrect. AnalogDesigner/Jay has posted the correct lift points in the forum.

Please see attached

 

[Kingman]

Here is Jay's depiction:

 

[scylla6]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like for a lift you need the 4 post or how about a drive on ramp style? Looks like that may work also.
Tom

 

[Kingman]

The GT Guys used a lift and two jack stands on mine and several other GT's to do just about anything. Granted they didn't walk under the car, but they accomplished what they needed to do.

 

[Indy GT]

The lift points described by the above contributors are correct. If you can get a look under the car the points are self evident as small square/rectangular access points in the underbelly sheathing. Crawl under and look around, you will see them.

My point to the spectator asking the question was just to alert all that you just cannot place a floor jack under the car and start lifting away. You will damage something without being careful to correctly position the jack with appropriate mating puck under the correct lifting point.

 

[timcantwell]

Or, if you don't have a lift and are somewhat a do-it-yourselfer:
These Race Ramps from Brute Industries get it high enough to work on.

Pete's right on with his solution. I have four lifts, but in a pinch if another car is occupying the lifts, we have found the ramps to be the solution. You can get a set at Auto Zone or Walmart for next to nothing.

 

[timcantwell]

One other tip. Buy a set of four hockey pucks. I find these to be indispensible for jacking my cars!!!!

 

[sr71]

if you drill a hole in your hockey puck and run in an all nylon bolt, it will act as a centering pin to make sure it is in the right place.

 

[scylla6]

Thanks for the info. I gave it to the boys at the local shop and no problem at all. I'll need to remember that.
Tom