OMG, what duncecap designed the location of the oil drain plug and filter in this car.

Why would you place the drain plug directly above the strut bar so that it is a huge pain to get at?


Ditto the filter. These engineers must hate the mechanics who work on the car. That said, I am prepared for the next oil change.

 

LOL, I dunno if they deliberately design such parts in such a hard to get place but for a hard stone mechanic that should be a routine job

 

Did they change the location of the drain plug by '07?

 

My 3.0 '07 the oil drain plug not blocked by the strut bar. There is a plastic air deflecter that has to be removed to access the plug. There's only one bolt holding it on. An extention on your ratchet will reach the drain plug fine. Depending on the wrench you use the filter can be a little tricky to remove. Jack

 

Well as for the oil filter, it's location is dictated by the location of the oil pump, only other way to do it would be to use a remote filter. The drain plug location is where the maximum oil will be drained from the pan. Not sure where your looking but there's no strut bar anywhere near the drain plug. My Jag doesn't have the air scoop that some came from the factory with, so the drain plug is right there in plain sight. The oil filter is a little tight getting at but when I did my first oil change I replaced the filter with a K & N filter that has a 1" nut welded to the can, making removal very easy.

 

My 07 has a bar (perhaps not actually a strut bar) that runs right under the back of the oil pan. It is held in by four bolts (2 in each side). It is about 2.5 ft wide and about 2 inches across.

The oil plug is right above it. Behind the oil plug (about 4 inches) looks to be the end of another casing (trans?). In any event, getting a socket wrench in there around the bar is a real art form.

That said, now that I have the right knuckle fitting, this will not be much of an issue. Lying on the ground to change the oil makes it yet another challenge but that is my choice.

I could PAY someone to change it but I kind of enjoy the process, even when I complain.

 

My 07 has the same bar. I just remove it to change the oil. I have more trouble with the filter position.

 

They must have added that after my '03. Sounds like it's a brace of some sort. Yah, isn't it fun getting down and dirty doing the change. I'm 73 and still do all my own work. It's fun just getting the front up on the ramps since it's so low. I have to use a couple of pieces of 2 X 10's added to the ramps to start the front valance lifting before it hits the ramps.

 

I just used a floor jack to move up the right side a few inches. It IS tight under there.
'Wish I had a lift!

 

How hard is it to remove and reinstall the bar? If it is easy, then I will do that next time.

 

Just remove the 2 bolts from each side. Very easy.

 

Thanks. That is the deal.

 

Now I'm curious what this added bar in the '07 is for...additional suspension bracing, transfer case or transmission support?

 

My guyess is exactly that, added suspension bracing.