Oil Change.

[nickpoore]

So, I helped another Atom owner do an oil change over the weekend.

We took off WAY more parts than were necessary, and finally came to the conclusion that we could do a full oil change in about 30 minutes.  (Not including cool-down time.)

Atom has GM engine, and roll bar & master-lube.
We drove the Atom up on ramps, and then jacked up the rear, and put it on jack stands.

Then remove the intake cover.
Then remove the tea-tray.
Since we had the roll bar, we removed it, but that was not necessary - simply slide the tea tray up the roll bar.
That's it on the body work, you can now access the oil-fill.

Let everything cool down 30 minutes or so.

1. Put the car in neutral.  (you need the geer-shift cables to be slack).
2. Turn on the ignition to drain the masterlube.  The pressure should stop at ~30lb.  If not then top off the pressure.
3. Turn off the ignition.
4. Drain the engine using the drain plug visible on the rear-right of the engine.
5. Take off the oil filter cover**  (read below for details.)
6. Replace the oil filter.
7. Inspect the oil filter rubber seal - put the oil filter cover back on.
8. Put the drain plug back in.
9. Put in 6qt Mobile1 5w30
10. Check everything and start the engine.
11. Make sure the MasterLube charges back up to ~60lb.
12. Check all the fluid levels and you're good to go.

**Oil Filter removal.
Make sure the engine's COLD first - lots of hot coolant lines here to burn you.
Reach in through the side with one hand, to touch the oil filter cap.  There are some cables in the way that just push out of the way.
Once you've figure out you can reach in, do it again with the filter wrench.  (Nice & small isn't it.)
The filter in on hand-tight, but you should be able to remove it by pulling hard on the wrench.
Now you just need to put turn the cap all the way off.  I found that putting in two hands, and using one to turn the wrench, and one to push the wrench back on the cap worked well.
Once the cap is half-way removed, you can remove the rest with your fingers and not need the wrench.

Putting the cap back on is pretty easy, once youve done the removal process.

There, that's all there is to it.

[RyanD]

[quote="Spanky"]
  I like my hands and don't like buring them.  But I do like doing my oil changes myself and often, so now I am even more sure of my choice to take the big money hit and ordered my car with the remote oil filter. The fact that I am in Texas with the heat of summer to deal with, makes getting the external oil cooler with it a double winner decision. 
[/quote]

I decided the same thing since I'm also in Texas.  I could only run a few laps at a time in my Z06 if it was above 90 degrees, and I don't want the same problem with the Atom.

[ebeck]

The manual says 5 1/2 quarts of oil,  but you have 6 in your instructions.  Which is correct?

[nickpoore]

master lube makes a difference.

[bolus]

[quote="ebeck"]
The manual says 5 1/2 quarts of oil,  but you have 6 in your instructions.  Which is correct?


[/quote]

I did 5 1/4 when I did mine (no accumulator) and it was just right.  A little oil stays in the pan. 

[Bottoz]

On my first change, I let it warm up fully and drained it for about 15 mins. I added nearly 7 quarts. On the second change, I added 6.5.