Take it to a dealer ;-)

 

Got to agree with dkguffe here, getting to the filter on the H27 engine is a real pain. If you like burning your arm, scraping your knuckles, having hot oil all over the place, and damaging the O2 sensor wire, by all means, try it yourself. My mechanic still curses when I bring it to him to change and he's done hundreds. I pay less than $40 for an oil and filter change.......best $40 you can spend on a GV in my opinion. There are forum members who have figured out how to do it themselves, but I think life is too short for such a hassle.

 

I've never attempted to change my GV oil after reading horror stories here. I use to change my oil on my previous vehicle though.

This might change after the surprise I received last week at the Suzi dealer. Suzuki Canada's new policy is that oil changes for all six cylinder engines will cost $10 more than 4 cyl engines. Both use 5 litres of cheap bulk oil and a similar cost to manufacture oil filter I would assume. Just under $57 incl shop supplies and taxes.

WHAT IS THE REASON SUZUKI? Is it because you know what a PITA it is to change the GV oil?

 

easy......

turn the wheels all the way to the right
lay on the floor and remove the filter with a filter wrench
replace filter
done

no big deal

I have always changed the oil/filter myself

 

Do it from underneath, or buy a hoist lol...
I haven't heard of this 4cylinder vs 6cylinder policy?? You sure your dealership isn't just screwing with you?? Either way the 4 cylinder engine is just as much of a pain in the ass to change oil as the V6 is.

 

My mechanic says it isn't a problem. I always drop off the GV hours before he works on it, and he says that the resulting cool exhaust is a big reason why it's not a problem.

I've asked him it was worth installing one of those gizmos that locate the oil filter away from the engine a bit, but he says not to bother.

 

I seriously considered a remote filter kit, but really the engine bay is so tight it'd be hard to find a place to put it!

I change my own oil and filters. Do it from underneath (as Jeff L. suggests)--I always put my vehicles up on ramps to get at the drain plug anyway. There is room for your arm in there, and I haven't had any issues with exhaust or wires or anything like that. My main beef is that the filter goes on sideways (a properly designed filter housing holds the filter pointing down, so it a) doesn't drain hot oil all over the place, and b) can be filled with clean oil prior to installation).

 

Hi
the oil filter is the same in gv v6 2.5 and 2.7? in the rockauto is the same.
thanks

 

Seriously guys it is not that bad, as suggested it is best to change the filter from under the car. Once the filter is removed the oil runs down the side of the engine and drip from the sump so it is not too messy.

 

For the 2010 2.4 petrol - T&E Tools part no. HC6814 cup type oil filter wrench, 68mm x 14 flutes fits standard Suzuki filter - makes life a lot easier..........

 

On our 2.7 V6 I undo the filter a little bit from under the car and then I remove the round canister from the right hand strut tower so I can get my arm down to the filter. Then I can undo the filter and tip it up so the oil stays in and lift it out though the top. It seems like some stuffing around but in the end I find it to be the most painless way with the most room to work.

 

To drain the oil, I use a quarter turn ball valve with a short piece of clear flexible tubing on it. No tools, no need to take the plastic piece off the bottom of the engine. Just move the tube out of it's storage spot into the pan and turn the valve. It takes longer to drain but I just do something else.

To get to the filter, I jack up the drivers side front, put a stand under it, pull the wheel, and sit in the wheel well. It's easy to reach that way and easy to get off with a cap wrench.

Costs less than $30 to change with synthetic oil. Takes less time than driving it somewhere and back.

Jim

 

Filter. iTs NOT hard if you take off wheel and use a good tool (buy a steel cap tool that matches your filter !) and is piece of cake)
same with mx5 mazda. wheel off, (and is way harder than any vit)
the tilt trick works too. thanks for the idea of moving things.

wheel off, left
see 2x2" hole, insert 3/8s drive wratchet wrench and filter remover.
i have a 1/2 drive with a this very power fill spring loaded JAWs wrench . that gets them all easy (i have 10 filter tools, to cover them all) but..
this wrench take the cake.

this tool comes in 2 sizes, get both Lisle does see amazon link
watch out some dont allow to put on, only take off. above is OFF.
the cup tools (steel not crappy plastic ) excel.
I use Purlolator filters and they are cap tools that fit like glove and I use them. but in a jam the remover above , GET IT OFF fast.
the best tool for the both sizedr filter is (unless you have matching cup tool , all have different flutes)

for the really bad,

no name on the tool but this is it ,above,. (some are bidirectional, mine is not)
the filter will take heavy damage, but wont leak. great for over torqued filters.

so many , but is good.
SEARS
so many , but is good. SEARS

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/on...nch-Cam-70mm-76mm.aspx?pid=13035&utm_source=getprice&utm_medium=cpc#Description

 

i'm sure your question was not how to do it but what to use to get oil filter off ...really hard with oil wrench so use a peice of sand paper which will give you the grip in that tight space hope this was what your looking for

 

I have had a hell of a time getting the filter off of my 2010 Grand Vitara. Would anyone be so kind as to post a few photos of the best approach?

This vehicle is turning into a personal vendetta between the numerous warranty issues and the horrible engine compartment.

 

It depends a lot on what the problem you are having is. It appears a 2010 has either a 2.4l 4 or a 3.2l 6. I have a 2.7l 6 so I am not familar with your engine. Is it getting access or can you get access but turning it is a problem? If you are having difficulty turning it, my first choice is a cap wrench. But if somebody over tightened the filter, this sometimes doesn't work. In those cases, a wrench like somebody illustrated above that ratchets tighter as you use it may work. But in my experience you need to be able to get two hands to the filter, one to hold the wrench on the filter and one to turn the ratchet, to use this sort of wrench. With one hand, I would try a pliers type wrench.

If you don't have all these tools, another thing I used to do on a very stubborn Pinto we had was to drive a big screwdriver or pin punch completely through the filter close to the base. Then I used the screwdriver or punch to turn the filter. Messy but works. If you tear the can off, a cold chisel on the base can spin it off.

Jim

 

It depends a lot on what the problem you are having is. It appears a 2010 has either a 2.4l 4 or a 3.2l 6. I have a 2.7l 6 so I am not familar with your engine. Is it getting access or can you get access but turning it is a problem?
Jim

Its absolutely an access issue. I can manage to get an arm up into the compartment from below the vehicle but the odd contortion of my wrist this requires makes it impossible to twist off the filter. There is very little clearance from below so using a long ratchet with a filter wrench is not possible.

The other approach I've tried is removal of the heat shield at the top of the engine. This is similarly fraught with difficulty because of clearance issues. The filter is blocked by a large heat pipe to the radiator and a support beam that mounts part of the engine and the aformentioned shield. Measuring I'd need at least a 20 inch ratchet and filter cap wrench to get at the filter without risking damage to the internals surrounding the filter.

Other approaches that didn't work are turning the wheels out (the wheel well has impact sensors mounted and is completely closed)

I am considering creating my own extra long strap wrench which will allow me to extract the old filter. Not sure how I'd get the new one in there, though.

Unfortunately for me, we have only one dealer nearby and they've screwed with us multiple times. In fact, I marked the filter with paint the last time we took it for a change and they tried to charge me for a fluid change and OEM filter without replacing it. They refunded my money after I raised hell but that was the last straw for me.

I can only surmise that we have never had the filter changed in the vehicle. Awful service experience with Suzuki

Thank you for the reply!

 

My first attempt

Well I can't help the poster with the 2010 model because mine is a 2.7L from '06. But I did complete my first DIY oil change this week.

My procedures and observations:

- oil pan nut was on very tight so I used a 3/8" ratchet with 17mm socket and a large rubber hammer to loosen. The largest box wrench I had was 16mm.
- I left the vehicle on the ground and it was very tight underneath. I managed to drain the oil with the help of a cut-up plastic milk jug to direct the oil stream into my container with no spillage.
- I relocated some type of vacuum canister by removing two bolts to gain access the oil filter from the top.
- the filter was loose enough that I could spin it off by hand and tip it up to prevent a spill.
- the damn steering assembly was in the way and I could not lift out the oil filter from the top. I lowered the filter and tried to cradle it on some part of the engine so I could pull it out from beneath. This resulted in most of the oil in the filter draining onto my garage floor.
- cue the paper towel clean up.
- to install the new filter I had to reverse the order by lifting it up from beneath and then thread it onto the engine from the top.
- I used conventional 5w-30 oil and a Wix 51391 filter.
- overall cost was about $25 opposed to about $55 at the stealer.

For the next time, I will get a filter cap wrench (15 flutes / 82mm) and ensure I turn the steering wheel enough so the oil filter can pass through from above.

 

Don't know what the roads are like in Canada, but here, if you don't have jack and jackstands, you can park half the vehicle over the gutter and half over the road, plenty of room underneath.

instead of using a mallet to hit your ratchet, better to find a slide over pole and use extra leverage.

 

I have a 2006 Grand Vitara with the 2.7. I've been turning wrenches for over 35 years and one thing for sure, the Japanese are at a loss when it comes to a simple task like putting the filter in a readily accessible place. Suzuki isn't alone..........they do it on almost every vehicle they make!
When my car was new I took it to Mobil One during the warranty period so as to have PROOF the maintainence was performed..........went through that BS with Toyota on an Avalon that the engine puked at 60,000. Mobil One guys cussed up a storm everytime they saw me coming.........!! I only do it when the vehicle has been sitting over night and the engines cold. Here in Florida, oil runs out like water year round!

 

Suzuki GV oil filter

I can do mine in 5 minutes...........you have to remove it and replace it from underneath the vehicle however, you can get your hand down through from the engine compartment to tighten the filter securely...........you shouldn't be using wrenches on it........hand tight as specified on the filter! I have never had one leak hand tight so long as you prelube the seal. If you turn the wheels to the far right you can see right in there. DO NOT attempt it on a hot engine because you will suffer the consequences............guaranteed! I have worked on vehicles that people got nuts with the oil filter wrench and had to use creativity to get the filter off because of some having limited accessiblity like the GV.........I wouldn't want to think about creativity with this one...........you may be there a while!!!

 

...you shouldn't be using wrenches on it........hand tight as specified on the filter! I have never had one leak hand tight so long as you prelube the seal.

We're talking about using a wrench to get the filter off--yes, installation should be only hand-tight (3/4 turn once the gasket contacts, by the book--but I just go as tight as I can by hand, never a problem for over 3 decades I've been doing this).

BTW, though...this is always done with the engine hot, as that's when the oil is changed. Just be careful.

 

I change oil with the engine cold. I allow plenty of time for draining. The only benefit I can remember cited for changing hot is the oil drains better. I'm not sure that is very true with the synthetics I have in both cars but I just leave the drain plug out for a long time - I go do something else - and I think I've done a better job than the dealer or oil change place would. It's a lot less painful to work on a cold engine.

My favorite wrench is a cap wrench. I am not sure it will fit into the space you describe but that is where I start. For an oil filter, you shouldn't need more than a stubby ratchet.

Jim

 

oil filter wrench/socket sizes

I have read a few posts up that a genuine suzuki oil filter for a 09 model 2.4L fits a 68×14 flute filter wrench/socket.
Can anyone confirm ryco /other aftermarket filters are the same size/number of flutes. I'm also finding access to the filter on the 2.4 a bit tricky
Thanks

 

Use a 3" plus 1.5" 3/8 extension to remove the filter with the cap wrench (or cam wrench) of the size you described. It's much easier to access than the other engines. I use the cap wrench to tighten also, 2/3 to 3/4 turn.
As for aftermarket filters, I have no idea as I only use OEM.

 

I always change the oil myself on everything, except the Grand Vitara, like others have said, it's just too much trouble.

 

on AUDM H27a, you can remove the filter from the top, just have to undo a few bolts that hold components in the way.


better than oil running down your arm from underneath.

 

actually, only 2 10mm bolts holding circular black canister. push that out of the way and can access filter from the top.

that's my method.

after it's off, get down there and rag it all up. that way all the oil doesn't go down your arm.

 

Definately a fun vehicle to change the oil on.
My first try with the Grand Vitara 2010 DDIS 1.9L F9Q Engine was a mission.

First of all the sump plug is at the front of the sump, which means using ramps wont empty the entire volume, I realised this too late. Usually sump plug is at rear so using ramps is no issue and drains everything.

Accessing the filter was performed laying on my back, feet out the front of the vehicle, right arm from behind the lower control arm up into its guts and loosened/removed the filter by hand as if performing vehicular breaststroke. Repeat in reverse with a 3/4 turn, or as tight as reasonable.

Overall it would have been not too bad had the ryco filter I got from super cheap been the correct one. The ryco shop book tells you to get a z608, however comparing to the original "suzuki brand" and online, you actually need a z690. (The z608 is used in other renault's with same engine; its 2/3 the size of the z690) Supercheap had none in stock, so off to repco where they tore a hole in my wallet. $43 Because oil had been drained for long enough I paid there and then just to get the job done.

However now the car needs to have ignition cranked two times for the engine to start up if its been sitting a while. Or maybe I have never noticed before. Maybe I dont hold the starter on long enough. Who knows. Only had for about 5000km. Not sure whether this is low pressure caused by average anti-drain in the filter or that the oil pump needs priming?
Any thoughts?

G

 

However now the car needs to have ignition cranked two times for the engine to start up if its been sitting a while. Or maybe I have never noticed before. Maybe I dont hold the starter on long enough. Who knows. Only had for about 5000km. Not sure whether this is low pressure caused by average anti-drain in the filter or that the oil pump needs priming?
Any thoughts?
G

Oil Pump is a positive displacement pump, therefore doesn't require priming
also oil pressure has no bearing on vehicle start, vehicle will start with no oil

do you have a diesel or petrol?
diesels don't enjoy cold starts (until glow plug light goes out)
petrol can drain back if one-way valve in pump leaks internally, not really an issue


EDIT:
but to stay on thread, when servicing my car, I'm able to stick a suitably long pry bar down through the top and tap the rolled edge to loosen, then slide underneath and remove. Installation is from the bottom and only hand tight