Just a word of caution, do not overtighten bolts! I changed the oil and filters on our LR3 and Range Rover Sport yesterday (gotta love disposing of 16 quarts of oil). The last oil change on the LR3 was done by a very good Indy shop. The bolts on the skid plates were almost welded on! They had to be tightened to 150 lbs or more. The oil plug was equally tightened as was the oil filter. It isn't necessary. I don't have the specs for the skid plate bolts, but the oil filter should be tightened to 13 ft pounds and the oil drain plug should be 18 ft pounds. Snug is good, tightened beyond reason is not.....

Oil filter. The only oil filters that I could get off of the shelf were the microguard filters from Oreilly's. I could not find a Mobil 1 filter M1-213, anywhere locally. Amazon had them, two for $30, shipped. I ended up using some K&N filters, part number HP-1014 that I got from Oreilly's, had to order them from their So Cal warehouse, took a day. They were $15 each and had a handy nut design built into the top of the filter for easy tightening and loosening. The indy shop had installed a Bosch Premium Oil Filter, part number 72209WS.

(by the way, I am running Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5/30 in the LR3 and the Range Rover Sport, I know that conventional oil is recommended, but the price is almost the same and I feel like the synthetic is better over the long haul)

Any thoughts on oil filters, recommendations for the future?

thanks Phil

2005 LR3 HSE Tonga Green 120,000 miles
2006 Range Rover Sport HSE Giverny Green 22,000 miles

 

I use the K & N oil filter on every car I have except my jag. That's only because they don't make on for it. I found compared to others my oil stayed clear longer with the K & N. I'm not saying any others are better or worse. Just the explanation on why I use them.

 

That's why I have never ever used an oil change place on any car.

Oil filter hand tightened only. Drain plug just past 'snug' with a 3/8" ratchet. Same with plate bolts.

I too use the HP-1014

Also by far the worst offense here is over-tightening the drain plug.... $3,000 oil pan anyone?

 

Grrrr.....

I'm a victim of that; thanks dealership! (I didn't buy a new pan, I re-engineered the drain plug)

 

Years back, when I was driving 100 round trip to work 6 days a week, I used and oil change franchise to do my oil changes. One time the car jumped three times, I asked what is going on. He said he was tightening the three oil drain plugs. Mercury 302, 3 plugs. 2 times later, they billed me for 3 plugs, seems they were stripping them. Then, I took my wife's full sized Ford van in and when they were done, he pulled a dipstick and showed me my oil was full. Told him that is not my oil stick, and he got upset. I got out and showed him the yellow oil stick, and pointed to the hole where the trans stick was. Never been back to anyone for any liquid service change. Seems the MINI dealer leaves antifreeze all over the engine during warranty services and the local Land Rover dealer lets the antifreeze fall everywhere on a warranty water pump replacement during the previous ownership. Do it all now, saves money. I but my 5.0 filters on Ebay for $17 as all the filters come from the same place for the top of the engine FOMOCO filter housing.

 

I use a cordless impact on all of the bolts - and my indy and anyone else I've seen work on these does the same (just too many bolts for a freaking oil change lol). I could imagine how they'd be difficult without power tools - I generally leave my gun set to "2" which is ~40-50lb-ft which is a lot, but I just zip them on and keep going. No issues in the 3 years since I've had that gun.

No issues at all with the drain plug, but that's a very specific (tripple tap) with a ratchet and my fist. Taking it off has to be a "tap" or impact as well, as the "steady" force causes issues.

Ironically the only thing I HAVE had issues with is the oil filter. Somehow with this vehicle, they keep becoming noticeably more loose than when I installed them. Each time I keep upping my torque, but generally I HATE doing that as I've previously only had issues with them being too tight.

I think my second oil change with the LR3, I was actually leaking oil around the filter seal.

I get the CQ premium filters at about half off, so I've just been using those. I've had generally bad impressions of Mobil 1 oil for quite some time, and stick to Liqui Moly Longtime High Tech 5w30 year-round. It's pretty expensive but you can find the 5L jugs for $38 - I usually just get two and carry over the left-overs. I had used the M1 initially, but as usual it seems to sheer out and I notice increased engine noise. Not impressed with the German Castrol as well. ZERO issues w/ the Liqui Moly even though it's lighter than some of the other stuff I've tried, true Group 4 full synthetic unlike the others which are Group 3 hydrocracked / blends.