Maintenance ramps with a vRS

Bodge · 23-01-2008, 14:14

Basically I need to lift the car for a DIY oil change.

So will a vRS go up ramps ok without losing the front bumber?

Also, will the fact that car would be at an angle affect the effectiveness of draining the oil out?

And what the hell do i do with the old oil?!

If anyone has ramps here, where did you buy them?

So many questions......

Dan Walton · 23-01-2008, 14:19

I think you might be able to get your car on ramps if you drive over a brick or some wood first, otherwise you'll need to whip the bumper off.
Not really sure about how well it will drain at an angle but you can get a tray from Halfords to collect the old oil in and empty it at the dump. It's like a bottle of oil that you lay on it's side. It has a cap on the side and one on the top so you remove the side cap and lay it down to collect the oil and then pour it out again normally through the top cap, not very expensive.
I gues Halfords would be a good port of call for ramps too, mine are from there but are donkeys old so haven't got a clue how much they are!

big green · 23-01-2008, 14:19

Hi. No a VRS will not go up standard ramps without damaging the front. I welded a set of extensions that I fit to my ramps that lower the angle. You might get away with solid wood blocks cut to give a ramp onto your ramps. Used oil can be taken to your local dump where they should have recycling bins. Cheers

Andyroo · 23-01-2008, 14:21

Mine when up a slide bed recovery truck yesterday morning ok, I only thought about it as the driver got in......so I just gritted my teeth....but it was ok.

Johnny50 · 23-01-2008, 14:21

I would recommend being on a level surface for draining oil though, as for disposing it, all local recycling centres usually have an oil disposal section.

As for where to buy ramps..Halfords i expect, or maybe a local motor factors.

Johnny50 · 23-01-2008, 14:22

Doh...got beaten to it !

Dan Walton · 23-01-2008, 14:24

When my car got recovered by Skoda Assist we had to go hunting for bricks and even then I think it still caught the bumper. Good job my bumper's already absolutley hammered underneath!

motoxrob · 23-01-2008, 14:24

I always find trolley jacks really good for this type of thing.

like this one

2 TONNE GENERAL DUTY TROLLEY JACK WITH ‘QUICK LIFT‘ FACILITY Car Maintenance Buy Car Jacks/Axle Stands Buy Tools CHEAP Online

but really any decent car shop will sell them.

This way you can let the car down when its draining!

Your local council dump should have a big vat where you can dispose of your old oil.

Hope this helps!

fatty5000 · 23-01-2008, 14:30

I just pour the old oil in in the river taff late at night..........................

I heard that lately the fishing ain't been to good

simonlb · 23-01-2008, 14:30

I had a load of scrap melamine board knocking around which was roughly 12-inches wide, so I cut it into various lengths then screwed them together to form a couple of ramps about 2-feet long by 3 inches high. I've used them with my last three cars to do oil changes - just reverse up them and then there's enough room to get underneath and remove the sump plug and oil filter.

An additional plus is that if I reverse over them I don't damage anything underneath when I fall off the end and there's no danger of the car falling off them either when I'm under it.

***ncarring*** · 23-01-2008, 14:31

Or get one of these

fatty5000 · 23-01-2008, 14:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncarring

Or get one of these

Daft question I know, but do they work. What about the dregs ??

Bodge · 23-01-2008, 14:46

Just found this website. Bit expensive but that big tilty ramp thing looks awesome. Plus there's a pic of a vRS on one....

Restoration Car Ramps, UK

£245 for some awesome ramps? Could be a good investment for a DIYer.

Those oil pump things look a bit crap to be brutally honest! It's just never gonna drain the engine properly. I drain my oil while it's still hot so I get it all out cleanly and quickly. You have to watch your hands though!

Tom_vRS · 23-01-2008, 15:31

Excellent, I will treat myself to some posh ramps before my next service!!

Johnny50 · 23-01-2008, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodge

Just found this website. Bit expensive but that big tilty ramp thing looks awesome. Plus there's a pic of a vRS on one....

Restoration Car Ramps, UK

£245 for some awesome ramps? Could be a good investment for a DIYer.

Those oil pump things look a bit crap to be brutally honest! It's just never gonna drain the engine properly. I drain my oil while it's still hot so I get it all out cleanly and quickly. You have to watch your hands though!

Cheapest i can find for the ramps on their site is £795

Tom_vRS · 23-01-2008, 15:51

You want the EZup ramps from the link on the left hand side of that web page

Those £700 jobbies are a tad overkill - although 100% awesome!

Johnny50 · 23-01-2008, 15:51

Forget that..

Looking at the wrong page !

Oops.

***ncarring*** · 23-01-2008, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodge

Those oil pump things look a bit crap to be brutally honest! It's just never gonna drain the engine properly. I drain my oil while it's still hot so I get it all out cleanly and quickly. You have to watch your hands though!

Have you tried one? What aspect of it do you think would not work properly? How much residual oil do you think it's acceptable to leave in an engine, given that any drain method is going to leave some? (for example cars with separate oil coolers).

Tom_vRS · 23-01-2008, 15:56

Indeed its difficult to get all the oil out of the oil cooler and filter housing on the PD engines.

There are plenty of little shelves etc in the engine that oil will remain on, likewise on the sump baffle...

I'd still prefer to drain and use a litre or so of clean oil to flush any real residue. I like to jack my car up on the opposite side to the drain plug too as my engine is longitudinally mounted.

A LOT of dealers will only use a vacuum pump shoved down the dipstick tube... I'm yet to be convinced on their effectiveness tbh, but if its good enough for the people issuing your warranty...

Many engines now don't even have drain plugs in the sump, so this is the only way to get the oil out

Mercedes do it quite a bit I believe.

***ncarring*** · 23-01-2008, 15:59

Do you actually pour a litre of clean oil into your engine each time you change your oil, Tom? If so, how do you ensure it gets to the places where the old oil is?

You can see I'm being devil's advocate here, but there's a serious point behind my questions. If you just pour a litre of oil into the top of the engine, it will just run down the nearest oilway straight into the sump, and out again. The best it's going to do is clean that oilway, and a bit of the sump floor...

Tom_vRS · 23-01-2008, 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncarring

Do you actually pour a litre of clean oil into your engine each time you change your oil, Tom? If so, how do you ensure it gets to the places where the old oil is?

You can see I'm being devil's advocate here, but there's a serious point behind my questions. If you just pour a litre of oil into the top of the engine, it will just run down the nearest oilway straight into the sump, and out again. The best it's going to do is clean that oilway, and a bit of the sump floor...

Indeed I do pour a litre or 2 of clean cheap semi synth oil through, and it comes out a lot darker than it went in, so it must do some good

As said, I jack my car up on the side opposite the sump plug, so the engine will all drain against one side. I make sure I lower the car and raise it again too to try and get out as much as possible.

However, I am anal about things like this, and you are completely correct in saying that a vacuum pump will most likely be completely acceptable.

Old Blue · 23-01-2008, 21:46

Use to do it with cars many years ago but a bit over fussy now.

So replace sump plug pour in new oil or flushing oil, run the engine until warm then switch off and remove plug and drain.

This should get the rest of the old oil out, well as much as you ever will!!

23-01-2008, 14:14	#1
Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: England Posts: 840 Thanks: 117 Thanked 69 Times in 65 Posts	Maintenance ramps with a vRS Basically I need to lift the car for a DIY oil change. So will a vRS go up ramps ok without losing the front bumber? Also, will the fact that car would be at an angle affect the effectiveness of draining the oil out? And what the hell do i do with the old oil?! If anyone has ramps here, where did you buy them? So many questions...... __________________ Diamond Silver '02 Octavia vRS hatch

23-01-2008, 14:19	#2
Dan Walton Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 506 Thanks: 3 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS I think you might be able to get your car on ramps if you drive over a brick or some wood first, otherwise you'll need to whip the bumper off. Not really sure about how well it will drain at an angle but you can get a tray from Halfords to collect the old oil in and empty it at the dump. It's like a bottle of oil that you lay on it's side. It has a cap on the side and one on the top so you remove the side cap and lay it down to collect the oil and then pour it out again normally through the top cap, not very expensive. I gues Halfords would be a good port of call for ramps too, mine are from there but are donkeys old so haven't got a clue how much they are! __________________ J'ai douze ans!!

23-01-2008, 14:19	#3
big green Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: gloucester Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Hi. No a VRS will not go up standard ramps without damaging the front. I welded a set of extensions that I fit to my ramps that lower the angle. You might get away with solid wood blocks cut to give a ramp onto your ramps. Used oil can be taken to your local dump where they should have recycling bins. Cheers

23-01-2008, 14:21	#4
Andyroo Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Norfolk Posts: 32 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Mine when up a slide bed recovery truck yesterday morning ok, I only thought about it as the driver got in......so I just gritted my teeth....but it was ok. __________________ Work - DAF CF 75.310 Play - Skoda Octavia vRS, Skoda Favorit GLXi

23-01-2008, 14:21	#5
Johnny50 Here's Johnny ! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,387 Thanks: 254 Thanked 173 Times in 169 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS I would recommend being on a level surface for draining oil though, as for disposing it, all local recycling centres usually have an oil disposal section. As for where to buy ramps..Halfords i expect, or maybe a local motor factors.

23-01-2008, 14:22	#6
Johnny50 Here's Johnny ! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,387 Thanks: 254 Thanked 173 Times in 169 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Doh...got beaten to it !

23-01-2008, 14:24	#7
Dan Walton Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 506 Thanks: 3 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS When my car got recovered by Skoda Assist we had to go hunting for bricks and even then I think it still caught the bumper. Good job my bumper's already absolutley hammered underneath! __________________ J'ai douze ans!!

23-01-2008, 14:24	#8
motoxrob Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bury St Edmunds Posts: 15 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS I always find trolley jacks really good for this type of thing. like this one 2 TONNE GENERAL DUTY TROLLEY JACK WITH ‘QUICK LIFT‘ FACILITY Car Maintenance Buy Car Jacks/Axle Stands Buy Tools CHEAP Online but really any decent car shop will sell them. This way you can let the car down when its draining! Your local council dump should have a big vat where you can dispose of your old oil. Hope this helps! __________________ Newbie Rob 03 Black Magic Octavia vRS . . . . LOVE IT!!

23-01-2008, 14:30	#9
fatty5000 Why So Serious Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: "What" ...What ain't no god damn country Posts: 5,529 Thanks: 271 Thanked 199 Times in 180 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS I just pour the old oil in in the river taff late at night.......................... I heard that lately the fishing ain't been to good __________________ Last edited by fatty5000; 23-01-2008 at 14:41.

23-01-2008, 14:30	#10
simonlb Briskodian Join Date: May 2007 Location: . Posts: 381 Thanks: 3 Thanked 27 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS I had a load of scrap melamine board knocking around which was roughly 12-inches wide, so I cut it into various lengths then screwed them together to form a couple of ramps about 2-feet long by 3 inches high. I've used them with my last three cars to do oil changes - just reverse up them and then there's enough room to get underneath and remove the sump plug and oil filter. An additional plus is that if I reverse over them I don't damage anything underneath when I fall off the end and there's no danger of the car falling off them either when I'm under it. Last edited by simonlb; 23-01-2008 at 14:32. Reason: Kos I can't spel

23-01-2008, 14:31	#11
*ncarring* Don't talk, drive! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The B roads of Britain Posts: 12,950 Thanks: 16 Thanked 94 Times in 77 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Or get one of these __________________ Nick North Wiltshire RoADAR

23-01-2008, 14:46	#13
Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: England Posts: 840 Thanks: 117 Thanked 69 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Just found this website. Bit expensive but that big tilty ramp thing looks awesome. Plus there's a pic of a vRS on one.... Restoration Car Ramps, UK £245 for some awesome ramps? Could be a good investment for a DIYer. Those oil pump things look a bit crap to be brutally honest! It's just never gonna drain the engine properly. I drain my oil while it's still hot so I get it all out cleanly and quickly. You have to watch your hands though! __________________ Diamond Silver '02 Octavia vRS hatch

23-01-2008, 15:31	#14
Tom_vRS Briskodaholic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fenland, Cambridgeshire Posts: 11,529 Thanks: 675 Thanked 422 Times in 302 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Excellent, I will treat myself to some posh ramps before my next service!! __________________ 97/R BMW 328i in Boston Green.

23-01-2008, 15:51	#16
Tom_vRS Briskodaholic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fenland, Cambridgeshire Posts: 11,529 Thanks: 675 Thanked 422 Times in 302 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS You want the EZup ramps from the link on the left hand side of that web page Those £700 jobbies are a tad overkill - although 100% awesome! __________________ 97/R BMW 328i in Boston Green.

23-01-2008, 15:51	#17
Johnny50 Here's Johnny ! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,387 Thanks: 254 Thanked 173 Times in 169 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Forget that.. Looking at the wrong page ! Oops.

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23-01-2008, 15:56	#19
Tom_vRS Briskodaholic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fenland, Cambridgeshire Posts: 11,529 Thanks: 675 Thanked 422 Times in 302 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Indeed its difficult to get all the oil out of the oil cooler and filter housing on the PD engines. There are plenty of little shelves etc in the engine that oil will remain on, likewise on the sump baffle... I'd still prefer to drain and use a litre or so of clean oil to flush any real residue. I like to jack my car up on the opposite side to the drain plug too as my engine is longitudinally mounted. A LOT of dealers will only use a vacuum pump shoved down the dipstick tube... I'm yet to be convinced on their effectiveness tbh, but if its good enough for the people issuing your warranty... Many engines now don't even have drain plugs in the sump, so this is the only way to get the oil out Mercedes do it quite a bit I believe. __________________ 97/R BMW 328i in Boston Green.

23-01-2008, 15:59	#20
*ncarring* Don't talk, drive! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The B roads of Britain Posts: 12,950 Thanks: 16 Thanked 94 Times in 77 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Do you actually pour a litre of clean oil into your engine each time you change your oil, Tom? If so, how do you ensure it gets to the places where the old oil is? You can see I'm being devil's advocate here, but there's a serious point behind my questions. If you just pour a litre of oil into the top of the engine, it will just run down the nearest oilway straight into the sump, and out again. The best it's going to do is clean that oilway, and a bit of the sump floor... __________________ Nick North Wiltshire RoADAR

23-01-2008, 21:46	#22
Old Blue Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 148 Thanks: 13 Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Maintenance ramps with a vRS Use to do it with cars many years ago but a bit over fussy now. So replace sump plug pour in new oil or flushing oil, run the engine until warm then switch off and remove plug and drain. This should get the rest of the old oil out, well as much as you ever will!!

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Maintenance ramps with a vRS

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