NSX FAQ

Oil Change

Engine Oil Change

You need these parts:

  • 5 quarts of engine oil (10W30)
  • Oil filter
  • Crush washer (hint: tape crush washer to filter when you buy them so you don’t lose it!)

You need these tools:

  • Jack and 4 jack stands
  • Lug wrench
  • Torque wrench
  • Oil catch pan
  • Oil filter wrench (80mm 15 flute if you get the socket style wrench)(if you’re weak)
  • Rubber gloves (if you’re a sissy about hot oil)
  1. Warm up the engine. For best results, warm it up at high RPM on a fun back road.
  2. Loosen the lug nuts on the passenger side rear wheel
  3. Jack the car up and put it on jack stands (all four corners)
  4. Position the catch pan where you think the oil will go when you remove the drain bolt
  5. Remove oil pan drain bolt (be careful not to burn yourself with hot oil)
  6. Frantically reposition the catch pan to where the oil actually went
  7. Discard the old crush washer that came off with the drain bolt
  8. Remove passenger side rear wheel while the oil is draining into the pan and onto your driveway
  9. Remove old oil filter
  10. Rub some NEW, CLEAN oil on the new filter’s seal
  11. Install the new filter
  12. Reinstall the drain bolt in the oil pan using the NEW crush washer(94109-14000)
  13. Pour 5 quarts of new oil into the engine filler tube
  14. Reinstall the wheel and make the lug nuts finger-tight
  15. Lower the car back onto the ground
  16. Torque the lug nuts to 80 lb/ft
  17. Clean up!

Overfilling Warning

[LE, HS – 98/8/3] Do not over-fill with oil. It can foam at high RPM and cause engine damage. Also, overfilling a non drysump engine like the NSX’s puts the main seals at risk.

Variations

[DOH – 98/12/18] Griot’s Garage sells a neat little oil extractor for $65, a neat toy for those of us who change our own oil… No need to unscrew the drain plug ever again. ITEM#10122, 800-345-5789. I’ve used it four times and will never go back.

Lazy Man’s Oil Change

You will need an oil drain pan low enough to slide under the rear suspension
and of sufficient volume to not slosh over the sides when holding 5.3 qts of oil.
I got a 7 qt one approx 3 5/8 inches high at Wal-Mart. Works fine.
Reach in from in front of RR tire and break drain plug loose. Do not remove yet. Slide
drain pan in from rear, remove drain plug, and let oil drain. When done, put new
crush washer (94109-14000) on plug, & install finger tight from the rear. Reach in from in front
of RR tire for final torque (33 ft lbs). Reaching in from here gives you a good angle
& enough leverage to loosen/tighten as compared to reaching in from the rear.
Carefully slide drain pan over underneath oil filter. You may want to cover the rear
suspension in a piece of foil to make clean up easier. Loosen filter, catch as much oil as possible,
& remove filter & now full drain pan from under car. Clean up suspension & filter mounting
area. Install new filter as usual (prefill or not is up to you).
Refill engine with 5.3 qts of your favorite oil. Idle car and check for leaks.
Let car sit for several minutes to final check oil level. Top off as needed.