[ashwinprakas]

Ola Folks!

This time I'm back with a DIY oil change on my 2020 Alto.

The procedure is universal but I thought I'd write a guide specific to the Suzuki F8 Series Motor which does duty on the Maruti 800, Alto 0.8L and Alto 800 Series of Cars.

Specifications:



Requirements:

• Fresh Engine Oil.
• Fresh Oil Filter.
• Oil Filter Socket.
• 17mm Ring Spanner.

Procedure:

• Drive the Driver side wheel over the spare tyre;
  
  
  
• Pop the hood and open the engine oil cap;
  
  
  
  Last time (DIY: Maruti-Suzuki F10D Engine Oil Change) fellow bhpian Jeroen had advised (DIY: Maruti-Suzuki F10D Engine Oil Change) to cover the filler mouth to prevent anything from Falling inside which is a useful tip to keep in mind, but with the F8, Suzuki has gone a step further, you cannot directly see inside the motor like on the F10 engine as the filler window is obstructed in a way to reduce the possibility of anything big falling into the block;
  
  
  
  Be it car or motorcycle this is exactly why I love engines with Pedigree, such engines cannot even be compared to the slew of half-baked afterthoughts that have plagued the market.
  
  
• Get under the car, place a pan below the oil sump and crack the drain bolt and let the oil drain onto the pan;
  
  
  
• Bonus Tip! Due to clearance issues and the fact that the guys at the ASC used inhumane force to tighten the drain bolt I was unable to break it free at first and hence had to improvise;
  
  
  
  Now you can't blame me for not using the Jack!
  
  
• While the oil is draining secure the Drain Bolt and Washer, it is recommended to use a new washer but I couldn't source one hence reused the old one, this is not ideal, always replace crush washers, they're called so for a reason!
  
  
  
  Once flow stops, simply reinstall the drain bolt and washer and move on to the filter.
  
  
• After the oil has completely drained, using the Oil Filter Wrench undo the Oil Filter;
  
  
  
  
  
• Inspect the mating surface and then apply some oil onto the mating surface of the new oil filter;
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Once a fine layer of oil is applied to the mating surface O ring, you should screw the new filter in place, only hand tighten it!
  
  
  
• After that take the new engine oil and pour it into the engine via the filler cap you'd opened earlier, and once done close it shut;
  
  
  
  
  
• Now start the motor and let it idle for a while, once done do have a look under to make sure there are no oil leaks;
  
  

And that's all there is to it folks, also note that it is always a best practice to confirm oil level after changing oil just to be on the safer side.

So until next time then, Adios!

Regards,
A.P.

[hserus]

Very nice but why did you pour a diesel specific 15w40 API CH4 engine oil like Mobil Delvac into your petrol f8d?

They're specifying a 5w30 so for example Shell HX8, Shell Helix Taxi, Idemitsu, Mobil Super 3000, all the way to Amsoil would be available.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by hserus

Very nice but why did you pour a diesel specific 15w40 API CH4 engine oil like Mobil Delvac into your petrol f8d?

They're specifying a 5w30 so for example Shell HX8, Shell Helix Taxi, Idemitsu, Mobil Super 3000, all the way to Amsoil would be available.

I got this Mobil for Rs.171/Liter on offer, that brings down cost of changing oil to Rs.605/- including Oil Filter. I follow the old 5k drain intervals, hence the cheaper the better.

Plus the Suzuki F8 still uses Flat Tappets, higher quantities of ZDDP in HDEO oils would help as well, or at least I presume so.

Regards,
A.P.

[hserus]

Phosphorous as well. Yes that would probably work for a 5k drain interval on a flat tappet engine.

The first time you change with this drain it out in the first 1000-1500 as the detergents will wash out quite a lot of accumulated soot from the engine.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

I got this Mobil for Rs.171/Liter on offer, that brings down cost of changing oil to Rs.605/- including Oil Filter. I follow the old 5k drain intervals, hence the cheaper the better.

Plus the Suzuki F8 still uses Flat Tappets, higher quantities of ZDDP in HDEO oils would help as well, or at least I presume so.

Regards,
A.P.

[Jeroen]

Great job, well done. Creative use of the jack stand!

You did not mention it, but it is best to drain the oil when it is still hot.

I always fill up the oil filter with clean oil before I install it. It is an old habit that ensure the lubrications of everything starts quicker when you start the first time.

It is not always possible, but it look like your oil filter is installed vertically from underneath, so should be fairly easy.

As long as your diesel oil meets the requirements of your petrol engine, there is no problem.

Jeroen

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by hserus

Phosphorous as well. Yes that would probably work for a 5k drain interval on a flat tappet engine.

The first time you change with this drain it out in the first 1000-1500 as the detergents will wash out quite a lot of accumulated soot from the engine.

Yes, first oil change was done at 1k on the odo (Car would be 2 Months Old Tomorrow), but the thing is the idiots at the ASC used 0W20 Oil, the one prescribed for K-Series engines.

Now she's at 5k on the odo, the 0W20 was used for 4k Kms, and I was experiencing a kind of Diesel Engine clatter under load which after using the 15W40 HDEO has almost vanished.

Anyhow would update owners thread (Ownership review of my Maruti Suzuki Alto - Utilitarianism redefined, again!) when I change at the 10k Kms mark.

Cheers,
A.P.

[surajspai]

Oil Filter Socket.

Used your (previous)guide to finally change the oil on my old 2007 Alto.
It has become very sluggish of late and one of the things I noticed while reading the service bills is that it too had been filled with 0W20 oil.I used 20W40 oil(Shell make,834 Rs for 3L) from the MGP store.
Post oil change the response of the vehicle has improved,by a good margin,especially low end pickup.I had run close to 7200Km on 0W20.

Say,What is the inner dia for the oil filter socket?65mm?I got myself one of the adjustable wrenches and it just cant hold the filter.I had to resort to using a pipe wrench to finally break the filter loose since it was tightened by, perhaps the Hulk.

I am a bit chicken so instead of trying to drive over the wheel,I borrowed a car jack from my neighbor,jacked up the car on both sides near the front,slid the wheel below as insurance and accessed the oil drain plug.

It too had been tightened insanely and when I finally did manage to free it, I found that the threads on the bolt themselves were warped out of shape.Luckily,I did have a spare drain bolt while I'd bought on a whim and put it in.

Wonder how badly marred the oil sump threads are.No leaks after a thousand kilometers of driving but the sight of the mauled bolt really broke my heart as to how poorly the A.S.S-es at the A.S.S treat our beloved vehicles.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Great job, well done. Creative use of the jack stand!

Thank you for the kind words.

You did not mention it, but it is best to drain the oil when it is still hot.

Yes, a miss on my part. Mine was hot as I'd moved the car from my aunts plot next door to our plot hence even though there wasn't much heat when under the car, the oil was reasonably warm.

I always fill up the oil filter with clean oil before I install it. It is an old habit that ensure the lubrications of everything starts quicker when you start the first time.

It is not always possible, but it look like your oil filter is installed vertically from underneath, so should be fairly easy.

Yes, Vertically installed it is, and it is considered to be a good practice to prefill oil inside the filter before installation.

On taking the old one off it was quite heavy and on draining I measured quantity and roughly 200~300ml was missing, which I presume must've been inside the old oil filter.

Originally Posted by surajspai

Used your (previous)guide to finally change the oil on my old 2007 Alto.
It has become very sluggish of late and one of the things I noticed while reading the service bills is that it too had been filled with 0W20 oil.I used 20W40 oil(Shell make,834 Rs for 3L) from the MGP store.
Post oil change the response of the vehicle has improved,by a good margin,especially low end pickup.I had run close to 7200Km on 0W20.

This engine by design is not a fan of lighter oils, saying so as I can clearly hear the difference.

I'd prefer a 5k drain interval considering that the engine platform is older than me even though the car is new, don't know why but sets my heart at ease.

Say,What is the inner dia for the oil filter socket?65mm?

64mm it is, this is a generic tool for MPFi Maruti Cars, you can get it from practically any hardware store near you.

I got mine from a Car spares shop near our house.

I am a bit chicken so instead of trying to drive over the wheel,I borrowed a car jack from my neighbor,jacked up the car on both sides near the front,slid the wheel below as insurance and accessed the oil drain plug.

I've seen it being done like that but the thing is the sticker on the Scissor Jack mentions that one shouldn't work under the vehicle when mounted on it, and that did bother me quite a bit.

Honestly I wouldn't even trust those Amazon-wala jack stands, which I have a pair of but only use when working on motorcycles.

Serious trust issues I have.

Luckily,I did have a spare drain bolt while I'd bought on a whim and put it in.

I tried to source spares but surprisingly the MGP outlet here doesn't have it in stock. That was the reason why I had to reuse the washer against better judgement.

Wonder how badly marred the oil sump threads are.No leaks after a thousand kilometers of driving but the sight of the mauled bolt really broke my heart as to how poorly the A.S.S-es at the A.S.S treat our beloved vehicles.

The sump can be replaced for around Rs.600/-'ish, that's the beauty of cars, you can screw up the drain bolt and then change to a new sump just like that. In a Motorcycle worst case you'd have to get a new crankcase and that includes getting the engine number punched, very tedious process it is.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Ola Folks!

This time I'm back with a DIY oil change on my 2020 Alto.

Thanks for the detailed post! The spare wheel used for jacking up the car is something I have never seen! Did you drive on to the wheel?

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

[*]Get under the car, place a pan below the oil sump and crack the drain bolt and let the oil drain onto the pan;

Something that holds me back from changing oil is about the disposal of oil. How do you manage that?

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Thanks for the detailed post! The spare wheel used for jacking up the car is something I have never seen! Did you drive on to the wheel?

Yeah, simply make sure that the front wheel is straight and then gently drive onto the wheel.

Since it's rubber on rubber contact there is more than enough grip.

Something that holds me back from changing oil is about the disposal of oil. How do you manage that?

Pour the used oil into the now empty can of oil that you'd poured inside the motor. Once done leave it for the scrap collector to come and collect it.

You could even donate it to your local workshop, they get paid for returning used oil.

Cheers,
A.P.

[rakesh_r]

Great stuff as always. The trend nowadays is to goto the lowest grade. I feel 0W20 is ridiculous for Indian weather conditions. I have the first gen Alto k10 vxi at my native which was recently serviced, pretty sure the SVC mite have used 0W20. With me being in Pune, its difficult for my dad supervise such minute details.
Changing the oil in my SCross 1.6 is rather cumbersome. To access the oil filter, one needs to remove the driver side front wheel. Whereas for the 1.3 DDiS, pretty much simple, pop the hood and its there right on the top next to the head.

[hserus]

Shell HX8 5w30 (or Ultra 5w40) works great in the f8d by the way, you don’t really need 15 or 20 weight oils in there.

Or if you want 15w40 try this https://www.amazon.in/Shell-55003997.../dp/B00QK6R55Q

[Lowflyer23]

Great DIY sir, but I have a doubt as won't the rim of the spare wheel have chances of damage due to the weight of the car on it?

[vishwasvr]

Good job!

How on earth did you manage to put the car on the tyres!?? JK

Also, a tip, always soak the oil filter in new engine oil before you install it. In your case, you can fill the oil filter with new engine oil since its a 'spin on' filter and it is vertical. But if it is an inverted-oil filter element, then you can soak it in fresh engine oil and then install it. This helps in quicker oil circulation and avoids any minor oil starvation.

[gopa99]

This is nice DIY. I see a change in viscosity, you could have got the 5W30 instead of 15W40. Any reasons you switched to this higher grade? Its best to keep the summer grade Viscometric on the right (XX40) the same to avoid fluid drag and pump load. The CH4 is engineered to handle a lot of soot, but i dont see it benefit any deal on gasoline engines. Commenting on ZDDP, phosphorous levels is unfounded in my opinion unless we are talking of a CJ4 grade or better where the regulations have brought in a change.