Flyntgr
Viper Owner
Can I use ramps or jack stands to change the oil in my '05 SRT Viper? Do I have to remove the skid plate to access the oil drain plug? Where is the drain plug located on this engine? Thanks.
DIY oil change
- Thread starter Flyntgr
- Start date
2002_Viper_GTS_ACR
Enthusiast
just as easy as a gen 2, actually little easier, oil filter and drain plug are both easily accessible, and yes jack stands and ramps will work fine. I personally perfer my lift 
Jon
Jon
just as easy as a gen 2, actually little easier, oil filter and drain plug are both easily accessible, and yes jack stands and ramps will work fine. I personally perfer my lift
Jon
I prefer my mechanic.
I do all the "interesting" and challenging work myself, but an oil change is like cleaning my toilet: I know how to do it, but that's what the maid is for.
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
Good. Now for the second part of my question: do I have to remove the skid plate to access the drain plug? My local shops don't all have lifts which will fit under my car, and the one that does charges over $100 to do it. I have a Viper jack and jack stands, as well as ramps, so I can do it for less than half that price.
Is the oil drain plug at the rear of the engine, or towards the front or middle? I've never changed my Viper's oil before (owned a gen. one, a gen. II, and now the gen. III).
Is the oil drain plug at the rear of the engine, or towards the front or middle? I've never changed my Viper's oil before (owned a gen. one, a gen. II, and now the gen. III).
2002_Viper_GTS_ACR
Enthusiast
just as easy as a gen 2, actually little easier, oil filter and drain plug are both easily accessible, and yes jack stands and ramps will work fine. I personally perfer my lift
Jon
I prefer my mechanic.
I do all the "interesting" and challenging work myself, but an oil change is like cleaning my toilet: I know how to do it, but that's what the maid is for.
You'll see your mostly atypical on that one. With all the horor stories people have heard about botched oil change jobs, its a cheap and easy piece of mind. My machanic does my warranty work only, cuz dodge wont let me. Other then that...I prefer to clean my own toilet, cuz I dont know how good of a job the other person is gonna do.
Enjoy..
Jon
2002_Viper_GTS_ACR
Enthusiast
NO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REMOVE THE SKID PLATE for an oil change at all.
Flexx91
Viper Owner
Have you looked underneath the car? If you cannot locate the oil drain plug or don't know the difference between the engine and the transmission, then I strongly suggest you pay a dealership to change your oil for you.
No flame intended just some constructive advice.
Scott_in_FL
Viper Owner
I'm with Jon on this one. Nobody touches my performance vehicles (the racebikes and Viper) that I can't trust. At high speeds, I need the peace of mind knowing that everything is Loctited if necessary, and not falling off. Same goes for washing the Viper. The daily drivers go to the mechanic and the car wash guy.
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
No flame perceived. That's good advice to a novice. I've changed oil in many mopars, but I just gotten this car and haven't had it on a rack or jacked it up yet. I changed the oil for my daughter's '06 Hemi Charger R/T last weekend, so I know oil drain plugs can be different. My slant six is different, my 413 is more like the slant, etc. I have a shop manual, which isn't too helpful in identifying the location of the drain plug. The replies about the skid plater are VERY HELPFUL, AS THIS EXPLAINS THAT I'VE BEEN RIPPED OFF BY $105 OIL CHANGES!!!! Thanks to all of your replies.
Flexx91
Viper Owner
Glad you understand. Didn't mean to be too critical. Oil changes on the Gen. III are simple - even better than the Gen. I or II due to the position and access to the oil filter. The hardest part is jacking up the car (you'll need a low profile jack for that and a jack stand for safety). Be sure to place the jack on the jack points located inboard of the sil and behind the front wheel (they look like triangles attached to the frame). Check to make sure that no part of the jack pad is resting on the sil or you'll damage it when you start to jack up the car. Unscrew the plug located in the center of the oil pan, drail to oil and replace the plug - DO NOT OVER TORQUE!!! New oil pans for Vipers are aluminum and are quite expensive to replace. Fill the oil filter with new oil prior to installing. Remove jack stand then lower car. Make sure car is level then add oil to proper level.
About $50-$60 for 10 quarts of Mobil One oil and $6 for Mopar filter ($10 for Mobil One M1-204).
Greg-TT
Viper Owner
Where can you find Mobil 1 0W-40 oil for $ 40-50? I've been looking for 0W-40 grade but could't find one.
Copperhead245
Enthusiast
When I first got my SRT last year, I was going to make a web site to cover any work I do (like I had done for my other cars). The only thing I posted was the Oil Change. Didn't think it'd be useful, but the pictures may help someone like Flygtgr...
web page
Ron
web page
Ron
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
RON!! You da mane! That's what I'm talkin' about, photos and explanation, right down to the 14mm wrench and 1" box end. Even the 25 ft lb torque wrench setting for the plug. Did I say thanks? I have the same type of ramps, and will use 2 x 6's to ramp up, as necessary. I do have the low race/Viper type hydraulic jack to use, if I decide to use the jackstands, of which I have two pair. I've got the Mobil one filter and the synthetic Mobil one oil, so with your help and the help of the others with advice, I'm ready to do this thing. Thanks a million.
bigmike32172
Viper Owner
i have been changing the oil in my viper for years, and i dont have to go under the car at all! i just pop the hood and un do the lid on the top of the container, and just pour in the oil! i dont know why guys always say that it should take about 8 quarts, because it seems to almost overflow after 3 or 4 quarts. kinda strange though why they put this little emblem on the cap that looks like a windshield wiper blade, i will have to find the meaning of this.
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
The oil change was easy, thanks to you guys. I'll try to rig up my ramping a little better next time. Ron, where did you get the black additions you had to extend your yellow ramps? What are they made of? I can use 2 x 6's, staggered in length, but yours sure looked easier. Thanks again, everyone.
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
By the way, Ron was prophetic in referencing the tendency of the speedy changers leaving an old rubber gasket on the engine; I found TWO gaskets on the old NAPA filter I removed. The top one was way thicker than the one permanently attached to the NAPA filter, so I wonder how it had been on there. Now it only has the one Mobil 1 filter. Thanks for your pictures and explanation Jon, and others who replied. Reggie
V10SpeedLuvr
Enthusiast
If your old filter had 2 gaskets on it, you're lucky you didn't have an oil leak since the filter wasn't able to be flush on the housing!
LOL, you are insane!
Funny how reality can be even crazier than a joke... someone in here had his transmission drained and his oil doubled up on an Eclipse whilee doing an oil change at Wal-mart...
V10SpeedLuvr
Enthusiast
That was me with the botched Eclipse oil change job, but it was at a Tires Plus, not Wal-Mart. But working at Mitsubishi for 6 years (I got the job after my botched o/c), we saw plenty of botched oil change jobs from all sorts of aftermarket places!
bigmike32172
Viper Owner
LMAO! i was starting to wonder if anyone had a sense of humor in here, and was going to catch my post.
having a little fun on these car websites is a must, especially with all the bickering going on all the time!
having a little fun on these car websites is a must, especially with all the bickering going on all the time!
Copperhead245
Enthusiast
Reggie,
I've had the ramp extensions for years - forgot where I got them but a quick Google and found: Ramp Extensions (These particular extensions only work with the ramps they sell).
They're actually two pieces - fold up for storage, and have "pins" that go into the ramps to hold them in place.
Ron
I've had the ramp extensions for years - forgot where I got them but a quick Google and found: Ramp Extensions (These particular extensions only work with the ramps they sell).
They're actually two pieces - fold up for storage, and have "pins" that go into the ramps to hold them in place.
Ron
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
Ron, I am OVERWHELMED! Your help has been a Godsend. I've just ordered the four piece exension kit for use with my Viper and with my daughter's '06 Charger R/T (with SRT8 hood and air foil) and Road and Track Suspension kit. This is sooo cool to have these pieces to fit my 6500 ramps! Otherwise I have been using my military engineering training to devise wooden (interpret-heavy) extensions from 2x6 or 2x8 lumber. Wow, this is much easier. Sometimes the little things make a lot of difference. Thank you VERY much for taking the time to help me. I do appreciate it. Would you like to borrow my SRT10 for a few months??? Reggie
