July 19, 2005
Oil Service
Not much to say except after another 5000 miles, it was time for another synthetic oil service. I also took the time to replace the microfilter (which was a very dark gray, if not black with particulates), as well as the engine air filter.
Well, perhaps I should clarify -- my mechanic replaced the microfilter while I replaced the engine air filter. I was attempting to figure out why the filter wasn't fitting well when I heard something to the effect of "hey, hope that guy doesn't break Doug's car...he'll be pissed!" :-) After my mechanic showed me that the foam seal of the OEM filter (unlike the aftermarket filters) is supposed to be wedged inside the black carrier rather than sit on top of it, it slid right in.
Since my state inspection is coming up and they now read the computer codes, I was also curious as to whether the DME had stored any codes related to the catalytic converters. While the fresh oil drained into the engine, my mechanic hooked up the diagnostic computer to reveal no stored fault codes. And that's a good thing, because it means the prior emission faults were a fluke and the catalytic converters are still functioning normally.
Parts: $88, Labor: $86, Total $193. Mileage: 119858.