Hi, All.
It's been a while since I posted here, but I just did my oil and filter change again and also replaced the coolant.
I've changed the oil several times before on my '06 DB9 Volante, and I've followed Steve's system at Aston1936.com, but I've always been terrified of not being able to break the filter loose with my hand.
Well, today it happened. I'd apparently tightened it too much the last time, and I just couldn't budge it. I'd tried to get a strap wrench and an end-cap wrench on before, but I just couldn't get enough room to get any rotation. Fortunately, I'd picked up a Channel Lock #212 12" 2.5"-3.75" filter pliers last week, and it was the PERFECT tool for the job. With the pliers set in the widest channel setting the handles closed enough for a good grip and I managed maybe 10-15 degrees of rotation with each move. That was easily enough to crack the filter loose and remove it by hand. It has completely erased my annual trepidation about the job!
Also, I'd never changed the coolant myself before, and while everyone said that it makes a mess, I was unprepared for just how bad it was. Coolant flowed out of the drain hole and along the panel under the radiator before cascading down in a waterfall of about six streams over about a three-foot width. It took three containers to catch the flows, and a lot of cleanup afterwards.
Here's how I'll do it next time: First, there isn't a lot of coolant that drains out if you just open the drain plug. You have to loosen the cap of the under-hood coolant reservoir (where you add coolant) to get a good flow. So I'll get a piece of PVC pipe about two feet long and notch one end so I can offer it up to the drain hole and hold it in place while the reservoir cap is still tightly closed. Then I'll ask my wife or a friend to open the reservoir cap, releasing the flow while I hold the pipe in place and direct the coolant into the drain pan. I'm pretty sure that will work.
Dan87951 has an excellent write-up on this forum on the rest of the procedure.

 

Thanks for sharing this. I'm heading into both jobs soon with no prior experience on this vehicle.

 

Also...get a throttle body o-ring in advance of the job. You'll be removing the driver's side throttle body to access the oil filter, and if the o-ring's deteriorated it will need to be replaced. Unfortunately, it's not something you can find at your local auto parts store, and it can take a couple of weeks to come in. The part number is CD33-9E936-AA.

 

Get 2 throttle body "O" rings. I purchase mine from redpants.lol. When I change the oil I clean both throttle bodies. It's best to replace the O ring once the throttle body is removed. Aston1936.com has a great video on this.

 

Just did all the fluids in my DB9. I will tell you that a lift helps!!!!

 

 

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