Can Am X3 Oil Change Tips - School Me

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Dockmaster

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Planning to do my first oil change on the 2018 X3 Turbo R I bought last year. Any tips or tricks to avoid making a mess draining the oil? I see the videos on YouTube on using a funnel. Any reason to not just make the hole in the skid plate larger so the oil just drains straight  out? I have a funnel with a long hose on it that makes adding oil easy so mainly looking to avoid a big mess draining. Thanks!

 
They make a special funnel for the Can am. helps out with mess for sure. 

 
Bluejawz makes a funnel that makes it less messy.  That is what I use.  They have them on Amazon and EBay. 

There two drain plugs.  The main one for the oil and the second smaller one drains the oil from the oil filter housing.  
 

get a long funnel with a flexible hose attached to it.  Feed it through one of the holes in the bed to get to the oil fill. 

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put some paper towels around the oil filter so when you pull it out oil does not go down the engine.  
 

no matter how clean you think you did the oil change oil will find its way on the skid plate.  Can Am engineers were clearly messing with owners on making it a mess.  
 

there are YouTube videos on doing the oil change on the X3.

 
Use the cardboard tube from the center of a paper towel roll. Cut it in half ( save one half for the next oil change) slide in the hole on the skid plate up to the block and use a long extension for the drain plug. No mess and cheap.

 
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I got tired of fighting the lack of access and removed the skid plate.  Then re-installed it with self tapping fasteners that are easily removed in the future.

 
Thanks everyone. Funnel should be here tomorrow and I'm good to go. Thanks for the tips and links!

 
I did cut a hole in my skid plate under the drain bolt. There is a frame cross member right there that still keeps it a PITA regardless.

Better than "the funnel" though...

Post oil change pressure wash of the underside is just part of the job.

 
In my experience, the oil filter is the biggest issue.  I've yet to find a method that doesn't result in oil overflowing from the oil filter lid when you remove it.

 
Riv-nut the skidplate.  There are other items like U-joints that need maintenance anyway, easier to do it all at the oil change.  

 
Thanks for all the tips .I got the oil change done over the weekend, it was pretty easy. The funnel helped a lot although it didn't catch everything. The funnel worked for the main flow easy enough. But when oil flow reduced to small amount of residual the oil ran down the block and dripped just behind where the funnel reached. But it wasn't much and was easy enough to clean. Next time I'll know where to put a sorbie to make it even easier.

I had no issue with the oil filter. I pulled it up and let heavy flow drain back into the reservoir. Then just put a sorbie under when I removed it. Didn't spill a drop. But I do find it odd that they go to the trouble of adding a second drain plug for the oil filter housing but it doesn't seem to drain the reservoir all the way. Maybe they want to keep some oil in there for initial start up?

 
all my friends with x3's have installed riv nuts so they can remove the skidplates for servicing. also allows them to inspect the undercarriage as well.

 
Kevin said:
all my friends with x3's have installed riv nuts so they can remove the skidplates for servicing. also allows them to inspect the undercarriage as well.
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I'll likely do that for next time. 

 
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