Where's the oil drain plug? (1996 Eagle Vision or similar)

Factual Questions
1

I overfilled the oil in my '96 Eagle Vision last week, because I’m an idiot.

It’s over by quite a bit, and I don’t want to run it that way for any longer than I absolutely have to. The easy solution would be to take it in and have the oil changed, I guess - but it’s not due for a while yet and if I can save $45 or so that’d be great. (Also, I don’t relish the possibility of the lube jockey making some smug comment in front of my wife, which would come up every time I open my mouth about maintenance for the next three years.)

The only car I ever maintained regularly was a VW bug I had about twenty years ago, but I figure I just need to get under there with a wrench and pan and Bob’s Your Uncle.

…except, I don’t have a maintenance manual for this car, and don’t know where the oil drain plug is. I am a little uneasy about this. Probably silly - I mean, as far as I know, oil drains from up at the front, transmission fluid drains from… uh… the transmission… so that should be hard to get confused.

There isn’t likely to be anything in the general vicinity of the front, near the center (where I’d look) that might mislead me, eh? (“You fool! You drained the prostate fluid!”)

Side question: Where the heck can I find a manual, to head stupid questions like this off at the pass?

2

There are a couple options. I think that Chilton’s makes a manual for your car. Potentially, oil change procedures are found in your owner’s manual. Some have them, some don’t. Calling a Chrysler dealership and speaking with the service department, they would be able to tell you over the phone.

otherwise, get underneath, look at the oil pan, and the drain will be the bolt screwed into it near or on the bottom. :slight_smile:

ETA: Whatever you do, don’t drain the prostate fluid! :slight_smile:
More edit: BTW, they do make tools that allow you to suck oil out the dipstick. You could always get one of those if you don’t want to crawl under your car or embarrass yourself at Jiffy Lube…

3

Just be sure it’s the oil drain plug and not the transmission fluid drain plug.

4

Here is a pic of an oil pan for an Eagle Vision on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1995-EAGLE-VISION-OIL-PAN-3-3L-3-5L-93-94-95-96-97_W0QQitemZ150349145635QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item230181e623

The oil drain plug is the thing on the side facing the camera, right above the F207 lettering.

5

As a note, this site (http://www.fixya.com/cars/t599393-transmission_fluid_drain) seems to indicate there is a not a transmission drain plug for those cars, so you shouldn’t need to worry about that.

6

If I am not mistaken, most oil drain plugs are set up to take a standardized socket (anywhere from 7/16 to 5/8, and possibly others) but the trans drain plug will likely be a different shape (square, I think). Also, the fluid coming out will be a different color and smell much different than oil. Even if you did this, you would just have to put in about as much as you took out, and it’s not a big deal.

Good luck!

7

How much did you over-fill? If it is less than an extra quart, don’t worry about it.

8

The dipstick read a little low, (this is deliberately ambiguous) so about a half-quart was added.

Now it appears about an inch and a half over the “max” mark on the dipstick.

Driven about 60 miles with it that way over the past week, because I am a terrible procrastinator. (Well, I’m an excellent procrastinator, really…) The “Check Engine” light came on Wednesday, out Thursday.

My inner paranoiac has already imagined that the light came on because the oil pressure was too high, and the seals have gone enough to reduce the oil pressure, and OMG how the hell am I going to afford a new car?

Thanks for you help, folks – especially Necros – I’ll crank that puppy open with confidence now.