Hi, i have the above car and i normaly do all my own oil changes on my previous cars via steel car ramps and always found it to be no issue ,however i have just tried to get the ramps under the A3 but they won't  go ,not enough clearence ,never thought i would have this issue so now i am looking for another way or if anyone as managed to do it via low level ramps then i would invest in a pair ...I also noted that the underbelly tray appears to be metal and not plastic with a few fasteners missing ,not sure what they are as i can't see them clearly enough..Any help would be apreciated ..Thanks

Trolley jack and axle stands have served me well over the years for access to the underside. They also enable the wheels to be removed while up in in the air.

Thanks , looks like its the way to go

Perhaps I should mention a few precautions just in case you aren't familiar with them:

-do the job on level ground,

-chock the two wheels that remain on the ground,

-the jack is only for lifting, lower onto stands before going underneath.

Sorry if I am teaching grandmother to suck eggs. I am not clear how experienced you are.

No problem, i have always done my own servicing on cars and do have most of the equipment acumalated over the years ..

I am pretty ok with the mechanics as i did used to work (sub contract for British Leyland) and i once owned and fully restored a Mk 1 Triumph spitfire ..

 

Hello Dennis,

I too am very much with Cliff, and never really did like ramps. Annual oil change on the A3 undertaken a couple of months back by the Cliff method, and I can assure you I have long since been classed as too old to to be laying under cars, but...! 

Metal undertray - that’s a new one on me. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

A Mk 1 eh? That would be as old as we all are!

6 hours ago, cliffcoggin said:

A Mk 1 eh? That would be as old as we all are!

It was if i remember corectly 1963 ,it was actualy called a spitfire4 and was badged as that,i did 90% myself apart from the painting of it .It also had the coventry reg plate 8369 KV

It was in the days were you could use washing up liquid and hairpins to get you home when you broke down and i have used both in order to get me home ,you could do your timing while on the road literaly get out and turn the dizzy cap and tweak etc,had so much fun in that car ,the complete hood and frame came off the car and fit in the boot ,...Also if anyone is from the Sheffield area we used to go to a place called spitfire graveyard were a very ecentric chap called Richard owned a Triumph spares garage ,great excuse for a drive going over snake pass.

Update on getting under car ,i have done it via trolley jack and stands,however i was right the undertray is actual metal ,mild steel or an alloy of some kind,it is not the origanal tary as there is a mismatch of blts fitting the tray ,from a standard coach bolt to a few T25 bolts ,one of which will need my grinder to get out as it looks like something as snapped off in there,around the edge are a few T20 bolts that i presume are the ones dor the correct tray ,all this to change the oil ...not putting this tray back for sure going to look or a genuine one to make live so much easier when changing next time as i do like to change my oil on a regular basis ....

On 5/23/2019 at 1:32 PM, den9112 said:

Hi, i have the above car and i normaly do all my own oil changes on my previous cars via steel car ramps and always found it to be no issue ,however i have just tried to get the ramps under the A3 but they won't  go ,not enough clearence ,never thought i would have this issue so now i am looking for another way or if anyone as managed to do it via low level ramps then i would invest in a pair ...I also noted that the underbelly tray appears to be metal and not plastic with a few fasteners missing ,not sure what they are as i can't see them clearly enough..Any help would be apreciated ..Thanks

drive onto some wooden planks before the ramps,then onto the ramps

Tried that before ,very easy to slip using that method, i have done the job but i do like to get the front end as high as i can so may try for some ramp extensions for the next time .

Yes, rev the engine too much and the plank shoots backwards, dropping the valence onto the steel ramp. Only planks use planks.

Picture speaks a thousand words, hope this helps

if you can reach the oil filter from the top, why don't you use the extraction method eg vac pump, i use this on my SQ5.

28 minutes ago, RoyM said:

if you can reach the oil filter from the top, why don't you use the extraction method eg vac pump, i use this on my SQ5.

I do have a oil extractor but no need as i did manage to get to the sump plug to drain from underneath ...