Ford Maverick Oil Change Day

A big plus of being an automotive student is using the lifts in the shop at school. 

You remember back in the old days when you had a little sticker in your windshield that said "CHANGE OIL AT xx,xxx MILES?" It was probably 3-5,000 miles since your last oil change too. Anyways, most modern cars don't need to change as often, even if your dealer/garage puts a little sticker on your windshield. Trust me, your car's computer and engine oil HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THAT LITTLE STICKER!

The real answer is that most cars now have a smart computer that tells you when you change your oil. Sure, it might be remote controlled by your mechanic when they need to make a boat payment, or maybe it's controlled by the manufacturer when they need a little more income! OK, the computer part is true, but the rest of that I made up. Probably. My Ford Maverick told me change the oil recently, and since I was fresh out of the free oil change at the dealer, I did it myself, along with new oil filter, air filter, and the cabin air filter. 

Oil draining. Kind of like watching paint dry. 

In the case of a few cars I know about, the change oil light comes on right at the 1 year anniversary since the last oil change, so I'm kind of guessing that it's nothing more than  a 1 year clock to your next oil change. That may or may not be the best time to change your oil, but for most people it's probably a good idea. Changing oil is likely the most important thing to do to keep your car's engine running right. The oil does a lot more than just lubricate things, because it's now controlling important stuff like your variable valve timing and other "stuff" that keeps things moving along. 

With the underneath cover off and the truck up in the air, draining the oil is easy. 
Using the lift was also a good time to rotate the tires. 

I actually read my owner's manual to confirm I was ordering the right amount of the right oil, air filter, cabin air filter, and oil filter. My manual also said to do a tire rotation and inspect everything, so I did that too. Related to the oil change interval, the maintenance schedule in my manual DID NOT say when to change oil based on miles, it just said to change it when your dashboard tells you too! Makes sense. Sounds easy. I guess we all work for the computers now. Don't tell SKYNET!

Under the hood it was no trouble getting to the air filter (red circle.)
The orange hoses are letting you know whose are high voltage wires for the hybrid system. 

For all my supplies I ordered on line from RockAuto.com. Even with the shipping I think it's cheaper than going to the dealer.

Sorry it's sideways, but you can still see that the old one (bottom) wasn't too dirty, but I replaced it anyway. 

Ye Olde Cabin Air Filter hides behind the glovebox. Here you can see the glovebox handing down, and this HUGE cavern of space behind it. The air filter is hiding behind that upper panel above some piece of the HVAC system. Somehow Ford cracked the code on making the glovebox drop down very simple!

Cabin Air Filter door open, ready to slide the new filter in. Above the opening you can see arrows pointing down and "AIR FLOW" to help you put the filter in the right way. This was a piece of cake!
Chocolate if you're wondering. 

Let's Visit Two NASCAR Teams: 23XI and Joe Gibbs Racing

 

Visiting the 23XI NASCAR team. 

The other day I drove right past the 23XI (twenty-three eleven) team HQ, and figured I needed to visit when they were open. On their website they mention that they are usually working on the cars on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so that's when I dropped by. No charge, just walk in and look around, with a helpful gentleman at the front desk. Guess what? They were working on racecars!

Really cool building at 23XI. That's Interstate 77 in the background. The Ford dealer where I bought my truck is about a mile up the road too. 

This team is owned by Michael  Jordan and Denny Hamlin. Maybe you've heard of them. I didn't see them around. Anyway, the cars were back from racing at Dover Delaware on Sunday, and now they're being prepped for this weekend at the Brickyard race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. You might want to keep up with NASCAR news because there is some legal controversy about the 23XI charter, which is way into the legal side of who races in NASCAR and other insider stuff. 

The home of Joe Gibbs Racing. If you didn't know, Mr. Gibbs used to coach a football team in Washington DC. He did OK, and won three Superbowls!

After visiting 23XI, I drove just a few miles to the other team in Huntersville NC, which is Joe Gibbs Racing. Guess what? They were working on cars in there too! Also worth noting, the Joe Gibbs Racing #11 driven by Denny Hamlin just won the race at Dover last Sunday, and his Joe Gibbs teammate Chase Briscoe finished in 2nd. Not bad!

Mr. Jordan of course wore #23 in the NBA, and Denny Hamlin drives car #11 (and just won in Dover Delaware driving for Joe Gibbs,) so that explains the name of the team. Their three drivers are Bubba Wallace, Riley Herbst, and Tyler Reddick. 

I guess they had plenty of technicians since neither place asked me to pick up a wrench or anything. Maybe next time. Here's the team websites: 

JOE GIBBS RACING ONLINE

23XI RACING ONLINE

Let's go inside 23XI and look around. Here's the Toyota Engine room. The next photo gives more background. I did not hear any engines being fired up!

Dang! NMS needs an engine room!

One of the team's winning cars from a past race. It is still dirty and covered in confetti.
Shoot, now NMS needs some winning race cars on display too! 

The Mobil 1 Driveline Room. Man, NMS needs a Driveline Room! More info in the next photo. 

 

Another 23XI team race winning car. The team has only been racing since 2020. 
OK, NMS may not be in NASCAR, but we've been competing since 2013. 

From the ground floor lobby, I walked up one flight for this overview of the main shop. Whoa! All around are other offices with people in meetings, mechanics walking around and working on the cars, and through that double door in the back is another big indoor space where I assume the haulers are parked. 

These two cars are mostly in black, so my guess is that they are backup cars? Maybe new bodies being prepped for later in the season? Looks like NMS could use a gym-sized operating-room-clean garage!

The bottom floor of the car. I'll also assume this is like Formula 1 and the aerodynamics from the floor are critical to car performance. 

Unlike your local Toyota dealer, this workshop doesn't have any lifts. The cars get jacked up and put on these high speed jack stands. One of the techs is laying under the car, another is kneeling right by him, and a third is working on the front right corner. 

Looking through the window at Bubba Wallace's car. 

Front lobby. Man, NMS doesn't even have a front lobby either!

Joe Gibbs lobby, complete with a friendly greeter at the front desk!

Inside Joe Gibbs Racing: The sign explains that for a few years Indian motorcycles used to present the NASCAR champion driver with a motorcycle in their racing colors! This one is from 1990 for Bobby Labonte. 

Driver Denny Hamlin (co-owner of 23XI) won the Daytona 500 in this car. 

Daytona 500 winners trophy.

Hey, the Joe Gibbs team is working on cars too! NMS now needs a full squad of mechanics. 

Those banners look add up to FIVE NASCAR championships to me. 

The workshop is HUGE! The #19 is Chase Briscoe's ride, he finished in 2nd at Dover. 

Chase Briscoe's #19.

There is a gift shop at Joe Gibbs Racing, how about some gently used body panels? NMS has I think one extra quarter panel from a Miata at NMS-South!

Sure, they also have a ton of t-shirts, hats, decals, hoodies, etc. 

Cars and Coffee Times TWO!

Jaguar E Type

Saturday I managed to visit two Cars and Coffees, first in Concord at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and then up in Huntersville at 704 Exotics. The Concord event has a HUGE turnout every month, and lots of Corvettes and Mustangs. up at 704 Exotics, as the name implies you might guess we'll see some exotics! Let's go!

Ford Performance Racing School Mustang

This monthly Cars and Coffee Concord event is held at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Some background on this Porsche Carrera GT. Oh let's just call it a million dollar car. 

Porsche Carrera GT

SPOILER ALERT!

Modified Cadillac. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top has a similar looking "Cadzilla."

Porsche GT4 RS with DOUBLE SPOILER ALERT!

Nissan humor wins bumper sticker of the day award!

Racing for Parkinson's

Movie fan much?

Cobra/AC likely kit car.

Legends racecar promoting more racing at the CMS dirt track.

1987 Porsche 959 'Komfort' to be auctioned at Monterrey Car Week in August.
This is likely to be a $2,000,000 car!

Not all Ferraris are red, how about purple?

Have you any Grey Poupon in that Rolls Royce?

Either this guy is 7 feet tall, or this Lamborghini and the two Ferraris are pretty short!

McLaren in white.

Bentley in orange of some kind.

Your basic Ferrari in red. 

Another McLaren parks by the 704 Exotics sign.

2024 Nissan GT-R

Inside the Exotics 704 garage.

Porsche GT3RS. Green. Wing. Big wing.

More Porsches

Porsche

McLaren

BMW M3 Competition X Drive

23XI, home of the Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin NASCAR team. 
Just down the street from 704 Exotics. 

23XI, home of the Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin NASCAR team. 
Just down the street from 704 Exotics, near I-77 and I-485.