The oil change is that first maintenance step that most people deal with as a vehicle owner. Oil is the lifeblood of the engine, and has to be changed, and for decades that job fell to either a shop’s mechanic, a skilled family member, or the guy down the street who could be paid in beer. The car would have to be lifted, the oil drained out into a container, and the filter dropped out. Between spilled oil, a potentially stripped drain plug bolt, and the hassle of dealing with old oil, sooner or later someone was going to find a way to simplify the process so that anyone could change their own oil. Enter Castrol and their new Nexcel system. Working as a plug-and-play system, the oil and filter are all contained in a unit a little bit smaller than a standard car battery. The old box comes out, the new box gets plugged in. While old-school mechanics might grind their teeth at the thought of a 90-second oil change, we see one thing we like: this effectively makes any engine running the Nexcel system a dry-sump setup that can be serviced in a couple of minutes from beginning to end. And if you need any idea of how well it works, Aston Martin’s sociopathic Vulcan hypercar is the first production vehicle with the technology installed standard. What do you think, better living through technology or blasphemy?
(Thanks to Antonio Najera for the tip!)
Anything that makes changing engine oil easier is like a new lease on life for every engine. It is the single most important thing for a car owner to do to keep their engine running better and longer. The write up does not mention cost or after market conversion but a great idea.
Techphemy!
Pretty pathetic when removing and reinstalling a drain plug and screwing off a filter has become too much for John and Jane Q. Average but I guess it’s come to that.
Dan
Jiffy Lube claims to have “pioneered” the quick oil change in 1979. Considering the success of the industry, it may have been a bit much for awhile. Have ever encountered to John or Jane? Driving can be a bit much.
I could see that working for the car enthusiast who lives in an apartment complex or duplex with strict anti-tinkering rules in the parking area. Those places are out there, and it’s lame getting bitched at by the Landlord for taking care of your gear.
Specially when all your doing is checking your oil. My son-in-law got kicked out of an apartment for just that.
Kicked out just for checking his oil? That’s more than a little lop-sided.
I got a severe talking-to for swapping batteries in an ex-gf’s car in her lot. That’s a stupid rule to have.
I took the engine and gearbox out of my Fox mustang in a bay, and got cups of tea and biscuits all day from my neighbours! Nice
I like it.
Bring this also to electric car batteries (obviously larger and heavier with today’s technology..), but have banks of charged batteries stocked at “gas stations” and pull in, swap batteries, pull out fully charged. The trick is to have all the auto makers on a standardized system and battery.
The same people who don’t change their oil now still won’t change it. I can see parts store guys doing a lot of these though if it became widespread.
I like the system. I’d put it on my vehicles But I don’t think it’ll fly here in the US.
The dealers and lube companies will lose to much money.
Why haven’t we thought of this before? So much better.
You’ll be happy for the convenience until you realize that now your oil changes are also a dealer-only service item. But who cares, right, dealers are really going to look out for you and keep those oil changes affordable.
and look, a unicorn just flew by the window eating a flying pig.
I’m guessing that since the oil is stored in the disposible cartridge, you’d need a dry sump system. So more expense.
I’ll stick to doing my own. At least the sump gets a through drain that way,
while I neck a cold beer…………..