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What did you do to your Element today?

576K views 3K replies 556 participants last post by  Rabbit212 
#1 ·
I replaced the front brakes, changed the cabin air filter, and washed her down.

-simpson
 
#2,266 ·
I just got my Element and have only changed the oil and filter one time, but I found it easier to remove the oil filter from above than below. I did my best to control the spill, placing a paper towel under the old filter while removing it. As soon as it was loose, it tilted it up and lifted the oil filter out above the engine.

I wish the oil filter was placed differently. The location sucks.
 
#2,268 · (Edited)
I agree that the filter !ocation is poor for a dyier without a lift. If I had to do it more frequently, I'd look for a relocation set up top with the filter hanging downward.

How you can get to it without a lift depends on your physique and condition. If you are short, have a muscular or beefy physique, your options are fewer.

When I was a few years younger, the combination of my long, thin arms and flexibility were such that I could lay across my Elements' clean engine top and unscrew the oil filter from above. It got progressively harder over the first 8 years.

Someone posted a few years back that they could do it through the right fender well. Dismounting the wheel seemed like too much work. I figured that since that meant jacking up the front end, and I had to get beneath to drain the oil anyway, l'd experiment doing it all from below, laying down.

The first time I did it it was just as messy as from above. Now that I preclean the engine, know the route through the cross members and suspension, and wait for the oil in the cold engine to stop draining, it is easier to do it from below, laying on cardboard or a plastic tarp, my legs sticking out toward the front.

I am in a better position to control the small amount of oil dripping. I can also preposition the new filter close to the mount and see what I am doing instead of blindly groping to find the nipple.

Try it, you might like it.


Ps, There is a drip edge on the bottom cross member. If you drain first, replace the drain plug, you can reposition the catch pan under the drip edge and leave it there while changing the filter from above or below.
 
#2,270 ·
Not the Element, but changed the oil on my mower and generator over the weekend. I usually end up spilling a little oil. Have to use a long neck funnel to put oil back in the generator. The best thing I have found to soak up oil is by using some leftover training pads from when our dogs were puppies. The pad soaks up the oil and has a plastic coating on the bottom so it does not leak through. It works so well, I will have to buy a small pack of pads when I run out.
 
#2,272 ·
I finished my sleeping platform! It's not pretty but will get some pix soon.
Adjusted the roof basket. Seems ok.

After discovering that my 10 year old inverter i dug out of the garage was blowing the fuse , I bought a Schumacher power station, figured instead of buying all the separate things, it has everything in one . jumper cables, air compressor, inverter with 2 120's and 2 12v and usb and light.

Getting excited for my trip. Don't want to over pack but may be gone for months. Still need to figure out water.. keeping clean/shower,
emergency toilet.

i want to make a Jerri can shower..or maybe the PVC one.
 
#2,274 ·
$530 through H&A for fluids and maintenance items... My credit card feels significantly lighter now. Hopefully that was cheaper than going directly through a dealer would have been...
 
#2,275 ·
Rotated tires, cleaned and lubed caliper pins & replaced bushings on front pins, fresh antiseize on rotor retention screws. And since I was under there and having such a good time, I moved the new manifold/cat inlet doughnut & bolts from the shed shelf to the car. The old bolts weren't bad once I got the appropriately sized sockets for their shrunken selves tapped on them and access was ok just using jackstands. I figure the gasket was a bit less than half gone at 11 years and 80k miles. Still dodging rains and waiting for some nice dry fall weather to play in..
 
#2,282 ·
So this happened today. Did some testing, dead alternator. My goodies showed up from H&A today. After looking at the alternator location decided to go deep and just pull the front end and radiator since I was going to flush the coolant system anyway, makes it that much easier without the radiator. Found out my front brake pads are almost gone. So now I have to decide to get generic parts house brake pads or buy genuine Honda. Just about had a heart attack with how much the dealer wants for an alternator, so now I'm not sure what to do there. I have had terrible luck with aftermarket alternators in other vehicles, so I may try and take mine apart and see if I can source the brushes and bearings and whatnot to rebuild it myself.

How she currently sits.

$500 in fluids and whatnot.
 
#2,283 ·
Brake pads on all four corners
Serpentine belt
Spark plugs
Coolant drain and fill
ATF drain and fill 2x
Rear diff drain and fill

Ready for winter. I also determined I have put on 15,000 miles since March. Lots of road trips this summer, seemed like every weekend we were doing a 500 mile trip.
 
#2,287 ·
Working on her right now. New front brakes, both pads and rotors since I had a bit of a shimmy when braking. Pads were worn out. Replacing the brake fluid, and got the new alternator installed. What a pain in the rear to get the new belt in place. Now to finish flushing the old coolant out and get the radiator back in of course replace the transmission filter first since it is right there and easy to get to at the moment.
 
#2,289 · (Edited)
I breathed a HUGE sigh of RELIEF! Just got my Element a few days ago. On the way to work -no heat! YIKES!
Read all the scary stories online. Thought is was a clogged heater core.

Got home, did some testing, and it was the cable to the heater control valve.
I have heat now. HOLY SCHNIEKE! Kiwi Metallic, black panels 2006 4WD.
Absolutely BRAND new looking. Astonishing, it is. Got my dogs into it today to dispel
that notion, lol. Dog hair everywhere, now. After brushing them for a 1/2 hour. lol.
Just opened up all the doors, the rear, the sunroof, the hood, and became one with it!

I think that this is even cooler than my '73 Bronco that I drove for 5 years with no roof, and no doors, rain or shine, wind or snow, in Nebraska. I wore my insulated coveralls a LOT in that rig. 45 miles to work, one way. It was SO exhilerating. Loved it. Stars at night, in the heavens above. NOTHING can come close to describing that. One with nature.

The Element is a little more refined, lol. More sophisticated than I am used to.
Far nicer than my '87 Suburban. I drove it 16 years.

Hope to drive the Element that long, or longer!
 
#2,294 ·
The shipping was $250 for residential delivery from CA to GA. Would have been $200 to deliver to a business. It took about 2 weeks to ship and 4 days to deliver.

I found the seats locally in Craigslist. Steve at hmotors said he didn't have anything for an Element.
 
#2,295 ·
Interior additions

Added passenger reading light to stick shift housing.
Added 12v receptacle to driver side in small shelf
Added pair halogen driving lamps to front push bar
Added pair of cupholders under stick-shift housing to hold cell-phone etc

The 06 Element may be the best car I have owned in 50 years of driving

W. Li
 
#2,301 · (Edited)
wow, that put's my installed tail light protectors, and tomorrow will put on the Aries brush guard to shame, LO! ROFLMAO! serious....

Living in an area with a huge population, (I'm guessing) where you are not the only Element owner within 9,000 miles must have it's advantages. LOL!

Good scores! Those seat's and the engine would cost me more than I paid for my Element, out in the sticks, lol.

And I had to import my Element from out of State. Had to have it delivered, lol.

But it was worth every penny!

GOOD LUCK!
 
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