FLIGHT PLAN — 2013 Honda CR-V (2.4L K24Z7) Oil Change

Two-crew operation. Point at things, call them out, confirm with your brother. Nobody goes under the car until the spotter says "CLEAR." Pointing-and-calling feels silly for ten minutes, then it saves your ass.

Mission

Doctrine

Four restraints. Any one alone holds the car. All four before anyone goes under.

• Four-eyes: every call confirmed by both crew. No silent checks.
• Shisa kanko: point at the object → call its state → partner confirms. JR research: ~85% fewer task errors.
• FOD discipline: tool count before and after. A stray 17 mm socket = highway projectile.

Specs (verified vs owner's manual)

Manifest — lay out, count before AND after

• Ramps, all 4 pieces · [ ] towels ×2 (traction) · [ ] 3-ton stands ×2 · [ ] chocks ×2
• 17 mm 6-pt socket + ratchet · [ ] torque wrench (AutoZone loans free) · [ ] filter cap wrench or strap
• Drain pan (≥7 qt) · [ ] funnel · [ ] nitriles ×several · [ ] safety glasses · [ ] headlamp · [ ] rags
• Phillips + flathead · [ ] magnetic tray · [ ] brake cleaner · [ ] cardboard + kitty litter
• Oil 5-qt 0W-20 · [ ] filter 15400-PLM-A02 · [ ] NEW crush washer (some filters include one)

TOOL COUNT: ___ (must match at the end)

Procedure

PHASE 0 — PREP (car cold, both crew)

• Brief spotter on all calls. Spotter's phone in pocket during climbs/descents.
• GO/NO-GO. Lay out every tool. Count.
• Hood open: FILL CAP OFF + DIPSTICK OUT — vents crankcase (faster drain) and reminds you to refill. Verify it's the OIL cap (oil-can icon).
• Cardboard under the work zone.

PHASE 1 — WARM + STAGE

• Towels flat under ramp bases, extending past the edges.
• Ramps centered on front tires, parallel, inclines facing the car.
• Drive ~5 min around the block. Warm oil flows; warm ≠ scalding.

PHASE 2 — CLIMB (RISK)

• Spotter stands to the side — sees you and both ramps. Never in front or behind.
• "CENTERED?" — spotter confirms both wheels square → "CENTERED."
• Slow, steady throttle. Never stop on the incline — if you stop, roll back down and retry.
• Feel the cradle dip. "SEATED!" → spotter walks around: "BOTH SEATED."
• Foot brake → P → parking brake pedal ON → engine OFF.
• PUSH TEST — both crew shove/rock the car. Zero movement allowed.
• Chocks ×4 — both rear tires, front and back, snug.
• Remove ramp incline sections (modular).
• Stands under the notched pinch welds behind front wheels. Raise to SNUG contact — no gap. Insurance, not lifters.

GATE — "CLEAR TO GO UNDER." Spotter says it only after personally verifying: P · parking brake · chocks ×4 · stands snug — all confirmed.

PHASE 3 — DRAIN (glasses + nitriles + headlamp)

• Plastic cladding off (Phillips/flathead + clips). Count fasteners: ___ — must match on reinstall.
• Drain pan under plug — stream arcs toward the rear — and under the filter's spill path.
• 17 mm on plug, counterclockwise. Last turns by hand, pressing the plug into the pan.
• Old crush washer: sticks to plug or pan — it retires today.
• Drain 5+ min. Wipe the plug clean while waiting.
• Filter off (cap/strap wrench) — expect a spill. Old gasket must come off with the filter — compare with the new one. Double gasket = startup geyser.
• Wipe the filter mounting face. New filter: oil the gasket, (pre-fill if you can hold it level), hand-tight until gasket touches + ¾ turn.
• Plug + NEW washer: hand-thread, torque 29–30 lb-ft. Click once, stop.
• Brake cleaner on oily spots, wipe. Cladding back on — same fastener count.

PHASE 4 — FILL (still on ramps)

• Funnel in. Pour ~4.0 qt.
• CAP ON + DIPSTICK SEATED — spotter verifies both. (#1 beginner failure: driving off cap-less)
• Start engine 30–60 s on the ramps → check plug + filter for drips → engine off. "NO LEAKS."
• Dipstick on ramps lies (reads low). Level check happens in Phase 6.

PHASE 5 — DESCENT (RISK)

• Stands out. Reattach incline sections at the rear of the cradles — click each one home.
• Every tool out from under the car. Light sweep. "UNDER-CAR CLEAR."
• Chocks out LAST.
• Spotter to the side — never behind, never between car and wall.

GATE — "CLEAR TO COME DOWN." Spotter verifies zone clear + ramps locked + nobody in path, then calls it.

• Foot brake → start → parking brake OFF → shift R → idle-creep down, brake only. No throttle.
• Park level. Engine off.

PHASE 6 — VERIFY + RESET

• Wait 3 min. Dipstick: wipe, reinsert fully, pull, read. Between marks = good. Low → add 0.25 qt, re-check. "LEVEL BETWEEN THE MARKS." (spotter reads too)
• Keep the jug's remainder (~0.5–0.8 qt) in the cargo area — that's the top-up supply.
• Start — oil light out within ~2 s — drive 2–5 min.
• Park level. Wait 3 min. Re-check dipstick. Look under car. "GROUND DRY."
• Reset minder: key ON (II), engine off → SELECT/RESET knob to OIL LIFE → HOLD 10 s (blinks) → release → HOLD 5 s → 100%. (i-MID trims: Maintenance Info → hold ENTER ~10 s.)
• Old oil into the empty 5-qt jug. Recycle free (AutoZone / O'Reilly / Advance).
• Kitty litter any spills. Wipe + store tools. Final count — must match. "FOD CLEAR. MISSION COMPLETE."

Kneeboard — Point & Call

The two gates (go-under / come-down) are the life-saving ones — spotter only, after personal verification.

Contingencies

Post-mission → blog

Date · mileage · oil/filter/washer used · what 30 lb-ft felt like · how ramps + stands behaved · next-time buys · photos.

Sources

• 2013 CR-V Owner's Manual — engine oil · recommended oil
• iFixit — 2012–2016 CR-V oil & filter replacement
• OilReset — 2013 CR-V maintenance light reset
• CR-V Owners Club — 2013 CRV oil change thread
• Honda 65 mm 14-flute filter wrench (07AAA-PLCA100)
• Drain plug torque — K-series 29 lb-ft discussion