How to Give Your Vehicle an Oil Change
An oil change is nowhere near as difficult or detailed as some of us would imagine. There are only a few tools, one filter and one container of oil to buy.
Want to give your car an oil change? With a little preparation,
anyone can do it. Grab your vehicle manual and let's get started.
First, make sure you have the right tools. You will need two separate wrenches: a ratchet wrench to fit the drain plug and a special oil filter wrench. You'll also need a drain pan to catch the used oil and a funnel for adding new oil. For those who don't want to make a mess, consider putting some cardboard under the drain pan—just in case things get messier than you had intended on being. Tools aside, you need oil and a filter. Consult your car's manual to decide how much and what type of oil is best for your vehicle and the way you drive. Oh, and for those who don't want dirty hands, latex gloves will keep the funk off your hands.
Next, how are you going to get under there? If you have a SUV or vehicle with a lift kit, you may be able to just scoot under it with no trouble. For cars and other vehicles that don't have enough clearance for a person to work under, you'll need either ramps or a car jack with jack stands. Research the correct way to use each type. If you've been driving around all day, please wait for your engine to cool down to avoid burning yourself in the oil change process. If your car hasn't been driven all day, run your vehicle for several minutes to warm up the oil. Make sure the vehicle is on a flat surface.
Now that you can fit yourself in there, get all of your oil change materials under the car with you. Place the drain pan under the drain plug; using a real drain pan will make recycling easier. If you don't already have gloves on, put them on.
Ready? Grab your ratchet wrench and unscrew the drain plug using a counterclockwise motion. This is reason number 2 for using a drain pan—the plug will be caught in the pan's filter. Don't try to catch the plug, because we promise it's not worth burning your hands over. Wait until all the oil has drained, and then remove the filter with the filter wrench.
Next, use a rag or your finger to wipe oil on the gasket of the new filter and screw it into the engine. Wipe up any excess oil and replace the oil drain plug. Replace the gasket if necessary. After, use your funnel to put your manual's recommended amount of fresh oil in the oil filler hole.
To finish up, turn on your engine for about 45 seconds. Turn it off. Make sure nothing leaked. Wait about 10 minutes, then find your car's dipstick, wipe it off with a clean paper towel or newspaper and then check oil levels. Add oil little by little until it says "full." Your oil change is complete!
