If the thought of performing your own oil sends chills up and down your spine, just relax. You can tackle your own
oil change, saving both time and money. There’s no need to wait in line at your local service station and no cause to pay someone for labor. Just put your game face on, gather a few
tools, and tackle it on your own.
Start your
oil change by gathering several items. You’ll need motor
oil - secure about four to five quarts. You’ll also need a new oil filter, old rags, a funnel, an
oil-drain pan, a box wrench, and an
oil-filter
wrench. You may or may not need a car jack to perform your
oil change. This depends on how close the bottom of your car is to the ground.
Let your
engine cool off and locate the
oil drain plug. If you have trouble finding your
oil drain plug, refer to your vehicle
manuals. Use a box wrench to remove the plug and let the
oil drain into a pan. Once the
oil is drained completely, replace the drain plug.
For the next step of your
oil change, you’ll need to remove the old
oil filter. Put the catch pan under it. Remove the filter with an adjustable
oil-filter wrench and a counter-clockwise motion. Expect to get some
oil on your hands; an
oil change is a dirty job. Take one of your old rags and wipe the filter-mount area, checking to make sure the old filter’s seal isn’t stuck on the engine.
Take some of your new motor
oil and use it to coat the rubber seal of your new
oil filter. Don’t put too much on; you only need a very light coating. Install the new
oil filter by hand. Typically, an
oil-filter wrench is not necessary for this step. Keep it handy, however, just in case tightening by hand fails to do the job.
Now it’s time to install new
oil. For this part of the
oil change, you’ll need to find and remove the
oil-filler cap. Look for it on top of the engine; refer to your car manual if you have difficulty finding it. Put the funnel in the exposed opening and pour the new
oil into the funnel. Be sure to refer to your car manual to determine how much
oil you’ll need to add.
After adding the right amount of
oil, replace the
oil-filler cap, turn you car on, and run your
engine for a minute. Check to make certain the
oil-warning light doesn’t stay on and look under the car to make sure
oil isn’t leaking. Finally, use the
oil dipstick to check the
oil level. Use rags to wipe away excess
oil; newspapers are good for this as well. Congratulate yourself, as you’ve just successfully completed your
oil change
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