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Car Oil Change - Do It
Yourself
Getting your oil changed is something that the
pros promise they can do in a jiffy, however,
with every three thousand miles you drive, the
price can add up quickly. You can save yourself
some money by doing it yourself. An oil change
is not as hard as you may think!
Prior to changing your oil, you will need to
pick up some supplies at you favorite parts
store. The first thing you will need is six
quarts of oil. If your car manufacturer
recommends a certain type, you should stick
with that. Otherwise, choose a brand you know
and trust. (Note- do not mix oil. If you have a
quart or two of one brand already at home, make
sure you purchase additional quarts of the same
kind.) With every oil change, you should always
change your oil filter as well. So, you will
also need to pick up an oil filter for your
particular car. In addition, you will need an
oil pan to empty the old oil into. Your best
bet is to purchase one that can seal so that
you can easily take it to be recycled. And, if
you don’t have one already, you could use an
oil filter wrench.
After you purchase the necessary items, you are
ready to start the oil change. First, elevate
the vehicle off the ground using your car jack,
just enough to access the underside of the
engine. (Note: For added safety, make sure you
are using a jack stand.) Remove the oil fill
cap on the engine. Then, get underneath the
engine. The oil pan covers the entire bottom of
the engine, and this is what you will be
draining from. Find the engine pan drain plug,
which is shaped hexagonal (six sides). Place
the oil pan you bought underneath. Next, use a
socket wrench to loosen the drain plug. The oil
will start to come out. Let this drain
completely. Once drained, replace the plug and
tighten.
Next, move the drain pan so it is under the oil
filter. Use your oil filter wrench to rotate
the filter counter-clockwise until it comes
off. Once loosened, you’ll need to unscrew it
from the engine with your hands. Once off,
place in the oil pan- oil will drip out from
the filter. Now, it’s time to put on the new
filter. When you remove the new filter from the
box, you’ll see a rubber gasket on the base. A
good trick for easy removal in the future is to
coat the gasket thoroughly with oil. When
that’s done, screw the new filter onto the
filter pipe tightly.
At this point, you’re done underneath, so you
can let the car down. But first, get the oil
pan and any tools out from under the vehicle.
Next, fill the engine with five quarts of oil
and put the cap back on. Then, check the oil
level. You should see that it’s one quart high,
and this is just because the filter is not yet
full. Next, start the car and let the engine
idle for about five minutes. This will allow
the oil pump to pick up the new oil, and get it
circulating. Also, check under the car to make
sure the filter is not leaking any oil. Then,
you can shut off the car and check the oil
level once again. This time it should read,
“full.”
You’re done! Just repeat these instructions in
3,000 miles!
Michael Walker is a freelance author providing
tips and hints on engine related topics such as
JDM motors, used import engines and engine
swaps. His articles are a valuable source of
information for the auto
enthusiast.
by Michael Walker -
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