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Car Oil
Change - Do it Yourself
By
Michael Walker
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.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
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