Changing Your Engine Oil

Changing your engine oil is an absolute necessity. If you don't do this every so often then you are running the risk of having serious engine damage to your car or truck. On average you should change your engine oil somewhere around 3,000 miles or every 3 months, whichever comes first. You could pay someone around $100 to do this job for you, or you could do it yourself.

Materials:

• 5 quarts engine oil
• Oil filter
• Jack
• Jack stands
• Funnel
• Sealable oil pan
• Rags
• Mechanic's dolly
• Kitty litter
• Oil filter wrench
• Complete socket set

Steps:

1. Preparation. Preparation for this job is fairly easy. Start off by letting your car run for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the oil to heat up. You don't have to do this, but it makes draining your oil a whole lot easier. Make sure that you have your car on a level surface, as this is going to allow your oil to drain easier as well, then go ahead and jack up the front tires of your car, just as if you were changing the brakes or tires. You might want to place your new oil onto the top of your hood, so that you don't forget to refill the oil when you are all done.
2. Drain. After you have raised the car and made sure that it won't shift on you, either crawl under or use a mechanics dolly to slide under the engine. When you get under you are going to locate the engine oil drain plug. This is typically located near front of the car, towards the center. If you can't find it, then check either the appropriate repair manual, or your owner's manual. Before you remove the drain plug, make sure that you have the sealable oil pan (opened) under the drain. Go ahead and use a socket wrench to loosen the drain plug, and finish removing it by hand. Since the oil is going to be somewhere between warm and hot, I would suggest using a rag to help remove the plug, this way the rag absorbs the oil, and protects your hand from the heat. Simply allow the oil to drain, repositioning the pan as necessary. After the oil has drained, go ahead and wipe off the drain plug and the drain, and then reinsert the drain plug. Tighten first by hand then with the socket wrench. Do not over tighten.
3. Filter. Now you are going need to find the old oil filter, this is usually located to one side of the engine. Once you have located the filter, reposition the oil pan so that it is sitting underneath it. Take your oil filter wrench and remove the old oil filter. Allow any oil that comes out to drip into the oil pan. Once the oil has finished dripping, go ahead and take a rag and wipe the area where this filter was mounted, and double check to make sure that the old rubber seal is not stuck on the engine.
4. Replace. Replace your old oil filter with the new one. You need to lightly coat the rubber seal of your new filter with some of the new oil that you are going to be putting into the car. Once you have done that go ahead and attach the new filter by hand, feel free to use your oil filter wrench if you need to, but hand tight is good enough. Once you have done this, it is time to replace the oil in your car. Locate the oil filler cap near the top of your engine, and then remove it. The average vehicle takes about 4 or 5 quarts of oil to fill, but I would start checking after the third quart, just to make sure you don't overfill.
5. Clean. You have now changed your oil, congratulations. The only thing left to do now is to clean up and dispose of your mess. If you have any spills, use kitty litter to help suck up the spilled oil. Take your old oil to any auto parts store and they can dispose of it there for you properly.