How to Change the Oil in a Car

How to Change the Oil in a Car

If you drive a car and want to save a few extra $ bucks $, then this one's for you! After you read this and see how simple it is, not to mention the money saved you'll never pay to have the oil changed again. There are a few things you must consider before doing this to your car. Is it new and still under warranty, if so you may want to wait due to the fact it can void it. Do you have all the proper equipment? Are you strong enough to do the job right? If you have no problem with any of these questions and are still with me, then lets get to it.

The first step is gathering all the tools for the job. So let's do a quick checklist.

q Car J

q Oil (type specified by dealer or choice)

q Wrench (which fits specific car's drain plug)

q Drain pan (to catch old oil in)

q Floor jack (to lift car)

q Small blocks of wood (to place behind tires)

q Plenty of rags or paper towels

q Flashlight or work light (just to help see -- optional)

q And of this paper]

Now if you have all this then you are ready to get down and dirty with your car! You need to park the car on a level and preferably cemented spot to assure safer working conditions. After selecting a spot be sure to put the car in park and set the emergency brake. This helps to prevent the car from rolling. Now place the jack under the front door either on the driver or passenger side according to your owner's manual. Raise the car approximately 6-12in. or until you have enough room to crawl under the front end. Next thing is to put the drain pan under the car and gather the wrench also some rags. Now lie on your back and slide under the car careful not to scrape your chest on the underside of the car. Now according the car manual find the oil pan and oil plug, which will be screwed, into the pan. Using the wrench untighten the drain plug by turning it counter clockwise when looking at it. After loosing the plug, then place the drain pan under the oil pan and finish taking the plug out. Being careful not to spill oil on your hands. (Never change oil if engine is hot!) While the oil is draining carefully examine the plug for the rubber or metal gasket (little ring at the base of the plug).