If the words DIY car maintenance make you want to immediately hand your keys to someone else, don’t worry, we’re starting with one of the easiest jobs: changing your oil.
Learning how to change your oil yourself can save you money on routine vehicle maintenance, and you don’t need to be a professional mechanic or own a garage full of fancy tools to do it. If you can follow directions, get a little dirty, and resist the urge to overtighten everything like you’re trying to win a powerlifting competition, you’ve got this.
An oil change is one of those basic car maintenance jobs you can do yourself, and once you know how, you’ll wonder why you were paying someone else to do it.
So grab your oil, your filter, and your least-favorite pair of leggings. We’re changing some oil.
If you’re ready to get your hands dirty, here’s the basic run down.
What you’ll need:
-
- The correct engine oil
- The correct oil filter
- Drain pan
- Ratchet/Socket Set
- Long Handle Ratchet (for leverage)
- Oil filter wrench (if applicable)
- Funnel
- Shop Towels
- Jack & Jackstands OR ramps (if applicable)
How to Change Your Oil
- Check your manual!
- Before you do anything, check your manual to see exactly what oil & filter specifications are. Check the oil capacity too, more doesn’t mean better!
- Find flat, stable ground
- Start with a flat, solid surface where you have plenty of room to work.
- If you need to raise the vehicle for access, use properly rated ramps or jack stands on a suitable surface.
- Never work underneath a vehicle supported only by a jack.
- Drain the old oil
- The oil drain plug is typically located on the bottom of the engine’s oil pan. But don’t be surprised if you can’t see it right away.
- Some vehicles have a skid plate, splash shield, or plastic panel underneath the engine that needs to be removed before you can access the oil pan. These are commonly held on with small bolts, screws, clips, or plastic rivets.
- If your vehicle has one, remove the panel carefully and keep track of the hardware so you can put everything back where it belongs.
- Once you can access the oil pan, place your drain pan underneath the drain plug and carefully remove the plug.
- Let the oil drain completely. This can take a few minutes, so give it time to do its thing.
- Tip: Position your drain pan with a little extra room around the drain plug. Oil can come out faster and farther than you expect!
- 16 Quart Drain Pan
- Remove the old oil filter
- Oil filters aren’t located in the same place on every vehicle.
- Depending on the vehicle, yours could be:
- On the bottom or side of the engine
- Toward the front or rear of the engine
- Accessible from underneath the vehicle
- Accessible from above the engine bay
- Some vehicles use a traditional spin-on filter, while others use a cartridge-style filter inside a filter housing.
- Once you’ve found it, place your drain pan underneath the filter because it will contain oil.
- Remove the old filter and allow any remaining oil to drain.
- Mechanic Tip: If you can’t find the filter, check your owner’s manual or service information for your specific year, make, model, and engine. Don’t start removing random components just to get to it.
- Universal Filter Wrench
- Install the new oil filter
- Before installing the new filter, put a thin layer of fresh oil around the rubber gasket.
- Install the new filter according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Mechanic Tip: Don’t go Hulk-mode on the filter. Over-tightening it can damage the gasket and make your next oil change miserable. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation. ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE OLD GASKET ON SPIN-ON FILTERS
- Install the drain plug
- Replace the drain-plug washer or gasket if your vehicle requires a new one.
- Tighten the drain plug according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Mechanic Tip: This is another place where more force isn’t necessarily better. An overtightened drain plug can damage the oil pan or threads.
- Add fresh oil
- Check your owner’s manual for the correct oil type and capacity.
- Using a funnel, add the recommended amount of fresh oil.
- Don’t assume that more is better. Overfilling an engine can cause problems.
- Mechanic Tip: If you’re unsure how much oil your engine takes, don’t guess. Check the owner’s manual or reliable service information for your exact vehicle.
- Long Neck Funnel
- Check your work
- Start the engine and let it run briefly while checking underneath for leaks around the drain plug and oil filter.
- Turn the engine off, wait a few minutes, and check the oil level with the dipstick.
- Add oil if necessary.
- Mechanic Tip: Don’t skip the final oil-level check. It’s easy to assume you’ve added enough oil without actually checking the dipstick.
- Dispose of the oil properly!
- Don’t dump used motor oil in the driveway, down a drain, or in the trash.
- Many auto-parts stores and recycling centers accept used motor oil for recycling.
- Mechanic Tip: Keep your old oil in a clean, sealed container until you can take it somewhere that accepts used oil. And if you’re changing the filter, drain it into your oil pan before disposing of it as well.
Girl.. You just changed your own oil!!!
See? You don’t need to be a professional mechanic to learn basic DIY car maintenance. An oil change is a great place to start if you’re trying to save money and become a little more comfortable working on your own vehicle. You might get a little dirty. You might smell like oil for the day. But you just kept a little more money in your pocket. So, check your oil because your car and your wallet will thank you!