Would you like to know how to change the oil in your car? Are your trips to the corner garage or Lube shop for oil changes costing you an arm and a leg? Many vehicle owners will be surprised to find that they can easily change the oil in their car or truck, do it correctly, and save money in servicing their own vehicles. Clean engines run better, get better gas mileage, and last much longer, requiring fewer repairs.
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Why Change Motor Oil?
Motor oil, the slippery, expensive stuff that keeps your car engine lubricated and running, must be kept clean and changed regularly. Running an engine with insufficient or no motor oil engine will generate extreme heat, causing serious engine damage.
How does Motor Oil Protect your Engine?
Oil forms a thin, slippery protective film between sliding metal parts, prevents metal surfaces from rubbing together, reducing friction and wear.
If motor oil contains dirt and microscopic bits of metal, it cannot lubricate properly. It can, instead, actually wear out your engine at a substantially increased rate compared to clean motor oil. Adding used oil is better than not adding oil at all, but that practice is to be avoided and used only in an emergency. Dirty engine oil must be replaced with clean oil of the recommended type and correct grade as soon as possible.
Which Grade of Motor Oil Should I Use?
There are many grades of motor oil available. Each vehicle manufacturer specifies the grade of oil best suited to the motors they manufacture. Most modern car engines will function on any brand or several grades of oil, however, easier winter starting and optimal lubrication is achieved if oil of the correct grade is installed.. The “grade”, quality, and service factor of the oil is more important than the “brand”.
Motor oil is labeled to meet specific automotive engineering standards, oil film strength, and viscosity. A grade of oil commonly used is 5W30, which means the oil is a SAE 30 Grade oil has a specific viscosity, or thickness and flow characteristics at engine operating temperature, 100 degrees C or 212F, but also has “pour point depressant additives” added to prevent the oil from thickening as it gets colder. The oil then acts as a thin, easy-flowing # 5 SAE grade viscosity when cold, to enable faster lubrication for the cold engine. Such “multi-grade” oils are most common and can be used in both summer and winter.
Which type is Best? Should I choose Regular Motor Oil, or Synthetics?
Synthetic oils, or non-petroleum based oils, are manufactured to the same or better performance characteristics as petroleum based oils, and true synthetics have the added advantage of superior lubrication. Genuine synthetics do not break down in use as petroleum products do. Using synthetic oils can result in less engine wear, but synthetics should not be used until the engine is correctly “broken in” as recommended. Many “synthetic" hybrid synthetics now offered are mixtures containing both synthetic and petroleum-based oils. For the neophyte oil buyer, it is best to obtain recommendations from the vehicle manual, or from a knowledgeable mechanic you trust implicitly.
How Often Should I Change the Oil in my Car?
Improvements in technology and superior-performing oils will allow increased maximum recommended time periods between oil changes to as much as 10,000 km between changes, but remember, the recommended intervals are maximum, not minimum. Vehicle manufacturer recommendations also differ, so consider changing oil:
• Every 5,000 km or at the recommended interval as a maximum (2 –3,000miles) or
• Every three months
• If the oil level has gone down substantially and more than a quart must be added
• If the engine oil appears brown, black, dirty, or appears to have water or antifreeze in it.
• If the engine has been flooded badly with gasoline or engine gaskets have failed.
What Supplies do I Need to Change the Oil?
• OIL. The number of quarts or liters of oil required for a complete oil change is specified in your owner’s manual. Buy an extra quart of oil so you can “top it up” if necessary. If your engine has a large oil filter on it, you will require extra oil for it.
• Don’t forget a new filter. Automotive parts stores have reference books to ensure you get the correct filter or it’s equivalent . New filters keep your oil cleaner and are not that expensive, so put a new filter on every time you change the oil.
• Before you begin, purchase a “filter wrench”, which is a handy ‘strap’ or other wrench that fits the filter correctly to facilitate the easy removal of the old filter.
• A ratchet, socket, and suitable extension to remove the oil pan plug. Alternatively, use a box end wrench of the correct size.
• A torque wrench if available.
• An oil funnel
• An “oil collector pan " –a flat plastic or metal pan to drain the old motor oil into. It may have a spout on one side to facilitate emptying it later.
• A couple of plastic gallon bottles with tight-fitting lids in which to pour the used oil.
• A bottle of “engine flush” fluid, which is recommended if your engine oil is very dirty.
• Vehicle ramps (or a floor jack and a pair of axle stands.)
How do I Actually Change the Oil?
• Place the vehicle on a flat, smooth surface. Your driveway will do if you do not have a garage, provided it is not sloping or steep.
• Place the vehicle in “Park”, set the parking brake, and block the wheels.
• Jack up the front end and support it with two axle stands ( or alternatively, drive the front end of the vehicle onto a pair of suitable vehicle ramps, set the parking brake, and block the wheels)
• Open the hood and start the engine. If using an “engine flush” product, pour the whole bottle into the engine as per instructions. Idle the engine for a few minutes as required, or until it is up to operating temperature. Do not rev the motor.
• Shut the engine OFF and remove the keys from the ignition for safety.
• Remove the “engine oil filler cap” on the top of the engine, and withdraw the oil dipstick, wiping it down with a clean cloth. Wipe off the filler cap opening carefully. Avoid getting any dirt in the engine.
• Caution! To drain oil, Wear gloves, and safety glasses !
• Place the oil drain pan or it’s equivalent under the engine oil pan plug. Use the ratchet and socket, or correctly-fitting box end wrench to remove the drain plug. BE CAREFUL, the oil is now HOT! If you drop the oil pan plug or wrench into the dirty oil, leave it for the time being while the oil cools! Retrieve it later. Allow the motor oil to drain completely, and clean up any splashes on the floor immediately for safety.
• Using the “oil filter wrench”, loosen the oil filter from the engine in a counter-clockwise direction. Unscrew the filter and drain the oil from it into the oil drain pan, catching any drips.
• Allow the motor oil to drain until there is little or no oil dripping.
• Wipe off any dirt and oil off of the threads and seat on the engine where the oil filter goes.
Install the New Filter and Oil
• Compare the old and new oil filters to ensure the thread and rubber seals are the same even if it is a different brand or size. Place a smear of CLEAN oil on the rubber seal of the filter, and keep the oiled surface clean. If the filter is mounted upright, you may pour some new engine oil into the filter. Thread the filter on the engine carefully, turning it clockwise, and tightening it only just a little better than “finger tight” but firmly. Do NOT over-tighten it with the filter wrench! Over-tightening the oil filter will displace the rubber seal and cause leakage. Wipe off any visible oil from around the filter seat carefully with a clean, dry cloth.
• Clean the threads and seat of the engine oil plug and washer if applicable. Install the plug to the specified tightness using a torque wrench if available. Tighten firmly, but DO NOT over-tighten the plug, as the metal thread on the oil pan can be easily stripped, causing oil leakage and mechanical damage. Wipe off any oil from the plug and surrounding area.
• Add the required number of quarts of oil at the top of the engine. Use a funnel to avoid spillage. Clean any spilled oil off of the engine and install the engine oil filler cap. Wait a few moments and insert the oil dipstick to ensure the oil level is up to the “fill mark”.
• If you make a mistake and add too much oil, remove the oil plug and remove some oil, then adjust the oil level correctly as required. Too much oil can cause damage just as too little oil may.
• Start the engine and allow it to idle for a minute. Watch the oil pressure gauge or oil light. When it goes out, or the gauge indicates normal oil pressure, increase the idle speed to a fast idle and hold it at that speed for a minute.
• Shut off the engine. Inspect the filter and plug areas to ensure no oil leakage has occurred.
If leakage is observed, tighten the filter and plug carefully, wipe the areas down carefully and start the vehicle to test for leaks again. There should be NO seepage or leaking of oil.
Lower the vehicle or back the vehicle off of the vehicle stands. Use caution ! Park the vehicle on a level spot, and shut the motor off for five minutes. Check the oil level on the dipstick. It should right on the “full” mark. Add oil if necessary. Check the engine oil in a couple of days to make sure it is okay.
Disposal of Used Oil
Pour used oil into plastic or metal jugs that have tight-fitting lids and clean up the tools. That’s fine, but now what do you do with jugs of dirty motor oil?
Be environmentally *responsible and take the used oil to a municipal collection depot for disposal, or to a garage, a “lube shop”, or the retailer from which you purchased your motor oil. Some municipal jurisdictions require service shops, and dealers to accept and collect motor oil which is sent for recycling.
*CAUTION: NEVER dispose of used oil by pouring it into drains, catch basins out on the street, municipal sewage systems, or onto the ground. Oil contaminates soil, waterways and water aquifers, and is toxic to fish, and plant life. It can also be fatal to animals and birds. Oil can be recycled and cleaned. Always do the right thing and recycle it!
Does your motor seem to run better now? It should. Cleaner engines have less internal friction so get better gas mileage, run more smoothly, and will last longer. The best part is , you have the satisfaction of having learned a new skill, how to change the oil and filter in your car , and you saved money in the process!
