How to Change the Oil in Your Car

Car maintenance is a part and parcel of owning a vehicle. And, some services cost you more than the others. So, if you can learn to do easy services like an oil change on your own, you will save money and time.

Oil plays a crucial role in a car’s performance. If your oil has become old and filled with debris due to oxidization, then your car will give you trouble. And if you don’t change the oil, it can also damage the engine. Thus, refer to your car’s manual to ensure that you change the oil at a timely interval.

There are a few basic things that you need to do before you can start changing the oil.

Things you should check before changing the car’s Oil:

1. Ensure that your car is parked on the flat surface.
2. Keep the tools, drainage pan, new oil, hand gloves, new filter, funnel and rag clothes handy
3. Arrange to have dipstick handy to measure the oil level
4. Jack stand is in place in case your oil plug is hard to reach and you need to lift up the car
5. Switch on the car and let it run for ten minutes to heat up the oil
6. Put your car in park mode before you exit the vehicle

Now, follow the given steps and you will complete the task in no time.

Follow These Steps to Change Your Car’s Oil

1. Arrange the car as per the location of the engine oil plug. If you need to use the jack ensure that safety measures are taken. Tilt the car one way for better drainage. So, if the plug is easily accessible, you can crawl under the car to loosen the plug.
2. Put the oil drain pan under the plug to collect the old oil. It is usually located under your car.
3. Once your drain pan is in position and you have your gloves on, loosen the oil drain plug. It may take a few minutes to completely drain the oil.
4. Once the oil is completely drained out, fix the plug back in its place. Also, put away the oil for recycling.
5. This is also the time to change the filter of the car. Locate the filter and unscrew the old filter. Take precautions so as not spill oil on the engine or around other parts.
6. Before you put the new filter in place, apply a little of new oil to the gasket ring. This will help in securing the new filter in place. It also makes it easier to remove the filter, next time you want to change it.
7. Now pour the new oil through the funnel to avoid spillage. It is advisable to pour the oil slowly to make sure that it settles properly. You can check the oil level with the help of a dipstick.
8. Once you are done, clean up the surrounding area. Tighten the loose screws and switch on the vehicle for some time. During this time check for any leaks or smoke.
9. After running the car for some time let it cool and check the oil level again. This will help you determine whether you need to pour more oil or not.
10. Once your dipstick shows the “full” level, your oil changing task is over.