Tools and Materials

Tools

Materials

Note

Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market.

Why Should I Change My Oil?

Motor oil being poured into the motor of a car from a gray jug.

Motor oil is the life blood of your car’s engine. Low oil levels and not changing the oil periodically as recommended in your owner’s manual can cause engine damage and mean costly repair work. Your manual will also tell you the specific type and weight of oil to use, along with the right size of filter your car requires.

Many of today’s newer cars use a synthetic or synthetic blend of motor oil. These oils can provide better protection and longer oil life that the traditional motor oils of a few years ago. Again, the owner’s manual will tell you if these newer oils are acceptable for use with your engine type.

Need to Know

It is important to always change the oil filter whenever you change your oil. Using an old filter with new oil will recirculate the impurities that had previously been removed from the old oil.

Shop Motor Oil Shop Oil Filters

Changing Your Oil

Before actually changing your oil, there are a few steps that should be done to make this task easier and safer for you to do:

Warm up the car for just a few minutes. This can be a quick trip around the block or up and back the road for about 5 minutes. This will allow the oil to warm up and circulate through the motor, making it easy-flowing and faster to drain.
Allow the motor to cool, especially the exhaust system. This should be about 30 minutes or more.
Park your car on a flat surface like your garage or driveway. If you need extra clearance to get underneath the vehicle, use a set of car ramps or an automotive jack to raise the vehicle. A set of auto stands will add safety when using a jack.
Use an old box to protect both you and your floor from dirt and stains.

Instructions

Locate the oil filter on the engine block. Different car manufacturers place them in a variety of places, so refer to the owner’s manual for the exact location. Turning counter clockwise, loosen the filter and place it in the drain pan. If you cannot loosen it by hand, use an oil filter wrench to assist the removal. Wipe the filter fitting with a clean cloth after all the oil has drained out.

Tip

When you have removed the oil filter, make sure that the rubber gasket is intact. If not, check the oil filter fitting to see if any remain there.

Prepare your new oil filter by putting a thin coating of oil along the rubber gasket. Next, fill the oil filter about ¾ full of new oil. Place the new filter on the fitting and spin until the gasket meets the engine block. Tighten about ¾ of a turn further to ensure a snug fit. Refer to the owner’s manual or oil filter for the exact tightening requirement.

Caution

Make sure not to overtighten the filter as you may damage the rubber gasket.

Two men adding oil to a car with a black funnel.

Using your hand, replace the oil drain plug, making sure it is threaded correctly. Tighten with your wrench until the plug is snug, making sure not to overtighten. If you have a torque wrench you can torque it to the specified measure found in your owner’s manual. Using a funnel, pour the required amount of new oil into the engine. The right amount will also be found in the owner’s manual. Most cars will need from four to six quarts, while some trucks and SUVs will need up to eight quarts. When finished, replace the oil fill cap.

Tip

When you have replaced the drain plug, make sure that all of your tools and equipment are clear from underneath the car.

After filling with oil, you must check to see that it is full of just the right amount. Start your vehicle and let it run for a few minutes to circulate the new oil throughout the engine. Shut off the engine and remove the dipstick to check the oil level. The dipstick will have minimum and maximum fill marks to indicate your oil level. Wipe the dipstick clean with a paper towel and replace. Pull it out again and see where the oil line is. The oil line should be just below the maximum fill line. If it is below that, add small amounts of oil until it reaches that level. Close the hood and you are done.