Many people get intimidated when they think about having to change their own oil in their cars. However, the process of changing your own oil is actually a lot easier than you may think, and it doesn’t require a special set of skills or any specialized tools. If you are like the many Canadians who are considering changing their own oil instead of going to a service department and having it done, then read on to find out everything you will need to successfully change your own oil.
What do you need to do an oil change?
PREPARE THE VEHICLE
Before you get started, you will want to make sure that your car is ready to have its oil changed. It is recommended that you change the oil when the engine is slightly warm. Motor oil has the same consistency as thin syrup. So, if the oil is too cold, it will not run out of the car as fast during the oil change. If it is too hot, however, you could become badly injured and burn yourself during the oil change. If your vehicle has not been running recently, you will want to start the ignition and let it run for a few minutes to get the engine warm. If you get the engine too hot, just let the car sit for a few more minutes with the engine turned off until the motor is a cooler temperature.
MATERIALS NEED TO PERFORM AN OIL CHANGE
Be sure to gather all of the materials that you will need before you start to change the oil. This will help the process go much faster and keep you from having to leave your vehicle often to find tools or materials.
Item that you will need to perform an oil change include:
- Funnel
- Container or pan to catch and store the old oil
- Latex gloves
- Wrench or socket for the drainplug
- Oil
- Carjack or ramps
- Oil Filter
- Wrench for the oil filter
If you are not sure what type of oil your vehicle takes, read your owner’s manual to find out. Inside the manual, you will find how much oil your car can hold and what type of oil is best for your engine.
LOCATE THE DRAIN PLUG
When changing your oil, most of the work will be performed at the bottom of the car. So, you will need to raise your car off of the ground with a carjack or car ramps and carefully crawl underneath the vehicle.
Next, you need to find the drain plug. The drain plug is usually located on the side or the bottom of the oil pan. Once you have located it, use your wrench to unscrew the bolt. It is important to note that the oil will start to come out of the vehicle before the plug is completely removed. So, it is best if you unscrew the plug quickly to help prevent oil from getting onto you. Also, make sure to have a container already positioned below the oil pan to catch the used oil.
CLEAN THE BOLT ON THE DRAIN PLUG
While the oil is draining, check the bolt to make sure there is no damage to it or the washer. Wipe the bolt with a dry cloth to remove some of the old oil, and replace the washer if needed.
REMOVE AND REPLACE THE OIL FILTER
Once the oil has been completely drained from the pan, it is time to replace the oil filter. The oil filter is usually located near the oil pan on the bottom of the vehicle. Take your wrench or socket, unscrew the bolt in the middle of the filter, and carefully slide the filter out. When removing the filter, there will be some oil that will also leak out, so you will want to have your oil pan handy and ready to catch any oil that comes out.
Next, grab your new oil filter and rub a small amount of new oil around the ring, then place it carefully back into the slot and tighten the bolt.
REFILL THE OIL
Now, you can lower your car back to the ground and fill the oil spout up under the hood.
