The Professional Expert

How to Change the Oil Yourself…

Changing the oil yourself is not that difficult. It just takes about 45 minutes and a willingness to crawl under the car and get dirty.

If you want give it a try, you will need:

Parts List:

• Oil – Find the specifications and quantity you will need for your vehicle in the owner’s manual. We usually use 4 or 5 quarts.
  
• Filter - Filters are pretty much all the same. You can spend anywhere from $2 to $15 on an oil filter. Some will say the more expensive one is the best. I use something that is mid-range. There are really only three different places that make filters, despite all of the different brands out there. When you change the oil you must change the filter.
  
• Pan to catch the oil – It needs to hold that 4 or 5 quarts that will drain out. Auto parts stores carry a container that is made specifically for this purpose that can be closed up so you don’t spill any oil. Trying to use old oil containers would get really messy really fast.
  
• Wrench to fit the oil plug – The owners manual will tell you where to look, and may tell you the size. (I think they know so why don’t they put it in there?) 
  
• Oil filter wrench – The wrench is for taking off the old filter, not putting on the new one.
  
• Ramps – Many cars are so low that you cannot fit underneath (or I have just gotten bigger), so it is good to have ramps to raise the car.
  
• Rags – You will get oil on your hands.
  
• Kitty Litter – It soaks up spills.
  
• Funnel – for pouring in new oil

It is best to wait an hour or so after you have last driven the car so that things can cool off a bit – but you want to make sure it is “warm.”  The engine should still be somewhat hot to the touch.  I go to the parts store and get my oil and filter, come home and eat lunch before I start working on it. That seems to work pretty well.

Instructions:

Drive the car up on the ramps, shut off the engine, and set the parking brake.

Place the drain pan under the oil plug and remove the plug.

After the oil has slowed to a drip, replace the plug and tighten firmly.

Place the pan under the filter and unscrew the filter a little bit; be careful, oil will drain around the filter as soon as it becomes unseated. 

Once the oil stops coming out around the filter, remove the filter completely.  Make sure the rubber seal comes off with it. The old filter should look just like the new one, so you can compare and see where the seal is.

Now you are ready to install the new filter. 

First, put a little oil on the seal. You can use the dirty oil in the pan or, if you got oil on your fingers, just wipe a bit on the seal.

Now screw the new filter on until it touches, then turn it ¾ of a turn further. That is as tight as it needs to be.

Check that you tightened the drain plug. I forgot this step once and put 5 quarts of new oil in my drain pan!

You are now ready to go up top and put in the new oil.  I find it best to use a funnel to prevent spills.

After you have put the new oil in, replace the cap and use the dipstick to check the oil level.  The level should be well over the “add” mark. The oil has not made it through all of the passages and through the oil filter yet, so it will read high.
 
Now clean off your hands and start the engine. The oil light may take a couple seconds to go out, but it should go out. 

Check under the car to see if there are any leaks around the plug or the filter.  If so, shut off the engine and tighten them ¼ turn.  This should stop the leaks.

Now you just have to clean up and dispose of the old oil!

What do I do with the old oil? 

Please don’t pour the oil on the ground, in a hole, or down the storm drain!  At best this can be a slick, dirty mess and at worst, the oil could end up in your drinking water.

So, where do you take it?

The most likely candidate is the auto parts store where you bought the new oil. The parts store usually has a recycle tank.  When you buy the oil, even if it is from a big-box store like Wal-Mart, ask if they will take the old oil. Sometimes they will take the old oil if you buy your new oil there, but they don’t advertise it or make it obvious since taking old oil is probably a pain for them.

The local dump may also have a recycling or waste disposal center that accepts oil. You can also check the local “quicky-lube” place. They already have lots of oil to get rid of!

Depending on your drain pan, you may be able to take in the whole pan and dump it. This is where the sealable pan from the auto parts store comes in handy. You can also carefully pour the oil into the bottles the new stuff came in and take them in.

Changing the oil yourself not only saves a couple of bucks, but also gives you the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself.

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