If you want to learn how to change car oil at home, you are in the right place. Even though the procedure seems easy and pretty obvious, many people still do it incorrectly, turning it into an awful job.
As we all know, to prolong the life of your engine, you need to change your car oil regularly.
Read on to get full knowledge on how you can go about the whole oil changing procedure at home.
Steps on How to Change Car Oil at Home
Step 1: Get the Materials and Tools Ready
- Choose the proper type of oil: The first step is to determine which oil is best for your car. Manufacturers of automobiles will advise you to use a certain brand of oil. You can also find this information written on the car manual. The owner’s manual contains this information. Additionally, it contains details regarding the precise oil capacity needed. Overall, synthetic oil is strongly advised over conventional oil.
- Gather all the necessary tools: Several tools may be required in the oil changing process. For example, you will need a drain pan, jack stands, a wrench, gloves, and an oil filter wrench for this process.
- Although hot oil may flow effortlessly, there is a cost: heated oil may burn both your skin and the plastic surface beneath it. How can we maintain the oil to be hot enough to flow easily while preventing unnecessary burns? Run the cool engine for approximately 2 – 3 minutes to find the best solution to this dilemma. It permits a good amount of heat that is neither too hot nor too cold to cause harm. Wait until the engine has cooled off before making significant progress for safety.
- You should use rubber gloves to protect your hands from getting burned by hot oil. The floor may become covered in oil after the oil change. You should position the car on top of a plastic mat or something else to prevent oil spills on the floor for you to maintain the area tidy. You should be super cautious because oil is difficult to remove; otherwise, it will require extensive cleaning.
2. Draining the Oil
You must lift the automobile up to reach the oil drain plug. At this point, ramps or jack stands are useful. Once you’ve reached the bottom of the vehicle, you can utilize a wrench to jack up the drain plug and find the drain pan.
To gather the oil before that, place the drain pan just beneath the stopper. Once the draining is complete, you should use a ratchet to secure the plug.
3. Change the Oil Filter
Utilize a wrench when removing the oil filter. Remember to set a drain pan below because the oil filter could dislodge and cause an oil leak. It’s time to swap in a new oil filler after removing the old one.
You can apply some oil to the oil filter’s gasket before sealing it. This is because the improved filter might grasp more securely, stop leaks, and be simpler to remove the following time.
4. Refill the Oil
You will go to your hood to replace the oil after you’ve replaced the oil filter. Place a funnel on the oil after removing the cap. You can later finish the process by putting the oil through the funnel.
Keep an eye on how much oil you add to the engine, keeping in mind that you must adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions. You should drain some oil if you add more than is necessary. Extra oil up to one quart is fine, but anything more than that necessitates oil cleanup.
Is it Worthwhile to Change Your Oil?
If you drive one of the well-known mainstream cars and typically get 2 – 3 oil changes a year, you’re going to save below $20 on average by performing this service as opposed to having it done by an individual shop.
How Challenging is it to Change My Oil?
It’s an easy technique that only needs a few pieces of equipment, and it’s a great method to save money while avoiding the pain of spending time reading old magazines in a boring waiting room. More than anything, getting your oil changed is a terrific way to get to know your car and start managing its upkeep.
Can I Add Oil Rather Than Replacing It?
It is normally not advised to top off your oil until the amount is under the minimum level. However, refilling your oil can help you get to your local repair shop to get an oil change when you’re running short of it.
What Type of Wrench is required for an Oil Change?
To replace the oil drain stopper, you’ll require a socket set and a ratchet. To extract and restore the oil filter, you’ll also need an oil filter wrench or perhaps a robust grip.
Does Changing the Oil Require Removing the Drain Plug?
When you’re replacing your plug, you won’t need to extract the oil plug, change any gaskets or washers, and you won’t run the risk of cross-threading the oil pan. To pull the lever, you must still jack up the vehicle. After that, empty the oil into a pan as usual. It does, however, save your time.
Can I Drive if My Oil is too Full?
What do you do if your car has too much oil? You need to drain the extra oil from your car if you overfilled the tank. Driving it could harm the engine, necessitating costly repairs. Therefore you will need to have your car towed to a professional if you don’t feel confident doing this.
Can You Replace the Filter Without Changing the Car Oil?
Although it’s not technically required, it’s still good to replace the oil filter whenever you change your oil. To maintain the efficient operation of all components, the oil filter could filter out bigger contaminants from the engine’s oil.
Final Word
One common car maintenance procedure is oil changing. It might guarantee the engine’s durability and maintain its performance over time.
Most mechanics say that one should change the oil on a schedule since it is very important to change the oil frequently. Although it can be challenging to maintain this habit, you have to try.
You can have a lot of stuff to pick up while heading to the repair shop, forcing you to postpone your oil change appointment. The real kicker is that by using this post, you can familiarize yourself with how to change car oil at home.