Changing Oil

Changing the oil in your car is necessary for it to run properly. This needs to be done about every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. I recommend taking it to your local mechanic shop. By taking it to a mechanic you will not only get your oil changed but also they will check over your car and put fluids in it such as coolant or windshield washer fluid. This may not sound like much but it will save you in the long run.

When changing the oil in a car, at a mechanics shop, the very first thing to do is pull the car into the shop. Then put it on the lift, to do this put the arms into place on the frame of the vehicle to assure that it will stay in place. Putting it on the lift makes it a lot easier to get to the oil plug and filter, these are the main things that you need to be able to reach.

After it is on the lift you will be able to walk under it with ease. Then to drain the old oil out, you have to get the oil plug out of the oil pan which is located on the bottom of the engine. It is a bolt that you have to unscrew. Make sure you have something to catch the oil under it before you pull it out. While it is draining, the oil filter needs to come out. It is usually located towards the front of the car’s engine.

Once the oil is drained out it is time to put the plug back in and a new oil filter. To do this, just screw the plug back into the same hole. The oil filter will have a rubber seal around it, take some oil and rub it around the seal to make it easier to put on. Once this is done take it down from the lift. Pull the cables to release the safety lock and let it down.

It is time to put oil back into the car, pop the hood, and take remove the oil cap. It will be located on top of the engine and should tell you what kind of oil that car needs. The amount of oil you need to put back into the car can usually be found written somewhere on the car from a previous oil change. If the information isn’t present you will need to look it up on the shop computer. After putting the right kind and amount of oil into the car, replace the oil cap.