Changing the Oil on a Car

Men aren’t the only ones who can change the oil on a car. Though it may seem like a difficult process, it can actually be completed in a timely and efficient way if the steps are followed correctly. Making sure to have the materials on hand will ensure the oil is changed in no time. Included in this manual will be the materials and steps needed to complete the job.

It is important to make sure all materials needed are on hand. Without all the proper materials, it will be impossible to complete one or more of the steps. The only materials needed are 6 quarts of oil and a filter specific to the car, an oil pan, 2 car ramps, a 15 mm wrench, a filter wrench, shop towels, and a creeper.

The first step is to make sure there are 6 quarts of oil available. It is easiest to get 6 jugs of oil, each containing 1 quart. However, there are bigger jugs available that would require further measuring to get to the 6 quarts.

Next, pull the car into the garage. Before getting all of the way into the garage, put one car ramp in front of each front tire of the car. Have them just touching the tire. Get back into the car and slowly pull the car ahead until you feel on top of the ramp and feel the car hit the stop at the top of the car ramp. Put the car in park and put the emergency brake on. It is important to follow this step to make sure the car doesn’t roll back. This could be dangerous and cause a lot of hazards at the start of this process. Don’t forget to shut the car off.

Continuing on, it is time to get the creeper, oil pan, and 15 mm wrench. Roll under the car on the creeper and get the oil pan lined up with the drain plug, that is used to unscrew to drain the oil. Using the 15 mm wrench, break loose the oil plug. After it is loose, unscrew it by hand. Be careful so oil doesn’t go everywhere when the plug comes all of the way out. Try and be very quick when pulling the plug out of the way.

After removing the plug from the car and the oil is draining into the oil pan, make sure the oil pan is lined up just right. This is to make sure the oil doesn’t go on the ground when draining. Roll out from under the car and wipe the plug off with the shop towels. Unscrew the oil cap from the top of the motor so the oil can drain faster.

In the meantime, wait 5-10 minutes. Grab the filter wrench and roll back under the car to where the oil filter is located. Put the filter wrench on the filter and unscrew it. Replace it with the new one by screwing the new one back on.

When the oil stops draining out of the car, roll back under the car and put the plug back in the car. Tighten the plug with the 15 mm wrench and make sure the plug is tight so it doesn’t fall out. After getting the plug tight, grab all of the wrenches used when doing the job and also grab the oil pan that is full of oil. Remove them out from under the car and wipe the wrenches off until there is no oil left on them.

Finally, put the new oil into the car. Dump the 6 quarts of oil into the oil cap hole. After dumping all 6 quarts into the oil cap hole, wait 5 minutes. Check the dipstick to see what the oil level is at. Make sure it is a little above the full mark. This is because the oil filter still needs to be filled with oil. Even though it seems like there is too much oil, it will even out when the additional oil drains into the oil filter the next time the car is started. Put the oil cap back on, back the car off the ramps, clean the mess up that was made and that will finish the oil change.

If these steps are followed correctly, changing the oil on a car should be a breeze. Even though this might be a new process for many, it can be a lot easier when following in the footsteps of another person’s experience. In the end, it’s all about learning something new.