Oil Change

Hello and good afternoon, I am John Jonson. You will be keeping your car running smooth and maintained. I have run into multiple numbers of people that either have no idea on how to do it or any idea on what it is. In this presentation my goal is to help some people and show them how it’s done. I’ve worked at a mainly oil change shop last spring and have learned multiple tips and tricks to help you along the way.

First things first to find out the car’s mileage and the last time an oil change was performed on it. Then, if needed go to a store that sells vehicle motor oil, the stores usually have a book or computer where one can look up the vehicle they drive and see what oil filter the car needs what weight of oil the car prefers and how much. It takes or a simple google search on the engine is a quick fix on what you need. If the car is lower it might need to be raised with a car jack, lift or car ramps. Once the vehicle is high enough to get comfortable underneath the task is ready to be performed.

The hood needs to be popped to preform this task of an oil change. To find this there is a little lever with a picture of a front end of a car with a hood propped open usually placed underneath the dash on the driver’s side of the vehicle. Once the hood is popped open locate the oil cap and twist it off then, it is always nice to take the oil dipstick out and read the current level and the condition the oil is in. (Always leave the oil cap off until the end.) Find an oil catch pan and start looking underneath the car to find the oil pan (which is usually a big pan with a bolt in it underneath the motor), and find the oil filter.

Since every car brand is different from each other, I cannot tell you what size the oil drain plug will be on every vehicle but another simple google search can help this. Find either a wrench or a socket wrenches the same size as the oil drain plug looked up and place it on the oil drain plug once confirmed it fits turn the oil drain plug counter clockwise, once the initial torqued plug is loosened it should be easily spinnable to take out with fingers. That being said twist the oil drain plug all the way out and put it in a safe place. **Note** Make sure the oil draining is caught by the oil catch pan put down their earlier. Next, locate the oil filter usually underneath some can be to the side of the motor or even on top. Look for the same figure that looks like the new oil filter just bought.

Make sure there is a catch pan underneath the oil filter and prepare to take it off. Some might need an oil filter wrench or socket and those sizes depend on the size of the filter on the car but, the filter shouldn’t be too tight on there so some can be able to grab it hard by your hand to twist off counter-clockwise. There should be used oil also in that so take off carefully and maybe take it off one quarter turn at a time to let that used oil drain out to create less of a mess. Once off, look at the top of the filter and make sure the black circle seal is still on the filter. If not look where the filter was taken off and see if it is possible to take off. Put the new filter next to the used one and assure they are the same size, then place finger in the used filter collecting oil on finger and lube up the black seal on the new filter completely.

By now, All the used oil should be out of the vehicle, time to start putting it back together, after the black seal is lubed go back to where you took off the used filter and screw on new filter clockwise until hand tight. (It does not need to be tightened with any wrench or else it will be very difficult to take off.) Now, grab the oil drain plug that was taken off earlier and put back where it was taken out and screw that in clockwise to tighten, this one can be tightened by a wrench rater then finger tight but don’t go too tight or it will damage the plug. Once everything is put together underneath the car it is ready to have new oil put in.

Place a funnel in where the oil cap was taken off, add the new oil to how much there was bought or how much the car takes. Take out the funnel and screw on the oil cap, make sure the oil dipstick is cleaned off and placed all the way back in its hole. Now the vehicle is ready to start, so start the vehicle make sure the vehicle reads oil pressure and check underneath the car to make sure there are no leaks. Turn off the car and check the oil again, it should read a good level according to the dipstick. The hood can now be shut and car taken off the ramps if it was on them. If needed reset the oil change light on the vehicle by searching on google, also wouldn’t be a bad idea to log when oil was changed and the cars current mileage.

Make sure to properly dispose of the used oil drained and put away any tools, also make sure the car doesn’t leak everything should be ready to go until time for next oil change which one should look up how often to do oil change. Now the oil change is complete.

This video shows me performing the task and explaining how its done with tricks and tips.