How Do You Change The Oil In A Car?

First you will need some stuff:

Oil (duh!), oil filter, drain plug washer.

A wrench to loosen (and then tighten) the drain plug on the engine oil pan.

A wrench to loosen (and then tighten) the oil filter.

A tub or pan to catch the old oil.

Drain plug. This will be in the engine oil pan, its common for it to have a hex head like a bolt, sometimes it will be a different shape. In any case you will need a proper tool to loosen and then tighten it. Try to get a good tool for this, if it is cheap or the wrong size the drain plug can be damaged and then be very difficult to remove.

Oil filter. This will probably be a can like thing. Your best bet is to buy a new one first so you will know what the old one looks like. The new one may be a different color, do not get upset about this. Try not to buy the cheapest filter, a dollar or so more for a better filter is money well spent. Oil filters screw onto a part of the engine and you will probably need a special wrench for this, buy one when you buy the new filter.

Screwing and unscrewing. All most all things on your car have right hand threads. What this means is simple: Take your right hand, make a "thumbs up". Your fingers point in the direction you turn the thing and your thumb points in the direction the thing will move in.

On some cars you can get underneith with out jacking the car up as long as you are skinny and the car is high enough. On other cars you will need to get the car high enough to do this. Jacks or ramps work, I like ramps myself, they are safer.

1. Get the car in position as necessary so you can get under it to reach the drain plug and maybe the filter too.

2. First unscrew the filter. Use the filter tool, Right hand rule! Only unscrew it about 1/2 a turn.

3. Get your pan and put it under where the filter is. Now finish removing the filter. Yes, some oil will come out, it could be messy. Put the filter somewhere that it will not spill. Dispose of it properly.

4. Get your new filter and put it on the engine. Follow the directions on the box from the filter. Use the tool and tighten it as on the directions that came with the filter.

5. Drain plug. Put the pan under the plug area. Now use the wrench and unscrew the plug. Right hand rule again!

6. When the oil has dripped out safely into the pan put the drain plug back in with that new drain plug washer. Make sure you tighten the plug about as tight as it was when you removed it! We would not want it to come off on its own!

7. Put the new oil in the engine. Check the level with the dipstick, try to get it just about up to the "full" line.

Check your work. Everything back in place? Tight enough? Start the engine. Watch the oil light, it should go out within 10 seconds. If not check all your work, check the oil level. Try again. Should be fine.

Last part. Dispose of the old oil properly. Most auto parts stores will take back the old oil for free.

If the oil monkeys at the quick-E-lube can do this so can you!