How To Easily Change Oil On Your Car Yourself in 2022

One of the basic skills you should have if you are a car owner is the one to change oil on your car. You never know when you will have some issue or regular maintenance that requires an oil change. Instead of paying mechanics to do it for you, you can use some old-fashioned elbow grease and do it yourself in no time!

What You Must Know Before Changing Your Oil

Things you will need to change oil are few and straightforward, but it is important to check if you have all the needed tools for this task. For example, make sure you have a fresh large container of new engine oil ready. If you do not, buy some at an auto shop.

Try to have a friend helping you if you are not familiarized with how to go about this process. If you do, ask them to warm up the car for you so that oil will drain easier once opened.

One important thing to note is that some cars have unique ways of changing oil that might not make complete sense for normal people. For such cases consult your car’s user manual, look up how people do it on YouTube or specialized forums. You shouldn’t have any issues if you inform yourself well enough.

How To Change Oil On Your Car

Make sure that the car’s engine is off before proceeding. Then, open the hood of your vehicle and locate and remove the oil filler cap in order to drain the engine. Use a wrench or ratchet if there is one available to you and place it over the opening of the container.

When you loosen up the oil filler cap, some oil will start dripping from it. Make sure that all of it ends up in your container by carefully positioning it under the cap.

Once the container is full, you will need to close it and place a new oil filler cap on your vehicle’s filler neck. Your old oil filter can now be removed so give it a spin until it comes loose. While doing this, keep an eye on how much time it takes for the “low” or “add” arrow on the oil filter to disappear.

Once it is taken off, don’t throw away your old oil filter as you can use it as a reference tool when buying a new one. Usually, oil filters have their size written on them, and buying a new one with the same specifications will be a safe bet.

Before installing a new filter, you will have to pour some of the oil from your container into its place and let it sit for a few moments. Be sure that you do not overfill it because this can lead to serious engine problems later on.

Once done, install a new filter by turning it clockwise until it is completely fitted and then take out your wrench. Place it over the filter and fork (or flat part) of your wrench and turn it counterclockwise until it is closed enough. Then, simply turn the wrench clockwise to tighten it nice and snug.

Your oil is now changed! Do not forget to clean up any spilled oil that might still be on the garage floor or under your car by using a wet and soapy rag. Also, be sure to dispose of old oil and filter at the local recycling center or auto shop.

Final Words

Remember that you can save money by doing this task by yourself but also remember that is important to have a spare container in case you need more oil during your change. If you are unsure about anything, it is always wise to call a mechanic and ask for their advice.

Good luck and feel free to leave comments below if you have any concerns or questions!