The "universal" how-to change your oil

Changing your oil is a crucial part of maintaining your automobile. The oil inside your engine is constantly circulated around and around while its on lubricating every moving part keeping everything slick and moving as freely as possible. Keeping your engine oil fresh and clean every recommended 3 month or 3,000 miles (which ever comes first) is very important because your motor will run poorly and start to dwindle in reliability due to old oil particles that clump and any old engine gunk that breaks loose and moves around with your engine parts.

Changing your own oil is like changing a tire, learn it. Doing it your self can save you anywhere from $10-30 depending. Its also the most common maintenance to be performed on any automobile.

Tools you will need:

-Ratchet

-Oil filter wrench, or a strong set of hands

Step 1: Buy the recommended quarts of oil ($1.50-4.50 per quart) for your car,(1)right size oil filter ($2-6 per 1 filter), and a correct size washer for the oil drain plug($.75)

Step 2: Prepare a suitable car jack/lift, a container (like a low height bucket) safe for the old oil, your freshly bought supplies, and car jacks or bricks for safety when you lift the car.

Step 3: After jacking your car up from the manufacturer suggested points underneath the automobile(usually 6 spots. 2 on each side, and 1 in front and back) and securing the car so it can't fall on top of you look for a bolt and your oil filter on your oil pan that looks similar to this:

Step 4: After locating your oil filter and drain plug prepare your old oil container under the bolt and take the correct size ratchet to the plug and let the oil drain itself for about 5-10 minutes. **careful, do not drain oil if engine is still hot**

Step 5: During or after the old oil is draining you have to remove your old oil filter because it is filled with all the oil impurities and must be changed every oil change. So take the oil filter wrench(or your hands) to the filter and turn left. **careful oil will spill out if turned downwards. treat it like a full cup of water**

Step 6: Lubricate the opening of your new oil filter with your new or old oil so the black ring on the top will seal correctly. After hand screw on the oil filter nice and snug.

Step 7: Replace the drain plugs washer.

Step 8: Lower the car and slowly poor in the recommended amount of oil.

Step 9: Your done! now just dispose of the old oil at your local auto parts store. They will be more then happy to for free.

Any questions or comments feel free to add them below this entry. thank you.