Why Do You Need To Change Your Oil?
Your oil is what keeps your engine lubricated, cooled and happy. It makes sure that everything that needs to move, can do so safely. It makes your engine last longer, run better and perform stronger. Your oil has the most essential job in maintaining your motor and as it has such an important job, it gets dirty and needs replacing at regular intervals. A cheap and simple oil change can stop a massive and complicated repair bill.
What Do You Need for an Oil Change?
- You need to know how much oil your engine takes and have the right oil and the right quantity. 10w-30, 10w-40, 5w-30, 5w-40. Which one do you need? Check your owners manual or search your car, your engine, and make sure you go off of your manufacturers recommendations.
- You need the new oil filter to replace the old used one. This will ensure that the new oil is cleaned and maintained by a new, clean filter.
- You’ll need a hydraulic jack and at least 2 jack stands. These will lift the car and then support it while you’re crawling around underneath it.
- A large bucket or pan to catch the dirty oil as it pours out of the motor. You don’t want this all over your garage floor or backyard.
- You’ll need a socket set or the specialist tools for your car to get the sump plug out
- A funnel is also a good idea to help channel the oil into the engine. Seeing as oil is flammable, this is essential to protect against dangerous spillage.
How To Change Your Oil
- You’re going to start by warming the car up for 5 minutes. Then, turn it off , put your park brake on, and put the transmission into ‘Park”. You need to slip the jack under the car and jack the car up in the correct jack spots. You then place the jack stands under the car in the correct mounting points and they will support the car while you work.
- Next up, locate the oil sump plug and grab your bucket. You will then unscrew the oil sump plug and let the oil drain into the bucket.
- While your oil is draining you need to locate the oil filter. Once you’ve found it you need to unscrew the old filter and tip the oil from it into the used oil bucket before disposing of the used filter. Open the new container of fresh oil and dip a finger in the oil to spread around the gasket on the top of the oil filter before screwing it into the housing.
- Now that all the old oil has drained out, refit the sump plug and tighten it to specifications. You’ll need to locate the oil filler cap on top of the engine and put your funnel into the hole. Now begin pouring the clean, new oil into the engine.
- Here’s a “pro tip”: if you hold the oil container on its side, it will vent the container better and give you a cleaner pour.
- You can now refit the cap to the top of the engine and check you dipstick to make sure you have the right amount of oil in the car.
- If all is well, you can start the car and let it warm up in neutral for at least 10 minutes.