Start simple learn fast. How to post NO. 1 - Oil Change

I am going to start off with something that most people should know how to do but unfortunately, most here in the US do not. When most people think of an oil change, they think of a mechanic, like myself, covered in head to toe in oil and grease, and that's what puts them off of the idea of preforming one themselves. However an oil change is one of the easiest and honestly one of the cleanest things you can do on a car, if done properly, you will only have oil on you hands and maybe a little on your arms.

Lets start off with what you need to preform an oil change. To do this you will need a jack, jack stands, a ratchet, sockets (usually 13-15 millimeter) or a wrench of the same size, oil (2-10 quarts, 1.8-9.4 liters depending on the vehicle), an oil filter, and an oil drain pan. Some sort of old rag or shirt would also be useful to clean yourself and your tools when finished.

First, jack up the vehicle so it is high enough for you to get under it, then put the jack stands in a position that they can support the weight of the car without slipping (I find the suspension, particularly the lower A arm, or the frame of the car to be the best location.) for reference, in this picture, the jack is on the lower A arm

Second, crawl under the vehicle and locate the oil pan drain plug and oil filter. For those who do not know where the oil pan is, it is directly under the engine and the drain plug is usually towards the rear of the oil pan. be careful as to not identify the transmission pan drain plug as the oil pan drain plug. for reference, in the picture the red arrow is the oil drain plug and the green arrow is the oil filter. They will be in different locations on different makes and models but generally look the same.

Third, Position the oil drain pan so the drain plug is over the outside edge of the opening. Turn the drain plug to loosen it (normally counter-clockwise) and keep turning until it comes completely loose. let the oil drain completely before removing the drain pan. Once all the oil has drained, put the drain plug back in the drain hole and snug it down. be careful as to not over tighten as that will strip the drain plug. once that is done, you can move the drain pan under the oil filter. Loosen the oil filter and let it drain into the drain pan. after the oil is finished draining, remove the drain pan and put it in a place that it is not in the way. Make sure the rubber gasket came off with the oil filter, you can do this by taking your fingernail and scraping it around the oil filter area. if the gasket did not come off with the oil filter, take a flat, flexible metal object.

Fourth, ensure a new rubber gasket is with the new oil filter, if not you will have to take the filter back and exchange it for another one. fill the filter with oil and put it back on the car in the same spot that you took the old one off, be careful not to cross thread the filter and tighten it hand tight. jack the car back up to take the weight off of the jack stands and remove them then lower the car. the picture is what the oil filter receptacle looks like.

Last, look in the owners manual and find out how much oil your vehicle needs. Pop the hood and locate the oil fill cap and the oil dipstick. the oil fill cap is usually on top of the engine on larger engines (possibly under an engine cover) and the dipstick is on the side, it will have a yellow handle. On smaller engines the fill cap is holding the dipstick and you fill the engine via the dipstick tube. Fill the engine with 3/4 of what it requires and let it sit for a few minutes. Check the dipstick and full to the fill area being careful not to over fill the engine. find a way to dispose of the used oil, some shops will take used oil and dispose of it safely for a small fee.

Congratulations you now know how to change the oil on your vehicle. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me on here or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013179244464. I will try to post a new vehicle how to every week so if you have something automotive related that you want to know how to do post it in the comments.