How do you change the oil in your car? One of the crucial items that you must not overlook when it comes to maintenance is to change the oil in your car.
Following such kind of maintenance will not only maximize your car reliability but also prevent the key components of the engine to suffer excessive wear.
How to Change Your Car's Oil
Before starting to change the oil the car, park it first to a suitable area to where the change oil is to be done, preferably on level ground. Apply the parking brake and do the following procedure.
Step 1. If your car engine is cold, warm it up by starting and let it idle until it reaches the engine operating temperature.
Step 2. When the engine operating temperature is reached, turn the engine off and wait for 10 minutes to let the engine oil drain back into the oil pan.
Step 3. Jack up and raise the car. Place a suitable jack stand or a tripod underneath to support it. Open the car hood, loosen and remove the oil filler cap.
Step 4. Locate the oil pan and place a large drain pan underneath the oil pan. Make sure that the pan can catch the oil coming from the oil pan when the drain plug is removed.
Step 5. Locate and remove the drain plug using a wrench to completely drain the oil.
Step 6. When the oil is completely drained, clean and re-install the drain plug, take note that when you reinstall the drain plug you must use along with it a new drain plug washer. Tighten the drain plug with the specified torque approximately 29 to 39 Nm (22 to 29 ft-lb).
Step 7. Refill the engine with the recommended and required amount of new engine oil, make sure that you use the exact oil specification indicated in the owners manual, usually its on the maintenance section of the owners manual as well as the quantity of oil to be used. Install the oil filler cap securely.
Step 8. Remove the pan containing used oil and the jack stand that supports the car, lower the car to the ground.
Step 9. Start the engine and check if there is any leakage around the drain plug and correct it if necessary.
Step 10. Turn off the engine and wait for 10 minutes and check the level of the engine oil using a dipstick, add a proper amount of engine oil if necessary.
Step 11. Close the hood of the car. Then you are set to go.
As I have always mentioned in my article, it is very important to change the oil in your car. This kind of routine must not be overlooked to maximize the reliability of your car engine.