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So you want to change your car’s oil and filter. Besides the obvious importance of car maintenance and regular oil changes, it is cheaper and faster to take care of this service issue yourself. Before getting started, collect the correct tools and supplies. Follow these simple steps and before you know it, you’ll be out and about, not still waiting in line at the quick lube.
The job will go smoothly if you have all of the necessary equipment ready to go. You will need a jack, a 4-way lug wrench, and a drain hose. Another helpful accessory to have is a container for the dirty oil. What kind of container is allowed by your town?
Most stores where new oil is purchased will accept the old oil for recycling purposes. An oil absorbent pad or newspaper is handy as well for accidental spills. Other than these things, you will need the fresh oil and new filter.
If you don’t already know what type is appropriate for your vehicle, the sales guys at the local auto parts store can look it up for you.
After jacking the front end of the car up and making sure it is secure, slide under and get started. Once you have located the oil filter unscrew the cap. Be sure to have the absorbent pad and old oil container in place.
With the dirty oil out of the way and secure in the jug, move on to replacing the oil filter itself. The wrench needs to be the right size and fit the fluted shape of the filter accurately to remove it.
In some cases oil filters are attached with hex nuts. In this situation a regular wrench will work just fine. However if the conventional tool isn’t the right size there are some other options. A spider, spring-band, or nylon band wrenches are good alternatives.
Remove the old filter and be sure to still have the newspaper or pad along with the old oil container under the area.
Now that you have the old oil in a container and the filter out of the way, finish up the job. Many mechanics recommend applying a layer of clean engine grease or oil to the new filter. Thread the new filter in place. There is no need to tighten the filter on with anything other than by hand.
The only case you may need to use a wrench for this step is if the design of the car doesn’t allow for space for your hand. In this situation a cap wrench is the absolute best option. Continue turning the new filter until it makes contact with the mounting plate. At this point, tighten the filter another half turn to ensure that it is stable.
The only thing left to do is refill the oil reservoir with the high-grade oil of your choice that is compatible with your vehicle.
The oil and filter change has now been successfully accomplished. You are done! All done for less money and less time spent at the auto shop. You can relax for another 5,000 miles.