WELCOME TO OUR Changing your own oil and filter PROJECT
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Summary: In this guide you will learn how to do your own oil and filter change.
How to do an oil and filter change
Please note that this is only a general guide and is not specific to any one make or model of vehicle. For more detailed information on your own particular car, please consult a workshop manual specific to your own make and model!Please read this first
If you have recently driven your vehicle, please leave it for at least an hour for the engine and other components to cool down. If you do not you may risk injury!
Required Tools:
1. 3/8 drive socket set (metric's probably best as this will fit other sizes also)
2. Set of metric spanners
3. Container (at least 5 liters)
4. 3-4 empty milk containers with screw caps (2 litres )
5. Oil filter remover
6. Selection of old newspapers/rags
7. A plastic bag
8. New engine oil (be sure to consult your vehicles user manual or search the internet for what grade and make you need and also how much!)
9. New oil filter (again, be sure you have the correct one for your make and model)
10. Some very old clothes
11. A jack (preferably hydraulic)
12. A pair of axle stands
13. 2 bricks or rocks
14. A pair of surgical gloves (if your car uses part/full synthetic oil then this can be hazardous).
15. A large funnel
Step 1 – Warm up the engine
Although, in the "Please read this first" section above it says that you should make sure that your engine is cool before you start work, to avoid any injury, for this task it is necessary to warm up the oil so that it becomes thinner and will drain easier, but be careful!To do this, simply start the engine and leave it to idle for a few minutes. When the temperature gauge has reached normal operating temperature, the engine should be warm enough so turn off the engine and leave it to cool for about 15 minutes.
It may also be a good idea to move the car during this process to a flat surface as the car will need to be level when you drain the old oil and also when you refill with the new oil.
Step 2 – Open the bonnet and identify the oil filter
With engine oil now warm, turn the engine off and pull on the hand brake.
Open the bonnet of your vehicle via the release catch normally located just under the dash board on either the driver or passenger’s side, walk to the front of the car and slide your hand under the bonnet and squeeze the latch. When the latch releases prop the bonnet up using the provided support.
Some vehicles feature a “sound suppression” cover which will cover the entire top of the engine. This will need to be removed to gain access to the engine. This is usually secured in several positions.
With the engine now fully exposed, take a minute to identify the location of the oil filter. Depending on your make and model, it could be any where (front, back or either side. view the picture below to see what it looks like). With the location of the filter identified, you will now know how to access it. (If its on the front of the engine, then you may be able to access it from the engine bay. If it is on the rear then you may only be able to access it from under the car).
Step 3 – Jack the car up
In order to access the drain plug (and possibly the oil filter) you will need to raise the car up. Firstly, get the bricks or rocks and place them behind the rear tyres and push them in securely. Now move to the front of the car and look underneath, just behind the front tyres. Locate a secure point (one that will support the weight of the car) and slide the jack under, positioning it directly under the secure jack point (your cars user manual should indicate secure jacking points).
Jack the car up and then take one of the axle stands and slide this under, positioning it beneath another secure point (one that will support the weight of the car. As the jack has taken up one point already, you might want to use the base of the sub-frame. This is the metal frame that the engine is bolted to)
With the axle stand in place, lower the jack until the car is resting securely on the axle stand.
CAUTION: Never climb under a car that is being held by a jack alone! Always support a vehicle with axle stands.
Step 4 – Drain the old oil
Now that you have access to the under-side of the car, you now have to locate the drain plug. Normally, this will be on either the base or the bottom rear of the sump (it should look like a large nut with a washer under it, unless it is a socket wrench type fitting as pictured below. Now, get your set of sockets (or wrench) and find one that fits the drain plug (depending on manufacturer, this should be between 13 and 19mm).
Firstly, lay down a good covering of old newspapers (to catch any spilt oil). Before you start to undo the plug, don't. Get your container (5 litres or larger) and place this directly below the drain plug, put on your gloves (if you haven't already) and move yourself well out of the way of the plug as you don't want hot oil going all over you.
Now, get your socket (or wrench) and loosen the drain plug, but do not undo it completely. When it is loose, put down the socket and precede to undo the nut by hand, applying a little upward (or inward) pressure to it. When you feel it reach the end of the thread, hold it in place and get ready to pull it away quickly. Make sure you hold on to it tightly as you don't want it disappearing into the container with all the oil!
With the oil now free-flowing into the container, move up to the engine bay and remove the oil filler cap as this will help the oil drain a little faster. All you have to do now is wait for the oil to drain (it is a good idea to leave it for an hour or so, to make sure that all the old oil drains successfully)
Step 5 – Remove the oil filter
With all the oil now drained, climb back under the car and refit the the drain plug to prevent any further drips. Now, get your oil filter remover and get yourself in a good position to access the filter (whether this is above or beneath the car will depend on the make and model).
Depending on which type of filter remover you have (there is a socket type and a
chain type) slide it over the filter and loosen it (it shouldn't be that tight). When you feel it give, undo it a little more but don't completely remove it. Now, put down your filter remover and position your container below the filter (remember, this is still full of of oil!) and unscrew it the rest of the way by hand.
With the old filter now removed, drain the contents into the container and place the filter hole-side-up on a piece of newspaper.
Step 6 – Fit the new filter
Before you fit the new filter, take an old rag and clean around the oil filter location on the engine. Now, remove your new filter from its packaging and place it hole-side-up on a piece of newspaper. Get your funnel and container of new oil and place the funnel in the top of the new filter. being careful (as new oil has a tendency to go everywhere when you try and pour it) pour a little oil into the filter, but don't fill it to the brim (when you start the engine after completing this job, the oil will not circulate the engine correctly until the new filter has been filled. This will save on unnecessary engine wear).
Now, smear a little oil on your finger and rub it around the rubber seal on the hole end of the oil filter. This will help to seal the filter to the engine when you re-fit it.
Climb back under the car with the filter and screw it into place, by hand, until it goes tight. Now, with both hands grip the filter and pinch it tight (about a further half a turn. There should be instructions on the box that the filter came in on exactly how tight it should be)
Before you climb out from under the car, we must not forget to tighten the drain plug. Firstly, tighten the plug as tight as possible with your fingers and then get the correct size spanner from your spanner set and use this to tighten the rest of the way (by using a spanner you can feel exactly how much pressure you are applying to the plug. Remember, if to go too far you will strip the threads and this can be a costly mistake).
Step 7 - Re-fill the engine with oil
Now that everything is sorted underneath, remove all objects such as the container, tools and newspaper. With the ground cleared, jack the car back up off of the axle stand and then withdraw this. Now, lower the jack and get the car back on the ground so that it is level.
The final task (apart from the clear up!) is to re-fill your engine with oil. As you have already removed the filler cap, take the funnel and place it in the hole. Get your container of new oil and pro cede to pour it into the filler hole a little at a time. (don't go crazy! If you over fill the engine, this can be just as harmful as not putting any oil in). There should be a level on the side of the oil container (this is based on a standard 5ltr container) and when you get to the point that you have put 3 litres into the engine, don't pour any in for a roughly 5 minutes until the oil that is in the engine has settled and check the level on the dip stick (the min and max points on the dip stick should be apparent). Continue pouring and checking until the oil level sits just below the max level on the dip stick. When you have reached this point, re-fit the filler cap and your done! (apart from the clean up)
Step 8 - Cleaning up
Before you start the clean up, start the engine and leave it to idle for about 5 minutes, to allow the oil to circulate the engine. Intermittently check around the oil filter and under the car for leaks.
Now, take the empty milk containers and using the funnel, pour the old oil into them. When the drainage container is empty, prop it against a wall with the corner over the top of the milk container to catch the final dregs. When the drainage container is empty, wipe it out with the remaining pieces of newspaper and then dispose of the newspaper (preferably in a recycling point).
Now, put the old oil filter into a plastic bag and together with the milk containers put them in a box in the boot of the car (make sure they wont fall over and spill!).
REMEMBER: It is illegal to dump used engine oil any where apart from a designated disposal point (these can usually be found at your local recycling center). Carrying out this final task will give you the ideal opportunity to test out your handy work!
NOTE: Renewing your engine oil in accordance to your car manufacturers specified mileage points is one of the most important things you can do in terms of prolonging the life of your cars engine. Consult your cars user manual for their specified times.
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