Not all of us can be master mechanics and perform every service our car needs, but knowing how to perform the basic services to maintain your car saves you money and improves safety. When you know how your car works, you’re better equipped to assess problems and possibly fix them without feeling helpless. One of the most commonly performed home maintenance services and one of the most important things you can do to keep your car in good condition is to change your engine oil and oil filter. Doing this yourself is relatively inexpensive and easy.

Don’t Ignore Your Owner’s Manual

If you’ve always wanted to learn how to change your car’s oil and filter, this guide can help! Just remember to always check your car’s owner’s manual for vehicle-specific details. The mileage intervals at which they should be changed are listed in the owner’s manual. Also in your owner’s manual is the grade and amount of motor oil you’ll need, as well as filter requirements.

Necessary equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to be a home mechanic, at least when it comes to changing your oil:

• Motor oil
• Oil filter
• pipe wrench
• Oil filter wrench, in case you can’t loosen it by hand
• Funnel
• oil pan
• Mat, newspaper, or a large, flat piece of cardboard to catch any oil spills under the car.
• cleaning cloths

Step by Step

1. Drain the old motor oil.
• Start your car and let it run for a minute or two, or drive it around the block to warm up the engine oil, allowing it to drain smoothly. After warming up, park your car in the driveway or garage, ON LEVEL GROUND.
• If your car is too low to the ground to slide under, you will need to raise your car and put on jack stands before getting under it (jack stands are a must!).
• Pop the hood and loosen the oil tank cap or else it won’t drain well.
• Place your spill mat or cardboard under the vehicle and slide it under with the oil pan.
• Locate the drain plug.
• Place the tray on top of the newspaper/cardboard below and slightly in front of the drain plug (the stream will release farther when you first remove the drain plug).
• Loosen the drain plug with the socket wrench by turning it counterclockwise, then slowly remove the plug by hand and allow the engine oil to drain. Caution: the oil may be hot.
• Once the oil subsides to a trickle, reinstall the drain plug and tighten it with the socket wrench (just a quarter turn clockwise should do the trick).
2. Replace the oil filter.
• Keep the oil pan under the car and find the oil filter.
• Loosen with the filter wrench and remove by hand.
• Before installing the new oil filter, apply a little motor oil to the new gasket to optimize the seal and prevent the gasket from cracking or sticking.
• Install and tighten the new oil filter BY HAND.
3. Add new engine oil.
• Remove the cap from the oil tank and, using a funnel, pour new motor oil into the tank in the amount indicated in the owner’s manual. When you’re done, replace the oil cap and wipe up any spilled motor oil.
• Start the engine and let it run for one minute to allow the new engine oil to circulate completely.
• It’s time to check the oil level. Turn off the car and remove and wipe the oil off the dipstick.
• Insert and remove the dipstick and check that the oil level is correct. Assuming all is well, screw the cap back on and voila!
4. Clean up and recycle your motor oil.
• Pour the old motor oil from the pan into a used oil container and place the old oil filter in a plastic bag.
• You can’t throw your old oil away. Take it to an auto supply store or lube store for recycling.
• Write down the date you had the oil change and the number of miles the car had so you know when the next change is due.

And you are ready!