How to change the oil in your car?

Change car engine oil

Change engine oil on your own It's a great way to save a lot of money at the garage. It really is a simple process, although you will have to roll up your sleeves and be willing to work under your car.

Whenever you do, you should also change the oil filter. This way your car will be well lubricated and it will stay that way until next time it's time for an oil change. Here are the steps you must take to do it easily and safely.

heat the oil

In order to extract all the oil, it must be more fluid. That's why it should be warmed up by starting the engine for 10 minutes. On cars where the idle is very low and doesn't get very hot, it's best to take a few minutes ride to help it get up to temperature. With the needle reaching 60 or 70 degrees it will be enough. Then turn off the engine.

raise the car

You must raise the car to gain access to the sump. The best and most comfortable way is with a lifting platform, but not all of us have one. The second best option is car ramps. And the third option is to use a jack for car, which is not recommended because it is not safe and because it tilts the car to one side.

Anyway, if you opt for the cat, you must take into account two things: apply the handbrake whenever you use it and tilt the car to the side where the crankcase screw is located, otherwise there will be old oil inside. If you are not sure how to use it, take a look at the article: How can I raise the car myself?

let the air in

Remove the plug and the dipstick so that the engine oil comes out properly.

As with any container, the liquid comes out better if it has another inlet for the air to pass through. Open the cap and remove the dipstick so that the oil does not have a vacuum effect inside the engine when it comes out. This way it will come out with a continuous and even stream instead of spurting. A step that will make it easier for you to collect it when you open the crankcase screw.

place container

You should never dispose of used motor oil in sewers, drains or any other option that prevents its recycling. Place a container under the screw evacuation of the oil to collect everything. Keep in mind that if the screw is pointing horizontally to one side, the oil will be thrown that way, so move the pan or whatever you're using a bit in that direction.

Where to get motor oil

Motor oil is highly polluting whether mineral or synthetic. Take it to a recycling center, As the Fixed Clean Points of Madrid to Green Points of Barcelona. If there is no similar site in your area, call the nearby workshops and ask, because they have the necessary means.

The best way to transport it is in the bottle of the new oil that you are going to put in your car. To put it back in it you will need a funnel and wait until the oil is not very hot if that is the case. If you remove all the remains of the basin with a spatula, all the better. This way you will minimize any small residue that would end up in the drain.

Open the drain screw

Change engine oil - crankcase bolt

You will need a appropriately sized wrench or socket to perform this step. It is also you better put on gloves, because the usual thing is that the last laps have to be done by hand. If it is at the right temperature, the oil will come out very fluid and with a certain speed. Adjust the basin so that nothing spills and wait until not a drop falls.

Change oil filter

If you want to complete the oil change process properly as well you should change the filter. It is an element that degrades over time and it is convenient to put a new one when recommended by the manufacturer. It is usually a black or silver cylinder which is fixed by means of a thread in the engine compartment. You will have to unscrew it When changing it you must remember two things: clean the hole leaving the filter with a lint-free cloth and put a new gasket, which will come with the new filter.

Fill with new oil

Put new engine oil

cast the new oil in the engine. If you don't know how much your car carries, you can do it little by little, measuring every so often. For example, in a small engine pour three and a half liters, wait 5 minutes for it to go to the bottom and use the dipstick to see how far it goes. Repeat the operation with a little oil each time until you reach the appropriate mark.

It does not hurt more than during the oil change process check some things. For example, if there is a leak that has caused the mixture of oil and antifreeze or if the crankcase bolt needs repair. A good habit to have whenever the car is lifted.

If you want to know what it is what happens if you don't change the oil in the engine, this is what happens if you don't do it in 130.000 km.

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      ignacio said

    I would like to know the failure of my transmission:
    when I turn it on it works fine but when I want to want it to go it doesn't go even if I accelerate all the oil level is fine the car starts to go by itself until a light comes on on the dashboard that says ..enigne oil .. after it turns on that light the car runs well but it does not want to pull the rebersa battle thank you very much….
    it is a cutlas cera 6 cyl.

      HUMBERTO MORA said

    THE PREVIOUS OWNER CHANGED IT AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE OIL IN THE CAR WAS FROM MULTIGRADE TO MONOGRADE AND IT IS INJECTION FIAT PALIO 2000. I WANT TO CHANGE IT AGAIN TO MULTIGRADE, YES OR NO. Thank you.

      Hector said

    How do you put the oil in the transmission above the engine or do you have to lower the transmission

      jose said

    I have a hyunday terracan and I can't find the drain plug for the oil change, could someone send me a photo to find out which one it is?

      ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL BY MAIL said

    DO YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CAR? ASK ME, I WILL ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS

    E-mail: polyhedro50@hotmail.com

      jesus said

    I have a citroen xsara 1.9 diesel by mistake remove the oil tank cap from the gearbox transmission how do I change the oil

      jairo said

    how much oil should i add? the 5 liters?

      Jose Ascanio said

    Very well explained. I want to change the oil and I don't know how much to add, I want to know how much oil to add to a 1992 Mitsubishi mini van, Expo model.
    Thank you.

      Ulises said

    Please indicate the amounts that you enter in an oil change of a Nissa, Toyota and Mitsubishi truck. I await your response.

    atte.

    ulysses pacori

      Miguel said

    My fulboneta consumes a lot of oil, what could be the problem?

      pablo cinero said

    my car just damaged the motorcycle and the 2 central shut up, idiot what they see eto

      jesus raphael said

    I want to do an oil change on my ford bronco truck and the oil filter is too hard and won't loosen even though I'm using the proper tool
    the filter has deteriorated from so much trying to loosen it
    how else can it loosen

      or butcher said

    Hello, I recently bought a Chevrolet Cruze, and I would like to know what type and brand of oil this brand uses. since I read the manual from page to page and it doesn't come anywhere. Thank you

      SUSANA said

    PLEASE

      Rachel Rodriguez said

    my car spills a lot of oil, when that happens it is true that the driver is on his last legs...

      JOSEPH LOUIS LIMBERT said

    Hello, how much oil do I need for automatic transmission in a 3.0lt caravan, what type of oil do you recommend, thank you…. I await your comments.

      Rony Nunez said

    I bought a toyota hilux 3.0 4×4 carodeesel and I want to know how often the oil is changed, because the dealer tells me to change it every 3500 km, but I also have a nissan deesel 4×4 and frontier and the dealer tells me change it every 5000 km. I am confused with this controversy, what is the truth.

    Rony Nunez

      nerea said

    When changing the oil, it is changed with the car stopped or running.

      esther said

    Hello, I would like to know if the oil in my car is doing well, what line does the oil have to go on, the bottom one or the top one? Or what do I have to do, thanks

      angelarturio ramirez arenas said

    good interesting to learn xfa I take this opportunity to take into account I have a toyota duet 2001 car model 2002 I require the type of engine oil and automatic gearbox since the previous owner did not give me his maintenance manual thank you very much

      Ignatius P. said

    ~#Esther... the oil line must go between the 2 marks on the dipstick (if it's a new Renault, through the scratched area on the plastic dipstick).
    If it goes below, you run the risk that it runs out of oil and the engine seizes, the camshaft bends, or the connecting rods come out of the engine block.
    If it is above... you run the risk of getting oil into the turbo, revving the car to the limit and ending up seizing up the engine.

    #Nerea… with the car always stopped, if you change it with the engine running… the engine will seize when it runs out of oil.

    #Rony Nunez. Put a Castrol oil they are very good and in your Hylux they can withstand 8000/10000 kilometers with complete peace of mind.

    #raquel rodriguez: Does it spill oil? or does it burn oil? If it leaves a stain on the floor... take it to the workshop to have the crack plugged, if it burns oil, it may be normal, especially in Opels (except in the latest generation, which have fiat origin engines)
    #obutcher: If you are going to change the oil in your cross… (eye, change, don't add to the one that already exists), you can put whatever you want. My advice is a 5w40 or 10w40 semi-synthetic. The best oils are Castrol, Elf, Repsol and Mobil

    #miguel: Your van consumes oil, but… What van is it? If it's opel... It is normal. Look at the bottom from time to time to see if it's pulling, if it doesn't and it's not opel... you may have scratched piston liners or a cracked piston, or the crack is in the crankcase or engine block ( go to the workshop before any of these things, as it can lead to engine seizure.)

    Ale.. comments from 2010 answered (the ones I know 100%)

    All the best

      oil change said

    The truth is that it shouldn't be very difficult, but it's so comfortable to take it to the workshop and make sure... 🙂

      Chad said

    where is the box of lis standard gears in mustang 2004

      Ignatius P. said

    for Chad.

    Download "vivid Whorkshop Data ati". There you have all the specifications of your vehicle. Location of necessary tools to disassemble…..

      bronco said

    hello. I want to know how many liters of oil does the 302 double crankcase engine of the bronco have? Thanks.

      norvys said

    My car Bora wolsvagen 2007 is automatic, they recommended me to change the oil in the box and another mechanic says that the oil is not changed, what should I do, it has a fault in the box and I am afraid of that, when and how many pots of oil should I buy to do it change all the oil in the box?

         ComoMania.com said

      It is true that some oils in the box are never changed, these are oils for the life of the expensive and each box is marked if it has this type of oil. I recommend you not to do it, because it is not necessary.

      Ignatius P. said

    norvys, yes, you have to change the oil in your gearbox, the specific gearbox oil is called valvulina, if you don't change it, the gearbox segments seize up, and apart from scratching the gears they will start with no enter none or directly expel them by placing you in neutral. Depending on the model you may need from 4 to 10 liters of valve.

         piranhas said

      tarado the "VALVULINA" is a brand of gearbox oil it is not a product as such and giving advice "it is called transmission oil"

      basty said

    When I changed the oil I exceeded the bar, the marker appears at maximum there may be problems for that

      pinkidejere said

    Let's see, I have a t3 and I change the car's oil every time I remember, that goes around the year and I wonder why so many changes? That is for the lubrication of the crankshaft and more and the old mechanics, for each 2 changes the oil filter, but more time for so many changes, if oil with detergent is bad for the engine etc etc that you don't have to touch Joe when it leaks or doesn't go well and that's it

      jmoreno3231 said

    my durango model 98 turns off the engine suddenly I turn it off and turn it on again and it starts as if nothing happened this happens more or less every 4 days?

      car mechanics said

    Very good contribution. I believe that having basic knowledge in mechanics is very important for all those who own a vehicle. In this way you can solve small everyday inconveniences on your own and save money at the mechanic.

      Eloy said

    Buenas tardes…. I would like to know what things I should change apart from the oil, filter (Nissan Note car)

    Thanks in advance

    Eloy

      josemariasegovia81 said

    How to change the gearbox oil of a peugeot 206 and where is the oil cap. Also is the clutch cable easy or difficult?

      Sebastian said

    Very good thank you very much!

      williamgarcialara said

    G. Garcia. excellent guide, thank you.

      Miguel44 said

    thanks mine is a nissan terrano and it is complicated to change the filter

      bastarrika said

    Bad translation from English; there are poorly explained phases of the operation, there is talk of a copper gasket not mentioned before... I don't know much about mechanics, so with what I've read here I don't think I can change the engine oil. I'll look elsewhere, thanks.

      andres said

    Petrol cars have a timing belt.

      Adolfo said

    Hello good day, I have doubts about the type of oil I should put in the car. It is a jetta 2002 a4 car, 200m km, I know it is multigrade but what degree of viscosity? I put the last time 25w 40. I hope you guide me if it's okay. Another question . The car revs up a lot before making the changes and, as a mechanic told me, it wasn't the transmission because he did the tuning and nothing strange came out. I hope you can help me. Thanks a lot

      nelly said

    I have a nuance.2005, and it hasn't moved for almost a year. But I removed the spark plugs. I just have to do the oil change and that's it or would I have to do something else to the engine? can someone help me with this question.