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DIY Oil Change

September 29, 2015

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DIYOilChange #CollectiveBias

Please use standard safety procedures when changing your oil. You should always refer to your own car’s manual before changing your oil.”

When #2 son decided he wanted to become an auto mechanic it was no surprise. Ever since he was little, he has been obsessed with anything with an engine and wheels. It is his passion. How I feel about DIY and crafting is how he feels about working on cars! So of course one of my thoughts was: THIS IS GREAT!!! NO MORE CAR REPAIR BILLS! A LIFETIME OF FREE CAR MAINTENANCE – WOO HOO!!!!!

Except it really doesn’t really work that way. Womp womp : (

Because his job is an hour away and he works 12 and sometimes 14 hour days, he doesn’t have much free time to work on mom’s car. So when the oil change indicator light came on recently letting me know that an oil change was due, he suggested that since I’m a DIYer anyway that I should learn how to change my own oil.

WHAT????

I don’t know anything about changing oil!

Well I do now! I know, right??? And I was surprised at how easy it was. Let me show you what I did:

First things first: I needed the oil. My son advised me that Walmart has very good prices on motor oil.

DIY-oil-change

I referred to my owner’s manual to find out the recommended weight and grade oil that I needed.  I chose Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic motor oil because it’s a high-quality oil that has been specially designed to give engines complete protection. I also understand that Pennzoil offers excellent performance in extreme temperatures. Now I’m not in Alaska, but we do experience pretty extreme temperatures here in the Northeast!

diy-oil-change

While I was at Walmart, I couldn’t help but look around and checked out the oil-changing gadgets, but my son assured me that he had everything I needed to change my oil and all I needed to get was the oil and an oil filter.

diy-oil-change

There are books hanging right there in the aisle with the oil filters. I just had to look up my car’s year and model and it told me which oil filter I needed to buy.

diy-oil-change

So that’s what an oil filter looks like. (Not what I had pictured at all ; )

Next up: go home and change the oil.

But not so fast. I had to let the engine cool down so I waited an hour and then #1 son and I got to work!

diy-oil-change

(Yes, #1 son was my advisor and helper for my first oil change!)

Okay, so the engine is cool and it’s time to raise the car so I can crawl underneath. we used #2 son’s jack to lift my car behind the right, front wheel . . .

diy-oil-change

. . .  and placed “chucks” behind the other three wheels for safety.

Next, it was time to get under the car. This was the part I was most uneasy about.

diy-oil-change

But first I had a “light bulb” moment. I grabbed a large piece of cardboard from the basement. It’s a lot easier to slide yourself on cardboard than it is on pavement or cement! So there I am, underneath my car looking for the oil plug to remove it.

diy-oil-change

We had the oil pan positioned under the old oil filter and plug, ready to catch the old, dirty oil.

diy-oil-change

And there it goes! Look at the black, dirty oil. (and it turns out the cardboard was good to catch any stray oil drips, too!)

diy-oil-change

Then it was time to put in the new oil filter. But first son #1 told me to “prime” it with oil. That meant I needed to dip my finger in the new oil and rub that finger around the edge of the new oil filter as shown above. Easy enough! Then back under the car to install the new oil filter.

diy-oil-change

Then it was time to add the oil. Look at that nice, clean oil! My car holds 4-1/2 quarts of oil, so in they went. No problem!

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Filed Under: Tutorials

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Comments

  1. Maureen says

    September 29, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    You go girl!! Well done.

    Reply
  2. David @ Spiced says

    September 30, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Nicely done! I’ve always wanted to change my own oil, so I might just have to give it a go next time my car is due for an oil change. Thanks for sharing! #client

    Reply
  3. Texas truck service says

    May 29, 2017 at 12:06 am

    Just follow the DIY instructions and everything’s gonna be fine.

    Reply
  4. George Underwood says

    June 20, 2018 at 8:34 am

    Oil change is a part of vehicle aftercare and upkeep. It’s a simple maintenance quest that a car owner can do to prolong the lifespan of his speed machine and save himself from the bother of breakdowns and services. Do you know- why it is so cardinal? Because it lubricates the parts and helps the engine to run smoothly and efficiently. So, you can’t ignore this service procedure. Yup, you can do this task by simply engaging a skilled auto technician. It can be effective. You can also get the same effectiveness by doing on your own. Only a bit of technical expertise is required. Learn the above tactics and try to cultivate other mechanical aptitudes so that you can keep the automobile expenses within your budget.

    Reply
  5. Kacie Goodman says

    August 7, 2018 at 4:10 am

    Oil change is an important maintenance task that should not be skipped. It should always be done in time according to owner’s manual. We can do it by employing an experienced auto technician. But we should know the process of changing the oil on our own. By doing this we can gain some expertise and save our wallet also. If we have the required tools for an oil change and have enough skill we can do it on our own. If you want to do oil change on your own, you must follow the above procedure shared by the author in this blog.

    Reply
  6. Ashwin says

    January 14, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    Oil changes can be another big expense for your car – especially if you do them the right way and follow your vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule.

    Reply
  7. Maria Gracia says

    March 27, 2019 at 7:24 am

    I agree with your statements,Thank you for sharing this tips. This is a big help

    Reply
  8. Herry conol says

    May 29, 2020 at 3:43 am

    thanks for sharing this and concrete has become a popular material for home interiors as well. Its versatility and formability have brought it inside to be used for walls, floors, countertops, furniture, and accessories.

    Reply
  9. Jill Everson says

    June 25, 2020 at 8:28 am

    The one thing I believe service center charged way more, I always try to do by my own 🙂

    Reply
  10. Dan Collins says

    August 30, 2020 at 11:46 am

    Cool. Now I can pause in going to the authorized car shop because they charge double to triple just to change my oil. Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply
  11. Sandy Brandon says

    September 17, 2020 at 8:31 am

    This is real empowerement in every sense! Now you are not dependent on any body and do not have to pay the mechanic to get the oil changed. Way to go!

    Reply
  12. Claire says

    September 18, 2020 at 4:11 am

    I love posts like this. I’m going to take any help I can get to drive.

    Reply
  13. Clarise says

    September 18, 2020 at 4:16 am

    A very useful post with the quick tips. You really focus on the very important subject.

    Reply
  14. coby says

    October 8, 2020 at 8:56 am

    Thanks for sharing new stuff with me and also providing further information on the topics.

    Reply
  15. Jeremia says

    October 8, 2020 at 10:13 am

    Thanks for sharing this information . they are very helpful to every driver!

    Reply
  16. yuna says

    March 30, 2021 at 5:38 am

    Thank you for sharing this beautiful information. Very useful

    Reply
  17. Kerry @ Eaglerock says

    July 11, 2021 at 2:17 pm

    I’m just learning how to become a mechanic so thank you so much for your professional guides man,I really appreciate i

    Reply
  18. Ford f150 stripes says

    July 20, 2021 at 12:44 am

    This is a very important post. The engine oil should be changed after driving a certain kilometer of the car but waiting for the mechanic as I do not know the work myself, it damages our car. I hope you enjoyed this post. I will share with my friends.

    Reply
  19. Sunshine Auto says

    August 23, 2021 at 8:52 am

    This is something most people overlook at which cause in no longer run of the automobile

    Reply
  20. Kerry F says

    September 13, 2021 at 8:14 am

    I really appreciate this Blog! As a girl I was never taught like my brother how to do this stuff. I want to be able to do things on my own. Thanks so much!!!

    Reply
  21. Hanna says

    March 31, 2023 at 7:36 am

    Safety is paramount, so check your car regularly for breakdowns. Recently my car broke down and I needed help, I visited the auto parts store https://onefastshop.com/ and I didn’t regret it, here I found quality parts for my car at affordable prices!

    Reply
  22. CARZILLA UAE says

    May 29, 2023 at 6:30 am

    Thanks for update

    Reply
  23. Emma says

    July 18, 2023 at 11:55 am

    This post holds great significance. It emphasizes the crucial aspect of changing the engine oil after driving a certain distance in the vehicle. Waiting for a mechanic’s expertise, as I’m unfamiliar with the process, can potentially harm our vehicle. I sincerely hope you found this information valuable. Rest assured, I plan to share it with my friends as well.

    Reply
  24. FillipMorris says

    June 17, 2024 at 6:33 am

    Hello! Thank you for such helpful tips. I have another info about dealer, let me show to audience. Having earned an excellent reputation among many customers, Middletown Honda has become the best place for those who want to buy a quality vehicle. It is worth saying that they have the entire line of cars of this brand, so everyone will find something suitable and will be satisfied with their purchase. The company not only sells cars, but also provides maintenance services, and as Middletown Honda reviews testifies, many customers really like it.

    Reply

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