Free guides / Automotive
How to Change Your Engine Oil
Most modern cars need an oil change every 5,000–10,000 miles (check your owner's manual or oil-life monitor). Doing it yourself takes under an hour once you have the tools.
Safety first
- Never get under a car supported only by a jack. Use jack stands or ramps on flat, solid ground and chock the wheels.
- Hot oil burns. Let the engine cool 15–30 minutes first.
Tools
- Floor jack and two jack stands, or ramps
- Socket or wrench for the drain plug
- Oil filter wrench
- Drain pan (6+ quart)
- Funnel
- Torque wrench
- Gloves and rags
Parts
- Engine oil: the exact grade and amount in your owner's manual (e.g. 0W-20, 4.8 qt)
- Oil filter for your year, make, model and engine
- New drain plug washer/crush gasket
Step by step
Get the right oil and filter
Look up the oil grade, capacity and filter for your exact year, make, model and engine in the owner's manual or a store lookup.
Lift the car safely
Drive onto ramps or jack the car at the factory lift point and set it on jack stands. Chock the rear wheels.
Drain the oil
Place the drain pan under the drain plug, loosen it counterclockwise, then unscrew it by hand and pull it away quickly. Let it drain for 5–10 minutes.
Reinstall the drain plug
Labeled diagram: Reinstall the drain plug. Tap to enlarge. Wipe the plug, fit a new crush washer, thread it in by hand and torque it to spec (typically 20–30 ft-lb; check your service manual). Don't overtighten; it strips the oil pan.
Replace the filter
Unscrew the old filter (oil will spill), make sure the old rubber gasket came off with it, wipe the mount, rub fresh oil on the new gasket and spin it on hand-tight plus about 3/4 turn.
Add oil and check
Lower the car, pour in the specified amount through a funnel, start the engine for 30 seconds, check for leaks, shut off, wait a minute and top up to the full mark on the dipstick.
Reset and recycle
Reset the oil-life monitor and take the used oil and filter to an auto parts store for free recycling.
When to call a pro
See a shop if the drain plug threads are stripped, oil leaks after the change, or the oil pressure light comes on.
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