How To Change Your Oil Without A Jack

Download Commodity

Download Article

Regularly irresolute your auto'southward engine oil and filter are some of the most important things you tin can practice to keep your car running well. Over time, your oil will break down and your filter will become clogged with contaminants. Depending upon your driving habits and type of vehicle, this may take every bit few as 3 months or 3,000 miles (4,800 km), or as long as 20,000 miles (32,000 km) or 24 months. Fortunately, changing your oil is both like shooting fish in a barrel and inexpensive, and so the sooner you change the oil in your machine if it needs it, the improve.

1. 

   ane

   Park the car on a flat surface. Pull the motorcar into a garage or park information technology on a level spot in your driveway. Make sure that the basis is level and that you have enough working area on all sides of the vehicle. Place the motorcar in park, remove the keys and apply the parking brake. Get out the car idle for 5–ten minutes to permit the oil cool down.^[1]

   • If you neglect to allow the car sit, you could scald yourself when you drain the oil.

2. 

   2

   Jack up the vehicle past placing your motorcar jack beneath the jacking indicate. Situate your car jack beneath the chassis nigh the front of your car. Insert the foursquare-shaped finish of the metallic crank into the square-shaped receptacle. Rotate the crank clockwise to jack up your car and then its forepart is nigh eighteen inches (46 cm) off of the ground. This will give you plenty of infinite to work underneath the automobile.^[2]

   • If you are unsure of the location of the jacking point on your vehicle, check the owner's transmission for specifics.

   Advert

3. 3

   Drive your vehicle upwards onto steel ramps if you don't take a jack. Some people prefer to use steel ramps (rather than a jack) when they're changing their oil. Situate the 2 ramps as far apart as your vehicle'southward wheels are. This is typically well-nigh 4 feet (1.2 thou). Drive your vehicle forrad until it'due south at the top of the ramps. The wheels should sink downwardly into depressions at the top of the ramps which will concord the vehicle in place,^[3]

   • Ramps requite yous 2 points of suspension on your vehicle rather than just ane. They're usually used in mechanics' shops for this reason.
   • Driving your vehicle upwards onto the ramps won't take more than 10 seconds and and then shouldn't oestrus up your engine much. Som it's okay to do this right before you start irresolute the oil.

4. 

   iv

   Identify a bicycle block backside 1 rear tire to restrain the vehicle. Whether your motorcar's held upwardly by a vehicle jack or you drove it onto ramps, the last thing yous want is for it to curlicue abroad while you're working on it. So, place a piece of woods or other bike block behind a rear wheel to keep the car in place. If the surface where you've parked the car is on a slight angle, play information technology safe and place a block behind both rear wheels.^[4]

   • Push down on the hood 2 or 3 times to make sure that the vehicle is stable and won't crash downward on y'all as you're working beneath information technology. If the car is unstable, it'south probably not evenly jacked upwards or situated on the ramps. Lower the car (or drive downward off the ramps), make a couple adjustments and attempt lifting it again.

Advertisement

1. 

   1

   Place the oil bleed pan underneath the engine drain plug. Hunker down and look beneath the vehicle. The oil engine drain plug will be located within one–two feet (0.xxx–0.61 m) of the front of the vehicle, and sits straight beneath the engine. It's on the bottom of a big tank referred to as the oil pan. Slide the drain pan beneath the engine drain plug until information technology's centered in identify.^[5]

   • The oil bleed pan should concur at least twice as much oil every bit your engine takes, so that none of the liquid volition spill over the sides of the pan when it's pouring out of the automobile.

2. 

   2

   Remove the oil cap by unscrewing it counterclockwise. Open the vehicle's hood and locate the oil cap on superlative of the engine. The cap will be about 2 inches (five.one cm) across and should have an oil symbol (or have the word "oil") on superlative. Grasp the cap firmly in one hand and twist it counterclockwise to unscrew it. Set the oil cap somewhere nearby where you won't forget it or lose track of it.^[6]

   • Removing the oil cap earlier you drain the oil will allow the liquid to drain out speedily, since information technology volition have airflow both in a higher place and below it.

3. 

   3

   Unscrew the oil plug with a socket or crescent wrench. Loosen the plug counterclockwise using the proper sized socket. If in that location'southward enough room to maneuver, you could utilise a larger crescent wrench. To avoid getting oil all over your arm when removing the drain plug commodities, apply inward force (every bit if you are trying to push the plug back into the pigsty) while removing it. When you know that bolt is fully unscrewed, quickly pull it away from the opening. If you're lucky, only a few drops volition get on your paw.^[vii]

   • You'll find a metallic washer between the oil pan and the bleed plug. Remove this likewise and set information technology on the ground next to you.

4. 

   4

   Await several minutes for all the oil to drain out of the car. Once y'all've opened upwardly the oil pan's drain plug, the oil will bleed out relatively quickly. However, since it's a thick liquid, it won't all come up out at in one case. Wait 2–iii minutes to brand sure information technology'due south fully drained. When the oil has stopped running out of the crankcase, supplant the plug.^[8]

   • Put the washer that you removed earlier back in place. And so reinsert the drain plug and tighten information technology back in the oil pan past turning information technology clockwise.

Advertisement

1. one

   Locate the filter associates under the vehicle'due south hood. Filters are not put in a standard position, so they can be on the forepart, back or side of the engine depending on the model. Typically, oil filters are white, bluish, or black cylinders. They're well-nigh four–6 inches (10–fifteen cm) long and 3 inches (7.six cm) wide, like a big soup tin.^[9]

   • Look at the replacement filter you purchased to take some thought of what to look for.
   • Some vehicles such as BMWs, Mercedes, and newer Volvos may have a filter element or cartridge as opposed to the simpler spin-on type. They crave you to open the cap of a built-in reservoir and lift out the filter element itself.

2. 

   2

   Twist the oil filter counterclockwise to remove it. Commencement, endeavor by hand to become a adept grip and twist slowly and steadily, counterclockwise. If you are unable to remove the filter past hand, you volition demand an oil filter removal tool to do this. Brand sure the drain pan is underneath the filter before fully removing the filter. This volition help prevent spillage.^[10]

   • Make certain the pan is still nether the car catching the spilling oil. At that place will be some trapped in the filter that will come out when you unscrew it.
   • To avoid spilling too much oil as you remove the filter, y'all can wrap a plastic bag around the filter, which will catch any oil that escapes equally you remove it. Allow it sit upside downward in the purse to drain equally you complete the task.

3. 

   3

   Rub oil on the gasket to ready the new filter. Dip the tip of 1 finger in the new replacement oil. Smear a sparse layer of the new oil onto the gasket ring of the new filter. This will lubricate the gasket and create a good seal for the new filter, and ensure that you'll be able to get the oil filter off the adjacent time.^[11]

   • Yous can besides pour a xx-30 drops of oil into the filter prior to installing it. This will reduce the amount of time your car takes to regain proper oil force per unit area.
   • If your filter is mounted vertically, you may be able to fill it almost to the top. If it's mounted at an angle, then a pocket-sized amount of oil will spill simply prior to spinning the filter on if yous've filled information technology as well full.

4. 

   4

   Screw the new, lubricated filter carefully into identify. Oil filters tend to accept fragile threads, then as you turn the filter clockwise to screw it into place, exist careful to not cantankerous the threads. In most cases, you'll tighten the filter until the gasket touches, and so a quarter-turn more than. Once the filter is in place, you're set to add new oil to the engine.^[12]

   • The filter will generally say how tight to tighten it; expect to the specifications on the box for more than specific instructions.

Advertisement

1. 

   1

   Cascade new oil into the car at the make full hole. The oil cap should still be off and prepare safely to the side. Unscrew the pinnacle from the oil jug and concur the bottle with the spout on summit (facing you). Belongings the bottle this way volition allow the oil pour out more than smoothly, without bubbles. Turn the oil jug over in 1 swift motion, and stick the tip of the bottle into the engine's fill hold. Try to spill every bit trivial oil as possible.^[13]

   • The amount of oil that you lot need is in the owner's manual, unremarkably listed under "capacities." Make sure you lot're adding the correct oil. Typically, yous can safely add 10W-30 to most cars in a pinch, but y'all should consult your owner'due south manual or the experts at an motorcar store before adding oil.^[fourteen]

2. 

   2

   Supplant the fill cap in the engine. Remove the emptied oil jug and spiral the fill up cap back in the oil fill up hold. Turn it clockwise until it'southward fully tightened to forestall any oil spillage. Check around for any loose tools you lot might have left around and close the hood. Information technology's a good idea to wipe upward any spills as best y'all tin, or to rinse off spilled oil with water.^[15]

   • Look nether the car to make certain nothing is leaking. While it's not dangerous to become a picayune oil on the crankcase as y'all're pouring, information technology may smoke as the engine heats upwards, leading to that burning oil olfactory property that tin be momentarily frightening. It can also make your interior olfactory property bad.

3. 

   three

   Start the engine and check the oil pressure light. If the "check oil pressure" light is lit after starting upwards the car, you may not accept put in enough oil or some may be leaking out. Get out your machine in park or neutral with the parking restriction on and look advisedly under the car to check for any leaks or drips. If the filter and drain plug aren't tight, they may leak slowly. Run the engine for a infinitesimal or and so to get the pressure upwards and ensure you've installed everything correctly.^[16]

   • If yous spot a leak, turn the engine back off and let information technology cool for well-nigh ten minutes. Then crawl dorsum under the vehicle and tighten the fill cap underneath the car. This is the about likely spot that oil will leak out from.

4. 

   iv

   Check oil levels by pulling out the dipstick. Once the vehicle has been turned off again and the oil has settled for v to 10 minutes, recheck the dipstick to ensure that the levels are where they need to be. If the vehicle is still depression on oil, pour in another ounce. Expect some other five minutes, and check the dipstick once again.^[17]

   • The dipstick should have markings on it about the finish that point when the oil level is both "depression" and "full." Different sides of the stick may requite levels for both hot and cold oil.

Ad

1. 1

   Transfer the oil to a sealable waterproof container. Now that you've changed your oil, information technology's time to pour the sludgy gunk into a more permanent container. Adding it to the newly emptied oil container you lot've merely emptied is the safest bet. Put the tip of a plastic funnel in the bottle and pour the oil slowly to ensure you don't spill any. Clearly mark the canteen "used engine/motor oil" so you don't mistake it for the real thing or cooking oil.^[18]

   • Other options include quondam milk jugs, windshield washer-fluid jugs, or other plastic bottles. Be very careful anytime y'all're using old food bottles to clearly mark the contents and then no mistakes are made. Carelessness hither tin cause inadvertent consumption or disposal.
   • Don't put old oil in containers that held chemicals like bleach, pesticides, paint, or antifreeze. These will contaminate the recycling process.

2. two

   Notice a designated oil-collection site almost yous. Don't just pour the old motor oil downward the bleed, and never pour it out on your g or in the garbage! It needs to be tending of safely. Typically, all places that sell motor oil will be able to betoken yous towards an oil-drove site. Many service stations that do oil changes will as well take your used oil, though sometimes for a small fee.^[xix]

   • If you demand to dispose of the erstwhile filter, yous tin can do that at most big automotive suppliers. In some locations, for example, retailers that sell more than 1,000 filters in a twelvemonth are required to accept sometime filters.^{[citation needed]} There are also facilities that take all sorts of hazardous and valuable waste for special disposal, including electronics, scrap metallic, and chemicals (eastward.m. motor oil and paint); inquiry to see if whatsoever are in your area.^[20]

3. 3

   Try recycled oil the next time your car needs an oil alter. Used motor oil is refined until it meets the same certifications and specifications of virgin oil. The procedure requires less energy than pumping and refining new oil and recycling motor oil helps to reduce the demand of foreign oil imported. In some cases, recycled oil also costs less than "new" oil.^[21]

   • Side by side time you're shopping for oil at a local machine-parts store, ask if they sell recycled oil.

Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

Things You'll Demand

• iv–6 litres (i.ane–one.vi The states gal) of oil
• Socket wrench
• Oil filter
• Oil filter wrench (optional)
• Ramps or a jack stand up
• Pan to grab the used oil in
• Funnel
• Jug to transport oil
• Oil rags or newspaper towel

• If you're non sure how oft your oil should exist changed, consult your owner's manual for service intervals.^[22] Make sure you use oil that meets the API performance rating for your vehicle. Well-nigh vehicles made since 2004 crave rating "SM", which is better than the oil that was available when older cars were made.

• Apply disposable nitrile gloves. The used motor oil contains many toxic contaminants and tin be easily captivated through your skin.

• There are some oil drain valves on the market that replace your normal drain pan bolt. These can make oil changes much more convenient and tin can reduce the amount of mess you make.

Show More Tips

Advertisement

• Be careful not to fire yourself. Your engine, the used oil inside it, and other parts of the automobile can stay hot plenty to burn you for a long fourth dimension after you turn the ignition off.

• Don't get the oil inlet dislocated with the transmission fluid inlet. You can ruin your manual if you lot put oil in information technology.

Advertizement

About This Article

Article Summary X

To change the oil in your car, start past parking your car on a level surface and putting on the parking brake. Jack the motorcar upwardly, place the oil drain pan underneath the engine, and so give your engine about 10 minutes to cool downwards. Once it'south absurd, remove the oil plug underneath your car and allow the oil to drain out into the pan. And then, unscrew the old oil filter and screw in a new, lubricated replacement. Consult your owner'due south transmission to see how much and what kind of oil your car takes, so add the new oil to the fill hole. To learn more from our Mechanic co-author, like how to get rid of your auto's onetime oil, keep reading the article!

Did this summary aid you?

Thank you to all authors for creating a folio that has been read 1,982,549 times.

Did this commodity assist you lot?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-Oil-in-Your-Car

Share this post