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Originally posted by TheHumanTarget:
cellanoid

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• Haynes Manual
• Set of socket wrenches for removing and reattaching the drain plug. When working on cars, using an adjustable wrench or pliers should be a LAST RESORT. Use the right tool for the job.
• Cup wrench sized for your oil filter. This is used with the ratchet to REMOVE the filter ONLY.
• Drain Pan
• Something to put the used oil in (you can buy specialized containers, but milk jugs will do if you're really cheap)
• Bag of rags to clean up
• Funnel for adding oil

• Buy Oil (see Haynes Manual for capacity) -- there's a long discussion that could ensue about synthetics vs. regular motor oil. I'll let you make your own decision.
• Buy Oil Filter (should be a book at the store or some kind of little computer that will help you find the right filter. Make sure you know what kind of engine your car has, as a lot of makes will have different engines)
• Drive the car home and let it cool down
• Remove the filler cap
• Place drain pain below drain plug and remove the drain plug.
• Allow oil to drip into the pan till it slows to a drip. Replace drain plug and tighten.
• Place drain pan below oil filter. This may be the harder part, as the drain plug is on the bottom of the engine, but the oil filter could be anywhere.
• Using the cup wrench, remove the oil filter. You may bust a knuckle doing this, as it can be on pretty tight, but you should be alright. All you really need to do is loosen it, then it will come off smoothly with just your hand. If the cup wrench doesn't fit, you may have to use a strap wrench, which can be a pain in the butt. If things are really tough, just ram a big screwdriver through the filter and use that to torque it off. You're going to dispose of it anyway.
• Let all of the oil drip out of the Oil filter plug.
• Wash your hands (the orange mechanics hand soaps are really best for this kind of grease)
• Smear a film of NEW oil on the NEW Oil Filter's rubber gasket. If you don't do this, the filter WILL leak.
• Screw the filter in place and HAND TIGHTEN. Do NOT use the wrench, or mechanical damage may occur as the filter and engine expand from heat.
• Using the Funnel, add the amount of oil that you removed. You may need more, but this is a good starting point. If you're unsure how much you drained, using old, empty bottles of oil is useful for measuring, or your drain pan may have some sort of measurement. If this doesn't work, take an empty milk jug and add a quart of water to it. Draw a line at the top of the water, then add another quart and mark that. Do that all the way up the side until you have a handy-dandy oil measurer device thingie.
  
  Another tip from the secret tome of garage mechanics: Pour this oil this way:
  

  code:

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      ________       ___________
     /        |  Î  |_          |
   _/    NO   |  |    \   YES   |
  |___________| U P    \________|

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  This will keep the oil from running out really fast. The containers are actually designed this way on purpose.
• Once you get the oil added, put the cap back on and check all of your work for any obvious leaks. Tighten anything that looks suspicious.
• Take the car around the block to get the engine warmed up and the oil flowing. When you get back, let it idle and check again for leaks. Retighten anything that looks suspicious, but don't overdo it.
• Stop the engine and check the dipstick. If it looks low, add a little and recheck (unless your car adds the oil through the dipstick hole, in which case any cold reading right after adding oil is useless. Consult the Haynes manual).

Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002  |  IP: Logged | 

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Originally posted by vonk:
I certainly hope Jon Boy's already got his car starting again, as that query is nearly two months old. This seemed the most appropriate thread to put my question in.

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Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002  |  IP: Logged | 

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Originally posted by brojack17:
You CAN change the oil pretty easily. You just remove the plug, let the oil drain, remove the old filter (usually the toughest part of this whole thing), put on a new filter and put in the prescribed amount of oil. Almost any of the chain auto parts stores will dispose of the oil for you.

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Just remember to put the plug back in BEFORE you start putting in new oil.

Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002  |  IP: Logged | 

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Originally posted by Nick:
*hates standard bolts*

Metic system is the way of the future. At least imports use ONLY metric rather than both like domestics.

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Posts: 1766 | Registered: Feb 2006  |  IP: Logged |