Most automotive service professionals would agree that changing your oil
is the best preventative maintenance you can perform on your car. But
I’m here to tell you that just simply knowing you should change your
oil may not be enough. I intellectually know I should change my oil
every 3,000 miles, but it wasn’t until the day my dad lifted the hood
of my car and yelled at me because he could barely see any oil on my
dipstick that I started to realize just how important changing my oil is
to the life of my car! I didn’t understand that without oil, my
engine’s a goner! By neglecting this simple maintenance, you may
encounter costly repair bills that could have been prevented. This
following information was written to cover the most important
maintenance job for your car.
Why is oil so important?
Just as your body needs blood to deliver oxygen to all of your essential
organs, , your car needs oil to properly maintain all of the moving
parts in the engine. Oil serves a few different purposes. Oil
lubricates, cleans & cools your engine. The moving parts of your car
have to fit tightly together in order to properly function. Without
lubrication, these tightly fit pieces would quickly wear and bond
together (seize) because metal against metal causes friction, which
causes heat, which in turn causes wear. By performing it’s job as a
lubricant, oil is serving another purpose at the very same time. It’s
separating the parts of your engine; therefore it’s keeping your
engine cool.
Because oil is a relatively good conductor of heat, it attracts some of
the excess heat as it flows around the hot combustion chambers and
carries that heat to your oil pan below. This special design functions
like clockwork if the following things are in check:
1. Your oil is at the proper level
2. Your oil is clean and of the proper weight (viscosity)
3. Your filter and pump are functioning properly
4. Your oil passageways are not restricted in any way
So, how does oil work?
Your engine has an oil pump that pushes dirty oil through an oil filter.
The oil filter collects small particles of dirt and contaminants, and
stores them until you change your filter. The oil is pushed through
small tiny passageways that are cut into the engine block. From there,
the oil moves to the bearings, connecting rods, and inside your cylinder
walls, pistons, and valves, where it then acts as a lubricant. The oil
coats the metal parts with a thin film of lubrication that acts as a
slippery cushion.
Choosing the right oil
1. Various types of oil are on the market, each created for a particular
purpose. To choose the oil that you need, it’s essential to understand
the importance of oil additives, viscosity ratings, and codes that you
will come across when buying oil. Additives help in the following ways:
2. To pour better in cold weather
3. To prevent corrosion of the metal parts in your engine
4. To reduce friction between the moving parts
5. To prevent foaming at high temps
Oil viscosity (ability to flow) is one of the most important ratings to
understand. In order to properly lubricate the internal parts of your
engine correctly, oil should flow like regular cooking oil. In order to
be sure that your oil is flowing correctly, you must know that the
consistency of oil changes as the outside temperature changes. This
means that in very cold climates, oil becomes very thick, almost like
honey. If the oil is too thick the oil may not reach the moving internal
parts in time to separate them and protect them. In very warm
temperatures, oil becomes thin, like vinegar. When the oil is too thin,
it does not coat; thereby not separating the parts because it doesn’t
stay on them long enough.
In order to solve this viscosity problem, multi-grade oils were created.
Special additives allow the oil to broaden its working capacity. For
instance, these special additives gave oil with a weight of 10W-30 the
ability to flow freely at more than one temperature. The 10W means that
the oil is suitable for winter (that’s what the “W” stands for)
and the 30 means that it would flow well in the summer. The range of
numbers refers to the oil’s ability to flow at different temperatures.
A range indicates this ability, 5 through 50. The smaller the number,
the thinner the oil. No matter what, it’s always best to check the
owner’s manual for your car to see what type of oil is recommended.
How to check your oil
Most cars consume (burn) a small amount of oil during normal operation.
As a car ages (in miles, not years), oil consumption increases. New cars
may also burn more oil than normal until all of the moving parts settle
in. Because your car consumes oil, it is very important to check the oil
level on a regular basis. Some experts recommend checking your car’s
oil level each time you fill your tank with gas. This may be excessive.
At a minimum, you should check the oil level in your car every 1,000
miles. Here’s how:
1. Park on level ground and wait about 5 minutes after turning your
engine off.
2. Pull out your oil dipstick
3. Wipe it down with a clean cloth.
4. Put your dipstick all the way at the same angle in which you pulled
it out.
5. Pull it out again and look to see where the level of oil is.
6. If the level of oil is below the add line, add a quart of the oil
that is recommended for your car.
7. If the level of oil is between the add and full lines, be sure to
check it regularly and add more oil when needed. TIPS
Be sure that your oil level is always high enough – but not too high.
If you have too much oil, your engine seals and there is no escape
through the joints and they may burst. In order to get the maximum
mileage out of your car, you should have your oil changed as recommended
by the manufacturer. On pre-1990 cars, every 3,500 miles is about right.
Cars built after 1990 may go as long as 7,500 miles without needing an
oil change. . If you drive a turbocharged or supercharged car, use only
turbo-rated oil. This oil is specially designed to handle the extreme
heat of a turbocharger. So, how do you change your oil? Changing your
oil is fairly easy unless your oil filter is impossible to reach. First
you’ll need to make sure that you have all the supplies that you need.
If you have everything you need, you should be able to change your oil
in about an hour.
Supplies
1. Oil. Make sure to get the right amount. Most cars take about 5
quarts. Get one extra so you have enough to top-up between oil changes.
Check your owner’s manual for the correct amount and viscosity.
2. Oil filter (make sure you have the right filter for your make &
model of car) Under your hood, sticking out of the engine is what looks
like a can screwed into your engine. This is your oil filter.
3. Box wrench or allen wrench – This tool helps you loosen and tighten
the oil drain plug
4. Oil drain plug gasket – Some cars do not have a drain plug gasket,
instead they rely on a tapered metal-to-metal contact to prevent oil
leakage
5. A large pan to catch the oil (drain pan) – Something low enough to
fit under your car and large enough to hold the oil
6. A funnel – Just to help prevent messy spills!
7. Rags – This is for wiping your oil dipstick
8. A work light – A well lit area helps you see better under your car.
The Process
1. Warm up your engine for a couple minutes so that the oil gets churned
up and flows freely out of your engine (the engine should be slightly
warm, not hot!).
2. Place drain pan underneath the oil drain plug so that it will catch
all of the oil.
3. Use your box or allen wrench to unscrew the oil drain plug until
it’s almost ready to come out. Grab one of your rags and place it over
the plug, give it that last turn by hand and release it. Pull your hand
away quickly so that you don’t get warm oil all over you.
4. Next, remove the cap from your oil filler hole at the top of your
engine.
5. Unscrew the oil filter by using an oil filter wrench if you are
unable to do this by hand. Like most things the oil filter unscrews if
you twist it counterclockwise. Your old oil filter will still have oil
in it, be careful not to dump it on anything when you remove it.
6. Empty the oil from the filter into the drain pan. Once the filter is
drained, wrap it in something like newspaper or special containers to
transport to a recycling facility.
7. While the oil drains out of your engine, get your new bottles of oil
ready.
8. Prep your new oil filter by wiping a dab of fresh oil on the rubber
seal. This helps the filter seat against the engine without binding.
Screw in your new filter into the engine where the old one was. Turn it
gently until it seats. Then turn it another three-quarter turn.
9. Replace the oil drain plug and use your wrench to tighten until
it’s good and snug. Do not over-tighten.
10. After you install the oil filter and replace your drain plug, using
your funnel, pour in all but 1 quart of the fresh oil into the filler
hole.
11. Replace the oil filler cap and run your engine for about a minute
while you check for leaks under your car. Be sure not to rev up your
engine at this time. Your oil pressure is low while the filter and oil
passages are filling with fresh oil. Running your engine circulates oil
into the new filter.
12. Now, shut off your engine and wait about 10 minutes for the oil to
settle back into the pan. Remove the dipstick; wipe it clean with your
rag and shove it back in. Pull it out again to check the level. If the
oil level is low, add one-half quart and check again.
13. Remove your drain pan from under your car and take a short drive.
Let the oil settle down again and check your oil one more time… for
good measure! :-)
14. Although this job has many steps it really shouldn’t take you more
than an hour to complete…maybe a little longer if it’s your first
time.
After you’ve changed your oil, RECYCLE! Never throw away your oil in
the garbage or flush it down a drain. It is a toxic pollutant that needs
to be treated accordingly. Use your funnel to put the old oil in plastic
disposable containers with tight-fitting caps. Many auto part stores or
even some service stations accept old oil for recycling. If you’re not
sure where you can dispose of your old oil, look in your phone book for
the nearest oil recycling facility.
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This page was last updated October 23, 2002
