How to do an oil change?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 37
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How to do an oil change? OK ... yes i am a noob. I understand the basic concept, drain the oil, change the filter, plug it back up, add 5.5qts right??
well ... my question is ... is there any specific i need to know?
Well like where exactly is the oil pan? Do i have to torque the nut? If so how much?
Sorry tried to search around ... just second time ever changing oil. (first time owning a place with a garage)
thanks
well ... my question is ... is there any specific i need to know?
Well like where exactly is the oil pan? Do i have to torque the nut? If so how much?
Sorry tried to search around ... just second time ever changing oil. (first time owning a place with a garage)
thanks
No questions are stupid questions. If nobody asked, then nobody would learn. You'll have to get underneath you car to do this, so that's step one. Underneath the engine you will see the flat bottom of your oil pan. It will have a single 10mm (size correction guys??) bolt screwed into it at an angle. As in the bolt is leaning over towards the front bumper. When you pull it out, be ready, because your oil is going to come out pretty fast. You'll need to have your container already set up, or you're going to have a pool in your garage. Wait for the oil to stop draining, then put the bolt back in. There are no torque values that I know of, just make it tight. The oil filter just screws into place. You may need a tool to pull it off, but a rag + a strong grip could do it too. When you pull off the filter, oil's going to come out of here too. Just FYI. Then screw in the new filter. Lower the car, put in 5.5 quarts of your favorite flavor motor oil. Put oil cap back on, and you're done. 
Good Luck man.
Good Luck man. its easy, i did it last night. jack the car up enough to climb under it. the nut is right beside the filter, you'll know it when you see it. have a bucket ready and take the nut out, once some oil starts seeping out i took it off with my hand, be sure to catch all the oil in the bucket. removing it with your hand keeps the nut from falling in the bucket. after thats gone crack the oil filter loose and some oil will drain down the side of it, catch that in the bucket. some people poke a hole in the bottom of their filter to drain the oil out, i didnt. i got the filter off and just dropped in in the bucket, wiped the oil off the block, put the new filter in and nut back on, i didnt torque it, just got it real tight, same for oil filter. i put a little more than 5.5 quarts, maybe 5.6 or so. used the empts 5 qt jug and funnel to keep the old oil in. it didnt take long at all. have fun! btw i used mobil 1 5w-30 full synthetic, and the k&n long oil filter, hp-2006
EDIT: the socket is like 15mm i think, i 'm 90% sure thats what i used atleast
EDIT: the socket is like 15mm i think, i 'm 90% sure thats what i used atleast
If you are using ramps, drive up on the ramps, then chok (choc?) the rear wheels. However, if you are using a floor jack: JACK STANDS ARE NOT OPTIONAL!!! We don't need anyone getting hurt because of a jack failure.
Install University has tons of great information, including an illustrated guide to changing your oil.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...oil_change.htm
-Mike
Install University has tons of great information, including an illustrated guide to changing your oil.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...oil_change.htm
-Mike
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 37
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hey thanks guys ... i appreciate it ... yeah my main concern was the torque ... didnt want to screw that up .... i did see on some other sites i believe they said it was 18??
i dont think my torque wrench goes that low. oh well.
i dont think my torque wrench goes that low. oh well.
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Ga
I always pour a little new oil in the filter before I put it on. While we are talking oil changes I have a question. How many of you guys/ gals when changing your oil pour a little oil in the engine while the plug is out to flush out all the old oil. I sometimes pour a whole quart through. I did this when I changed the oil in my lawn mower and I just poured a little in there when the plug was out and it pushed all the old oil out and then was clear. Probably a waste but it dosen't hurt it.
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TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,157
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From: Texas
Originally Posted by LSONE
its easy, i did it last night. jack the car up enough to climb under it. the nut is right beside the filter, you'll know it when you see it. have a bucket ready and take the nut out, once some oil starts seeping out i took it off with my hand, be sure to catch all the oil in the bucket. removing it with your hand keeps the nut from falling in the bucket. after thats gone crack the oil filter loose and some oil will drain down the side of it, catch that in the bucket. some people poke a hole in the bottom of their filter to drain the oil out, i didnt. i got the filter off and just dropped in in the bucket, wiped the oil off the block, put the new filter in and nut back on, i didnt torque it, just got it real tight, same for oil filter. i put a little more than 5.5 quarts, maybe 5.6 or so. used the empts 5 qt jug and funnel to keep the old oil in. it didnt take long at all. have fun! btw i used mobil 1 5w-30 full synthetic, and the k&n long oil filter, hp-2006
EDIT: the socket is like 15mm i think, i 'm 90% sure thats what i used atleast
EDIT: the socket is like 15mm i think, i 'm 90% sure thats what i used atleast
You gotta start some where. Just make sure you have something to catch it with when you get the nut out.
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Long Island, NY
a couple of things to remember....
-while the drain plug is out, make sure to clean it off real well. there is a magnet on the end of it which will almost certainly have some nice black goo on it so remember to clean that crap off before you put it back in.
-when you tighten the drain plug, DO NOT overdo it. don't bother torquing the plug. get it finger tight and then give it a soft 1/4 turn with a SHORT wrench/ratchet. it's pretty easy to strip the threads in the oil pan and you DO NOT want to do that. i can't stress enough how important it is to take your time on this step. make sure the plug goes in nice and straight too so u don't cross-thread it.
-pull the oil cap off before reinstalling the drain plug. usually releasing the seal from the top will speed up the flow of oil out the drain hole.
-when you install the filter, lube the gasket around the top with a little oil. this will lubricate the gasket and make sure it doesn'y bind up when you twist it down against the filter seat.
-invest in an oil filter wrench. when properly installed, it should be EXTREMELY difficult to remove the filter by hand, especially if it doesn't have some grip tape or something on the bottom like the Frams do.
that's about all i can think of. good luck...
-while the drain plug is out, make sure to clean it off real well. there is a magnet on the end of it which will almost certainly have some nice black goo on it so remember to clean that crap off before you put it back in.
-when you tighten the drain plug, DO NOT overdo it. don't bother torquing the plug. get it finger tight and then give it a soft 1/4 turn with a SHORT wrench/ratchet. it's pretty easy to strip the threads in the oil pan and you DO NOT want to do that. i can't stress enough how important it is to take your time on this step. make sure the plug goes in nice and straight too so u don't cross-thread it.
-pull the oil cap off before reinstalling the drain plug. usually releasing the seal from the top will speed up the flow of oil out the drain hole.
-when you install the filter, lube the gasket around the top with a little oil. this will lubricate the gasket and make sure it doesn'y bind up when you twist it down against the filter seat.
-invest in an oil filter wrench. when properly installed, it should be EXTREMELY difficult to remove the filter by hand, especially if it doesn't have some grip tape or something on the bottom like the Frams do.
that's about all i can think of. good luck...
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,234
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From: Mississauga, Ontario
Originally Posted by ZR2877
I always pour a little new oil in the filter before I put it on. While we are talking oil changes I have a question. How many of you guys/ gals when changing your oil pour a little oil in the engine while the plug is out to flush out all the old oil. I sometimes pour a whole quart through. I did this when I changed the oil in my lawn mower and I just poured a little in there when the plug was out and it pushed all the old oil out and then was clear. Probably a waste but it dosen't hurt it.
