by John Winter

Created on: November 04, 2009

This is a Plain English Article.

Besides pumping the gas, keeping clean and properly functioning oil in your engine is not only the most frequent service required by your automobile, it is also the most important. Here you will find a very precise guide to the many aspects of changing your oil, and, of course, some problems that you may encounter. This article is divided into sections, and, as always, if you are familiar with any of the topics, feel free to skip to the next. This article is intended to provide you with the minimum amount of information that is necessary for you to change your own oil.

Oil Change Overview.

If you are not comfortable letting someone else touch your car, you of course want to be able to change your own oil. Though the actual practice of changing the oil in most vehicles is relatively simple, there is a big margin for error and you obviously have to know a lot more than you would if you were to take it to a professional. Now, we're going to talk about how to change your oil in very simple terms, and also some things to keep in mind while you do.
An oil change consists of three steps. Step number one is to empty the oil pan of old oil. Step two is to replace the oil filter. Step three is to properly fill your vehicle up with new oil
There are some you should do before you change your oil. Firstly, be sure that you know where the oil pan, the oil plug, and the oil filter are located and that you have access to all of them. Be sure that you have the correct replacement filter, and enough oil. Be sure the car is secure, and turned completely off. Leaving the keys in the ignition to listen to the radio can drain your battery. Lastly, be sure that you have all the tools necessary to change the oil on your vehicle. They are listed in the article and will also be listed more concisely at the end.

Step One: Draining the oil pan.

Given that there are a variety of methods to lift a car, and sometimes this isn't even necessary, we'll move on right to draining the oil pan. There really is only one method to deal with the old waste oil that is going to drain from your car, and that is to catch it. Trash bags, and or cardboard should be used to cover the area under your car, specifically around the drain plug, but some kind of bucket is necessary as there will be multiple quarts of oil draining from your vehicle and no amount of trash bags or cardboard will be enough. Before attempting to change your oil, make sure you take every precaution

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