by Peter Jankowiak

Created on: July 22, 2010

The motor oil of a car is its "blood". If the "blood" of the vehicle isn't properly taken care of, then the life of the vehicle is going to be cut short. Take care of the oil in your car, and your care is going to take care of you. But, there is a proper method to changing the oil in a car. If you don't do it properly, you could damage your car's engine.

Find out first what type of motor oil your car needs. The recommended weight of motor oil can be found either on the cap where the new motor oil enters the engine, or it can be found in the "capacities" section of the owner's manual. You can also find the amount of oil that you are going to need, either with an oil filter change or not.

Get the proper oil filter to replace the old one. Since there has been dirty motor oil moving throughout your engine, the oil filter is old and non-usable. This is a vital part when servicing your engine. Make sure you change the oil filter every time you change your engine's oil.

Prop up your car on ramps. This allows for your car to be elevated high enough for you to get under and it also allows for you to work in safety now that the vehicle is secure. Using car jacks is not recommended because all it takes for the car to fall off the jacks is for someone to bump the car while it is elevated. Stay safe with the ramps.

Now that you have the proper weight and volume of oil to use and a new oil filter, and with your car on the ramps, you are ready to do the "dirty work" and change the oil. Make sure that your oil is warm, but not hot, before you change it. The reason for this is that it is easier for the oil to leave the oil pan. Cool and cold oil does not move quickly, and warm oil will be better drained off moving interior engine parts, getting the most dirty oil out of your engine. Remove the drain plug from the oil pan and allow the oil to drain.

After all the oil is drained from the oil pan, remove the old oil filter and drain most of the oil out of it. Wipe that area clean with a rag and put a thin coat of oil on the seal of the new oil filter. This will help ensure a tight seal. Screw on the new oil filter and hand tighten about a quarter turn. This will help you when you want to remove it at the next oil change. Replace the oil drain plug and tighten.

Add the proper amount of oil into the engine. After completing this task, remove your car from the ramps and let run for a few minutes and check for any oil leaks from the oil pan and from around the oil filter. When you are satisfied that your car is not leaking any oil, simply clean up your mess.

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