Follow the Proper Steps to Change Your Own Oil
For many of you, you’ve been changing your oil for as long as you can remember. You know there’s no one better suited to take care of your engine than you. For others, changing your oil may be a new venture. You’re looking for a DIY project, want to save some money, or just want to learn more about engines. Whatever the situation, as your trusted source for engine oil, oil change kits and routine maintenance, we want to provide the best advice for changing your oil.
Oil Change Instructions
1) First, consult your owner’s manual to verify you’ve purchased the proper fluids, filter and drain plug crush washer. At Power Oil Center, we do painstaking research to ensure the products we sell meet or exceed your vehicle’s requirements.
2) Prepare your vehicle. Make sure you have all the correct tools and can safely position your vehicle with proper clearance to access the drain plug and filter. It is best to lay the tools out on an old towel or mat to easily reach them as you need them. If you do need to lift your car for an oil change, make sure you secure your car using jack stands and wheel chocks.
(Do not use the Emergency jack!)
3) Position the oil drain pan under the drain plug and loosen the drain plug to drain the oil. Once the plug is removed, you should clean it and inspect it for any damage or stripping.
4) Once the oil is fully drained, reposition the pan so it is now under the oil filter (but temporarily out of the way while you replace the drain plug).
5) Using a new oil drain plug crush washer, replace the drain plug, making sure it is properly seated and tightened. Make sure the drain plug is tight but be careful not to overtighten it.
6) Make sure the oil drain pan is under the oil filter and that you have old rags handy. Carefully remove the old oil filter using an oil filter wrench. Once you have the filter removed, allow excess oil to drain out of it into the oil drain pan.
7) On the new filter, smear a small dab of new oil on the O-ring. This helps create a better seal with the new filter. Consult with your vehicle’s owner's manual to confirm how tight to turn the filter.
8) After confirming that the oil drain plug and oil filter are both in place and properly tightened, the new engine oil can be added. We recommend using a funnel to make it easier and to reduce spills.
9) After adding the oil, replace the oil cap and run the engine for about 30 seconds. Check to make sure there are no leaks.
10) Finally, with the vehicle on level ground, check the oil level on the dipstick and write the oil change information on a window sticker.
Once you’ve completed all the steps, please remember to properly dispose of the used oil and filter. Most communities have a household hazardous waste drop-off site.
When you’re ready to change your oil, instead of driving to the store to search the shelves, head on over to our Oil Change Kit page to see the oil change kits we have available.