changing my oil

Alright i know this may be a really noob question, but i seriously dont know how to change the oil, and i dont want to pay anyone to do it if i could, could some one list what i have to do, and where everything is located. Thanks

Tools:

car jack
2 jack stands
17mm socket and ratchet
5 quarts new oil
new oil filter
drain pan
funnel
Rags

Jack the car up, support it on the jack stands. Get underneath with your drain pan, remove the drain bolt on the oil pan. Put it back in with a new washer when its done draining and tighten, do not over tighten. Reach up and either w/ your hand or an oil filter wrench remove the oil filter and put it in the pan w/ the oil you just drained. Wipe off any oil that spilled on the block/exhaust. Rub some of the old oil w/ your finger around the seal of the new filter and screw it on hand tight, maybe a 1/4 turn after you feel it get tight.

Pull the drain pan out and lower the car. Get your funnel and new oil and put it in. Check the dipstick when your done. Start it up and take it around the block and check it again. Done

Hey man, I change my oil myself just cuz I like workin on the car but honestly the shops do charge a pretty good rate to change the oil when you add up the cost of the oil+filter yourself.

I don't have the exact specs off the top of my head for the bolts and filter etc but its in the owner's manual, anyways this is how I do it:

-make sure the car isn't too hot before doing this, the oil can burn ya
-jack up the car
-put a sheet or something under the car it since I usually spill a bit by accident
-open the cap on the valve cover so the oil will flow out better
-get a wide mouth container to catch the oil and put it under the oil pan, judging where the oil will land when it flies out
-carefully take off the bolt+washer with a ratchet and hopefully it doesn't fall in the container but you can fish it out afterwards
-let the oil drain for a very long time, if you're in no rush might as well let it all drip out, the oil will first shoot out far and then it will calm down and shoot closer so make sure you adjust where your container is sitting to catch it all
-twist off the old filter, I do it by hand but you might need the filter wrench or stab a screw driver into the side for leverage(carefull, the oil will spill out). try to keep it upright when you take it off so the oil won't spill
-rub some new oil onto the seal of the new filter and put it on, theres specs for this too but I can't recall them right now
-put the bolt back on the pan when its done draining and torque it to specs
-put the car back down so its level
-pour your new oil into the fill hole on the valve cover to specs, we do it in litres out here. add it in to what the specs are, leave it for a few minutes and check the level again to see if its right, adjust the amount as necessary.
-thats all I can think of, good luck.

thanks guys appreciate the help

it costs the same at a shop as it would at home.
in fact, mine costs about 5-10 dollars extra depending on what oil and filter. (bosch/mobil1)

it's just knowing what goes in your car, as some like to say.

osiriskidd said:

it costs the same at a shop as it would at home.
in fact, mine costs about 5-10 dollars extra depending on what oil and filter. (bosch/mobil1)

it's just knowing what goes in your car, as some like to say.

Click to expand...

But..... if you compare apples w/ apples, and the shop used the same oil you did, there's no way the shop can do it for the same money.

Honda oil filters, plus 5 quarts of good oil will be half of what a shop will charge.

Apart from that, I've been using Royal Purple for over a year, and think it's great stuff!

Here's an idea I'd like some feedback on; does it make any sense to fill the new oil filter w/ oil before putting it on to avoid the first few seconds of the engine starting w/ no oil?

also remember that shops use bulk oil...from big tanks

theres enough residual oil just hanging on to the engine parts as it is...putting oil into the filter is personal preference