Changing The Oil In Your Cars Engine

Many people think that a car “Service” is a must have, and a dealership stamp is a must have, but lets be brutally honest…theyre not.

Yes, a car must be checked over for safety reasons, this is the MOT, but regular servicing of many things other than engine oil, is not something I have done a lot of. As long as the coolant system has inhibitor and anti freeze in it … if it isn’t broken … no need to fix it.

Engine oil lubrication however is different. An engine makes 1 full revolution, or a turn to non-engineers, 2000-4000 times a minute ! So in a 2 hour journey … your engine will turn 240,000 to 480,000 times !!! Without oil at all, the engine would wear, over heat, and seize. So oil is a very important part of your engines life.

Oil itself, will loose its lubricating powers over time, it gets hot, cold, squeezed through gaps and joints … it has a tough life. So Car manufacturers set a recommended oil grade, and frequency of changing/renewing the oil.

If youre going to change to new oil, you should always change the oil filter. This is a key part of any engine, as its name suggests, it filters the oil, collects any small particles of engine (metal) wear, and maintains fluid oil going through the engine.

Key points to a good successful and quick oil change: –

1. When the engine is cold … have a look for the areas you’ll need for oil and filter change
   1. Oil Sump plug, this will be underneath the car, at the lowest point of the engine. Note the size of Socket you will need to undo it.
   2. Oil filter location, varies in every car, but is usually on front or back of engine in front wheel drive cars. On my Yaris however, it does have an access door through the bottom engine cover of the car, so look for this also. It maybe in an awkward location, behind the engine, near an exhaust manifold, so have a little practice at getting a chain wrench on it whilst the engine is cold. DO NOT UNDO IT ALTOGETHER and then start the engine, this would end in tears!
   3. Oil filling point. Nearly always on the top of the engine, through a cap with this symbol on it…
2. In this process above, gather the tools you’ll need.
   1. Jack or ramp, or perhaps a block or brick to drive sump plug side front wheel onto.
   2. Screwdriver if required to open plastic access panels in bottom engine plastic cover.
   3. Socket & wrench to fit sump plug.
   4. Old washing up bowl, of at least 5 litres capacity, to collect old oil. This bowl will not be fit for wshing up ever again.
   5. Chain wrench, to undo the oil filter with.
   6. Small funnel, to help pour new oil into engine.
   7. New filter, and new oil (5 Litres of correct grade (10W-40 for example)
3. Drive the car for 10-15 minutes. To warm the oil up. Never push the engine hard when oil is cold … this will lead to increased wear on the engine.
4. Get the raised enough at the front to allow access to sump plug. Be aware that the more tilt you put on the car, the less old oil will drain out.
5. Now you have all tools ready from your cold run through, place bowl under sump plug, and begin to untighten sump plug. Oil will drip out to start, then as more thread is undone, more oil, and eventually plug will drop out. Make sure your arm is not in position to have the oil drain down your shirt sleeves !!! not pleasant.
6. Untighten and remove the oil filter. Again, some oil will drain out, try and keep the filter threaded end upwards to avoid excess spillage. Place old filter in oil catcher for now.
7. Leave to drain for at least 15 minutes, then very important to
   1. Refit sump plug in engine bottom.
   2. Fit new oil filter onto engine, tighten as much by hand as possible. No need to tighten with chain wrench.
8. Now lower the car back level, and fill engine with new oil. About 3.5 litres to start with, then use dipstick to gauge level required. Bare in mind that if you fill to MAX on dipstick, this will drop after first engine start whilst new filter and oil system is refilled in hidden places.
9. Start engine and leave to run for 5-10 mins.
10. Re-Check oil level, top up if necessary.

There you have it, a 30 minute job on your drive, saving £100 at your local garage or dealership !!!