Changing oil on my Camry

Pretty simple stuff Robbie.

1) Found out what type engine you have (if you are not sure, give me the 8th digit of your VIN# and Ill tell you).

2) Buy a new filter (make sure and get the one that fits your engine; the auto parts store will have a manual to help you choose which one you need) and about 5 quarters of oil (your vehicle probably holds 4-5 depending on its size).

3) Buy something to hold the oil, like a drain pan (I actually use a big paint bucket that I bought at Home Depot ....holds about 4 or 5 oil changes before I have to go dispose of it). I would invest in some wrags also, and maybe even some plastic painters wrap to cover the driveway (oil stains are a beotch to get out of your driveway).

4) If you dont have an owners manual, Id go down to Autozone, NAPA or Pep Boys and buy a Chilton Manual for your car (normally, the oil plug is easy to find, but it can often look the same as the transmission pan plug).

5) Once you find out where the oil plug is, run your engine for a while, then let it cool (the key is, to keep the oil warm enough, to where it will drain properly and quickly, but not hot enough to where it will burn you if you get it on your hands (which you probably will ). Slowly loosen the oil plug. If you loose it to fast, oil will come gushing out and will wash the plug right out of your hands and into your drain pan. Keep a good grip on it. Let the oil drain all the way out (if its warm this will usually take 5-10 mins (if that).

6) Once the oil is drained out, replace the plug (make sure and tighten it will good).

7) Find your old oil filter and remove it. There is a tool they make that makes it easier to remove it. I just do it with my bare hands. An oil filter shouldnt be super tight. If one has a good grip and strong hands, they should be able to remove it without a tool. Again, as soon as you remove the oil filter, more oil will come gushing out of the engine and the filter itself, so make sure and have your drain pan close by.

8) After removing your filter, check it and make sure the seal is still on it (sometimes, the oil filter seal will stick to the block; if you leave the oil seal stuck on the block and then install the new filter, all your new oil will leak out once you re-start the car).

9) Get a small amount of NEW oil on your finger tip and run it around the seal on the new filter (this prevents the oil filter seal from sticking to the engine block when you remove it during your next oil change).

10) Screw the new filter on. Remember, it doesnt have to be super super tight. The seal is rubber, so you dont want to tighten it to where the seal gets pinches or crushed. If you tighten it enough with your own strength, that will be good enough (assuming you are moderately strong ).

11) Fill the engine up with the new oil (there is usually a cap on the topside of the engine that you remove to do this (dont put the new oil where the dipstick goes unless thats the only place that you can)).

12) Here is a lil trick that not many people know about. If you car is older or has high mileage or if the old oil looks really dirty (dark black; sludgy), substitute a quart of oil with a quart of automatic transmission fluid. This helps clean the engine of sludge and whatnot).

You need to make sure and check your owner's manual or the aforementioned Chilton guide to see how much oil you need to put it. You dont want to put too much or too little in.

Also, on the underside of your hood, there are some information labels for the car. Sometimes, one of the stickers will have the amount of oil you should use.

13) After you put the new oil in, check underneath to make sure there is no oil leaking out of the oil pan drain plug or where the filter screws in. If it is leaking, you need to tighten them.

14) Start the car. Again check to make sure that there is no leaking (the oil is under pressure when the vehicle is started, and will be more apt to leak if you didnt tighten enough).

If you have no leaks. Check the oil dipstick indicator to make sure the level is where it should be.

BTW, if you have a cat, keep some cat litter handy. That and gasoline are the best ways to clean up oil spilled on a driveway.

 

PS - Sometimes, its worth it to just pay someone $14.95 to do it, considering the oil and filter will cost you $10. If you arent sure about what you are doing, suck it up and pay someone the $5.

 

Good idea.

 

Good description, codell.

Another little tip: if you plan to use some STP or other oil additive, place the bottle on a warm engine surface (not hot) while you do the oil change. STP is really thick, and comes out the bottle slow. Heating it up will speed things up.

 

And here's another tip:

When you drain the oil out, find a level ground, and jack up the front of the car little bit, this helps to drain the old oil out.

And after you get your oil out, you can give it to place like O'Reilly, and they will take care of it.