Koons White Marsh Chevrolet

Sep 17, 2021

Performing regular maintenance on your vehicle yourself can save you money versus taking your car to a mechanic. Many DIY people choose to maintain their vehicles themselves because they enjoy it, as well. At Koons White Marsh Chevrolet, we understand this reasoning and support anyone who decides to change their car’s oil, rotate its tires, and more. However, we only want you to do it right. That’s why we’ve created this article on how to change your oil. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have the oil changed in no time.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR OIL?

You should change your car’s oil regularly. Most mechanics recommend changing your car’s oil every 4,000 miles, but every vehicle has different specifications. Check your owner’s manual for your car’s specific instructions. Changing your car’s oil early won’t do any harm. If you happen to go a few hundred miles over the manufacturer’s recommendation, don’t worry, but don’t wait much longer. As the oil breaks down, it loses its viscosity (its ability to lubricate and protect adequately) and could damage your engine components.

WHAT TYPE OF OIL SHOULD YOU USE?

Every engine uses a specific oil, expressed in weight, such as 5W30 or 10W40. The weight refers to the oil’s flow rate at 210 degrees Fahrenheit, the average operating temperature of most engines. The first number separated by the “W” indicates the winter or cold temperature flow rate, while the second number represents the warm temperature flow rate.

Thus, a 5W30 will flow faster at cold temperatures and slower at warm temperatures. This faster flow rate gets the oil moving in cold weather, lubricating the metal parts that would otherwise rub together and cause damage. Once it warms up, the oil’s viscosity gets thicker and thus protects the engine against the high operating temperatures. Check your owner’s manual for the proper oil and only use that oil.

You’ll also need an oil filter. Again, use your owner’s manual to determine the proper filter. Most auto parts stores can look this up for you and the correct oil on the off chance you’ve misplaced your owner’s manual. You can also contact Koons White Marsh Chevrolet for help. Our service center will happily look up the specifications for oil and filter, and we can have them ready for you to pick up if you choose to buy them from us.

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED TO CHANGE YOUR OIL

You’ll need an oil filter wrench, a wrench sized for your Chevy’s oil pan’s drain plug, a funnel, and some gloves to keep your hands clean. You’ll need a pan to catch the oil, and you should probably put an old blanket or some flattened cardboard beneath the engine to catch any dripping oil. Oil filters come in different sizes, so you’ll need the correct size oil filter wrench. As for the drain plug, a simple socket wrench will do. Likely, you already have the proper size if you own a set. Gather these items, and you’re ready to begin.

STEP ONE: RAISE THE VEHICLE

At Koons White Marsh Chevrolet, we put your Chevy up on one of our lifts to easily access your oil pan underneath the engine. Since you probably don’t have a lift like ours, you need to jack up your car and use jack stands. You can also buy ramps that you can drive up on to support the front end. However you raise your vehicle, do so safely, and give yourself enough room to work.

At this point, you should put your blanket or cardboard down and then place your catch pan beneath your Chevy’s oil drain plug. A good tip here would be to purchase a catch pan with a wide opening that includes a screen to catch your drain plug should you drop it. Fishing out a plug from a pan of oil gets messy.

STEP TWO: DRAIN THE OIL

Loosen the drain plug with a wrench until you can twist it by hand. Be warned; once you remove the drain plug, the oil will flow. Using your thumb and forefinger, turn the loose drain plug until it comes out. Allow the oil to drain completely. It only takes a few minutes. Once the oil drains, return the drain plug and tighten it down.

STEP THREE: REPLACE THE OIL FILTER

Locate the oil filter. It should look like the new filter. We recommend using genuine Chevrolet OEM parts for all your maintenance needs. You can order parts online from us, and we’ll have them ready to pick up when you arrive. Make sure you position your catch pan beneath the filter because oil will leak when you remove it. Use your oil filter wrench to unscrew and loosen the filter. Then, unscrew the filter by hand. Once removed, don’t tilt the filter as it contains oil that will spill.

 Pour the filter oil into your catch pan, and then place the old filter in the box that contained the new filter. Make sure you remove the old rubber gasket between the filter and engine. Failing to remove the gasket could cause a leak, spilling your new oil all over the ground upon startup.

Your new filter has the same gasket. Dab your finger in the oil and wipe the gasket down to ensure a proper seal. Then, hand-tighten the filter onto the engine before using the filter wrench. Don’t over-tighten the filter as this could cause damage to it. Just get it snug.

STEP FOUR: REFILL THE OIL

After double-checking that you’ve tightened the oil drain plug and oil filter, open your hood and remove the oil cap on the top of your engine. Using a funnel to pour, fill up your engine with the recommended amount of oil. Wait a few minutes for the oil to settle into the pan, and then check the dipstick to be sure you have the right amount. Replace the oil cap, and you’re finished.

At Koons White Marsh Chevrolet, we love when our customers take good care of their vehicles. That’s why we want to help you every step of the way. It’s also why we pay more for your Chevy when you keep it well maintained. You can use our online vehicle evaluation tool to get a true cash offer and see just how much your Chevy is worth. Then, when you’re ready to upgrade to a newer model, you can bring your car in. We’re so confident in our offer, we’ll buy your Chevy, even if you don’t purchase another vehicle from us.

Image via Flickr by Robert Couse-Baker