How to Change Your Own Oil in Under 30 Minutes

Tools You Need

Changing oil yourself needs a modest set of tools. A ratchet with extensions and a socket to match your drain plug, usually 13mm, 14mm, 15mm, or 17mm. A cheap drain pan with a lid works better than any open pan because you can seal it for disposal. An oil filter wrench is essential if your filter is tight or in a tough spot. Cup-style filter wrenches fit over spin-on filters exactly and work in cramped engine bays. A torque wrench is not strictly required but helps you avoid over-tightening the drain plug into a ruined oil pan. Ramps or jack stands lift the car high enough for access on low clearance vehicles. A funnel keeps fill-up clean, and shop rags or paper towels catch drips. Total tool cost if you start from zero is under sixty dollars, paid back after two oil changes.

Check Capacity and Oil Grade

Before you drain, know what goes back in. Owner manuals list oil capacity and grade in the maintenance section, usually in quarts with filter. Common capacities: four-cylinder compact cars take 4 to 5 quarts, six-cylinder sedans take 5 to 6, V8 trucks take 6 to 8, and Cummins, Duramax, and Power Stroke diesels take 10 to 14 quarts. Grade is commonly 0W-20 for modern Japanese and Ford, 5W-20 or 5W-30 for older American V6 and V8, 5W-30 or 10W-30 for older engines, and 5W-40 for most diesel pickups. European vehicles often require specific spec oils like MB 229.5, VW 502.00, BMW LL-01, or Porsche C30. Our coolant-capacity tool at /tools/coolant-capacity shows oil capacity for many common vehicles. Never guess. The wrong spec oil can damage turbos, timing systems, and emissions equipment.

Draining the Old Oil

Run the engine for five minutes to warm the oil and loosen sludge. Do not get it fully hot or you will burn yourself. Shut off the engine, let it sit one minute, then raise the car. Slide the drain pan under the drain plug, which is the large bolt at the lowest point of the oil pan. Loosen with a ratchet until the plug breaks free, then spin by hand while pressing up against the pan. When you feel the threads disengage, pull straight off and let the oil pour into the pan. Warm oil drains in two to three minutes. While waiting, inspect the drain plug gasket. Most cars use a soft aluminum crush washer that gets a fresh one every change, about fifty cents each at most auto parts stores. Some vehicles use a rubber gasket that lasts longer. Torque the plug to the spec in your manual, usually 25 to 35 foot-pounds. Overtorque is the most common DIY oil change mistake and can strip the oil pan threads.

Filter Change (The Gasket Dab Trick)

Spin off the old filter with a filter wrench. Oil will drip so keep the drain pan under it. Before installing the new filter, smear a thin coat of fresh oil around the rubber gasket. This lets it rotate cleanly against the engine block instead of grabbing and tearing. Pre-filling the filter with oil before installation can help on engines where the filter mounts upright, but is not useful on filters mounted sideways or upside down because oil will spill. Thread the new filter on by hand until the gasket contacts the mounting surface, then tighten another three-quarters to one full turn by hand. Never use a wrench to tighten a new filter. Hand tight plus one turn is correct. Cartridge-style filter housings need a new O-ring every change. Do not reuse the old one or you will leak oil.

Filling Up and Checking Level

Lower the car, open the hood, and pour in oil one quart at a time through the funnel. Stop a quart short of the manual capacity. Run the engine for thirty seconds to circulate oil through the filter, shut it off, wait two minutes, then check the dipstick. Add the final amount gradually until the level reads at or just under the full mark. Overfilling is almost as bad as underfilling because it can foam and starve the bearings. If you overfill by half a quart, no harm done. Overfill by a full quart or more and drain some back out. Check for leaks around the drain plug and filter before closing up. A small seep is usually an old drain plug crush washer that reused instead of replaced. Replace it and the leak stops.

Reset the Oil Life Monitor

Most vehicles built after 2005 have an oil life monitor that tracks engine load and mileage and displays a percentage on the dashboard. After an oil change, this has to be reset manually or the car will continue counting down and eventually scream at you for a service that already happened. Reset procedures vary by make. GM vehicles often require holding the gas pedal three times within five seconds with the key on, engine off. Fords use a menu in the driver information center. Toyotas and Hondas have their own sequence. Our /tools/oil-reset tool lists the procedure for every major make and model year. Write down your reset steps the first time and keep them in the glove box. Most take less than a minute.

Disposing of Used Oil and Filters

Do not pour old oil down a drain, into the ground, or in the trash. In the United States, AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance Auto, and NAPA all accept used oil for free recycling. Bring up to five gallons per trip in sealed containers. The used filter can usually go with it. Some counties also have hazardous waste days where you can drop off oil, antifreeze, and batteries together. Old oil is refined into lubricants, industrial burners, and asphalt. Keep your drain pan with a sealed lid so you can drive to the recycling drop off without spilling. Never mix used oil with coolant, solvents, or other fluids because recyclers refuse contaminated oil.

Frequently Asked Questions