Oil C

Bryan Reynolds

Changing Your Oil

Since I was kid, my father always told me that knowledge was power; the more I could do on my own would make me a more successful and independent person. When taking your vehicle to get your oil changed, 90% of the time they don’t ask you your oil preference nor do they tell you what they are using. After it’s all said and done, you might pay roughly $65 for an oil change but don’t have any ease of mind of what was actually done to your vehicle. In today’s economy, oil prices show no sign of relief and getting your oil changed can take a big chunk of your weekly paycheck. So instead of wondering what was actually put into your vehicle, learn how to change your vehicles oil yourself and save some of your hard earned money.

Selecting the type of your oil for car is generally easy. By simply looking at your car owner’s manual, it will show you what your car requires for proper engine lubrication. If your vehicle has over 75k miles, it’s recommended that you use a high mileage synthetic oil to minimize engine wear and maximize your vehicles performance. In most cases, during the summer months it’s better to use a denser oil to better lubricate your engine during elevated climate temperature changes. Next, you will need to find the proper oil filter as well; which I prefer Fram filters, they are easy to install because of their rubber slip resistant coating.

Once you have selected your oil and new filter, you will have to find a means of gaining access under your vehicle in a safe manner. You can use a standard vehicle jack but it is recommended to use jack stands as well. In many cases there has been jack failure and without jack stands, the vehicle can crush the person underneath; which it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The more preferable way is car ramps, they are easy to use and provide enough clearance to gain access under the vehicle without having the anxiety of worrying about anything failing with a crushing load...