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This video is all about why it makes sense to change your own motor oil and a demonstration
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of exactly how it's done. I'm a big fan of DIY oil changes and I've been doing it for
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more than 40 years. If you've never changed your own motor oil, there are three good reasons
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to make it part of your automotive life. Stay tuned for a detailed how-to lesson on this
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job. But first, reason number one, changing oil saves time and hassle. In less time than it takes
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me to drive to an auto garage, the motor oil in my vehicles is fresh, new and ready to go
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The job takes about 20 minutes, five minutes of which are just waiting for the old oil to drain
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out. I never wait around at a shop cooped up close with a bunch of strangers all twiddling
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their thumbs while someone else does the simple job of removing a drain plug, putting it back
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then refilling with oil. That never made sense to me. DIY oil changes are easy and if you enjoy
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your vehicles like I do, it's a great way to spend a few minutes in your off time. There's
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really nothing to it. Reason number two, changing oil yourself ensures quality. Not all motor oils
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are created equal and that's why you'll do your vehicle a favor if you learn to recognize the
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best motor oil and use it. Besides using an oil with a viscosity recommended in your owner's
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manual, all motor oils also carry a performance rating from the American Petroleum Institute
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That's API and you can see it here. The further along the alphabet you go with the letter after
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this S, the better that motor oil will perform. Currently, the highest rated motor oil for gasoline
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engines carries an SP rating. When you change your own oil, you can know you're using the best there
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is. I always do and it certainly shows. My own road vehicles range from a 1990 F-150 to a 2009 Lexus
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My highest mileage vehicle has more than 386,000 kilometers on it and the original engine starts
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and runs just like new. My oldest vehicle of all, if you can call it that, is a 1953 Farmall Super H
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tractor and after more than 70 years of work, it starts and runs perfectly. I'm sure a big part of
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this is the high quality motor oil I use for every oil change. Mobile One offers one of the top brands
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of motor oil and I trust it completely when I'm doing my own oil changes. They've got formulations
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for high mileage vehicles like mine with grades and types that make for easier cold weather starts
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extended times between oil changes, and internal cleaning action that gets rid of sludge buildups
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Reason number three, changing your oil brings you closer to your vehicle. Whenever I'm under my
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vehicles to change oil, it gives me a chance to look around and see how things are doing
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Does that plastic shroud need a new anchor button? How are the brake lines looking? Are the universal
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joints still tight? How are the exhaust heat shields holding up? Even if you don't know how
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to deal with these things yourself, at least you can give everything a once over by eye. If you see
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anything that looks iffy, take your vehicle to a mechanic to have a look if you don't know how to
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deal with it yourself. Keeping an eye on things is one way to ensure your vehicle works well
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when you need it. How to change your own oil. You'll need a drain pan, a wrench to remove the
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drain plug, a funnel to put new oil in, and a wrench to remove and replace the old oil filter
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And just to be safe and clean, you'll need eye protection and rubber gloves too
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Here's how the job's done. Step one, drain the old oil. Place your drain pan under the oil drain plug
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of your vehicle, loosen and remove the plug, then let the oil flow out until it stops. That generally
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takes about five minutes and it's best to do this when the engine is warm so the oil drains more
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quickly and completely. Step two, clean the drain plug. While oil is draining, clean the drain plug
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and get it ready for reinstallation. I always apply thread sealing liquid to drain plugs to
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ensure no leaking and to prevent the plug from vibrating out. Step three, replace the oil filter
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Remove the old oil filter, apply clean oil to the gasket of the new filter, then install it
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Look at the instructions on the side of the filter to learn how tight to install it. Most canister
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filters call for three quarters of a turn past gasket contact. Step four, replace the drain plug
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and tighten it. Don't overdo the tightening since you don't want to strip the threads. Just make the
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plug tight enough to make the engine move a little bit as you put pressure on the wrench. Step five
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add the right amount of new oil. Most engines need about five liters of fresh oil but add less to
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begin with then check the level on the dipstick after a few minutes. Oil level should be between
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the upper and lower levels on the stick. If you've added too much oil, remove the drain plug again
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and let a bit out. I also keep a little log book for each of my vehicles where I write down
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maintenance items and repairs done on different dates and mileages including oil and filter
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changes. And to make my work official, I even have little stickers I put at the top of the
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windshield to remind me when the next oil change is due. Just like from a real auto garage. This
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is a great way to never let it go too long between oil changes. Many of us have an emotional attachment
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to our vehicles and I'm one. I find that the more things I do myself on my vehicles, the more I like
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them. It might sound crazy but when I've just changed my own oil and I'm driving down the road
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I get the sense that the engine is happy with new high quality lifeblood running through it
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Never changed your own oil? Give it a try and you'll see how easy it is. Keep doing it and
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you'll see just how long that vehicle of yours can run like it's supposed to
