OK, I have to break down and just ask.

I am worthless under the hood, but I want to change my own oil for literally the first time. I have seen the other oil change threads here, but none seem to really get to the real nitty gritty. I need absolutely every detail. Like you are teaching your 8yo son.

2006 LTZ.

Where is the drain plug? What size wrench do I need? How does the filter come off/on? Do I need to bank the wheel to get to it? Do I use the regular tire change jack?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

+73 Karma points if pictures can be provided!

Have you got a Garage-type Hydraulic Floor Jack and a set of Safety Stands?
Drain Pan?
Oil Filter Wrench?

alrighty well assuming u have the tools lets begin
first-i would suggest u put the car up on jack stands (also known as safety stands) as level as u can
second-locate the filler cap inside the engine bay and open it...
third-crawl under the vehicle and look for the oil drain pan...it should b located about parallel with the front tires, on the back of this pan is the oil drain plug...i am not sure the size so grab a few metric wrenches and make sure u have a snug fit
fourth-pull ur drain pan under the oil plug-the oil will flow out rapidly and will not drain straight down so position it to catch the oil
fifth-position urself so that only ur arm is under the drain plug and loosen it with the wrench, finish takin the drain plug out with ur hands...hot oil drains faster but i prefer not burnin myself
sixth-once the oil has completely drained locate ur oil filter and use your wrench to loosen it...there will b oil in the filter so be careful and drain it in the oil pan
seventh-install ur new filter and gasket by hand only...rub some of ur new oil onto the filter rim and the put ur new gasket on the filter and then rub some new oil on the face of the gasket...tighten by hand
eighth-reinstall ur drain plug and tighten it wit the wrench
ninth-pour in 4 quarts of oil and replace the cap, check the oil level and start ur engine..let it idle for a minute and check for leaks under the car, shut the car off and let it sit for a few minutes and check the oil level again, adding oil as needed

hope this helps just make sure u get the proper weight oil(should b on the filler cap) and the correct filter and gasket
also its late and ive been in class and working all day so....
someone please read this over and make sure i have not forgotten anything!

I just changed my oil here this past weekend and I used a 13mm wrench to get my oil cap off. I also use 5 1/2 Quarts of oil, not 4, but it all depends on your car. I have the 06 MC LS

Hi `Jon,
Do what MCF Member Kweef `Jeremy posted

Below is some additional information on
How to Change your own oil by Castrol
:)


Changing your cars oil yourself is not only a money saver; its also a lot easier than it sounds! However, its important to remember that when it comes to automotive maintenance, safety always comes first. So whether youre a first timer or an old hand, The Expert has put together this step-by-step tutorial to show you the safest and most efficient way to perform this simple task!



What You will Need
:)


4 to 6 quarts of Castrol motor oil or your choice : ). (Check your owners manual for the proper SAE viscosity, API performance and quantity required for your engine.)






A new oil filter. Most cars use a "spin-on" oil filter available in various shapes and sizes. (Check your owner's manual for the appropriate type and size.)


A drain plug socket wrench or open-end wrench (exact size) and an oil filter wrench.

A large drain pan, at least 5 to 7 quarts in capacity


A rag

Hand cleaning solution and/or disposable latex gloves

A funnel

Safety glasses








Step 1 - Choose Your Oil[/align][:-]
Your owners manual for your vehicle should recommend a certain grade of oil to be used under normal driving conditions as well as the number of miles that you can drive your vehicle before changing your oil (maximum drain interval). However, if you drive under severe conditions such as extreme temperatures, frequent short trips, stop and go traffic or towing and hauling, the extra strain on your engine will necessitate more frequent changes. The average driver generally doesn't realize it but the vast majority of their driving falls into this category, which is why most mechanics will refer to and change oil by the shorter drain interval recommended by the manufacturer for use in "severe" driving conditions. As a general rule of thumb, change your motor oil and oil filter every 3,000 miles or every 3 months, whichever comes first. This strategy will provide superior engine protection and long engine life. (Be certain to check your owner's manual for special conditions and do not exceed warranty recommendations.)

Step 2 - Prepare Your Vehicle[:-]
Always be certain to consult your owners manual for specific safety precautions before climbing under your vehicle.
Never use a bumper jack to hold your vehicle up - it is simply too unstable. Portable wheel ramps are ideal and much safer. Wheel ramps will tilt the car just enough to allow you to slide underneath. After making sure that you are on level ground, drive your vehicle up onto the wheel ramps so that the front tires are elevated. Set your emergency brake and brace both rear wheels with wooden blocks to prevent the vehicle from rolling. Put your vehicle in first gear if you have a manual transmission and in Park if you have an automatic transmission. Cold oil will not drain properly so idle your engine for about 5-10 minutes to bring it to normal operating temperature (never start your engine without oil). Then switch off the engine and raise the hood to locate and loosen the oil sump cap to avoid creating a vacuum. This will allow the oil to drain from the bottom more freely.
Step 3 - Drain the Old Oil[:-]
Locate the oil drain plug on the underside of your vehicle. It should be located at the bottom rear end of the engine sump or oil pan. Be sure not to loosen the automatic transmission drain plug by mistake. (It is usually located a bit further back.) Place the drain pan underneath the drain plug and slightly toward the back. Using your wrench, turn the plug counterclockwise until it rotates freely. Finish removing the plug by hand. At this point, be careful of the oil since it may release rapidly and is likely to be rather hot. Try not to drop the plug into the pan, but dont worry if you do!

Step 4 - Remove the Oil Filter
[:-]Next, loosen the oil filter - which may be warm - by turning it counterclockwise with a filter wrench. Complete the removal by hand, taking care not touch the hot exhaust manifold. The oil filter may be filled with oil and feel slightly heavy, so carefully ease it down and away from the engine and tip its contents into the drain pan.
Step 5 - Replace the Oil Filter
[:-]Take your rag and wipe in and around the filter seat on the engine. Then take a new filter and use your finger to apply a light film of oil (new or used) to the gasket (the circular edge of the filter itself). This film will act as a sealant. Now gently screw the new filter onto the threaded oil line, turning it clockwise. If it's aligned properly, the filter should thread on easily. Hand-tighten the filter approximately ½ to ¾ of a turn after the gasket makes contact with the mounting surface. Make sure the filter is mounted snugly, but be gentle, Hercules; you dont want to over-tighten.
Be sure to clean the copper gasket and the oil plug. Use a paper towel or rag to clean old oil or road dirt from the area on the oil pan near the oil plug hole before re-installing the drain plug. Then align and replace the plug. Screw it in by hand, but finish tightening it with your wrench. Tighten the oil plug to the proper torque recommended in the owner’s manual to prevent under- or over-tightening.
Step 6 - Add Clean Oil
[:-]On the top of the engine you will find a cap that says "Oil." Unscrew the cap and proceed to fill the engine with the required quantity of oil, checking with the dipstick to assure proper fill level. Use a funnel to pour the new oil into the filler hole on top of the engine (oil spilled onto the engine or exhaust system will stink up the engine; oil spilled onto the exhaust system can even potentially be ignited). Then replace the cap and wipe off any spillage. The oil light should go out as soon as the engine is started. Run the engine for several minutes, then switch it off and check the dipstick once again to assure proper oil level. Last, but not least, check under the vehicle for leaks. Easier than it sounded, right? Be sure to keep a written record in your glove compartment of the mileage and date for each oil change. That way, it will be easy to keep track of when your next change should take place. Also, should you decide in the future to sell your car, verification of regular oil changes will increase its resale value. [:-]
Now you can take off your dirty latex, and discard soiled clothing or wash them separate from other family member’s clothes. Exposure to used oil has been linked to skin cancer and other skin disorders, so be super-careful!
Step 7 - Dispose of Your Used Oil
[:-]Thought you were finished? Not quite yet! The final, and in some ways, most important step to your oil change, is the proper disposal of the used oil that you have drained from your vehicle. Used motor oil is highly toxic to the environment and it is of the utmost importance that it is disposed of in a safe fashion. Transfer the used oil to sealed container and consult your local garage about options for safe disposal. Chances are that a garage in your area will take the oil off your hands and arrange for it to be recycled or safely disposed of. If, by chance, you are unable to find a garage in your vicinity willing to take your used oil, your state should have an environmental agency that can direct you towards an alternative option. [:-]For more information on the destructive effects of improper oil disposal and a list of state agencies with information about the safe disposal of used oil in your area, consult The Experts ALL ABOUT OIL. Good Luck `Jon, let us know how is goes 4 U[/align][/align]

When I put-in the Oil ... I start by adding 4 Quarts ... then, I run the engine and look at the Oil Filter and Drain Plug to make sure there's no leaks. Once the engine's had a few minutes of run time; I shut it down and wait a few minutes for all the Oil to settle and check the dipstick. That's when I top-up the Oil Level to the correct level on the Dipstick.

It does seem to vary from car to car. Year to year ... etc.

Oh, baby! Exactly what I was lookin for. Thanks guys.

I feel mere days away from being able to make fun of my friends for not knowing how to change oil. Bonus!

lol so u asked us to make fun or ur friends lol nice very nice...just make sure u can do it b4 u make fun of them lol

Oh baby! It goes down this sunday!

Ive got my drop-in K&N air filter with oil filter to match. and five quarts fo Mobil1.

Whats the best way of getting off the stock oil filter, bearing in mind that Ill be using easy off K&Ns from now on. No sense in buying a special wrench that Ill use only once, right?

Ive got my drop-in K&N air filter with oil filter to match. and five quarts fo Mobil1.
Whats the best way of getting off the stock oil filter, bearing in mind that Ill be using easy off K&Ns from now on. No sense in buying a special wrench that Ill use only once, right?


Are you running synthetic oil now ? if not how many miles are on your monte. high mileage and going from conventional to synthetic can have issues involved.


For the filter you can try dry rag around it and use your hands, hopefully whoever put it on last did not put it on to tight.

A good Oil Filter Wrench is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT tools that anybody who does their own oil changes NEEDS. There's no such thing as "Easy-Off" That's a Marketing angle to get you to buy a Brand Name filter. Coatings, rubberized grip-dip and Certified Pope Blessed is just something that they say is great to get guys who believe the hype buy a certain filter.

Just like you did!

Get yourself a QUALITY Oil Filter Wrench. Don't buy a cheap one. Do the right thing.
Trust me ... you'll be very happy that you have it ... every time you do the oil.

I guess that would be good to have in the toolbox. The KN is 'easy off' because it has a bolt on the top for removal with a regular socket wrench or whatever.

You are spending $15.00 (or more) for an Oil Filter ... right?
That's ridiculous!
Man, that's Highway Robbery!
Hype grabbed a hold of you and didn't let go!
Your getting a 5-dollar Oil Filter with a 10-dollar decal and gimmick.

......but I waaaaaaant iiiiit!


Seriously tho, its well known that only NOS decals add more horsepower than K&N decals.

Well, well, well. Its done. Over, finally.

Car up on the ramp risers, oil plug out, drain used oil. Easy enough. Then things went awry.

The search for the oil filter was a short one, conveniently placed near the drain plug. Problem is, the darn thing is recessed far back into its own little hole. My strap-style removal tool was now useless. Luckily, I had some mechanics gloves, and with some extreme effort and cursing, it finally loosened. Problem #2 - the filter is recessed back, pointing straight down. This means a very unhappy hot oil explosion all over my luckily gloved hands when the filter came out.

OK, time to put in the K&N oil filter. Those fellers were good enough to put a 1" nut on top of the filter, making it perfect for putting in and taking out of a recessed hole. Just gotta grab the......you gotta be kidding me! I have a 220 piece 'professional' tool kit with NO 1" SOCKET OR WRENCH!!! Im now making up curse words to scream at the top of my lungs.

OK, no problem. I have grippy gloves. Ill screw it in by hand. Sure, the gloves are a bit oily now, but whats the worst that could happen?

It was a pain to get to, but I screwed the filter in as best I could. Pretty tight. Put new oil in. No leaks. Lets fire this baby up.

She starts perfectly, followed by a sound roughly equivalent to the blood splatter soundtrack in the Kill Bill movies. I look underneath, and oil is shooting out of the filter area with impressive ferocity. The pavement is now 5 quarts of Mobil1 richer. No cursing now, just sobbing.

The fight ends with me biking my butt to the store to get that 1" socket and more Mobil1, thanking my lucky stars that at least I didnt waste expensive oil.

Turns out the filter wasnt in too tight at all. The right tools did the job. Cant wait for next time.....

lol well im sry to hear u had problems with the oil change...just so u do know the regular oil filters are only supposed to be tightened on by hand, u r not supposed use ur fliter wrench to tighten it...i am not sure how it works with the k and n filter tho

You angered the gods by spending all that extra dough for a pretty-looking oil filter instead of getting a non-designer name brand.
Why didn't your tool kit have a 1-Inch Socket?

You angered the gods by spending all that extra dough for a pretty-looking oil filter instead of getting a non-designer name brand.
Why didn't your tool kit have a 1-Inch Socket?


Good question. That turned out to be a costly omission.

You angered the gods by spending all that extra dough for a pretty-looking oil filter instead of getting a non-designer name brand.
Why didn't your tool kit have a 1-Inch Socket?


I've got a similar Craftsman kit and it doesn't have one either. Goes up to 15/16ths. Never will figure that out.

Just FYI on the oil filter though, you don't need to crank the hell out of it. All the filters I have ever replaced have been hand tight with no problems.

This is given because of the oil explosion, but in the future you should prep the filters gasket by putting your finger in the oil and smearing a bit around the top surface just so it is shiny.

Also make sure all of the gasket came off of the old oil filter. Try to clean the area of any gunk or pieces of old gasket where the newoil filteris going to seal against the engine. This may also be a reason for your oil leak.