How do I change my own oil?

Changing your own oil is a small job if you can do it from level ground without raising the car. Read the manual for the right oil, drain the old oil into a leak-proof pan, fit a new filter, refill to the full mark on the dipstick, and recycle what you drained. If reaching the drain plug means lifting the car, pay a shop to do it.

Start with the manual

Your owner's manual lists the oil grade, how much the engine takes and which filter fits. Follow it exactly. The Department of Energy says you can improve your gas mileage by 1%–2% by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil, and that using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1%–2%.^[1] The manual is also where you will see whether your engine allows oil to be pumped out through the dipstick tube.

What you need

New oil and a new filter, a filter wrench, nitrile gloves, rags, a funnel, and a leak-proof container to hold the old oil. The EPA's advice to home mechanics is to take care not to spill any when you collect it and place it in a leak-proof can or container.^[2] A wide, low drain pan with a spout, plus cardboard under the work area, makes a spill easy to clean up.

How the job goes

Run the engine for a few minutes so the oil is warm and flows, then switch it off and let it sit on level ground. Warm oil drains better than cold, but an engine that has just run hard has hot parts, so give it a few minutes.

Take off the oil filler cap so air can get in. Then drain the oil, either through the drain plug where you can reach it without raising the car, or with a pump through the dipstick tube where the manual allows it. Put the container where the oil will land, and keep the plug and its washer clean.

Next, change the filter. Loosen it with the wrench, let it drain, and wipe the mounting surface. Rub a little new oil on the new filter's rubber ring and tighten it by hand as its instructions say. Overtightening makes it hard to remove next time.

Add oil in stages through the funnel, stopping a little short of the capacity in the manual. Wait a minute, wipe the dipstick, push it fully in, pull it out and read the level. Top up to the full mark and no higher. Run the engine briefly, check around the filter and plug for drips, and read the dipstick again after the engine has been off for a few minutes.

Recycling the old oil and filter

Do not pour used oil on the ground or down a drain. Used motor oil is insoluble, persistent, and can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals, and the EPA says used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water.^[2] Take it in the sealed container to a collection site, along with the filter: the EPA says to drain and recycle used oil filters as well.^[2]

Some local garages, for example, may accept used motor oil for recycling, so call before you drive over.^[3] In Fairfax County, the household hazardous waste program lists motor oil among the materials it takes, and the Fairfax County Household Hazardous Waste Program accepts hazardous materials from residents free of charge.^[4] In other counties and cities, ask the solid waste office where residents can drop off used oil.

Stop and call a pro if

• The car has to be raised to reach the drain plug. Have a shop do the change rather than working under a vehicle on a jack.
• The drain plug will not turn or its threads look stripped. Forcing it can ruin the oil pan.
• The old oil looks milky, or you find metal flakes. That can point to a bigger engine problem that an oil change will not fix.
• The oil level drops soon after a change, or the engine runs rough or shows a warning light. Get it diagnosed.
• You cannot recycle the oil the same day. Let the shop take it, rather than storing it.

Getting help in Virginia

If you would rather not do it, see what an oil change costs in Virginia. Browse oil change shops or more automotive answers.

When you are ready, post an oil change job and local shops will quote it.