Self-Oil Change Virgin - Eager to Learn

[Cavball9]

Ladies & Gentlemen:

I'm 29 years old and I've never changed my own oil.
(gasp, dodges wrench)

I know it's pretty simple and I know I'm lazy for never learning / doing it. I'm here to learn. The wife will be commuting 500-700 miles weekly starting in December and I would like to be able to change her oil vs. paying Marty MeChanic to do it. I'd also like to change my oil/filter on my own vehicle. Let's begin with my Suburban and I'll start a different thread later for my wife's Rogue.

I prefer to shop online via Amazon. With the subscribe & save + multiple item shipment, I can save about 20% from Wal-Mart-type prices. I'd really like to go that route if possible. I do have means to a oil recycling center.


Details:
1. 2005 Chevrolet 2500 Surburban LT - fully loaded with 207,000 miles.

2. Owner's manual said SAE 5W-30. It also has a fancy oil sensor system for the oil & filter life. Not sure how reliable those are.

3. I live in rural, mid-west Ohio.

4. I baby my vehicles and do mostly town & country driving. No quick starts and fast stops. Nice and easy everywhere but when necessary.

5. I live less than one minute from work and only drive the vehicle four-to-five days weekly. Most trips this vehicle takes are less than 30 miles. We do use it for the occasional road trip of 200-400 miles. Probably do those every other month.

6. No known problems. Thing is pretty clean for the miles on it. I believe the previous owner (single owner vehicle) was a salesman.

Looking for advice on recommended oil & filter combo to use and also a good How-To video other than what pops up on YouTube. I'm looking forward to any and all input and thanks a million in advance.

Let me know if you need more information. I'm very new to this and I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Cavball9


I know it's pretty simple and I know I'm lazy for never learning / doing it. I'm here to learn. The wife will be commuting 500-700 miles weekly starting in December and I would like to be able to change her oil vs. paying Marty MeChanic to do it. I'd also like to change my oil/filter on my own vehicle. Let's begin with my Suburban and I'll start a different thread later for my wife's Rogue.

I prefer to shop online via Amazon. With the subscribe & save + multiple item shipment, I can save about 20% from Wal-Mart-type prices. I'd really like to go that route if possible. I do have means to a oil recycling center.


It's really pretty easy - just unbolt the drain lug on the pan, let her drain, screw it back in and tighten. Unscrew the oil filter. Lube the new filter's o-ring, put it on hand tight + a turn or so. Pour the amount of of oil specifies in the owner's manual in it, fire it up, make sure the pressure light goes off, give it a blip of the throttle, shut the engine off and check for leaks. Tighten the filter or bolt if you see leeks.

That being said, unless you are using a top shelf oil, you most likely will save nothing vs taking it somewhere. Since taking it somewhere has been working for you for 200k it works and any savings may be miniscule. Heck, for the $39 (and every 5th free) my dealer charges for an oil change and tire rotation I don't even bother on my car. The only reason I do the wife's is that we like to use a high mileage oil as it has a slight leak. I know places charge insane prices for HM and synthetic oil.

And I'd re-think Amazon for oil and filter purchases. The savings are not that great if they are any savings at all and what happens if you get a leaky bottle of oil (has happened to members here) or a damaged filter? You need to wait on them to ship it. Verses checking it all at the shop before you walk out with it.

 

[Rolla07]

Welcome to BITOG!! I have only changed my own oil twice, granted its because i dont have a driveway..so its not convenient. Youtube is a good bet. For videos on repairs ive always liked Scotty Kilmer. Look him up. He is a mechanic out in Texas who has been doing it for many many years. Scottykilmer.com is his site. Good luck!! You live less than a minute from work and you drive to work? Short trips=hard on oil. Others will be able to give you better recommendations on oil.

 

[JDenyer232]

I will add a couple of steps during the oil change. Always make sure that the sealing gasket comes off with the old filter. 2 sealing gaskets will blow oil out pretty quickly potentially running the engine dry and destroying it. I always take a clean paper towel and wipe the gasket sealing surface on the block to remove any possible debris that may cause a leak. Finally make sure you have a place to return your used oil to. Walmart takes back old oil at no charge. What I do is buy the 5 quart jug and return the old oil in the jug. Makes it easy and mess free. I also start the engine up after the oil change and check for any leaks. Hope this helps.

 

[Eddie]

Watch someone who knows how to do it one time.

 

[exranger06]

My advice: Remove the oil filter FIRST, before draining out the old oil. Reason: You need the catch pan to be underneath the filter as you're removing it, because a bunch of oil will come draining out as soon as you get it loose. You don't want the filter (which is now slippery and covered in oil) to slip out of your hand and land in the catch pan already full of oil, splashing oil everywhere and making a mess.

Always check to make sure the old gasket came off with the filter and that's it not still stuck to the engine.

Always lube the gasket on the new filter with oil before installing.

DON'T OVERTIGHTEN ANYTHING. The filter should be just hand tightened with until it requires moderate pressure to turn any further. Same with the drain plug. You should never need to use a filter wrench on a properly tightened filter.

Drain as much oil from the old filter as possible before throwing it away. Hammer a screwdriver into it to make a drain hole. It's the environmentally responsible thing to do.

That's about all I got.

 

[bigt61]

Watch several youtube videos on how to do it. Get a big drain pan - preferably one of those self contained plastic units with a drain spout. Get a good oil filter removal tool. Righty tighty - lefty loosey. New oil filter on hand tight - snug. Drain plug back on nice and snug with a small wrench - not a breaker bar. Have a plan where to dispose of your used oil and filter - my local Pep Boys here takes mine.

 

[Cavball9]

Thanks for the quick responses, guy. Anyone have any good recommendations on filters and actual oil brands? Should I be using the high-mileage stuff with 200K+? Should I be using synthetic?

In regards to driving when work is so close...I know driving to work when it's a half-mile away seems lazy, but it's actually because I use my vehicle to do some nearby deliveries for work on certain days. It's a necessary evil.

 

[99Saturn]

This might sound silly but before you actually do the oil change, I would do a "dry run" where you know you can at least touch/reach everything before you start. That way you make sure you can physically reach your filter comfortably and have enough clearance for the pan when getting the drain plug out. You'd rather know the filter location is a problem before there is no oil in the car.

Be prepared for either the drain plug or filter to be overtightened, just take your time getting both off it that is the case.

As for brand oil and filter, all of us are going to have different opinions, I think the general consensus will be use the correct weight speced and has the correct certifications for your car and an oil change interval that suits the fluid you picked (conventional, synthetic, blend). Along with that do what is needed to maintain any warranty you have. Any of the oil brands at your local WM is going to get the job done, answer to oil filter is probably going to create more debate and vary with how often you choose to change your oil.

You should go through some of the threads on the Passenger Car Motor Oil section:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=1&page=1

And the Oil filter section:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=6&page=1

 

[Cavball9]

Originally Posted By: itguy08

It's really pretty easy - just unbolt the drain lug on the pan, let her drain, screw it back in and tighten. Unscrew the oil filter. Lube the new filter's o-ring, put it on hand tight + a turn or so. Pour the amount of of oil specifies in the owner's manual in it, fire it up, make sure the pressure light goes off, give it a blip of the throttle, shut the engine off and check for leaks. Tighten the filter or bolt if you see leeks.

That being said, unless you are using a top shelf oil, you most likely will save nothing vs taking it somewhere. Since taking it somewhere has been working for you for 200k it works and any savings may be miniscule. Heck, for the $39 (and every 5th free) my dealer charges for an oil change and tire rotation I don't even bother on my car. The only reason I do the wife's is that we like to use a high mileage oil as it has a slight leak. I know places charge insane prices for HM and synthetic oil.

And I'd re-think Amazon for oil and filter purchases. The savings are not that great if they are any savings at all and what happens if you get a leaky bottle of oil (has happened to members here) or a damaged filter? You need to wait on them to ship it. Verses checking it all at the shop before you walk out with it.


The reason I'm wanting to do it myself is because my wife is going to be putting on about 3,000 miles / month starting in December. I'm going to be changing hers, so I figured I'd change mine while I'm at it. Figured I'd be able to save a little bit here & there and control what's going in our vehicles.

Will definitely do some comparison shopping with Amazon vs. local brick & mortars.

 

[OldSparks]

I usually do my oil changes a few days before the paper recycle box is picked up by the city. I have a small, somewhat leaky oil catch pan (that I should replace), so I spread some old newspaper around to catch any errant splashes of oil.

My oil catch pan is plastic and has a screw-on funnel, which stores in the middle of the container. A few years back, I let my buddy use it, and he drained the oil into the funnel when it was in the storage position. What a mess, and all over MY driveway.

You can use powdered laundry soap as an oil dispersant/cleaner...

 

[cutter]

You're going to be surprised at how far the oil will shoot out of the oil pan depending on the angle. Also, there is a 'touch' on backing out the drain bolt to the very last thread, holding the drain plug against the pan with the threads fully released, and moving the hand and bolt up and away smoothly as to not splash oil all over yourself and ground. Chances are for your first time, you'd better lay down some flattened cardboard boxes and have a throwaway shirt on.

 

[bubbatime]

1) Use a 6 point socket. Less likely to round off the oil pan drain bolt.

2) Wal-Mart and parts store sales are cheaper than Amazon. Plus oil sometimes leaks during shipping.

3) Any dino 5W30 is fine for that high mileage engine, if it doesn't leak. If it leaks a drop here and there, try a high mileage oil.

4) I keep a large piece of cardboard to place on the ground under the oil catch pan. Catches any errant drips of oil instead of the driveway.

5) If you need to raise your car, use ramps. Never go under a car with just a jack. I like to use a safe back up, like ramps plus jack stands, or jack stands plus a jack.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Cavball9

The reason I'm wanting to do it myself is because my wife is going to be putting on about 3,000 miles / month starting in December. I'm going to be changing hers, so I figured I'd change mine while I'm at it. Figured I'd be able to save a little bit here & there and control what's going in our vehicles.


I get what you are saying but at $20-40 for a change, you really are not going to be saving much if anything. Especially when you factor in your time and energy to deal with the oil.

Here's some quick #'s from Wal-Mart. Assume a 6qt change (IIRC that's the average):

5 qt jug Pennzoil High Mileage 5w30: $17.27
1 qt Pennzoil HM 5w30: $4.47
1 Oil Filter - Purolator Classic: $3.27
Total: $25.01

If I could get an oil change for $25-30 I'd not bother doing it myself. And for my car, that's what I do. Drop it off at the dealer, they take me to work, they pick me up. They rotate the tires, check and fill the fluids, and it's $39. Works for me.

I may be biased as I hate dealing with oil and antifreeze. I'd rather do brakes, rebuild an engine than deal with oil and antifreeze!

Definitely run the #'s and see which way works out best - also remember if you are doing that much driving (3k/month) you most likely are not the severe service intervals as that involves a lot of highway driving. So you can stretch it to the long interval in the service manual. That will save some $$ and be fine for that vehicle.

 

[Oldasco]

Make sure to remove the oil pan drain plug and not the transmission drain plug.

 

[Benzadmiral]

GM's oil life monitor (OLM) is well thought of around here; it's apparently not just a gadget and not a ruse to get you to wear your vehicle out (and buy another one) sooner. Though it doesn't "test" your oil, the programming in it is fairly sophisticated and takes a lot of factors into account. There are those who swear by it, and those who swear at it, just as with anything.

Example: My 2003 Buick Park Avenue has a percentage readout that drops as the oil change interval goes on. Right now, after 2100 miles and 3 months of mostly city/some highway driving in hot nasty weather, it's saying I still have 72% of the oil life left. I plan to change in 3 more months or 5000 miles and not wait until the 9 months/8000 miles the OLM suggests I could do, but it's nice to have the extra reinforcement.

Your drive seems fairly short, but then the road trips of 200-400 miles every other month will burn up some of the contaminants in the vehicle's oil. Perhaps the OLM in your Suburban, if it's not simply a light, can give you some guidance.

 

[MileHigh18]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
GM's oil life monitor (OLM) is well thought of around here; it's apparently not just a gadget and not a ruse to get you to wear your vehicle out (and buy another one) sooner. Though it doesn't "test" your oil, the programming in it is fairly sophisticated and takes a lot of factors into account. There are those who swear by it, and those who swear at it, just as with anything.

Example: My 2003 Buick Park Avenue has a percentage readout that drops as the oil change interval goes on. Right now, after 2100 miles and 3 months of mostly city/some highway driving in hot nasty weather, it's saying I still have 72% of the oil life left. I plan to change in 3 more months or 5000 miles and not wait until the 9 months/8000 miles the OLM suggests I could do, but it's nice to have the extra reinforcement.

Your drive seems fairly short, but then the road trips of 200-400 miles every other month will burn up some of the contaminants in the vehicle's oil. Perhaps the OLM in your Suburban, if it's not simply a light, can give you some guidance.


I have a 2002 Trailblazer, so maybe my OLM needs a revision, but I have almost 800 miles on my OC with 90% showing on the OLM. That puts my next OCI at roughly 8000 miles on Pennzoil YB. There's no way I'm going to do that lol.

 

[y_p_w]

Changing oil is conceptually easy, but all vehicles are different and there are little tricks for every car. There might be different opinions, but I believe using a new crush washer is a good idea for every oil change. You'll need to know what size. The other thing is getting a feel for how tight to get a bolt on such that it's adequately sealed but not where the pan can get damaged. Some cars need to be raised, while others can be done flat on the ground. Mostly a vehicle needs to be raised to reach the filter. I've never changed oil on a car where I couldn't take off the drain bolt with the car on the ground.

Most Honda designed vehicles I've changed oil on have their oil filters in the worst locations where they drip oil all over. A 2001 Camry V6 is easy in principle but nasty in practice. I know some cars where the filter releases oil over suspension components unless it's rerouted with a funnel. Some vehicles have covers. My WRX requires that a cover be removed to access the drain bolt and the filter.

The one thing you need to know is what tool you need to remove the filter and what bolt head size. A good metric socket kit is essential. I prefer six point sockets because I've seen too many bolt heads damaged using 12 point sockets. I've got a claw type filter wrench as well as a locking cam style wrench designed to remove smaller filters. I might also have some cap style wrenches that fit on the end of a filter, but I'm not sure where. Some oil filter companies recommend using a cap style wrench and to tighten to contact and then a certain amount. I personally just tighten by hand as tight as I can and have never had a filter leak.

 

[HangFire]

Good advice here...

I'd like to add, I like to fill my canister filters with oil before installing them. They usually absorb 100% of that oil so I refill them again before installing.

What that gives me is near-instant oil pressure when the engine starts. Some may say it doesn't matter, but it gives me the warm fuzzies, so I do it.

HF

 

[Vikas]

If your wife is going to be driving 3K miles every month, do you plan on changing the oil every month too?