How to do an oil change

I've just written up a simple how to guide on doing an oil change.

http://www.torquecars.com/articles/oil-change.php

Have I missed anything out? Is it fool proof? (Thinking mainly of my friend who put 20 litres of oil in his car to fill it up!)

 

[pgarner]

do not pierce the old filter ? thats the last resort way and often needs to be used if the garage has put the filter on way toooooo tight.

the only thing i could see is to lower the car back down after the oil has finished draining out of the sump to get rest out.
no matter what you do it wont be fool proof. i need to do the wifes shortly as its been flashing on the dash for a few weeks now. if i can ill take photos

 

[obi_waynne]

Pics would be ace! & Good Points.

 

[pgarner]

ill try and convice her to swing by VW and pick up some oil and a filter when she gets paid.
hopefully it should be in the next month. just a case of finding a nice day to do it

 

[herb]

i would personally put step 5 in place of step 4! and add to step 4 which is now step 5 fill the oil filter with oil before fitment if your oil filter screws upwards on the block as well as lubricating the rubber seal (this is the way i was taught by a mechanic!)

and to add i have done numerous oil changes over the years and i have never used a oil filter wrench! i have always hammered a sturdy screwdriver through the filter and loosened it that way

 

[Country Bumpkin]

i would personally put step 5 in place of step 4! and add to step 4 which is now step 5 fill the oil filter with oil before fitment if your oil filter screws upwards on the block as well as lubricating the rubber seal (this is the way i was taught by a mechanic!)

We always prime upward fitting oil filters. They can take a few fills too before they are fully primed. When on the car the oil filter is fed from the oil pump and needs to be full prior to reaching full engine oil pressure. Just for personal interest, get a filter and top it up with oil and watch as it is absorbed by the element, then repeat the process until the filter is full and imagine the engine being without that pressure for the brief period of time it takes the oil pump to do that simple task.

As for the screwdriver, hmmmmmmmm ! One of my mechanics would find a P45 at hand for that offense.

 

[herb]

We always prime upward fitting oil filters. They can take a few fills too before they are fully primed. When on the car the oil filter is fed from the oil pump and needs to be full prior to reaching full engine oil pressure. Just for personal interest, get a filter and top it up with oil and watch as it is absorbed by the element, then repeat the process until the filter is full and imagine the engine being without that pressure for the brief period of time it takes the oil pump to do that simple task.

As for the screwdriver, hmmmmmmmm ! One of my mechanics would find a P45 at hand for that offense.

im no mechanic i was showed it on my first oil change (cause i didnt have the proper tool) and cause it worked i have never seen a reason to change!

 

[pgarner]

yeah same with me dads tool wouldnt take my filter off so heres a screwdriver put it through near the top.

havent every filled the filter with oil but never done it as i didnt think they really held that much. but then again never really seen it


agreed with herbs change of steps 4 and 5 about fitting the plug 1st. this way you dont forget and watch all the oil drain out the bottom. also means, depending on the car, that you can lower the car back down to earth so its level for when you start filling up with oil

 

[Yugguy]

It's very good but it needs to cover element filters as well as canisters - like VAGMW and others where you remove the filter cap and then the element.

Plus I'd emphasise getting a new sump plug, for the sake of 1 or 2 quid, and tightening it with a torque wrench, so you don't strip the threads on an ally sump.

 

[HDi fun]

Mine's got one of those types of filter. I've never seen them before and assumed it would be in the botom of the engine.

No - it's right at the top - dead easy to get at.

 

[pgarner]

yeah the paper filters are alot easier to do. big nut pull out olf one throw in new one.

 

[HDi fun]

The problem I have to overcome is draining the old oil from the engine. The 5 series is a heavy old machine to roll over