Changing your car’s oil on your own can save you lots of money in maintenance costs, but be careful! Some easy mistakes to make can cause real damage over time.
Regularly changing the oil in your vehicle is one of the most basic yet important maintenance tasks. You can take it to a local auto shop to have a professional handle it or try to save a few bucks and do it at home. Before going the DIY route, it’s worth considering if it’s actually cheaper to change a car’s oil yourself — it depends on what tools you already own and what type of car you drive. Either way, it needs to get done because ensuring there’s clean oil in your car allows the engine to last longer and perform better.
Over time a car’s oil deteriorates, becoming incapable of lubricating all of the components as it should. This can lead to worse gas mileage and shorten the car’s overall lifespan. There’s nothing wrong with changing the oil yourself if you know what you’re doing, but many people don’t. One mistake can ruin the entire process, costing you more money in the long run and potentially damaging your engine.
Changing oil is a DIY auto project beginners can handle, just heed these warnings first. These are some of the most common mistakes people make when changing their car’s oil, so you should know what to look out for to avoid taking your vehicle to an auto shop to explain (and pay for) what you did poorly.Not getting oil changed frequently enough
There tends to be confusion with how often someone actually needs to change their car’s oil. The old guideline is pretty firm: This task should be done every three months or every 3,000 miles. However, advancements in automotive technology mean most people can go a bit longer. Depending on your kind of vehicle and what kind of oil it takes, you might be able to go between 5,000 and 7,500 miles (or six to 12 months) before you need to change the oil again. Your car’s owner manual will tell you exactly the timeframe to keep in mind for this task, and it’s vital to follow it.
Generally, it’s a good idea to change your oil at least twice a year. Even if you don’t drive a lot and the car sits in the driveway most of the time, the oil can still degrade depending on the temperature outside. Towing heavy loads with your car can also degrade oil faster, so even if your car normally needs a change at 5,000 miles, it could need it sooner.
More modern vehicles even have dashboard alerts that inform you whether it’s time for an oil change. It’s always a good idea to follow the warning and replace the oil as soon as possible to prevent any issues from building up. You never want to skip an oil change, as it increases the risk of sludge build-up, which ends up adding to the total cost when it’s finally addressed. Using the wrong kind of oil
Motor oils differ greatly. If you take your car to an auto shop, the workers should know what oil is best, but DIYers need to be aware of it on their own. There are a few different varieties: conventional, high mileage, synthetic, and synthetic blend. A lot can go wrong if you use the wrong type of motor oil — again, your owner’s manual will tell you what type is best.
The wrong oil could significantly harm your vehicle’s fuel economy. If the engine isn’t operating as well as it could, it’ll require more gas, which means you’ll find yourself at the pump more often than you would like. But that’s only the beginning, especially if a person continues to use the wrong oil repeatedly. The wrong oil may not have all the additives your engine requires, which can lead to extreme wear and tear, and eventually total engine failure. Some car warranties become void if it’s proven you used the wrong oil.
When in doubt, consult your manual or ask a professional. Some people may feel inclined to use a different oil because it costs less. For instance, synthetic oil can sometimes cost twice as much as conventional. But the price of replacing an engine will make anyone wish they had just used the more expensive oil in the first place. Failing to warm up the engine first
Letting a car warm up before driving it in the cold is a myth. Modern cars don’t need a few minutes to get things going before heading out on the road. However, one instance where you should let your vehicle warm up initially is right before an oil change.
The Seattle Times does a good job of explaining why it’s important to let your engine run for a bit before proceeding: «The five-minute rule is a good one. You warm up the oil so it’s less viscous and it flows better. That way, less of the old oil remains inside the engine — stuck to the walls of the oil pan and other engine parts.»
Warmer oil flows more easily and is more likely to take away any gunk as it flows out.
