Time for (oil) Change

Over the weekend, I got the chance to finally get down and perform my long overdue promise to my brother that I would tune up his car. From the sound of his car, you could tell that the engine is already begging for a change in his most vital fluid, the oil, the life blood of the car. His corolla sounded like it was way older for her year model, 2003. Since my brother tends to neglect the intended interval for oil change, I decided it would be best to fill his car up with synthetic engine oil. It would be more expensive than regular mineral oil but the longer interval between oil change justifies the slightly more expensive price. I managed to find the fully synthetic oil used in Toyota Service Centers at a slightly cheaper. P1,250 only for 4 liters. Anyway, here's a simple step by step procedure on how to DIY changing your engine oil.
1.It's best to take the car out for a spin, a few minutes of high- spirited driving( aka as italian tune up). It helps in flushing out the carbon out of your exhaust, and the oil about to be drained will include gunks that might be lodged in in hard to reach areas of the engine.
2. After performing italian tune- up, open the hood and let the engine cool down a bit. It would be impossible to remove the old oil filter when the engine's hot.
3. Remove first the drain plug under the engine with a rachet or a socket wrench. Be sure to have an empty container(good for at least 4 liters) at hand for the old oil to be drained.
4. After you have draining the used oil, carefully reinstall the drain plug with a new washer. (i change drain plug washer every 20,000km.)
5. Locate the oil filter of the car. It's a good thing that toyota engines' oil filter can be removed from the top. It's located near the aircon condenser. Remove the old filter. And before installing the new one, apply a bit of the new oil on the rubber seal of the new oil filter. (This will actually help you in removing the filter next time around.
6. Open the oil cap on the cylinder head of the engine and carefully pour the new oil. Do not pour all the contents of the 4 liter container, leave about 1/6 of the content.
7. Start the engine for a 2-3 minutes. Enough for the oil to go around the various internal parts of the engine.Then turn off the ignition.
8.Pull out the dipstick of your car. It's the one with a plastic handle, usually bright colored, near the cylinder head. Wipe the oil off on its tip with a clean cloth. Then insert it again. Pull it out again to check the oil level. Check if it has already reached the F level, meaning, full. Add accordingly.

It is also advisable to check check and clean your spark plugs every 5,000 km interval and replacing them after every 10,000kms. Cleaning the tip with a sandpaper will improve mileage of your car. (Inspection of spark plugs will determine your engine's general condition, but more on that on another post)

After switching to fully synthetic oil, my brother and I have immediately noticed the considerable difference in the way his car sounds at idle. Not I'm thinking of switching also to fully synthetic engine oil next time.

Changing oil in the comfort of your own garage is easier than it seems. Not only will you learn more about your car in the process, you can also save money from doing so.