OK so Im going to change my oil for the first time tomorrow. My car is on its first... load? of Mobil 1 Synthetic but since my dad couldnt find it at KMart he grabbed some Castrol Syntec synthetic and a FRAM filter for the next... load? Im guessing this should do just fine and wont cause problems. Weve got everything to do the job from the oil pan to the jack stands. Ive never changed the oil before so how should I go about it? Ive heard that some people turn on the engine for a second or two after the oil is drained to make sure most of it is out. Is that ok to do or is that totally wrong and anyone who does it should be punched? Would the best approach be to let the car run for a minute and then start to drain the oil so that its thinner maybe? Well I dont know so please guide me through this. Thank you. Oh and like I said I just recently changed my car from regular oil to synthetic and although its very very close to the 3k mile mark is it normal for the service engine soon light to come on? It doesnt stay on but will just come on randomly. I looked at the oil and it is pretty blackish. Is this happening because the oil has degraded faster due to the old dino stuff in there or is something else wrong with the engine? I had a bit of a coolant leak a few weeks ago but that seems to have stopped and the light never came on with that.

1. warm up the car to operating temp (~200*)
2. put car up on ramps (have someone help you to make sure you dont drive off the front of them), shut off engine
3. unscrew drain plug, let oil drain into some container (be careful, as used oil is a carcinogen)
4. after it has slowed to a few drips, unscrew the oil filter with your hands and move your oil-catching container underneath the oil filter.
5. let oil drain from where filter was.
6. replace old filter with new filter and put drain plug back in.
7. make sure both are tight
8. refill with 4.5 quarts oil (oil fill cap in on front valve cover)
9. check oil level
10. make sure everything is back to where it was when you started, move the old oil out from underneath the car and back the car off the ramps.

NEVER RUN THE CAR WITHOUT OIL!!! THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO RUIN YOUR ENGINE!!!

oil filter writeup:
http://www.lesabret.com/filters/filter.html

I recommend against FRAM oil filters. If you wonder why, scroll down to the bottom of the oil filter writeup.

I also unscrew the oil filler cap, and pull up the dipstick.. just to allow the most amount of air to come through.. even though I haven't seen a difference, I still do it. Craftsman strap wrench works really well for getting the oil filter off..


-justin

Seriously?

I like to fill the filter with oil and put a little oil on the gasket before I put it on.

Also when you're done, Take your used oil to your nearest recycling center. My local AutoZone handles mine.

Yep, forgot about the putting oil in the filter.. can't forget that one.


-justin

So if I let my hand soak in this stuff for about 5 minutes and just wipe it off with a rag, Im gonna get cancer? lol jk but thanks so much for the help guys!

I doubt it, otherwise mechanics would be dropping like flys. It'* probably one of those things where it only causes cancer in California. It'* safe enough to have on you, just don't go drinking the stuff.
Oil change is simple, dont sweat it.

make sure you dont have any open wounds on your hands, or get that stuff in your mouth. Its got heavy metals and god knows what else in there.

I never knew Fram filters sucked so much. That pisses me off, I thought they were good Do all of them suck, though? I have the one with the grippy stuff on it on mine. Is it higher quality then the one that guy reviewed? Arg, that pisses me off... No Fram for the 'Rora, that'* for sure

Yea Im quite upset that my dad got a FRAM filter but I DID tell him to get anything other than Bosch. Im mostly upset about him getting Castrol Syntec but they didnt have Mobil 1 and he didnt want to let me go to Auto Zone to get the good stuff myself. BTW that Service Engine Soon light is most likely the oil right?