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CHANGING ENGINE OIL

- 1 large, acid-resistant drain container- 1 filter wrench

- 1 piece of cardboard or canvas- 1 8 or 10 mm combination spanner

- 1 funnel- 1 oil filter

- 1 pair thermal gloves- 1 pair of plastic or rubber gloves

- 1 oil drain cap

30 mins

EQUIPMENT

DIFFICULTY

TIME

To function properly, every combustion engine needs to be lubricated. In cars we use engine oil as a lubricant. It ensures that the metal parts such as the pistons, valves and the crankshaft don’t rub against each other. Without engine oil, these parts would easily break down. Apart from preventing damage, the oil also helps against wear and tear. Regardless whether your car uses petrol or diesel, fuel always contains very small dirt particles, which can easily damage the engine parts of your car. The oil mixes with these particles so that they flow through the engine with the oil. Finally, the oil filter filters the dirt particles out. You can imagine though that over time the engine oil becomes increasingly saturated resulting in it losing its cleaning capacity. It is then necessary to change the engine oil to protect your engine against wear and tear.

OIL CHANGE

ENGINE OIL’S ROLE

When the t ime comes to change your engine oil, it

is not necessary to buy top of the bill oil.

However, do look for good quality at a reasonable

price. Despite hereby already limiting your options, the choice remains enormous. To help you making a good selection for your car, Mister-Auto has drawn up a list of important criteria to keep in mind when shopping for engine oil.

A s m e n t i o n e d b e f o r e , e v e r y combustion engine needs to be constantly lubricated. In cars that role is fulfilled by engine oil. Engine oil has highly lubricating properties, which prevent the metal engine parts from rubbing together. The absence of engine oil would lead to overheating and irreparable damage.

Engine oil also has cooling properties and thus serves as a cooling assistant as well as a cleaning agent. It will be

clear now that without engine oil, your car won’t last long.

It is therefore important to regularly check your oil levels, especially when you are preparing your car for a long journey or for a holiday.

WHICH ENGINE OIL?

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OIL CHANGE

1- Urban traffic: you’ll want to buy partly synthetic oil. The frequent starting and switching off of your engine has a strong wearing effect on the engine parts. Partly synthetic oil protects your engine both when it is still cold and when it has heated up. Despite using suitable engine oil, it is recommendable to change your oil relatively often when you are driving a lot in urbanised areas.

2 - S p o r t i v e d r i v i n g : it’s best to buy fully synthetic engine oil. This is high quality oil with superior lubricating qualities.

3- Long distance: mineral engine oil is enough for your car. When driving a lot on motorways, you won’t change gears a lot or have to switch off and start your engine again. Consequently, motorway or long distance driving has little wearing effect on your engine which in turn will need less lubrication.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR ENGINE OIL?Before actually buying engine oil, it is important to have a clear idea of which characteristics to look at. One of the factors determining which engine oil is best for your car is the way you use your vehicle.Driving styles and car use:

VISCOSITYOnce you have determined which type of engine oil suits your car use best, you will need to pay close attention to the viscosity of the engine oil you’re thinking of buying. The viscosity or thickness of engine oil relates to its fluidity. You will find viscosity indications on engine oil bottles. The reference you’re looking for are two numbers around the letter “W” such as 10W40 for example:

10W: The first number indicates the oil’s viscosity in cold weather. Hence the “W”, standing for “winter”. The higher the number, the thicker the oil. So if you live in the Highlands where it can get rather cold, it is important to choose engine oil of which the first number lies as close to zero as possible. However, if you tend to spend your winters in southern Europe, where it stays relatively warm, you can easily choose oil with a higher indicator.

40: the second number, after the “w”, indicates the oil’s viscosity when heated. The higher the number, the better the oil’s lubricating effect. As opposed to the first number, if you live in an area where temperatures can drop considerably, you can buy oil with 30 behind the “w” for example. However, if you spend time in warm regions, it is better to opt for engine oil with a higher viscosity when heated. The thinner the oil becomes when heated, the better it is for your engine.

WHEN TO CHANGE OIL?The intervals with which to change your engine oil, depends on the fuel your car uses.

• Petrol:every 6210 to 9320 miles.

• Diesel:every 9320 to 12425 miles.

Please note that this is an indication only. As mentioned above, the frequency with which you’ll need to change your engine oil also largely depends on the way you use your car and on the quality of the engine oil you bought.

/// Mister-Auto’s DIY Guides

www.mister-auto.co.uk - 0844 338 00 21*Please note: free and informative document for which Mister-Auto does not accept any responsibility or liability.

• Allow your engine to warm up before changing your oil. Thanks to the heating, any deposits will start floating.

• New engine oil also means a new oil filter

• NEVER dispose of old engine oil via drains or water

ways. Engine oil must be disposed of in a safe and regulated way due to its highly polluting properties. So help protect the environment and pour your old engine oil an empty jerry can you can seal properly. Then take it to your local oil bank or garage.

TIPS FROM MISTER-AUTO

CHANGING ENGINE OIL IN 12 EASY STEPS

Let the engine of your car warm up. Once your temperature gauge reaches 90°C, switch off the engine and let it rest (about 30 to 45 minutes) so that the oil temperature can drop. Bear in mind that your car’s engine will only warm up properly when you are driving the vehicle. At standstill the engine doesn’t really get warm.

Park your car on a nicely flat parking space. Put a large piece of cardboard or canvas underneath the vehicle.

Lift the vehicle sufficiently with a jack to be able to put the drain pan underneath. Please ensure you have properly stabilised your car, bearing in mind that a jack might not be good enough. Use small wheel ramps or axle stands if necessary. After all, you only need enough space underneath the car to put the drain pan under.

Unscrew your oil filler cap, located underneath the bonnet of the car. You will be able to recognise the drain cap thanks to the oil symbol (an oil can with a teardrop falling from it).

Step Step

Step Step

1

2

3

4

OIL CHANGE

Dismount the oil filter Apply some oil to the new filter

Manually thread on the new filter

9

7 8

The oil is released

Unscrew the oil drain plugOpen the oil filler cap

45

6

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MUST NOT REACH MORE THAN 90°C!

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The oil pan will now be empty and so you can put the drain plug back on. If it has fallen into the drain pan, clean it properly before putting it back and remember to replace the gasket. Similar to the oil filter, there is no need to tighten the plug too much.

9Fill your oil pan with fresh oil via the oil filler. Use a funnel to avoid spillage as much as possible. Start with one to four litres of engine oil.

Close the oil filler cap and start the engine. Let it run for about 30 seconds. Then switch off the engine and check the oil levels with the dipstick. If your dipstick indicates the correct level or slightly below, you’re done. If the maximum level has not been reached yet, top up and check again. Also check once more after a first drive.

10

11

Put the oil drain plug back

Add fresh oil to the oil pan

Check the oil level with the dipstick

10

11

11

OIL CHANGE

StepLocate your oil drain cap (generally at the rear end of the engine sump). Place the drain pan well underneath the drain plug. Then take your combination spanner and turn counter clockwise to unscrew the plug. Be careful, as soon as you have released the plug, the oil will rapidly pour out of the sump. If the drain plug and the sealing washer fall into the drain pan, fish them back out and clean them.

5Step

Once all the oil has poured out of the sump, slowly and carefully put your car back onto the ground. Do at no point start your engine: the lack of oil may result in irreparable damage!

6

StepReplace the oil filter by starting to turn counter clockwise with your filter wrench. Loosen the oil filter completely. Keep a small container at hand as some oil may leak out. Put the oil filter into the container with the opening facing down.

7Step

StepStep

Step

Clean the oil filter seat with a cloth and then apply a little bit of engine oil to the new filter. This will act as a sealing gasket. Turn clockwise to screw the new oil filter onto the thread. Do not tighten too much – screw the filter on by hand and don’t use the oil wrench.

8