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Oil Change Time
Why should I pay someone else money to do something that I should be able to do? I kept asking myself this question. I decided that I would attempt to change my own oil instead of paying Jiffy Lube $30.00 to do it. Not that there is anything wrong with Jiffy Lube, but I am still in college and I don't have the money to pay them all the time. So I thought what the heck, if they can do it, I can do it. Be sure you have everything that you need to do the change before you start. Trust me. Good Luck.

What you will need..........
Let's begin.............

First thing you have to do is to drain the oil from the engine.

***Run the engine for a few minutes to warm up the oil. This helps the oil flow better and it will stir up any sediment that might be in the engine.

The drain plug is at the rear of the oil pan at the bottom of the engine. The plug requires the use of a wrench or socket to remove it. Well I tried to use a socket wrench, but the plug was too tight. I decided to use an air gun. Well that worked like a charm. Make sure you have the container you are using to collect the oil under the drain plug as you remove the plug. Also becareful, the oil will be pretty warm. Remove the plug and watch the oil flow. Congrats, you are changing your own oil and saving money doing it.

Once all of the oil has finished dripping out of the oil pan, wipe the area clean with a rag. Clean the rubber washer on the drain plug before you reinstall it. Just screw the plug back in the hole making sure it goes in straight. Don't force the plug in, because you may strip the treads. That will cause major problems. Duh right. Make the plug snug but do not over tighten it. If you want to really do it right, torque the bolt to 20 lb-ft, as recommened in my Chilton manual. Next step is to remove the filter.

There are a few different wrenches you can use to remove the filter. The most common is the metal strap wrench. I could not use that on my Cherokee because the area around the filter was too tight. I used a plastic wrench that fits over the end of the filter. You can put a 3/8 socket wrench in the end of it and use it that way. Go to any store that sells filter wrenches and you will see what I am talking about.

I loosened the filter from the top of the engine compartment. I found that this was the easiest way for me to do it. I could not really get to the filter from under my Jeep. Also make sure you have the oil pan under the filter, because the filter is still full of oil. I loosened the filter with the wrench until I could loosen it with my hands. Once I unscrewed the filter I pulled it up through the top of the engine. Like I said this was the easiest way for me to do it. When you get the filter off, wipe the area where the filter goes, clean with a rag to remove any sludge that remains.

Next thing to do is to put the new filter on. I used a Fram Extra Guard Filter, part number PN16. It is the one that has the textured end for a better grip. Before putting the filter on, it is important to rub some fresh oil on the rubber washer on the filter. This ensures that the filter seals right with the engine. After doing this just screw the filter back on. Make it snug, but don't over tighten it. Congrats you are almost finished.

The next thing that you have to do is to add the new oil to the engine. In case you did not know the oil fill plug is on the top of the engine. My Cherokee takes 6 quarts of oil, and I choose to use Castrol GTX 10w-30. This oil brand was recommended by a friend. Start to add the oil being carefull not to spill it all over the engine, a funnel comes in handy. Only add 5 quarts of oil to the engine. Wait a few minutes for the oil to drain down to the oilpan. Now check the oil. The dipstick is near the rear of the engine compartment and the level should read add. Don't worry this is what you want. To reach the full line, you have to add the remaining quart of oil. After adding the last quart, check the oil again and it should read full. You may have to add a little more.

Congrats you are pretty much done. The only thing left is to start the engine and let it run for a few minutes. This is when you check your work, by checking for leaks around the drain plug and oil filter. Yeah, you are done. It was not that hard was it. You have to pour the old oil into a container and take it to someplace that recycles the oil. Any service station or autoparts store should take it. After draining the filter it can go into the regular trash with the old oil bottles. At least that is what I did, hope I do not get a lot of flack from environmentalists.

I want to say that doing this myself was one of the best things that I have learned to do. It really does not take that much time, if you have all the right tools with you. Plus look at all the money you save by doing it yourself. I would recommend this to anyone. Good luck.
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