Can You Do An Oil Change Yourself? | Skip The Shop Bill

A driveway oil change is doable if you use the right oil and filter, lift the car safely, and torque everything back to spec.

Paying a shop for an oil change isn’t just about the oil. You’re paying for convenience, cleanup, and someone else taking the risk of spills and stuck parts. If you’d rather keep that cash, doing your own oil change can be a clean, repeatable routine—once you know the few spots where people mess it up.

This article walks you through the whole job in plain steps: what to buy, how to lift the car without drama, how to avoid leaks, and what to do with the used oil and filter when you’re done. You’ll finish with a checklist you can reuse every time.

When doing your own oil change makes sense

If you can follow a short sequence, keep things tidy, and you’ve got a safe place to work, this is one of the easiest maintenance jobs to learn.

• You want to save money on labor and shop fees.
• You want control over the exact oil and filter that go in.
• You don’t love waiting rooms or upsell pitches.
• You’re okay spending 45–90 minutes the first time.

If your driveway is steep, your car sits super low, or you don’t have a way to lift it safely, skip the DIY route. A cheap oil change isn’t worth a sketchy setup.

Shop-level safety basics before you turn a wrench

The oil change itself is simple. The lifting part is where people get hurt. Set the job up so the car can’t roll, shift, or drop.

Set the car so it can’t move

• Work on flat ground.
• Put the transmission in Park (or in gear for a manual).
• Set the parking brake.
• Chock the wheels that stay on the ground.

Lift and hold the car the right way

A floor jack lifts. Jack stands hold. Don’t crawl under a car held only by a jack. If you want a clear safety reference, the SOE guide on axle stands and chassis stands spells out what “safe support” looks like for vehicle work.

Heat, skin, and eye protection

Warm oil drains faster. Hot oil burns faster. Let the engine cool for 10–20 minutes after a drive so the oil is warm, not scorching. Wear gloves you don’t mind ruining and use safety glasses. One drip in the eye ends the whole day.

What you’ll need for a clean oil change

You don’t need a fancy garage. You do need the right basics so you aren’t improvising with a soda bottle and regret.

Parts

• Engine oil in the correct viscosity and spec
• Oil filter that matches your engine
• Drain plug crush washer or gasket (if your car uses one)

Tools and supplies

• Socket or wrench for the drain plug (often 14–17 mm)
• Oil filter wrench (cap, strap, or pliers style)
• Drain pan (bigger than your oil capacity)
• Funnel
• Ramps or floor jack + jack stands
• Torque wrench (strongly recommended)
• Shop towels or rags
• A container with a tight cap for used oil

If you only buy one “nice” tool, make it a torque wrench. Over-tightening a drain plug can strip threads. Under-tightening can cause a slow leak that ruins your driveway and your oil level.

Picking the correct oil and filter without guessing

Don’t pick oil by brand hype. Pick it by what your engine calls for.

Use your owner’s manual as the main source

Your manual (or the oil cap and under-hood label on some cars) tells you the viscosity, like 0W-20 or 5W-30, and the performance spec your engine needs. Stick to that. If you want to understand the letter codes you see on bottles, the API oil categories page explains the service categories used on many engine oils.

Know your oil capacity

Oil capacity is the amount the engine takes with a filter change. It’s usually listed in quarts or liters in the manual. Don’t pour in “about a jug.” Use the stated capacity as your target, then verify with the dipstick.

Filter choice: keep it simple

Get a filter that matches your engine exactly. Filters can look similar and still have different threads, gasket sizes, bypass valves, or anti-drainback valves. If a parts store tool says “fits,” still verify the part number matches your engine code and year.

Can You Do An Oil Change Yourself? A step-by-step driveway method

This is the repeatable sequence that keeps the job clean. Read it once, then do it in order.

Step 1: Warm the oil and prep the workspace

Drive the car for a short loop or let it idle for a few minutes. Then park on flat ground. Lay out tools so you’re not hunting for a socket with the drain pan in your hand.

Step 2: Lift and secure the car

Use ramps if your car can climb them safely. If you’re using a floor jack, lift at the correct jack point and set the car down onto jack stands at the correct support points. Give the car a gentle shake test. If it moves, lower it and reset your stands.

Step 3: Remove the oil fill cap and dipstick

Pop the hood. Remove the oil fill cap. Pull the dipstick and set it aside. This lets the crankcase vent so the oil drains faster.

Step 4: Drain the old oil

Slide the drain pan under the drain plug. Aim it slightly behind the plug. When the plug comes out, oil shoots out with a little arc.

1. Loosen the drain plug with the correct socket or wrench.
2. Finish by hand. Keep inward pressure on the plug as you unthread it.
3. Pull the plug away quickly and let the oil drain.

Let it drain until it slows to a drip. That can take 5–15 minutes, depending on temperature and engine design.

Step 5: Inspect the drain plug and washer

Wipe the plug clean. Check the threads. If your car uses a crush washer, replace it. A flattened washer can cause a seep that starts days later.

Step 6: Remove the oil filter

Filters can be tight. Place the drain pan under the filter area too, because oil will spill when the seal breaks.

1. Use your filter wrench to loosen it.
2. Spin it off by hand once it moves.
3. Check that the old rubber gasket came off with the filter.

If the old gasket sticks to the engine and you install a new filter on top of it, you can get a sudden leak when the engine builds oil pressure.

Step 7: Install the new filter correctly

Put a thin film of fresh oil on the new filter’s rubber gasket. That helps it seal and makes it easier to remove next time. If the filter mounts vertically, you can pre-fill it partway with fresh oil to reduce dry-start time. If it mounts sideways, skip pre-filling to avoid a spill.

Thread the filter on by hand until the gasket touches the engine. Then turn it the amount listed on the filter box (often 3/4 turn to 1 turn). Hand-tight is the norm. Using a wrench to tighten the new filter often leads to an over-tightened filter later.

Step 8: Reinstall the drain plug and torque it

Thread the drain plug in by hand first. If it doesn’t thread smoothly, stop and back it out. Cross-threading ruins oil pans.

Once it seats, torque it to your vehicle’s spec. Specs vary by engine, so use the manual or a trusted service spec source.

Step 9: Add fresh oil in measured amounts

Lower the car back to level ground before final oil level checks. Use a funnel and pour in about 80–90% of the stated capacity. Then wait a minute and check the dipstick. Add small amounts until you’re near the full mark.

Step 10: Start the engine and check for leaks

Start the engine and let it idle for 30–60 seconds. Watch underneath for drips. Shut it off. Wait 3–5 minutes for the oil to settle, then check the dipstick again and top off if needed.

Finally, wipe any oily spots, reinstall the dipstick fully, and tighten the oil fill cap.

Oil change reference table to keep your next job smooth

This table is meant to sit in your notes app or a printed sheet in your garage. Fill in the blanks once, then reuse it every change.

Item to verify	Where to find it	What to write down
Oil viscosity grade	Owner’s manual / oil cap	Example: 0W-20
Oil performance spec	Manual + oil bottle label	Example: API SP (if required)
Oil capacity with filter	Owner’s manual	Quarts or liters
Oil filter part number	Manual / verified parts catalog	Exact part number
Drain plug size	Test fit socket	Example: 17 mm
Drain plug torque spec	Manual / service spec	Nm or ft-lb
Crush washer type	Manual / plug kit	Aluminum, copper, or gasket
Jack points and stand points	Manual lifting section	Front + rear points
Drain pan minimum size	Oil capacity + margin	Capacity + 1 quart/liter
Reset steps for oil reminder	Manual dashboard section	Button sequence

Common mistakes that cause leaks, mess, and wasted time

Most DIY oil change “problems” come from a short list of preventable errors.

Double-gasketed filter

This happens when the old filter gasket sticks to the engine and the new filter gasket seals on top of it. It can dump oil fast after startup. Always confirm the old gasket is off before installing the new filter.

Drain plug over-tightened

Over-tightening can strip threads or crack the oil pan on some designs. Torque to spec. If you don’t have a torque spec handy, don’t guess with a breaker bar.

Wrong oil level from checking on an angle

Checking oil while the car is still on ramps can fool you. Do final checks with the car level, engine off, and oil settled for a few minutes.

Spills from rushing the pour

Use a funnel. Pour slowly. If you spill on a hot exhaust, you’ll smell it for days.

Used oil and filter handling that keeps you on the right side of the rules

Used motor oil can contaminate soil and water. Treat it like a chemical, not trash. Store it in a clean, sealed container and take it to a collection site.

The US EPA page on managing and recycling used oil lays out basic handling and drop-off guidance. It also notes that many collection centers accept used oil filters too.

Draining the filter

Filters hold oil even after the drain pan stops dripping. Let the old filter drain into the pan, then store it in a sealed bag or container. If you want a detailed drain-and-handle checklist from a government source, see the EPA guidance on properly managing used oil filters.

Never dump oil into drains or on the ground

That can trigger fines and cleanup costs. Drop-off sites exist for a reason, and many are free.

Quick diagnostic table for post-change issues

If something feels off after you finish, use this table before you drive far.

What you notice	Likely cause	What to do next
Oil light stays on after start	Low oil level or delayed oil pressure build	Shut off, check dipstick, top up, check for leaks
Fresh drip from drain plug	Plug not torqued, washer reused, threads damaged	Wipe clean, re-torque to spec, replace washer if needed
Fresh drip from filter area	Filter gasket not seated, double-gasket, filter loose	Shut off, remove filter, confirm gasket, reinstall by hand
Burning oil smell	Spill on hot parts	Wipe down, run engine briefly, re-check for leaks
Dipstick reads too high	Overfill	Drain a small amount; don’t drive hard while overfilled
Rattle at first start	Filter mounted empty or oil slow to circulate	Short idle only; if it continues, verify oil and filter fit

Cost and time: what DIY tends to look like

On most cars, the parts cost is oil + filter + washer. The first DIY oil change often takes longer because you’re learning the layout and cleaning as you go. After you’ve done it once, it often drops to 30–45 minutes, not counting time waiting for the last drips.

The bigger payoff is consistency. You can choose a quality filter, record the date and mileage, and spot early issues like seepage, damaged undertrays, or torn boots while you’re under the car.

When you should skip DIY and book a shop

DIY isn’t the right call every time.

• Your drain plug is rounded off or previously stripped.
• Your filter is buried behind panels you don’t want to remove.
• You see metal flakes in the oil or the oil looks like a milkshake.
• Your car needs a service reset that requires a scan tool you don’t have.
• You can’t lift and support the car safely where you live.

Choosing a shop for those cases is normal. The DIY win is knowing when the job is routine and when it’s not.

Reusable oil change checklist you can copy into your notes

Run this list each time. It keeps the job calm and keeps you from second-guessing.

1. Verify oil viscosity, oil spec, oil capacity, filter part number.
2. Set car on flat ground, brake on, wheels chocked.
3. Lift and secure on stands or ramps, shake test.
4. Remove oil fill cap and dipstick.
5. Drain oil fully, replace washer if applicable.
6. Remove old filter, confirm old gasket came off.
7. Oil new filter gasket, install by hand to stated turn amount.
8. Install drain plug by hand first, torque to spec.
9. Lower car to level ground, add oil to near capacity.
10. Start engine, idle 30–60 seconds, check for leaks.
11. Shut off, wait 3–5 minutes, final dipstick check.
12. Store used oil in sealed container, take oil and filter to drop-off.
13. Log date and mileage, reset oil reminder.