For most college students, car maintenance is the last thing on their minds while at school.

With class, friends and jobs, rarely does someone stop and think, “Man, I should probably go see if my car needs an oil change or a tune up.”

Many students just wait until they get home and get the inevitable middle name call from their father when he sees that the engine either has oil so black it mirrors vantablack or worse if the engine is running low on oil.  

Not everyone can do their own car repairs, but some routine maintenance is perfectly easy for anyone. Changing your oil is one of the easiest things that you can do yourself regardless of whether you want to save money or do it as a practice of self reliance. Here are five easy steps on how you can change your oil yourself and in the process prevent future cases of being yelled at again for lack of this basic car maintenance operation.

Step 1: Gather Basic Information About Your Car

Before you get to the fun and greasy part, there’s some key information you need to find first. You need to go to the local auto parts store, the closest in Ames being O’Rileys, AutoZone and Advance Auto, all located on Duff Avenue by Target, and buy about five quarts of oil and an oil filter. To find out which specific oil types and filter units you’ll need to buy, track down the following information about your car:

• Year
• Make
• Model
• Engine size (1.8L v4, 2.4L v6, etc.)
• Oil type (i.e. SAE 5W-30)

To find this information, look in your owner’s manual and at any stickers that might be in the driver door jam or trunk lid. If you’re not sure about the oil type you can always do an Internet search for your year, make and model. Also if you go to a parts store, just talk to a staff member and they will be able to look up your car to find oil and filter type.

Once you’re sure you have the correct oil and oil filter, you’re ready to get dirty.

Step 2: Grab Your Tools and Prepare the Car

Before you start changing your oil, make sure you have these tools:

• Car jack or ramps
• Set of metric sized wrenches
• Gloves
• Old rags or towels
• Sturdy oil pan
• Oil
• Oil Filter
• Funnel
• Paper towels

Before you jack up your car, it’s helpful to run your car for a minute or so to ensure that the oil in your car is warm. You want your car to be turned off when you put it on the jack, but if the oil is warm it will flow out easier.

If you cannot find a floor jack or a ramp to use, most vehicles come with a jack that should be sufficient to lift your car enough to place the oil pan underneath it and still leave you room to work. Once your car is up, you can begin draining the oil.

Step 3: Drain Your Oil

When you get underneath the car, first thing you want to do is locate the oil drain plug. This may look different on various vehicles, so check your car’s manual if you’re unsure. Next make sure that the oil drain pan is directly underneath this plug and ready to catch all the oil as it comes out of your car before you move on.

Put on gloves before you continue. The oil inside your car will be hot. Use the correct size wrench to loosen the drain plug. Once it’s loose, unscrew the drain plug the rest of the way by hand.Try to remove the drain plug as quickly as possible to minimize oil spillage.

Once the oil starts to flow out into the drain pan, let your vehicle empty entirely. When done dripping, use a towel to wipe off the underside of your vehicle. Replace the drain plug and move to the next step.

Step 4: Remove and Replace the Oil Filter

When you remove your oil filter, some more oil will still want to come out of your vehicle, so be sure to move the oil pan underneath your filter. Next follow these steps:

1. Unscrew the old filter. It may be tight so you may have to use a oil filter socket or a pair of pliers.

2. Let the opening, where the filter connects to the engine, drain completely.

3. Wipe off the opening with a paper towel.

4. Dab you finger in the new oil and run some oil along the new oil filter rim gasket — it’s the rubber o-ring on the top of the filter.

5. Replace the filter and hand-tighten the seal, then tighten with an oil-filter wrench about half of a turn. 

Once your filter is replaced, wipe off both the filter and the pan once more to avoid drips.

Step 5: Refill Your Oil

Once everything underneath the car is sealed and tightened, you can refill your oil. Your car’s manual should tell you how much is needed. If you buy the large 4-5 quart jug, you should have enough for most vehicles. Most jugs have a measure on their handle; this is helpful for seeing how much you’ve poured. To refill your oil:

1. Remove the oil cap from the top of your car.

2. Place a funnel inside the hole.

3. Begin to pour oil into the funnel until you have added the amount needed for your specific car.

4. Replace the cap and hand tighten it.

When the vehicle is completely filled with oil, you can take it off the jacks and turn the engine on. Let it run a bit to cycle the oil through the system. After a few minutes, turn the car off and check your dipstick to ensure that the levels are what they need to be. Do this by pulling the dipstick out, wiping it off with a paper towel, re-inserting it, and pulling it out a second time. If the oil level is between the two dots on the end, you’re good to go!

Step 6: Dispose of the Oil in an Approved Facility

Dumping motor oil in an unapproved area is illegal and can have major environmental consequences. Thankfully, it’s relatively easy to dispose of oil and a safe and regulated manner. Many auto parts stores and some gas stations will allow your to bring your oil and they will dispose of it for you.

Once you’ve emptied the drain pan, you’re all set! You can now go out and enjoy your freshly oiled car and avoid the wrath of any parents who may have been nagging you to get your car’s oil changed.