A car being filled up with Mobil oil

How to change engine oil at home

When you get into your car, switching on your engine and getting ready to be on the move can happen without a second thought. But it’s your engine oil that keeps your engine performing smoothly. Your engine oil’s main job is to keep all the parts of your engine properly lubricated. However, after a certain time or after driving a lot impurities can build up in the oil affecting its performance and efficiency. ​

You can have your oil changed by a professional, or by doing it yourself at home, you can save on any associated oil change cost.​

An engine oil filler cap being opened

When should you change your engine oil?

How often you change your oil will depend on your car’s make, manufacture date and the mileage you’ve driven since your last oil change. It’s always best to check your vehicle’s manual. Remember to follow the guidance given, as if you put off changing your engine oil, your engine could become clogged or even damaged.

What do you need to change your engine oil?

Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 with a funnel bucket and tissue roll in front of a car

When you're changing oil in your car, you’ll need a few items. First, the right engine oil for your vehicle is essential. You can use Mobil’s product selector to choose a suitable high grade engine oil.

You’ll also need a funnel, socket wrench, some old rags or newspaper, and a bucket or pan to catch the old engine oil in.

As part of this process, you should also change your engine oil filter at the same time. For this, you’ll just need an oil filter wrench and a high-quality oil filter that is suitable for your vehicle (refer to your vehicle’s manual for this).

How to change your engine oil: step-by-step

Oil draining from car into a bucket

The first part of this process is to drain the old engine oil from your vehicle. You can do this by following these steps:

  1. Start your car and let it run for a couple of minutes, as this will warm up the engine oil for it to drain smoothly. Be careful not to run your car for too long - you don’t want the engine or oil to heat up too much, as this could risk burning you.

  2. Park your car on a flat surface where you have enough space, such as your driveway.

  3. You’ll need to then locate the oil pan and drain plug under your car. If you’re not sure how to find this, refer to your vehicle’s manual. Make sure your engine is cool enough to touch it before you touch the drain plug.

  4. If you can’t get under your car, you may need to use a jack. When using a jack, it’s essential you always use a jack stand for safety.

  5. Spread the old rags or newspaper out underneath the drain plug and put the pan or bucket below. You can then loosen the drain plug using the socket wrench.

  6. Slowly remove the plug and allow the engine oil to drain into the pan or bucket.

Once you’ve removed the old engine oil, you should replace the engine oil filter before adding the new engine oil. To do this, you’ll need to:

A hand pulling out the engine oil filter from the engine​  ​
  1. Locate your car’s oil filter, which will also be underneath your vehicle. Again, if you’re unsure, you should refer to your vehicle’s manual.

  2. Make sure your pan or bucket is placed underneath the oil filter.

  3. Use the oil filter wrench to loosen the filter and then remove it.

  4. You should apply a little bit of engine oil to the new gasket before you install the new oil filter, as this prevents sticking or oil leaks.

  5. Now you can install your new oil filter and tighten it into place by hand.

With your old engine oil drained and your new filter in place, it’s time to add your new engine oil. For this part, you’ll need to:

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Which engine oil is right for you?

You need the right engine oil that will help your vehicle to perform at its best. When you feed your engine the oil it needs, you’ll help it to provide more power and better fuel efficiency. Find the right Mobil engine oil for your vehicle.

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