How Does an Oil Change Work?

February 15th, 2018 by

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Kearney drivers know it’s important to maintain their vehicles, which means ensuring it gets a timely oil change. You can opt to do this yourself, or you can schedule a service appointment at a local dealership to have them do it for you. Changing your oil is easy if you’re the DIY type—it just requires you to know a little bit about your vehicle and how it works. The oil in your vehicle is meant to help keep the engine, belts, and bolts accurately lubricated, so they can rub together without any issue. Explore below to see exactly how an oil change works and how you can do it yourself.

Drain the Old Oil

Before you add new oil into your vehicle, you need to remove the old oil. This is done by finding the drain plug underneath your vehicle. This is typically a large nut located under the oil pan towards the bottom of your engine. In most cases, you’ll need to jack up your car in order to access the nut.

Once you’ve found the nut, you’ll need to place a container underneath to catch the oil. The old oil will come out of this nut once you open it, so be sure you have a large enough pan to catch the old oil.

As soon as you’re prepared, be sure to protect your hand with a towel or glove, and then unscrew the nut and move your hand out of the way. The old oil will start to come out and drain into your container.

Change the Filter

Once the oil has drained from the engine, you’ll need to remove the old oil filter. If you cannot do this by hand, you’ll need to use a wrench to get it out. These filters will still have oil in them, so be sure your face is not directly underneath the filter as you try to remove it. Place the old filter in the container with the old oil so you can keep it from dripping into unwanted areas.

After you’ve removed the old filter, be sure to put a new one to take its place. It’s a good idea to lubricate the gasket with a little bit of oil, so use old oil or new oil to do this. Once you’ve put the filter into place, put the nut back into place to secure the area.

Add New Oil

Pour the new oil into the top of the engine using a funnel. The manual on your CDJR vehicle should let you know exactly how much oil to use, so be sure to follow the directions. Once finished, look under the vehicle to ensure there’s no signs of leaking.

Get Service Advice at Midway Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Changing your oil is easy, but sometimes you just don’t have the time or patience to do it yourself or you aren’t 100% confident you know how an oil change works. If this is the case, let the experts at Midway Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram do it for you. We’ve been helping Grand Island-area drivers with vehicle service for years using genuine parts. Plus, we know the ins and outs of servicing your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicle – from spark plugs to brake pads to serpentine belts. So contact us to schedule your service appointment or stop by our dealership near Grand Island today!

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Oil and Tire Package

$34.95

5qt Oil Change

$49.95

With Tire Rotation

Free

Multi-Point Inspection

Balancing tires, tax and more than 5 quarts of oil, extra. Most V6 engines and other select vehicles require more than 5 quarts of oil. See dealer for eligible vehicles and details. Diesels and synthetic/synthetic blend oil may be higher. Taxes not included. Present offer at time of service.
Alignment Package Special

$169.95

3 Year Package

$199.95

5 Year Package

Regular Wheel Alignment Service: $129.99. Proper wheel alignments allow for safer driving. Wheel alignment will also extend the life of your tires. Incorrectly aligned wheels is a main cause for uneven wear on a tire.

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