Easy to follow guide on how to change the oil filter yourself.
Estimated time:30-60 mins Difficulty: Easy
Firstly you will need to begin by jacking up the vehicle to gain access to the
oil sump and filter. Do this using a wheel jack and you may also want to place blocks or safety stands to hold it in place.
This filter and oil change should take place regularly in your annual service. It’s a rather straight forward procedure.
Step 1
Place a container underneath the sump, ensuring it’s in the right position to catch all the oil that will be drained when the plug is pulled from the sump. Remove the plug at the bottom of the sump to drain out the dirty oil.
Step 2
Once the oil has drained you can begin to remove the filter. This should be able to twist off by hand but it may be on tight. You can get a set of filter pliers to loosen it off. Unscrew the filter from the sump, remembering that oil will come out here as well. Allow this oil to drain into the container.
Step 3
Get your new oil filter and smear a little fresh engine oil onto the gasket to lubricate the new filter. Clean the area where the filter attaches to the sump. Now screw the new filter into position. Hand tight is usually ok, but check the instructions in case you need to tighten it a little more using grips or specialist filter pliers.
Changing the oil filter
The rest of the procedure is straight forward after following the guidelines above.
Step 1
Replace the plug on the sump and lower the vehicle.
Step 2
Top up the oil, checking the levels to ensure the right amount of oil.
Step 3
Start the engine and allow it to tick over to get the oil flowing through the system.
And finally...
Now check for leaks around the area you’ve been working.
