Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Tips on How To Change Your Car's Engine Oil

A good number of Americans don’t know what it takes to take care of their cars. Most of us know that when the car beeps its time to get gas, but that is as far as their narrow scope on good car maintenance goes. For many, a visit to the mechanic only happens when major car problems have occurred. Most mechanics would say that the majority of car problems could be avoided if the car owners only changed their motor oil on a regular basis. With the rising price of gas many Americans are taking the initiative to get more car repair friendly to avoid spending any extra dollars than they have to on their automobiles.

Everyone has heard that the first step to maintaining your cars healthy condition is by changing the motor oil. And we all have seen those signs advertising a 10-minute oil change at local gas stations or quick stop car repairs. But what if there’s a way to save $50 bucks and do it yourself? There is and it’s easy to do. Here are the steps you’ll need to get you started in changing your car’s engine oil.

The first thing you will need to get started is your owner’s manual. This will tell you how much and what kind of oil is required. You will need to go down to your local auto parts store and make sure you get the right filter for your vehicle. You will also need to purchase a funnel so that you don’t get any oil spillage on your engine, which could cause major problems. You will also need a pair of filter pliers or a wrench because sometimes the lid to the oil is stubborn coming off. You will also need the right size socket for your specific vehicle. Note: some cars include the socket with the car’s maintenance kit. If your car doesn’t have this then you can always find one at the auto part store. Also, make sure to have a rag around to clean up any accidental spills that may occur.

Open up the car’s hood and pull your car up onto a ramp. Make sure your emergency brake is on so that the car doesn’t go anywhere while you are changing the oil. Use a drain pan to catch all the dirty oil and place it under the car by the drain bolt. Use a ratchet or a wrench to remove your car’s drain plug bolt. When the oil is drained all the way down to a drip, screw on the drain plug and tighten it with the ratchet or wrench. Next locate your car’s oil filter and use your pliers or wrench to remove it. Before you install the new filter take some oil and use it as lube on the “o” ring of the filter. Then reinstall the new filter as tight as possible by hand.

Now that the hard part is done here comes the easy part. Remove the oil cap from the engine. Place the funnel in the hole and put in the specific amount of oil that your vehicle requires from what it said in the owner’s manual. Screw on the engine oil cap. Start your engine and let it run for a few minutes. Then once you turn off your car, check to see if you have the correct amount of oil in your engine. Congratulations you have successfully changed your engine oil.

Continuing education

I am a product of continuing education program at Harvard University Extension School. I, like many other adults, chose to go back to school to get my master’s degree to develop myself as a writer. But who I’m I kidding, one of the real reasons was to earn a larger paycheck by having a higher degree. The courses at Harvard University Extension School were wonderful. I had either real working journalist (most from The Globe) or Harvard professors.
The best part was the stipend I received from working on campus. Instead of paying the $1500 for each course, I ended up paying only the cost of taxes, which was roughly $40 per course. This meant I would be able to get a bonafide Harvard Degree for under $1000.
The other fantastic thing about getting my degree through continuing education was the flexibility of the courses I took. I was able to take night courses and still keep my day job. The level of work was intense, but was easy to manage once I committed my weekend schedule to schoolwork and studies.
I believe anyone can achieve a degree through continuing education. And you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to do so. All you need is dedication and the willingness to learn and practice. Its easy to better equip yourself for your future dream job through continuing education.