How To Check Your Oil
- February 13, 2008
- 9,710 Views
Music
Edison Music Corp
Writer
Amy Capetta
Voice Over Artist
Georgia Haege
Expert
John Nielsen, AAA
- Show:
- Guide
- Transcript
It only takes a minute or two to check your oil — and that minute can save you a lot of aggravation, not to mention thousands of dollars in repairs!
You Will Need
- A clean rag or a few paper towels
- A can of oil
- A funnel
Step 1: Park the car
Park the car on a level surface, like a flat driveway.
Step 2: Turn off engine
Turn the engine off.
Step 3: Locate dipstick
Open the hood and locate the dipstick. Its handle is usually yellow and shaped like a crossbar.
If you can’t find the dipstick, check your owner’s manual.
Step 4: Wipe off stick
Pull the dipstick out and, using a rag or paper towel, wipe off the stick.
Step 5: Locate marks
Locate the two marks: “Add” and “Full.”
Step 6: Slide in dipstick
Slide the dipstick back into its slot, pushing it all the way down, before pulling it out again.
Step 7: Check oil line
See where the line of oil reaches on the stick. If it falls at or below the “Add” line, then you need to add oil.
Step 8: Remove fill cap
Remove the oil fill cap—it’s usually marked with an icon that looks like Aladdin’s magic lamp — and place the funnel into the opening.
Step 9: Pour in oil
Pour a quarter of the bottle into the funnel. Add the oil slowly so it doesn’t go above the “Full” mark.
Use only the kind of oil recommended by your manual.
Step 10: Keep rechecking
Keep rechecking the oil until it’s between “Add” and “Full.”
If your oil is consistently on the low side, you may have a leak. Have your car checked by a professional.
Step 11: Replace cap
Remove the funnel and replace the oil cap.
Step 12: Replace dipstick
Replace the dipstick, making sure it’s all the way in. Close the hood — and take her for a spin!
Although you should always check your oil frequently, changing it every 3,000 miles is no longer necessary—Ford says their 2007 models can go as long as 7,500 miles!
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Comments (5)
IMHO there is several mistakes in this video.
1) Engine should be cold - so no drive at least 1-2 hours before checking
2) You should know the tyoe of Oil you have in the engine. There is Mineral Oil and Synthetic. Maybe that's already not a problem
over 3 years ago by sabnk
You obviously don't know anything about cars… There’s hot and cold marks on the dipstick and whether on not the oil is synthetic or mineral is negligible. It’s more important to know the type so you don’t mix different weights.
over 3 years ago by jmac
It's nice knowing the basics, but I hope we can get some of the more complicated stuff on car repair on this site.
over 3 years ago by PatternWolf
Living alone now, instead of having the gas attendant do this, I have all the info I need to do this myself. Thanks.
over 3 years ago by elixer
if u don't know how to check your oil ask ";Mojo"; the man ayt....
about 1 year ago by cjboxing
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