A Slick Way to Improve Your Car: Change Oil and Filter Frequently

If stress, pressure and friction make people age prematurely, think what they can do to your car. With engine temperatures that can reach 4,500 degrees, plus combustion, compression and moving metal parts, vehicles that aren’t properly safeguarded against heat and friction can swiftly suffer untimely death.

Before you rush to the driveway to administer “last rides” to your car, consider this: The key to vehicular longevity is oil. It cools, cleans and lubricates the engine, reduces friction and wear, and prevents corrosion.

Car makers may suggest changing the oil as infrequently as every 7,500 miles or longer, but if your car dies prematurely, they’re the guys who’ll sell you a new one! I suggest you change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles or three months, whichever comes first, especially if you do a lot of stop-and-go city driving. It takes little time, money or effort--and it’s easier than cooking breakfast.

Getting Ready: You probably already have most of the things you’ll need (or can get them easily enough from an auto store or even the supermarket):

* An adjustable wrench.

* A plastic basin and a sturdy plastic trash bag. (Oil-change containers cost $10, and you have to clean and store them.)

* Clean plastic containers with screw-on tops (the empty oil bottles or two big soda bottles will do).

* A funnel, a clean, lint-free rag and a dirty rag.

* Oil (4 to 6 quarts at $1 to $1.50 a quart). Consult your owner’s manual, dealership or mechanic for the weight and amount of oil your car requires.

* An oil filter designed for your vehicle (about $5).

* An oil filter wrench (about $3).

* An oil drain plug washer (if your car requires one and there’s none in the oil filter package).

* A work light or flashlight.

Making the Change: Follow these easy steps to get the job done right each time. It’s important not to vary the order; if you forget to replace the drain plug, the filter or the oil, you could destroy your engine within a couple of miles of driving.

1. Park the car on level ground with the gearshift in park and the emergency brake on.

2. Look under the hood. Can you reach the can-like oil filter that’s screwed onto the outside of your engine without having to get under the car? Kneel down in front of the car. Can you reach the oil drain plug? It looks like a large nut (the mechanical, not the edible, kind) and is at the bottom of the oil pan under the engine, usually right behind the radiator grille. If you can reach both the filter and plug, you won’t have to jack up your car.

If you have to jack the car up, be sure that you do it safely. Block the wheels, use jack stands, and don’t jack it up too high or the oil may not drain completely.

3. Run the engine for two or three minutes until it feels slightly warm. Then shut it off--you don’t want the oil to get hot enough to scald you.

4. Line the basin with the open plastic bag and push it under the drain plug. The direction the plug faces may cause the oil to pour out slantwise, so take this into consideration. If the plug is too hot to touch comfortably, let the car cool a bit.

5. Unscrew the plug with the adjustable wrench until it’s almost ready to come out. Then protect your hand with the dirty rag and give the plug a last quick turn by hand to release it. Pull your hand away fast to avoid getting oil on it. If the plug falls into the basin, you can retrieve it later. If there’s a washer under the plug, remove it and wipe the area with the dirty rag.

6. Remove the large cap from the oil filler hole atop your engine. It simply lifts or screws off.

7. Use the oil filter wrench to unscrew the old filter, counterclockwise. The filter has oil in it, so don’t spill it. If you see remnants of the old filter’s seal on your engine, remove them.

8. Pour the oil from the filter into the drain pan. When the filter is completely drained, put it into a plastic bag.

9. Open a new bottle of oil. Dip a finger in the oil and moisten the gasket on the new filter. Then screw the filter into place. Follow directions on the filter, or turn it gently by hand until it “seats,” then give it another three-quarter turn. Unless the filter manufacturer recommends it, don’t use the filter wrench to tighten the filter, as over-tightening can crush the gasket and cause the filter to leak.

10. Replace the drain plug under the car. Use the adjustable wrench to tighten it. (If your vehicle requires a drain plug washer, place it around the drain holes before you replace the plug.)

11. Use the funnel to pour all except one quart of fresh oil down the filler hole. Replace the filler cap and run the engine for a minute while you make sure the filter and the drain plug aren’t leaking. For an accurate reading on the oil dipstick, the filter must be full, and running the engine circulates oil into it. The dashboard oil “idiot light” should go out in 10 to 15 seconds (or the oil gauge needle should move off “low”). If this fails to occur, check under the car and around the engine for leaks.

12. Shut off the engine and wait five to 10 minutes for the oil to settle into the oil pan. Then remove the oil dipstick, wipe it with the clean rag and shove it back in. Remove the stick again and note the oil level.

13. Add oil down the filler hole a little at a time, checking the dipstick repeatedly, until the oil reaches the “full” line. Replace the oil filler cap.

14. Remove the basin from under the car, drive around the block a couple of times, shut off the engine, let the oil settle, and recheck the dipstick and the dashboard indicator.

15. Put a reminder of the mileage and date; the oil filter brand and part number; and the brand, weight and amount of oil you used about three months ahead in your date book or calendar. Once you see how easy it is to change oil frequently, your car will run better, live longer and burn less fuel.

Good Citizen Dept.: Always recycle your old oil and oil filter. Never put oil into the ground, sewer or garbage or down a drain. Use the funnel to pour it into the aforementioned clean containers and take it to an oil recycling or toxic waste disposal center. Call the Household Hazardous Waste Hot Line at (800) 988-6942 to find a center near you, or try a local service station or auto parts store.

And finally, if you don’t want to change your oil yourself, watch for local oil and lube specials. Make sure they’ll change the filter and use high-quality oil. Don’t be bashful: Mechanics respect owners who really care about their cars.

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Highway 1 contributor Deanna Sclar is the Los Angeles-based author of “Auto Repair for Dummies” and “Buying a Car for Dummies,” both forthcoming from IDG Books.

* DO YOUR HOMEWORK

If you missed our earlier lesson on how to jack up a car, check out Highway 1’s Web site: https: //www.latimes.com/highway1.

* DR. GEAR HEAD

For more on oil, check under the hood with Highway 1’s resident expert. W4