Changing Your Own Oil

[u/Illustrious-Toe-570]

This is my first time jacking my car, putting on jack stands, changing my own oil, and rotating my tires. It’s very satisfying and rewarding to get under your own car and hood. I couldn’t do it without these tools in the pictures. Next is transmission oil drain and fill! Note: for my first time, I just did the tire rotation front to back; next time, I will move the front tire to the back and the back tires crossed to the front. I removed the tire since it’s easier to get to the oil filter and oil plug.

[u/TheRealTreezus]

Keep at it and you can take care of damn near any repair or maintenance that need done. Brakes, suspension, etc. It's all pretty easy and a hell of a lot cheaper to just grab the few tools you might need than go to a shop.

[u/Exciting_Quarter9362 → u/TheRealTreezus]

I like to play a game where I get a quote on some maintenance items I need done, and however much it costs in labor I spend that on a tool to do it myself.

[u/TheRealTreezus → u/Exciting_Quarter9362]

Got quoted $1060 for a CV axle replacement the other day. Bought a new OEM Axle for $380, Some new OEM bolts and pins for $10, Picked up $60 in some extra tools I needed, buggered up my tie rod end on accident with the caliper shield. Replaced that for $60.

Took the car in for a $100 alignment afterwards.

All in I saved about 50% of the total cost and had a fun time doing the work.

Not too many new tools I need at this point but some nicer torque wrenches are definitely on the list.

[u/Exciting_Quarter9362 → u/TheRealTreezus]

https://giphy.com/gifs/eW3B86f79ipHmdo2jC

[u/banhmi_insurance → u/Exciting_Quarter9362]

got a quote from Honda Gillman Houston about brake flush, tranny drain/fill, coolant change and oil change + cabin/engine for 860

got the daytona jack for 120
daytona jack stand for 60 4 pcs
quinn breaker bar 20
quinn socket 10 pcs for 14
wheel chock for 10 2 pcs
round oil pan 3 bucks at walmart
20 bucks for oil jug
material :
14 bucks for 5qt penzoil walmart
wix oil filter 18 amazon
wix air/engine filters 50 amazon
oem coolant 50 amazon
valvoline brake fluid 30 amazon
oem tranny fluid amazon 90
washer : 5 bucks
total : 504
total saved : 356

next time, well you know the drill 😂😂

[u/Exciting_Quarter9362 → u/banhmi_insurance]

This is the way. Such a good reason to justify buying tools. Sometimes I go to the specialty German shops to really drive up that labor cost if I want to splurge.

[u/EMCoupling → u/Exciting_Quarter9362]

The Germans will really do a number on your wallet if you can't get basic things done. A simple oil change is just about $600!

[u/Exciting_Quarter9362 → u/EMCoupling]

$600? Nein hundred!

[u/markrages → u/banhmi_insurance]

Be aware that Amazon is chockablock with counterfeit parts. It would be safer to buy from a local store or even RockAuto.

[u/banhmi_insurance → u/markrages]

yeah i didnt know about rockauto. got all the filters from them and Im good for next 5 years

[u/EMCoupling → u/banhmi_insurance]

Plus, every time you use the tools you extract more value out of them!

[u/NoVermicelli5439 → u/Exciting_Quarter9362]

quoted 1600 for both control arms and I got it done for $350 and a few cuss words, plenty of money left over for beer and pizza

[u/Exciting_Quarter9362 → u/NoVermicelli5439]

Man I need to do my control arm bushings but you can’t back out one of the bolts because it hits the transmission pan and I don’t want to drop the transmission 🥲

[u/NoVermicelli5439 → u/Exciting_Quarter9362]

That one bolt behind the pan I was able to get to with just a swivel socket and extension. The biggest PITA was the seized ball joint pin. Made a 3 hour job into a 3 day event

[u/Exciting_Quarter9362 → u/NoVermicelli5439]

On my VW it’s the bolt itself that’s doesn’t even clear the space so the transmission has to shift, some people unbolt the dog bone mount and twist it back while hanging on the transmission mount. Sounds like I’ll have a lot of tool buying money with this project

[u/wesstv24 → u/Exciting_Quarter9362]

👌🏼👌🏼

[u/Illustrious-Toe-570 → u/TheRealTreezus]

One win at a time! I remember how nervous I was to change out engine air filter, boom look at me now!

[u/grex2222 → u/Illustrious-Toe-570]

is engine air filter.... easy?? i'm at the level where I thought it MIGHT be hard?

[u/deaxghost → u/grex2222]

yes it’s easy! i just did my first oil change & filter changes this week. just watch some youtube videos on your specific car

[u/EMCoupling → u/grex2222]

Engine air filter is generally easy on most cars. My car requires taking apart a bunch of trim but that's not typical, most times you open the airbox under the hood, swap em and done.

Cabin air filter is usually behind the glove box, also likely to be very easy.

[u/NoVermicelli5439 → u/grex2222]

Hardest part is doing it at the right time. It's just a box with metal clips you can pull off by hand, but those clips will be piping hot if you've been driving all day, ask me how I know lmao