How to Change Oil on Car Ramps

1. Place the car ramps on a firm, level surface in front of the car. Line the ramps up to the same width as the front tires on the car.
2. Carefully drive the vehicle up onto the ramps, stopping on the flat section at the top. A second person to help guide you up can be helpful, but is not required.
3. Place wheel chocks or a block of wood behind the rear wheels of the car to keep it from rolling.
4. Open the hood of the car and remove the oil fill cap on the engine. Setting it on the top of the engine will remind you that you have not refilled the oil. Do not put the cap back on until you do so.
5. Place an oil drain pan under the oil pan drain plug and carefully remove the plug using an appropriately sized socket and ratchet. You may need SAE or metric sockets depending on the make and model of the car. The best way to find out what size you need is to check a repair manual for your car or try a few different ones until you find one that fits.
6. Allow the oil to drain into the drain pan. It won't take too long to drain. The average car holds 4 to 5 quarts of oil.
7. Locate the oil filter on the engine block. You will need to decide what kind of filter wrench you want to use, but band clamp filter wrenches are typically very effective.
8. Place the oil pan drain plug back into the pan and tighten it until it is just snug. Move your drain pan under the oil filter and remove the filter. Turn the filter upside down and set it into the pan for now.
9. Open one quart of the new oil you will be using. Wipe a small amount of the fresh oil onto the filter gasket of the new filter. This will help it seal and keep it from sticking when you are ready to change it again.
10. Pour the contents of the quart of oil into the top of the oil filter until it is full. Filling the filter reduces the stress of the oil pump and engine when you first start it after a complete oil change.
11. Screw the filter into place on the engine by hand. Do not use a wrench on the new filter. It will seal fine being hand tightened. Over-tightening will make it hard to get off at the next oil change.
12. Fill the engine with the remaining oil but do not overfill it. If you are not sure what the oil capacity of your motor is, check your owner's manual or shop manual. You can also add a quart at a time and then check the dipstick to monitor your progress.
13. Replace the oil fill cap and check under the car for any leaks. Tighten anything that is leaking before taking the car off the ramps.
14. Close the hood and remove the wheel chocks. Slowly back the car off the ramps and dispose of the waste oil and old filter.