Okay, so today I decided to tackle something I’ve been putting off for a while – changing the oil in my car. I’ve always used whatever the quick lube place puts in, but I figured it was time to try something different. Heard some good things about elf motor oil, so I thought, “Why not?”
First things first, I gathered all my supplies. I already had an oil filter wrench and a drain pan, but I needed the oil itself. I headed to the local auto parts store and picked up a few quarts of elf 5W-30 – that’s what my car’s manual recommends.
Back home, I got the car up on ramps. Gotta make sure it’s nice and secure! Then, I popped the hood and located the oil filter and drain plug. Pretty straightforward, thankfully.
The Messy Part
This is where things can get a little messy. I positioned the drain pan under the drain plug and, using a wrench, carefully loosened the plug. Whoosh! Out came the old, black oil. It’s always surprising how dirty it looks.
- Waited for the oil to completely drain. This took a while, maybe 15-20 minutes. Good time for a coffee break!
Once the oil flow slowed to a drip, I screwed the drain plug back in, making sure it was nice and tight. Don’t want any leaks!
New Filter Time
Next up, the oil filter. I used my oil filter wrench to loosen the old one. These things can be on there pretty tight! A little bit of oil always spills out when you remove the filter, so I had some rags handy.
Before putting on the new elf filter, I rubbed a little bit of fresh oil around the rubber gasket. This helps it seal properly.
- Carefully screwed on the new filter, hand-tightening it. No need to overdo it with the wrench here.
Pouring in the Good Stuff
Now for the main event! I removed the oil filler cap and slowly poured in the new elf motor oil. I checked the dipstick a few times to make sure I wasn’t overfilling. My car takes about 5 quarts, so I kept an eye on the levels.
Once I reached the “full” mark on the dipstick, I replaced the filler cap.
Final Steps
I lowered the car off the ramps and started the engine. Let it run for a few minutes, then checked for any leaks around the drain plug and filter. All good!
Finally, I checked the oil level one last time, just to be sure. Perfect!
Honestly, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. And it feels good to know I’m using a quality oil like elf. We’ll see how it performs in the long run, but so far, so good!