Regular oil changes keep your engine clean. This ensures none of the harmful dirt and debris cause damage to your engine, leading to severe damage. Oil change is a crucial part of vehicle maintenance, making it a worthwhile skill to learn.

While the process itself could prove to be difficult to learn, the things you need to perform a DIY oil change are relatively easy to procure.

Necessary Tools and Equipment for a DIY Oil Change

Some tools and equipment you’ll need for a DIY oil change include safety equipment (glasses/gloves), wrenches (oil filter and torque wrenches), wheel ramps/chocks, and motor oil.

You also need to know how to change the oil and what kind of oil to use. If you’re not sure where the drain plug is or how to access the engine oil filter (sometimes special tools are needed), you need to do adequate research so you don’t create problems for yourself.

And you need to have a presence of mind during the entire process and the time it’ll take to do it right. You also need a place to dispose of the oil properly; chain store parts stores have oil disposal tanks for this purpose.

Many vehicles have an under-engine cover (see photo) that needs to be removed before the oil can be changed, so you’ll need the tools to remove the cover, and you need to make sure you reinstall it right.

image of an under engine cover — Many vehicles have an under-engine cover (see photo) that needs to be removed before the oil can be changed, so you’ll need the tools to remove the cover, and you need to make sure you reinstall it right. | Image Source: Richard McCuistian

Safety Glasses

Before changing your engine oil, you should equip yourself with proper safety gear to ensure you don’t injure yourself. This applies to most, if not all, vehicle maintenance you plan on doing.

Changing oil requires you to go underneath your car. It’s a dangerous position to be in, especially for your eyes, since debris will naturally fall when it comes loose. Non-slip safety goggles/glasses protect your eyes from splashes and dirt.

Gloves

Gloves are necessary safety equipment when working on your vehicle. Mechanic gloves protect against dirt, grease, and irritation that can be caused by handling car parts.

This rings especially true when changing oil since you may accidentally burn yourself on the filters or the oil. This is why you must ensure that the engine is not hot enough to burn you when you’re changing the oil; it does need to warm for the oil to flow well, but it doesn’t need to be hot enough to burn you. A high-quality glove that prevents dirt from touching your skin and can handle extreme temperatures is a good investment.

You must ensure that the engine is not hot enough to burn you when you’re changing the oil; it does need to warm for the oil to flow well, but it doesn’t need to be hot enough to burn you.
–Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: Nitrile gloves are good for this, and you don’t need to buy a whole box. Usually, you can buy a small pack of about six gloves.

Rags/Cleaning Cloth

DIY oil changes can get messy. Having rags and cleaning cloths ready makes tidying up more efficient since you can clean as you go. You can buy absorbent pads and/or some Oil Dri, which doesn’t cost much. You can also use the oil absorbent cleaning cloths tto clean the dipstick before checking the oil level.

Funnel

A funnel is one of the smallest and most crucial tools you can have as a car owner. It makes topping up fluids easier and prevents spillage. When changing your engine oil, you’ll need a funnel to make pouring the new motor oil into the engine easier.

Oil Pan vs Oil Drain Pan

The engine oil pan serves as the reservoir for oil. However, during oil change, the oil drain pan is mainly used to catch the old oil. There are oil drain pans designed to catch the oil and then be sealed so that you don’t have an open pan of oil when you’re done.

oil drain container with side cover — Some oil drain containers will have a large removable side cover (see photo) so you can screw it off, drain the oil, replace the cover, and then carry the oil to the parts store for disposal. | Image Source: Richard McCuistian

A new oil pan may need to be installed during an oil change if it has sprung a leak, but this is not a routine thing on oil changes, although you do need to inspect the pan for damage. Note that on aluminum pans, the oil drain plug threads may be damaged, but these can be fixed.

You can damage the pan when you drive off-road and hit hard objects such as rocks. Leaks may also occur due to worn oil pan gaskets/seals.

Pro Tip: Be advised: while removing and reinstalling the oil pan can be fairly simple on some vehicles, it’s extremely difficult on others. Be careful not to get in over your head when deciding to replace the oil pan. Sometimes the engine may need to be disconnected from the mounts and jacked up very high; other times, the exhaust system may need to be removed.

Oil Filter and Torque Wrenches

The oil filter wrench is a tool that makes it easier to remove the oil filter. Different oil filters may require different wrenches, so having different types on hand is better.

Pro Tip: But note that usually, unless a spin-on oil filter was overtightened on the last oil change, if you have dry hands and the filter isn’t hot, you can screw the filter off by hand if it’s that type of filter, but have your drain pan ready. Many newer cars have cartridge-type filters that require a special socket and the filter is changed from the top rather than from underneath the vehicle. Spin-on filters shouldn’t be tightened with the tool, only by hand. Some oil filter wrenches won’t work but in one direction for this reason.

Torque wrenches adjust the tightness of nuts and bolts. These tools make it easier to accurately apply and measure the torque of fasteners, making them useful when dealing with components that require a strict amount of torque. Most oil drain plugs torque to about 20 lbs ft.

Ratchet

Ratchets tighten and loosen nuts and bolts more efficiently than other wrenches since they let you work in one direction without constantly lifting the tool off. This is handy when removing the necessary covers before changing the oil.

Socket Set

Chances are, if you have a ratchet, you have sockets. Nothing more needs to be said about sockets except that 6 point sockets are better than 12 point sockets; 12 point sockets tend to round fasteners off. Socket sets come in either metric or imperial measurements corresponding to a specific fastener in the same shape and size.

Wheel Ramps or Chocks

Changing your engine oil requires you to go underneath your vehicle. If you use a jack, make sure you put stands under the frame and let them support the weight of the vehicle rather than relying on the jack to support it while you’re under there.

One way to mitigate the risks of working under your car is by using wheel ramps. Wheel ramps are a safe option, but be careful when putting the car on them and make sure you lock the park brake while the vehicle is on the ramps. Always inspect the ramps very carefully to make sure the wheels are centered on the ramps and there’s no chance of a mishap.

Motor Oil

You’ll need clean and fresh motor oil. Make sure to check your vehicle owner’s manual to confirm the correct engine oil viscosity for your vehicle. Specially formulated high mileage engine oil is available for engines that have lots of miles on them.

Oil Filter

The oil filter should be replaced every time you change your engine oil.

Final Tip for DIY Oil Changes

Changing your engine oil entails preparing the vehicle, draining the old oil, changing the filter, adding the new oil, and performing final checks. It’s important to do your research, consult your owner’s manual, and follow the recommended steps for changing your oil.

About The Authors

Written By

CarParts.com Research Team

Automotive and Tech Writers

The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.

Reviewed By

Richard McCuistian

Technical Reviewer at CarParts.com

Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.

Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.