How To Put Oil in Your Car With and Without a Funnel
Changing your car’s oil is an essential part of maintaining its performance and lifespan. Changing the oil isn’t as intimidating as it may sound. With the right tools and a few simple steps, you can do it yourself and save money. If done correctly, you can avoid a messy, frustrating oil change.
Keeping your car’s oil levels in check is an important part of auto maintenance and is necessary to keep your car running efficiently. If you’ve never changed your car’s oil before or just need a refresher, this blog post will provide helpful tips on how to put oil in your car with and without a funnel.
Gathering and Preparing the Materials
Before doing an oil change, you’ll need to gather the right materials. First, choosing the correct oil for your vehicle’s make and model is important. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended type of oil for your car’s engine. Your car likely contains an oil dipstick. It is located near the oil reservoir and is used to measure the level of oil in the engine’s sump. Depending on your vehicle, you may need to remove a panel or engine cover before it becomes visible.
Optional Materials
Another material that is nice to have is a funnel. Funnels are ideal for transferring liquids, as they help prevent spills and messes. If you choose to use one when putting oil in your car, make sure it is clean and dry before use. Wearing gloves can help protect your hands from touching the oil directly and minimize potential messes when handling the materials involved in this process.
Putting in Oil Without a Funnel
- Park your car on a level surface and turn off the engine. Make sure you have set the parking brake as well for added safety before starting the process of adding oil to your vehicle.
- Identify the location of the oil reservoir, which is usually located near the engine itself on modern cars. This can vary based on the make and model of the vehicle, so consult your owner’s manual if you are unsure of where it is located.
- Once you have located the reservoir, unscrew the cap or lid until it has been completely removed from its position. Some cars will contain screw caps, while others have a pop cover that can be pulled off with slight pressure from your hand or a flathead screwdriver if necessary.
- Insert the dipstick into the reservoir until it reaches its maximum capacity. After removing it from its position, check the level indicated on the dipstick against the marks mentioned in your manual so that you’re sure you have enough oil in your reservoir before proceeding with adding more.
- If needed, add more oil directly into the reservoir using a pouring spout or similar tool that ensures that no spills or messes occur during this process. Add only what amount is recommended by your manual and stop once you reach that point.
- Once you have poured in all recommended amounts of oil, recheck the level one last time using the dipstick to ensure accuracy.
Putting in Oil With a Funnel
The process of adding oil with a funnel is much like without one. There are a few additional steps that should be followed when utilizing a funnel instead of pouring directly into the reservoir from a container.
- As with any auto maintenance task, you must start by parking your vehicle on even ground and engaging its parking brake. This helps ensure added safety when dealing with potentially hazardous materials.
- Finding exactly where your vehicle’s oil reservoir is located may take some searching, depending on the make and model. Consult your owner’s manual for detailed instructions on how to locate it successfully. After finding where exactly you will place your funnel, secure it firmly so that it fits snugly onto the opening.
- After securing the funnel firmly in place, measure out exact amounts of oil by referencing either the markings on the containers, if available, or consulting again with appropriate measurements detailed within the owner’s manuals.
- Once ready and proper amounts have been measured out as needed for applications, pour them gently into funnels until desired limits.
- Finally, after all desired measurements have been poured into funnels, recheck levels through the use of an oil dipstick one final time before putting caps back onto reservoirs.
Conclusion
Oil changes are essential for any car, but it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a few simple steps and the right materials, you can easily change your car’s oil with or without a funnel. Whether you’re new to auto maintenance or a seasoned pro, following these steps should make the process easier and help you avoid any messes or spills. Taking the time to make sure it is done right can help extend the life of your car and save you money in the long run.