Tools:
14mm socket & ratchet
Filter wrench (cap
type & socket, or strap type)
Funnel (optional)
Parts:
Oil filter
Oil (4-5qts)
Step 1:
Warm up the engine. Warm oil will flow out of the
engine better than cold, so take the car for a quick drive
to warm it up.
Step 2: Raise the
front end. Ramps are really nice for this, or use
a jack and jackstands. Be sure to set the e-brake, and
preferably use some wheel chocks on the rear (whether on
ramps or stands). NEVER work under a car that is only
supported by a jack. I don't want to hear any stories
of squished Saturn owners.
Step 3: Drain the
oil from the pan. The drain bolt is on the rear of
the oil pan, which is one the passenger side of the car.
A 14mm socket will loosen the drain bolt, be sure to have a
pan underneath to catch the oil. Account for flowing
oil that will arc out of the pan, as well as dribbling oil
when it's mostly empty when placing the pan. The bolt
is normally threaded (lefty loosey, righty tighty, aka:
clockwise to tighten, counter-clockwise to loosen).
Step 4: Reinstall
the drain bolt. Make sure it has the round rubber
gasket on it, and take a moment to wipe the bolt threads
off, and wipe the area around the drain hole as well.
Clean parts are less likely to bind up and/or leak.
Snug the bolt nice & tight, but no need to go crazy on it.
Step 5: Remove the
oil filter. You may be able to do this by hand,
but it's pretty likely that you'll need a wrench of some
sort. I use the kind that cups over the end of the
filter and attaches to a ratchet, but a strap kind works
too. The filter will be full of oil, so be ready to
set it somewhere to drain. The oil will dribble/pour
down onto the engine cradle and make a mess, this is normal,
though there are tricks to getting around it if you want to
take the extra time. It doesn't really hurt anything,
just gets things dirty. The oil filter is also
normally threaded.
Step 6: Install the
new oil filter. Make sure that the gasket from the
old filter came off, as they've been known to occasionally
come off and stay behind, which can easily cause a bad leak
that can ruin the engine. Dab the new filter's seal in
some oil to help it seal, and spin it on. It should
require spinning around a number of times before it is
tight, if it only turns a few times, it could be a sign that
you're cross-threading the filter on, or some other problem.
No need to use a filter wrench when tightening, just get it
good & snug with your hand (unless it is now super-slippery
because you got oil all over your hand).
Step 7: Refill the
oil. I've always found that 4qt will get the level
into the hatch marks on the dipstick, so throw 4 in for now.
Fill through the oil fill hole on top of the engine.
Once you've got some oil pouring/poured in, take a glance
under the car for leaks.
Step 8: Put the car
back on the ground. Get it off the ramps or
jackstands or whatever, onto level ground. It's ok if
you have to run the car a little to do this, as long as you
put the 4qts of oil into it already. It won't hurt
anything if it's a tad low.
Step 9: Top off the
oil. If you didn't run the car to get it off of
ramps, go ahead & start it up for half a minute or so, then
shut it off and wait a couple minutes so the oil can settle
back into the pan. Pull the dipstick, wipe it off, put
it back in all the way, pull it out again and check the oil
level. Add oil as needed. From the bottom to the
top of the hatch marks is 1qt, to give you an idea of how
much you'll need to add if it's off. Do not overfill.
Take another glance to be sure you don't see any leaks.
Done!
