Things You'll Need:
- Jack
- Safety stands
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Step 1
Jack up the car and support it with safety stands. When you look up at the engine you will see the engine oil pan. On the bottom of the pan is the drain plug. The plug could be on the side of the pan, the back, or directly on the bottom. Along side of most engines is the oil filter. On one side or the other you will see a round metal canister about the size of a coffee mug with rounded edges.
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Step 2
Look to the back of the engine and you will see the exhaust system which runs to the rear of the car. Somewhere in the middle of these pipes are the catalytic converter and the muffler. They will appear to be round bulges in the system. The muffler is the one closest to the rear of the car.
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Step 3
Check the side of the engine. If your car is front wheel drive you will see the transmission and differential. An automatic transmission will also have a pan, but most will not have a drain plug. You need to remove the pan to drain an automatic transmission. If you have a standard transmission the fill plug is around the size of the case, and the drain plug is at the bottom.
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Step 4
Move your head to see each of the front wheels. Below each wheel is the lower control arms. They are bolted from the frame to the steering knuckle. The ball joint is on the wheel side of the control area. These joints might have grease fittings on them. Along side of the steering knuckles are the tire rod joints; they also may have grease fittings.
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Step 5
Navigate to the rear of the car to find the fuel tank. It is most often over or behind the rear axel. It could be made of steel or plastic. The fuel filter is between the fuel tank and the engine. It may be near the tank or along side of the frame not far from the tank. It is a small round canister with hoses or pipes on each end.
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Step 6
Remove the safety stands and lower the car to the ground.
