How to Change the Oil in a 1991 Toyota Pickup
Although automobile technology has progressed to the point where it's hard for a weekend motorhead to do a lot of repairs, some simple maintenance tasks can still be done by most people. One of these is an oil change. Cars need to have their engine oil changed (usually every 5,000 to 7,500 miles) in order to prevent deposits from building up in the engine, or the engine from seizing up--which means you'd have to get a new car, or spend thousands of dollars on a new engine. For about $15 and an hour of your time, you can do this simple task yourself.
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Things You'll Need
- Drain pan
- Wrench
- Old plastic container
- Filter wrench
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
Instructions
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Park the truck on a flat surface. If the engine is cold, let it run for a few minutes; if it's been running, give it time to cool down so that you don't get burned by the hot oil. The warmer the oil is when you change it, the better, but safety comes first.
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Underneath the truck, locate the oil pan and drain plug. This will be a bolt that sticks out of the oil pan.
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Place a drain pan underneath the drain plug, and use a wrench to loosen the drain plug.
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After you've loosened the drain plug with the wrench, continue to unscrew it by hand, but keep pressing upward so that the oil doesn't come gushing out at you.
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When the drain plug has been completely loosened from the oil pan, position the drain pan underneath it, and remove the drain plug so that the oil may flow into the drain pan.
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Go back to the top of the engine, and find the plug that says "Engine Oil Only." Remove this plug, as this will equalize pressure in the engine and allow the oil to flow out more freely.
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Let the oil drain into the drain pan until the flow is down to a steady drip. Screw the drain plug back into place with your hand, and tighten it with the wrench, but don't overtighten the drain plug.
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Pour the oil in the drain pan into an old container (such as an antifreeze container) so that you can take the oil to get recycled. Do not dump the oil down a drain or into the sewer.
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Locate the oil filter, and place the drain pan underneath it.
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Use a filter wrench to loosen the oil filter, then unscrew it the rest of the way by hand. Once you've removed it, make sure that you keep end that was attached to the engine facing up, as there is oil inside the filter.
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Place the filter upside-down in the drain pan to drain the oil from it.
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Place a small amount of new oil on your finger, and run it along the gasket of the new oil filter (this will help the filter go on easier).
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Screw the new oil filter into place, but don't overtighten it.
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Pour the new oil into the engine. Most engines take about five quarts, but check your owner's manual for the proper amount.
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Place the oil cap back on, and start the engine. After it runs for a couple of minutes, turn it off and check the oil level on the dipstick. If the oil is below the "Low" or "Add" mark on the dipstick, add more.
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Tips & Warnings
Check your owner's manual to see what type of oil you need to use. Using the wrong grade can damage your engine.
Recycle your old oil and filter. Your local municipality, garage or auto-parts store may offer this service.
References
- Photo Credit sand car engine image by Clarence Alford from Fotolia.com
