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re: How do I raise my car enough to change my own oil? Tried going up on a curb
Posted on 9/18/25 at 8:46 pm to CroikeyMate69
Posted on 9/18/25 at 8:46 pm to CroikeyMate69
Straddle a small dry ditch and crawl under using the ditch. Ive one in my front yard that ive used for years.
1
Posted on 9/18/25 at 9:02 pm to Crappieman
You can rent space at 5 minute oil change for $10 for 10 minutes
Posted on 9/18/25 at 9:47 pm to CroikeyMate69
Good floor jack and quality jack stands (Project Farm has a YouTube video on which are safe) with a redundant safety mechanism (a big thick pin) that are rated for well more than you are gonna lift. Lift from a good jack point and put the jack stands on the lift points under the rocker panel to give yourself plenty of room. You will probably have a double thickness pinch weld or something similar that will be specified in the manual. Do not use the lower control arm to jack the car up or place jack stands. Check and double check everything before you get under the car and of course chock the wheels.
All of our cars except my son's Silverado have upright filters that make it easy to just use an extractor since I have no other reason to get under the car (I have the MightyVac 7201) and get the old oil out from the dipstick tube.
Make sure you follow the correct manufacturer spec for your oil, not just the correct viscosity (prob less of a big deal if your car is out of warranty, but this is something I'm always careful about). Walmart is universally the cheapest place to buy the oil, but they don't always have every Euro Spec version if you need that.
Also, don't forget to buy another crush washer if your oil plug has one, and look up and follow the torque spec for re-tightening the plug.
I recycle my old oil at Autozone - I give them enough business on other stuff even though I buy what oil I can at WallyWorld.
All of our cars except my son's Silverado have upright filters that make it easy to just use an extractor since I have no other reason to get under the car (I have the MightyVac 7201) and get the old oil out from the dipstick tube.
Make sure you follow the correct manufacturer spec for your oil, not just the correct viscosity (prob less of a big deal if your car is out of warranty, but this is something I'm always careful about). Walmart is universally the cheapest place to buy the oil, but they don't always have every Euro Spec version if you need that.
Also, don't forget to buy another crush washer if your oil plug has one, and look up and follow the torque spec for re-tightening the plug.
I recycle my old oil at Autozone - I give them enough business on other stuff even though I buy what oil I can at WallyWorld.
Posted on 9/18/25 at 9:54 pm to CroikeyMate69
I would use Jack stands for sure. Please make sure they are secured properly. I grew up changing my own oil since my first vehicle and even before with my dad. He was a mechanic so I learned all that stuff as a young boy.
Tip- keep your eyes on O’Reilly and autozone and Walmart for when oil and filters go on sale. And try and use the same brand of oil every single time. Even though the weight of oil is the same, it’s different across the brands. You don’t have to go with the most expensive oil either, but just don’t go with the cheapest non-brand either. I would choose a middle grade Oil like Pennzoil or Castrol or something like that.
Tip- keep your eyes on O’Reilly and autozone and Walmart for when oil and filters go on sale. And try and use the same brand of oil every single time. Even though the weight of oil is the same, it’s different across the brands. You don’t have to go with the most expensive oil either, but just don’t go with the cheapest non-brand either. I would choose a middle grade Oil like Pennzoil or Castrol or something like that.
Posted on 9/18/25 at 11:55 pm to CroikeyMate69
Car ramps
Chock your back wheel
Put on the emergency brake
Or do like me and lift it up high enough that you just slide under it, flip the lever open on my drain plug, remove filter install new filter, close the drain plug. Fill up engine with oil. Good to go.
I also always put a little oil in filter and run my finger with oil on it around the filter seal before installing
I also use a moly additive but i own a ram and im weary of the famous hemi tick
Chock your back wheel
Put on the emergency brake
Or do like me and lift it up high enough that you just slide under it, flip the lever open on my drain plug, remove filter install new filter, close the drain plug. Fill up engine with oil. Good to go.
I also always put a little oil in filter and run my finger with oil on it around the filter seal before installing
I also use a moly additive but i own a ram and im weary of the famous hemi tick
Posted on 9/19/25 at 12:45 am to CroikeyMate69
quote:
How do I raise my car enough to change my own oil?
Just let your wife drive it on the interstate for a day or two....
Posted on 9/19/25 at 12:46 am to CroikeyMate69
You can't be this stupid.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 3:24 am to TigerBait2008
It’s not stupidity. It’s ignorance.
Ignorance is the measure of your unanswered questions.
Stupidity is when you have none.
Ignorance is the measure of your unanswered questions.
Stupidity is when you have none.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 3:39 am to CroikeyMate69
You don’t have to jack up your car to do an oil change on an Explorer. You must be afraid of getting dirty crawling underneath it.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 4:42 am to bulldog95
quote:
I also use a moly additive but i own a ram and im weary of the famous hemi tick
You have to be careful with additives because they can actually fight the oils additive package reducing oil life. If the additive is just molybdenum (specifically MoDTC and not MoS2 which can gunk up an engine because it falls out of solution) you are probably OK but I would suggest doing a used oil analysis to make sure you aren't spending money to make things worse which you may be doing if the addtive contains more than moly or moly as MoS2. I am far from a MOPAR guru, but I thought the oil-based "fix" for the Hemi tick was a 5w30 oil with high shear stability.
I might suggest you look at the M1 Truck and SUV it has high shear stability and has alkylated naphthalenes for high thermal oxidative stability. In fact, unless your engine needs something specific like seal swell agents (high milage) or high detergent packages (engines prone to sludging) it is an excellent oil for any type of vehicle not just trucks and SUVs. Again assuming it meets an engines API requirements.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 5:21 am to CroikeyMate69
Make sure your wife isn't home when you get under the car
Posted on 9/19/25 at 5:59 am to bad93ex
I read the first page, dude can fit under a ford explorer without anything.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 6:07 am to VolsOut4Harambe
quote:
absolute must
Posted on 9/19/25 at 6:08 am to Nado Jenkins83
quote:
Dig a pit in your yard
correct answer. Then give 10% off to neighbors
Posted on 9/19/25 at 6:13 am to CroikeyMate69
quote:
How do I raise my car enough to change my own oil? Tried going up on a curb
If you have to ask this question, you should just take it to get it changed. Seriously. Pay someone to do it. You're not smart enough to not kill yourself.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 6:18 am to bonstonker
quote:
Get 2 10 foot. 2x6. Cut 4 feet then 3 feet ,2 feet and 1 foot. Screw each piece together.
The absolute safest method other than a ditch or pit. I do this with the wifes wagoneer.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:20 am to Nado Jenkins83
Front yard preferrably...the HOA loves this.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:12 am to CroikeyMate69
Ramps are not too expensive. You can sometimes find a sale at an auto parts store
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:43 am to deltaland
quote:
couple of very important things most folks look over: 1) when changing out the filter, it’s an absolute must to put a ring of new oil around the sealing gasket of the new filter, 2) you absolutely must torque the drain plug to the manufacturer’s specs… too loose, you risk a leak, too tight, you’ll strip the aluminum.
quote:This post by deltaland plus VolsOut4Harambe is absolutely essential info
Also after changing crank car for a couple minutes then cut off and recheck the oil. Usually have to add a little extra because when you run it it fills up the filter
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:51 am to Pepperoni
And check to be sure the old Oring comes off with the old filter. The old one can sometimes get stuck on the engine.
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