Many of the video's on YouTube are done by rank amateurs and although they mean well, they are woefully ignorant with the information they provide and in many cases if their advice is followed, you'll put your life at risk!
Before changing the oil, make sure the engine is warmed up so the oil will flow freely out of the engine. Remove the oil dipstick and also the oil fill cap before changing the oil. This will equalize the atmospheric pressures and allow the old oil to drain out much faster and more completely. The oil will be hot, so be very careful not to burn your hands.
It is also a good idea to get a new oil pan drain plug gasket to replace the old one so it doesn't leak. They are not expensive and usually cost less than $1.
Before installing the oil filter, coat the oil filter gasket with new oil. This provides some lubrication to the gasket so it doesn't distort and tear, which will lead to an oil leak. Pour some new oil into the oil filter, as this will help reduce the metal-to-metal rapid wear that occurs after an oil change and the resulting dry start.
When installing the new oil filter, all you need to do is make it hand tight. The instructions on the oil filter box will advise you of this. Over-tightening the oil filter can cause the gasket to distort and tear with a resulting oil leak.
Make sure when you remove the old oil filter that the gasket comes with it. It's not uncommon, (especially if the oil filter was over-tightened), for the old gasket to remain stuck to the oil filter mounting plate. Then when you install the new oil filter, it's double-gasketed and you'll have a big oil leak. No fun.
When draining the oil, make sure you allow enough time for all the old oil to drain out. This takes at least an hour, sometimes more. If you're going to do something, might as well do it right.
Also invest in a $5 box of neoprene rubber gloves to protect your hands/skin from the used oil. Used oil has a plethora of carcinogens, (cancer causing), chemicals in it, particularly petroleum oils that are contaminated right out of the bottle with napthenes, benyzenes, countless compounds of sulfur, waxes, asphalts., etc. When you pour these contaminants into the engine right out of a new bottle of petroleum oil, they combine with blowby gases to create other very nasty and corrosive acids that eat away at all the bearing surfaces, etc., of your engine. Not so hot. High quality synthetic oils are devoid of the contaminants that are naturally present in petroleum oils. Top flight synthetic oils like AMSOIL far outperform petroleum oils. See my website below for more information.
When doing the oil change, don't make the mistake of only using a jack to support the weight of the vehicle. Jacks are not designed to do this and the seals can blow, with the result being the car collapsing on top of you, which can shall we say, really ruin your day. Invest in a good set of jack stands and position them properly. Also chock the rear tires, (the front and back side of the tire), so the car will not roll and then also collapse on top of you.
Get a $5 pair of safety goggles from your local auto parts store before you crawl under your car to do the oil change. Dirt, rust and debris is always disturbed when you are under a car and when that falls into your eyes, it can seriously damage your vision. Your vision is very important of course and this is nothing to play around with. Get safely goggles and always wear them when under a car. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
With the old oil, you can dispose of it for free at any auto parts store or quick lube. Don't just go dumping it down a storm drain or on the ground somewhere, as this causes massive pollution of water. One gallon of used motor oil is enough to contaminate one million gallons of drinking water to the point it would be unsafe to drink.
I hope this helps you out. Let us know how it goes.
I never made that mistake again! :laughing: