Changing Your Mustang’s Oil
Proper maintenance is the key to keeping your pony at the head of the herd. Often overlooked, changing you’re Mustang’s oil is one of the most important maintenance services you can perform. Don’t mind alittle grease under your fingernails? Want to save a few bucks every few months? Changing your own oil isn’t as intimidating as it might seem, and we’re here to prove it.
Before we begin, note that this oil change is being performed on a 1999 Ford Mustang V6, so you’re oil capacity and undercar shots may look alittle different depending on what you’re driving. It’s important to look in your owner’s manual or call your local parts store for how many quarts of oil and the right oil filter to use before you break out the jackstands. It’s also usually a good idea to have a wife or girlfriend handy to run back and forth to the parts store for you repeatedly to get the wrong parts just in case you need them (kidding). At any rate, here’s what to expect…
Expected Materials & Price
- Purchased for Every Oil Change:
- Oil - 5 quarts 5w30 Castrol GTX - $15
- Oil Filter - K&N Oil Filter - $11
- Purchased only for the first oil change (reusable materials):
- Jack
- Jackstands
- Legal Oil Transport Container
- Oil Filter Removal Tool
- Socket or Wrench for Drain Plug
- Funnel
Changing The Oil and Filter
The whole procedure (we say this as if you’re car’s going under the knife and it’ll be the last time you see her. Make sure to say “I Love You” … kidding again) is going to take about 30 minutes. In 10 easy steps you’ll be on your way to a clean oil filter and a few quarts of clean oil in your ponycar’s crankcase.
1. Warm up engine for a few minutes so the oil drains more easily.
2. Pop the hood and jack the car. Remember to support the vehicle with jackstands!
3. Remove the engine oil cap on the valve cover. Now, go underneath the car and place the oil transfer container (the one used here doubles as a drain pan) under the car.
4. Remove the oil drain plug with the correct socket or wrench size. I purchased a new 15mm drain plug that has a new gasket attached to it.
5. Now, remove the oil filter with the oil filter wrench. The filter is still full of oil, so be careful not to spill any oil as you loosen and remove the filter.
6. Next, lubricate the gasket on the new oil filter with some of the old oil. This ensures a clean and secure installation of the new oil filter.
7. Now, reinstall the oil drain plug. You may begin cleaning up under the car now. Pull the oil transfer container out from under the car and secure its lid. You need to dispose of all used oil in a legal and environmentally friendly way. Autoparts stores will allow you to dispose of your oil there in large containers.
8. Now, you can add the recommended amount of oil to your car through a funnel via the engine oil location on the valve cover. For this model Mustang, I added 5 quarts of Castrol GTX 5w30 motor oil.
9. Reinstall the engine oil cap.
10. Lower the car.
Finally, clean up your work area and start your engine. You have just successfully changed the oil in your Ford Mustang. Now you are ready for 3k miles or 3 more months of street terror!