How Long Does It Take to Change the Engine Oil for a Car?
4 Answers
Changing the engine oil for a car takes about 10 minutes. The method for changing the engine oil is as follows: 1. Lift the car, remove the protective plate, and place a container with a capacity of about 10 liters below the oil drain screw; 2. Unscrew the oil drain screw, use an air gun to blow for two minutes at the oil filler port, tighten the oil drain screw after draining, and wipe it with a tissue to check for oil leaks; 3. Reinstall the protective plate, lower the car, and use a funnel to add oil through the oil filler port. The functions of engine oil include: lubrication, auxiliary cooling, cleaning, sealing and leak prevention, rust and corrosion prevention, shock absorption, and wear resistance. Engine oil is categorized into mineral oil, semi-synthetic oil, and full synthetic oil.
When getting an oil change at a repair shop, you should generally budget about an hour. This includes check-in registration, vehicle inspection, lifting the car to drain the old oil, replacing the oil filter, adding new oil, and performing a quick inspection. If the shop has a queue or the technicians are busy, it might take longer. Last time I went on a Saturday morning, I waited half an hour before they started working, and the whole process took over 80 minutes. After the oil change, they'll usually check things like tire pressure and brake pads—it's time-consuming but worthwhile. I recommend avoiding peak hours and making an appointment in advance to save time waiting. Of course, the actual work time is only about 30 minutes; most of the time is spent on process transitions.
The core steps of an oil change boil down to three actions: draining old oil, replacing the filter, and adding new oil. An experienced technician can complete the job in about twenty minutes. Some vehicle undercarriages are designed for convenience, allowing direct access to the drain plug without removing protective panels. The tricky part might be the oil filter location—some are tucked deep within engine crevices, requiring extra time to locate. If the vehicle owner pre-selects the correct oil grade instead of having the technician recommend options on-site, this can save an additional five minutes. Always remember to run the engine for two minutes afterward to verify proper oil pressure and check for leaks. The entire process resembles cooking a quick meal—with all ingredients prepared, it's remarkably efficient.
I changed the engine oil myself for the first time and it took me nearly two hours. Positioning the jack and laying out the oil-proof mat was tricky, and I had to be careful not to get burned when draining the old oil. The biggest hassle was the oil filter being screwed on too tight to remove, so I had to run to the hardware store for a specialized wrench. The second time around, I had more experience: I pre-warmed the engine to improve the old oil's flow and had all the tools ready, finishing in forty minutes. The most time-consuming part of DIY is disposing of the used oil, as I have to drive it to a recycling center. While it saves money, it's physically demanding—I wouldn't recommend trying it on rainy days or in winter, as it's easy to dirty your clothes and freeze.
