Oil is the blood of our cars. And like blood, having a lump of crap getting stuck in a tube somewhere is not going to be a pleasent thing! So if you don't do any other maintainence to your car, you should change the engine oil once a year.
I tend to change mine more than that. Once a year I'll do a full service, and if I've been doing a lot of miles I'll change the oil after 6 months, or if it's been left for a while.
It sounds like something best left to the experts, but it's not that hard. Plus, I've heard enough stories about dodgy mechanics(no offence to the professionals out there) to want to KNOW what's gone into the engine of my car.
You will need:
  • 4 litres of oil
  • Oil flush (Optional)
  • Oil filter (MZ690070 - £7.67)
  • Sump plug washer (MD050317 - 62p)
  • An oil catcher or old bowl
  • 17 mm spanner
  • Paper towels


    • The choice of oil catcher it pretty important. The first time I did an oil change I borrowed a friends. The second time I bought one, but the wrong one. The one I bought is like a 6 litre cannister with a hole on the side. The idea is you lay it on it's side, let the oil fall on top and it will find it's way to the hole. Nice idea. Doesn't work.
    The one I borrowed and would buy everytime again, is a big bowl/tray with a spout at one edge for pouring it out afterwards. If you're buying one, buy this one.
    Ideally, you want to jack the front of the car up, with the passenger side higher than the drivers. If you can't do that, raise the drivers side a few inches by parking on a kerb.
    Before you do anything else, make sure this won't turn into a nightmare because you can't get the sump plug out. Especially do this if you are going to use Oil Flush. Now crawl under the car and find the sump plug. It's on the back of the sump, by the drivers side wheel. Use the 17mm spanner to make sure you can move it a bit. Once you can, tighten it back up. Get your engine up to running temperature. This thins the oil and makes it come out easier. Running speed means the OIL is warm, not just the water. If you have a oil temp gauge, great, but if not, leave it for 5-10 minutes after the water is warm.
    Using Oil Flush is optional. If you weren't there to witness the last oil change, I'd recommend using it. It's only 4 or 5 quid. Follow the instructions. Normally it's a case of, get it warm, put it in, leave it idling at 1500rpm for 15 minutes. Place the oil catcher under the sump plug, and use a couple of squares of kitchen roll to make a little Rambo tie around your wrist. Take the oil filler cap off and place it on so that air can get it, but anything else shouldn't. This will allow the oil to flow out smoother. Start loosening the sump plug slowly. When it goes it will go with a spurt and will probably run down your arm (hence the Rambo). Try to catch the plug or you'll have to fish it out of the old oil. This may be the part where you start frantically throwing paper towels under the car to save the driveway!
    Leave it to drain fully. When it's done, you can start on the oil filter. This is positioned fairly centrally, on the front of the main engine block. Move your oil catcher under the little run-off tray and slowly loosen the oil filter. If it's being playful, a rubber glove is good for extra grip. You can get filter removal tools, which is preferable to the last resort...jamming a screwdriver through it and using that to turn it. DON'T lever it off, you'll mess up the threads. Shortly after you hear pops and gurgles, it should start to leak oil, which should fall onto the run-off tray, and into your catcher. Let as much as you can escape this way, and then remove the oil filter all together. There's still a lot of oil in that, so be careful.
    OK, it's time for filling. Change the washer on the sump plug and put it back in and tighten it up. Dip a finger in your new oil and run it round the rubber gasket on your new oil filter, then screw it back on, but only hand tight. Now you can dump your 4 litres of oil in. The Mitsubishi manuals say that the engine should take 4.3 litres, but I've found that 4 litres puts the lever just below maximum.
    Replace the oil filler cap, lower the car and run the engine for 10 minutes, and check the oil levels again.
    When it comes to getting rid of the old oil, pour the old oil into the new oil cannister and take it to the dump. This is another point when the tray type oil catchers come in handy as they have a spout to help with this.