Change the Oil

• 1). Lift your Oldsmobile Alero using a jack and then place the car on jack stands. If you don't have jack stands, drive the Alero onto a set of wheel ramps.
  
  
• 2). Pop the hood and remove the dipstick and oil filler cap. The dipstick is on the left front of the engine. Find the oil fill cap on the right of the valve cover.
  
  
• 3). Gather an oil drip pan, a socket wrench, oil filter wrench, cleaning cloths and a new oil filter. Slide under your Oldsmobile Alero.
  
  
• 4). Locate the oil filter and oil drain plug underneath the car. Look on the bottom of the oil pain to find the oil drain plug; the filter is on the front left side of the engine.
  
  
• 5). Remove the oil drain plug with a wrench. Pull the plug out and let the oil drain for 10 to 15 minutes, until it stops or slows to dripping into the drain pan. Check the gasket and threads for damage. Replace any damaged parts.
  
  
• 6). Take off the oil filter with an oil filter wrench. Dump the old oil into the oil drip pan and put on the new oil filter. Tighten the oil filter by hand and replace the oil drain plug. Clean off the excess oil.
  
  
• 7). Move the jack stands and lower the Oldsmobile Alero or drive it off the wheel ramps. Go under the hood and add oil. Turn on the engine and check that the oil pressure gauge rises.
  
  
• 8). Let your Oldsmobile run for a minute, and then turn off the engine. Take an oil reading on the dipstick. If the oil level isn't at full, add more oil.