I am a man of routines. Of many routines in fact. From my morning routine (writing, breakfast, news, work) to exercise (start the week with legs, end with arms), to weekly meal-prepping every Sunday night – but we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here to talk about my oil change routine, aren’t we?

Now I hope you’re already on a routine of regular oil changes to keep your car or truck running right and true. You know I am, and you better believe I have a routine that goes with every oil change. It starts before I ever get dirty. First stop is to recycle the oil from my last oil change and at the same time pick up my new oil and filter from the auto parts store. Not only does this leave me with an empty oil receptacle, but the trip warms up my car enough to start draining the oil. The next steps are pretty standard fare – drain the oil from the sump or reservoir, then change the filter, and finally top it off with a high-quality oil.

You might think that’s the end of your oil change, but my routine is not yet done. Fresh oil keeps my engine’s internal parts moving smoothly (side note: did you know that in a properly working engine, none of the moving parts ever actually touch each other? Your oil is there to create an extremely thin layer between all the pieces of metal and prevent them from ever touching. Neat!), but my car does not run on oil alone. No, it needs fuel. Gasoline to be precise. And you can buy quality gas all day long, but you’re still going to accumulate deposits and contaminants in your filter & pump, inside your injectors, and on your valves and pistons. So as long as you are cleaning up your ride’s oil system, you better believe you should clean up your fuel system too!

I use STP Ultra 5-in-1 Fuel System Cleaner with every oil change to keep my dino juice flowing freely and all my components deposit-free. I like STP because it’s an American company that has been innovating in the petroleum industry since 1954. Also Richard Petty rocked that sweet STP car back in the 70’s. Who doesn’t want to feel like the famed NASCAR driver? I also use STP because it’s been proven to remove an average of 60% of harmful deposits from engine parts and restore 95% of original injector performance. 95%- that’s basically like new.

After a good oil change and fuel system clean, I always cap off the routine with a good carwash so I know my car is as clean outside as it is in the engine. Also, don’t forget the air freshener for a fresh scent. And that’s the full process until it’s time for the next oil change. Cleaning your fuel system doesn’t add any time to your oil change, and it will make sure your trusty steed will stay trusty for years to come. After all, some routines are called relationships…

The post Clean Your Fuel System with Every Oil Change appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

We’ve teamed up with AutoZone to walk you through how to do an oil change on literally any production vehicle (I’m daring you to point out some obscure Citroen on our Facebook page, and yes I’m aware of Tesla)

When do to an Oil Change:

The common rule of thumb is to change your oil every 3 months or 3000, whichever comes first. For most modern cars, this is simply no longer true. Many cars produced since 2000 can go 7000 miles or more without a change thanks to synthetic oils. Check your cars manual or simply google when your car’s scheduled oil changes are, but you can’t go wrong assuming 3 months and doing it early.

What you’ll need:

• Jack and jack stands
• Oil pan or empty bucket
• Wrenches
• New oil filter and possibly a washer for the drain plug
• New oil

How:

Here the process is always the same. Simply –

• Find and watch YouTube videos or read forums showing the process on your particular vehicle
• Drive your car over to a friend who has tools or run your car until the engine is warmed up but not hot enough to burn you. Or burn yourself – your call really.
• Jack up the front of your car and place it on jack stands
• Place the oil pan or bucket underneath your engine
• Locate and remove the big, obvious bolt sticking out of the lowest point of your engine. It won’t look like any other bolts around it. Any YouTube videos or diagrams should show you.
• Drain all the warm oil into your pan or container
• When the flow out has reduced to a trickle, you can remove your oil filter. This will likely be a brightly colored cylinder on the side or bottom of the engine. These sometimes require a special wrench to remove, but can often just be done by hand 
• Once the oil is done flowing out of engine, simply reinstall the bolt (often times with a new washer) just to snug and install the new filter – first rub fresh oil along the rubber gasket of the new filter to aid in creating a tight seal.
• Fill up the car with the required type and amount of oil (again in your manual or online forums)
• Drive to the auto parts store to dispose of the used oil for free, then check your new filter and drain plug for leaks and the level on your dipstick to ensure the oil level is within range
• Assume a smug face now that you’ve successfully done your first oil change

Why:

Doing your own oil change is the first step towards mechanical proficiency. Yes, it will likely cost you the same amount of money and time as it would to just take your car in to a oil change stand, but the sense of accomplishment, bragging rights, and empowerment are certainly not the same. There are generally only two reasons I hear for not tackling an oil change yourself – lack of desire and fear. While I can’t help with the first one, the latter should certainly be solved by the list above.

If you need any help with this or need a DIY garage in Los Angeles, check out Wanderwell Society in Venice. It is a great DIY social club that can help you fix your car, boat, or even washing machine!

The post The Power of the DIY Oil Change appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Get free stuff first!

I mean, does this need to be explained? When you’re trying to get your refund check to stretch as much as possible, free items and services are the obvious choice. Autozone offers:

• Loan-a-tool with 100s of tools
• Parts testing
• Battery system testing and charging
• ECM testing
• Battery testing
• Check engine light testing
• Engine light fix finder (in some states)

All of these help make any repair easier and less expensive. Almost all full service garages charge for these services (if they even offer them), so even if your is outside your DIY comfort level you can shave hundreds of dollars off your shop bill just by positively identifying the culprit first and then buying the replacement yourself. Which brings me to my next point –

Buy your own parts

Professional mechanics and dealership shops often buy replacement parts at a discount, then charge you a premium for them on your bill. This way they make extra on the parts as well as just the repair time. Save yourself this extortion by buying exactly what you need yourself and bringing it in to the shop. Yes, they will most likely charge you a flat fee or % to install “outside” parts, but you’ll still come out ahead by bringing them in yourself. And who knows, having all the parts in your hands might just inspire you to tackle that repair yourself…

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty

If you don’t know the difference between a differential and a torque wrench, you might be shocked to learn just how easy maintenance like an oil change is! Trust me, if an acned teenager at a quick lube place can do it, you can too my friend. Between YouTube, forums, manuals, and handy-friends, there are few common jobs you can’t complete for the cost of parts (and maybe a six pack) alone. Beyond oil changes, new brakes and “tune ups” are some of the most common tax refund projects. You’d likely be shocked to learn just how easy it is to replace brake pads, and rotors are pretty basic too! As far as a “tune up,” let me let you in on a little secret: that phrase doesn’t really have a definition… It generally just means lumping all the basic service items together – air filter, oil, spark plugs, brake fluid, transmission fluid, steering fluid, and maybe maybe valve adjustment. And other than adjusting valves, all of those items are incredibly easy and inexpensive to do yourself.

If you’re still afraid to take advantage of free services, buy your own parts, or get your hands dirty, Autozone has been kind enough to give us a $100 gift card to give away to one of our readers to get them started. Keep your eyes peeled on all our social channels (FB, Insta, Twitter) for that giveaway!

This post is brought to you by AutoZone; the opinions are all mine.

The post The Best Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund on Your Car appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.