How to Change EVERY FLUID in your Car or Truck (Oil, Transmission, Coolant, Brake, and More), by ChrisFix on YouTube. 38 min 54 s.
- Video length
- 38 min 54 s
- Time to do it
- 3 to 4 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Park on level ground and let the engine cool. Chock the wheels, lift the car with a jack and set it on jack stands before you go underneath.
Engine oil: slide a drain pan under the sump, pull the drain plug and let it drain fully. Fit a new washer and filter, refit the plug to the torque spec and refill with the grade in your owner's manual.
Transmission fluid: check whether your car has a dipstick or a fill plug, drain the fluid, then pump in the exact fluid the manual lists. Cycle through the gears and recheck the level.
Coolant: with the engine cold, open the radiator drain, flush with water until it runs clear, then refill with a 50/50 mix. Run the engine with the heater on to burp trapped air.
Power steering: use a suction pump to pull fluid out of the reservoir, refill it, turn the wheel lock to lock and repeat until the fluid stays clean.
Brake fluid: siphon the old fluid from the reservoir, then bleed each caliper in the order your manual gives, topping up the reservoir so it never runs dry.
Differential and transfer case: loosen the fill plug first, drain the old gear oil, then pump new fluid in until it just drips from the fill hole.
Grease every suspension fitting with a grease gun, then fill the washer bottle with fluid mixed to the ratio on the label for your climate.
Tips and common mistakes
Crack the fill plug loose before draining a gearbox or differential, so you are not stuck with a dry unit and a stuck plug.
Pour used oil, coolant and brake fluid into sealed containers and take them to a local recycling centre.
Recheck levels after a short drive, because trapped air can make a fresh fill read low.
Wear gloves and glasses, and never open a hot cooling system.
Questions
How often should I change these fluids?
Check your owner's manual, since intervals vary a lot between cars. Oil is changed most often, while coolant and brake fluid last several years.
Can I mix different brands of coolant?
Only if they meet the same specification. Mixing different chemistries can clog the system, so use the type your manual names.
Do I need a full flush or just a drain and refill?
A drain and refill is fine for routine servicing. A full flush is worth it if the fluid is dark or the service history is unknown.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
