The use of a barrel funnel comes in handy for a number of jobs around the house. For someone that prefers to change their oil the funnel is an essential part of the maintenance process. Oil changes that are done in the garage by the car's owner can be a rewarding experience. Just being able to drain the dark liquid from the oil pan and replace it with fresh clean oil keeps an engine running smoothly while reducing emissions and extending the life of the vehicle. Manufacturers recommend oil changes every 3,000 mile or three months whichever comes first and for the do it yourself mechanic the at-home oil change requires a few simple tools to help with the process. Before opening up the oil pan drain you will need a large flat bucket or container that can catch the 5 or 6 quarts of dirty oil that are being drained from the engine block. Auto parts stores have a selection of plastic containers that are designed specifically for this purpose.
When changing the oil it is a good idea to have a roll of shop towels on hand to pick up any spills and clean up the drips that inevitably come once the oil pan is emptied. As a safety precaution a cold or cooling engine is preferred when changing the oil. A hot engine can burn the mechanic as oil that is superheated by the engine can be very dangerous to work with. Once the oil has been drained out the next step for the novice mechanic is to swap out the oil filter this is just as important to the process as the clean oil is to the engine because the filter gets congested and dirty and that affects the performance of the engine.
Again purchased from an auto parts store the oil filter is replaced by unscrewing the old filter and before installing the replacement adding a small amount of fresh oil to the seal then tightening it by hand. The final step in the process is to refill the engine with clean oil. But before that can happen return to the pan under the engine and securely tighten the restraining bolt on the drain to prevent the oil from running through the engine and out onto the driveway. Using a barrel funnel to pour the clean oil from its container into the opening on top of the engine the do-it-yourself mechanic can complete the job and gain the satisfaction of changing their own oil themselves. The dirt oil that can been collected can then be taken to the same auto parts store where the filter and oil were purchased so that it can be properly disposed of.