In the early 1990s, the SUV realm moved from rugged to luxurious. In 1993, Jeep released the Grand Cherokee to enter this new niche market. The 1995 Grand Cherokee came standard with a 180-horsepower, 4.0-liter in-line six cylinder engine and had an optional 235-horsepower, 5.2-liter V-8 available only on four-wheel drive models. Jeep recommends replacing the engine oil and filter every 7,500 miles. This is a basic procedure that all do-it-yourself mechanics should learn to perform.
Open the Grand Cherokee's hood and remove the oil filler cap -- this provides ventilation to the crankcase during draining.
Lift the Grand Cherokee's front end, using a floor jack, and slide jack stands under the SUV's frame rails. Lower the vehicle until only the jack stands support its weight.
Crawl beneath the Grand Cherokee and locate the oil pan -- the large metal pan on the bottom of the engine. Position a drain pan under the drain plug in the oil pan. Loosen the drain plug, using the closed end of a 16 mm combination wrench. Remove the drain plug by hand.
Pull the gasket from the drain plug. Clean the drain plug, using a clean, lint-free cloth, and install a new gasket. Once the oil draining from the oil pan slows to only a few drips, hand-tighten the drain plug into the oil pan. Tighten the drain plug to 25 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket.
Locate the oil filter, the roughly 4-inch long cylinder to the side of the oil pan. Position the drain pan under the oil filter and loosen the filter with an oil filter wrench to drain the oil.
Remove the oil filter by hand once all of the oil drains from the filter. Set the filter in the drain pan.
Clean the oil filter mating surface on the engine, using a clean, lint-free cloth. Check that the O-ring from the old filter did not stick to the mating surface. If it did, pull it off with your hands.
Place a small amount of new engine oil on your fingers and coat the O-ring on the base of the new oil filter with new oil. This allows you to tighten the oil filter without the O-ring binding.
Tighten the oil filter onto the engine until it makes contact with the mating surface on the engine. Tighten the oil filter one additional turn to seal it.
Raise the Grand Cherokee off the jack stands, using the floor jack, and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the SUV to the ground.
Insert a funnel into the oil filler hole and pour in 5 qts. of 5W-30 engine oil in a 5.2-liter engine, and 6 qts. of 5W-30 oil in a 4.0-liter engine.
Remove the engine oil dipstick and wipe off the oil, using a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the oil dipstick and remove it again. Check that the oil level within the "Safe" zone on the end of the dipstick. Add additional oil as needed.
Remove the funnel and close the oil filler cap. Start the Grand Cherokee's engine and allow it to run for about two minutes. Shut the engine down. Check and adjust the oil level following Step 12.
Close the Cherokee's hood.
Insert a funnel into an empty oil bottle and pour old oil from the drain pan into the bottle until it's full. Close the bottle. Repeat this process until all of the old oil is in bottles. Take the bottles of old oil and the old filter to a local oil-recycling facility. Many auto parts stores take used oil free of charge.
