How to Change the Oil Filter on a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora 3.5 Litre

Oldsmobile offered the Aurora from 1995 until 2003. Built on the Cadillac G-Platform, the Aurora also made use of the LX5 Shortstar 3.5-liter V-6 engine based on the Cadillac Northstar V-8. Both engines required regular maintenance, including oil and oil filter changes. Cadillac recommended replacing the oil every 3,000 or 5,000 miles depending on the driving conditions. When preparing to perform the oil and filter change on an Aurora, consider the car's current mileage, because using full synthetic oil on a high-mileage vehicle can contribute to oil leakage.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 car ramps
  • 2 wheel chocks
  • Drain pan
  • 13 mm box wrench
  • Oil filter wrench
  • New Oil filter
  • Rags
  • Funnel
  • 6 quarts 5w30 oil
  • Drive the Aurora's front wheels onto the car ramps. Place the transmission in park, set the parking brake and shut off the engine. Brace the left-rear wheel with two wheel chocks to hold the Aurora in place.

  • Open the hood. Pull the engine oil dipstick out of the dipstick tube several inches. Remove the oil filler cap.

  • Slide under the front end of the Aurora with the drain pan, 13 mm box wrench, oil filter wrench and new oil filter. Center the drain pan under the engine oil drain plug. Remove the engine oil drain pan plug with the 13 mm box wrench and allow the oil to drain completely.

  • Thread the drain plug back in by hand. Tighten it with the box wrench, but do not over-tighten it; once the drain plug head touches the pan, turn the plug 1/4-turn farther.

  • Slide the drain pan over and center it under the oil filter. Remove the oil filter with the oil filter wrench and set it in the drain pan. Apply a thin layer of used oil to the seal on the new oil filter to aid in seal adhesion, and then install the new filter by hand. Once the filter gasket touches the engine, turn the filter 3/4-turn more. Do not over-tighten.

  • Clean the area with rags to remove any oil that spilled on the vehicle. Climb out from under the Aurora with the drain pan, tools and old filter. Place the funnel into the oil filler neck. Pour five quarts of 5w30 engine oil into the funnel.

  • Remove the funnel and reinstall the engine oil cap. Push the engine oil dipstick down into the dipstick tube completely.

  • Start the engine, wait for the engine oil pressure light to turn off and then shut the engine off. Wait two minutes. Pull the dipstick, wipe it off and reinsert it. Pull it back out and check the oil level on the stick, which should be near the top of the cross-hatch.

  • Add more oil through the oil filler neck, if necessary, until the oil reaches the top of the dipstick crosshatch. Do not add more than one pint at a time to avoid accidental over-filling.

  • Remove the wheel chocks. Drive the Aurora off the car ramps carefully.