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1993-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Oil Change

The Cadillac Northstar V8 is widely known to...

iFixit Library 1993-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Moderate 30 - 45 minutes Guide 6468

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Guide overview

Before you begin

The Cadillac Northstar V8 is widely known to consume more oil than most engines—as much as a quart every 1,000 miles. Though you may be adding new oil fairly frequently, it's important that you still change your engine oil and filter every 3,000-5,000 miles, depending on your driving conditions. Cadillac (as well as many automotive experts) strongly discourage the use of any oil additives, even those that claim to decrease oil consumption.

Step 1

Repair step

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Place a jack underneath the frame near the passenger side front wheel.
Raise the car with the jack until you can work comfortably under the car.
Place a jack stand on the frame immediately behind the jack.
Slowly lower the jack until the car is resting on the jack stand and remove the jack.
Most hydraulic jacks are lowered by placing the end of the handle over a knob and turning it counter-clockwise. Consult your owner's manual if you don't know how to lower your jack.
Never work underneath a car that is only supported by a jack. It may slip or fail, resulting in serious injury or death.

Step 2

Draining the old oil

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Always wear gloves and eye protection when working with automotive fluids. If your car has been running recently, the engine and exhaust components may be very hot.
Locate the oil drain plug along the side of the oil pan. It is a 14 mm hex bolt that faces towards the driver side of the car.
Place an oil drain pan under the oil drain plug to catch the old oil.
Use a 14 mm box end wrench to loosen the drain plug until you can turn it by hand.

Step 3

Repair step

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Continue to loosen the drain plug by hand until it comes free and oil begins to drain.
Watch the draining oil for shiny specks. These could be small flakes of metal which may indicate a very serious problem with your engine internals.
While the oil is draining, wipe off the drain plug with a clean rag or towel.
Remove the old drain plug gasket and replace it with a new one. Be sure that the new gasket fits over the threads of the drain plug.

Step 4

Repair step

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Wipe off the area on the oil pan around the drain plug with a clean rag or towel.
Reinstall the drain plug and tighten it by hand first.
Use a box end wrench to tighten the drain plug until it is snug, but do not over-tighten it.
Over-tightening the drain plug may strip the threads or crack the oil pan. You can always go back and tighten the drain plug later if you notice any leaks.

Step 5

Removing the oil filter

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The oil filter is located right next to the oil pan underneath the car.
Loosen the oil filter by turning it counter-clockwise with your hand or an oil filter wrench.
Oil will begin to run down the sides of the filter. If you wish, you may let this oil drain first before removing the filter.
Once the filter comes off, place it with the open end facing down in the oil drain pan to allow the oil to drain out of it.

Step 6

Repair step

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Dip a clean, gloved finger into a new bottle of oil and spread a thin layer of oil onto the gasket of the new oil filter.
This layer of oil will ensure a good seal and make removing the filter easier at the next oil change.
Fill the filter up about half way with new oil.
Having oil in the filter before starting the car will reduce the amount of time it takes for your car to regain proper oil pressure.

Step 7

Repair step

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Wipe off the oil filter threads and contact area on the engine with a clean rag or towel.
Place the new oil filter over the threads and turn it clockwise until it is snug.

Step 8

Repair step

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Place the jack on the frame and raise the car until it is no longer resting on the jack stand.
Slowly remove the jack stand and lower the car to the ground.

Step 9

Repair step

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Locate the hood release lever near the driver side footwell and pull it until you hear the hood click open.
Lift the hood release latch near the center of the front grill and raise the hood.

Step 10

Repair step

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Locate the oil filler cap on the passenger side valve cover.
Remove the oil filler cap by turning it counter-clockwise and lifting it off of the valve cover.

Step 11

Adding new oil

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Place a funnel into the oil filler hole.
Insert the end of your funnel into a piece of clean tubing if your funnel is not skinny enough to reach the filler hole.
Pour 5 quarts of 5W-30 or 10W-30 oil into the funnel.
If you live in an especially cold environment, use 5W-30 oil for its superior performance at cold temperatures.
Reinstall the oil filler cap and tighten it by turning it clockwise until it is snug.

Step 12

Repair step

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Remove the dipstick from your engine.
Wipe it down with a towel or rag to remove all the oil and ensure an accurate reading.
Reinsert the dipstick, then remove it. Oil should now cover the end of the dipstick up to the top hole.
The top hole is the maximum oil level, and the bottom hole is the minimum oil level.
You can add or remove oil as you see fit. Note that the oil level reading may be a little high if the oil has not yet seeped into the nooks and crannies of the engine. For a more accurate reading, drive the car around for a bit, then take another reading.

Step 13

Repair step

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Lower the hood, then firmly press down on it until you hear it click back into place.

Step 14

Repair step

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Allow 12-24 hours for all of the oil to drain out of the old oil filter.
Take your old oil and filter to a recycling facility. Most auto parts stores and repair shops accept these at no charge to you. In addition, some cities and/or counties have a service where they will collect used oil and filters from your home. For more information, see the American Petroleum Institute's web page on used motor oil collection and recycling.