How to add oil to a 2006 Chevy Equinox

Things needed:

- 1 quart (or more) of 5W-30 motor oil

- a few paper towels or rags

- a plastic funnel (recommended)

Tips & Warnings:

- Make sure the car has had a while to cool off before touching the engine block or adding oil.  Never try to add oil while the car is on or running.

- A plastic funnel will make adding the oil a little bit easier, but it's not necessary.  Many grocery stores or gas stations will sell small funnels for a dollar or so, and some gas stations give paper funnels out for free.

Oil keeps everything inside your vehicle's engine lubricated and moving smoothly.  If you get regular oil changes, the mechanics or technicians that change your oil should fill it up every time.  Unless your vehicle develops a leak somewhere in the system, you may not ever need to add oil to your 2006 Chevy Equinox's engine.  However, if you do, this guide will walk you through the procedure, step by step.

1. Raise the hood

With the Equinox off, open the driver's side door and pull the hood release lever.  It is a black lever located close to the floor on the left side, and it has a picture of an SUV with its hood raised on it.  Pull the lever toward you, and the hood will unlock.

Once you've pulled the hood release lever, get out of the Equinox and close the door.  Walk around to the front of the vehicle.  With one hand, pull the hood up slightly so that there is enough to room to fit your hand underneath it.  With the other hand, feel around for the hood latch, which will be located right around the middle of the hood, close to the front edge.  Release this latch by pulling it toward you and then push the hood up with your other hand.

While you are holding the hood up, look for the black metal bar lying just past the grill.  It has a couple of bends in it at the end, on the passenger side of the engine compartment.  Pull this bar toward you to release it from the plastic clip that holds it in place and raise it up so that it lines up with the hole in the underside of the hood on the driver's side.  (There is an engraved arrow in the underside of the hood pointing to this hole.)  Fit the bar into this hole and make sure it is properly engaged, and then you can let go of the hood -- the bar will hold it place.  Do not let go of the hood until you are sure the bar is locked in.

2. Check the current oil level

Like almost all gas-powered vehicles, the Equinox has a dipstick that you can use to check how much oil is in the engine.  This dipstick has a yellow handle and is located very close to the front and center of the vehicle, just behind where the license plate is if your Equinox has a front license plate.

Pull on the yellow handle to pull out the dipstick.  It should have some oil on the bottom end of it.  Wipe off the whole length of the dipstick with a paper towel or rag.  Then reinsert the dipstick fully, let it sit for a second, and pull it out again.

Now check to see how high up the dipstick the oil goes.  There are several small holes in the bottom end of the dipstick -- oil will get caught in those holes, so see how many holes have oil droplets in them.  If all of them do, you probably have enough oil in the engine.  If none of them do, you definitely need to add oil.

3. Add oil

Wipe off the dipstick again and set it to the side somewhere out of the way.  Now open the oil cover, located near the middle of the engine block.  It is a round black cover with a picture of an oil can and a drop of oil coming out on it, and it will say 5W-30 on it (the type of oil this engine takes).  Twist the cover counter-clockwise until it won't twist any more, then pull it straight up.  Set the cover somewhere safe but out of the way.

If you have a funnel, set the small end of it into the opening left by the oil cover.  Open a quart of 5W-30 motor oil and slowly pour the oil into the funnel (or if you don't have a funnel, directly into the oil reservoir).  Add about a quarter of a quart at a time, and give the oil a minute or two to settle.  Then reinsert the dipstick and check the oil level again.

If all of the holes on the dipstick are covered in oil, you shouldn't need to add any more oil.  If the oil level is still low, repeat this step to add more oil, and check the level again after another quarter quart.  Make sure not to add too much oil -- it will cause excessive smoke and make the engine to run erratically, or not at all.

4. Clean up and close up

Once you've added enough oil, put the oil cap back on by sticking it into the hole and twisting it clockwise until it's tight.  Put the dipstick back into its well, and wipe any excess oil off of the engine block or anywhere else it might have dripped.

Lift the hood slightly so you can disengage the rod that holds it up, then lay the rod back across the front of the car and slide it into the white or gray plastic clip that keeps it in place.  Close the hood and make sure it latches.  Just to make sure everything is okay, start the car and let it run for a couple of minutes.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)