🔧 Savana - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Change

Changing the oil and filter keeps your Savana’s engine lubricated and clean, which reduces wear and helps it last longer. You’ll drain the old oil, replace the filter, then refill with the correct oil and verify the level.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 0.8-1.5 hours

Assumption: Stock oil pan and filter housing; typical drain plug is 15mm and oil is 5W-30 dexos.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the rear wheels before lifting.
• ⚠️ Let the engine cool 15-30 minutes; hot oil can burn you.
• ⚠️ Support with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep oil off belts/exhaust; clean spills right away.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this service.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (10-quart minimum)
• 15mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• Torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• Oil filter wrench (cap or band type)
• Funnel
• Shop rags
• Trim clip tool

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (5W-30 full synthetic, dexos1 Gen 2) - Qty: 6 quarts
• Oil filter - Qty: 1
• Drain plug gasket or seal - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind both rear wheels.
• Warm the engine for 2-3 minutes, then shut it off. Warm oil drains faster.
• If your Savana has a lower splash shield, be ready to remove it for access.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and support the front

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front at the recommended jacking point.
• Set the van onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Give the vehicle a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove any splash shield (if equipped)

• Use a trim clip tool to remove plastic push-clips.
• Use a 3/8" drive ratchet with the appropriate socket (if bolts are present) to remove fasteners.
• Set the shield and fasteners aside in a small pile so nothing gets lost.

Step 3: Drain the old engine oil

• Position the drain pan (10-quart minimum) under the oil pan drain plug.
• Use a 15mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to loosen the drain plug.
• Finish unthreading the plug by hand and pull it away quickly so the oil streams into the pan.
• Let it drain until it slows to an occasional drip (usually 5-10 minutes).

Step 4: Reinstall the drain plug

• Wipe the drain plug and the oil pan sealing surface with shop rags.
• Install a new drain plug gasket or seal if your plug uses one.
• Thread the plug in by hand first (this prevents cross-threading).
• Use a torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range) with a 15mm socket: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Remove the old oil filter

• Move the drain pan (10-quart minimum) under the oil filter area (more oil will spill).
• Use an oil filter wrench (cap or band type) to loosen the filter.
• Spin it off by hand and keep the open end facing up to reduce spills.
• Make sure the old rubber gasket came off with the old filter (a stuck gasket can cause a leak).

Step 6: Install the new oil filter

• Wipe the filter mounting surface with shop rags.
• Put a light film of fresh oil on the new filter’s rubber gasket using a gloved finger. This helps it seal.
• Thread the new filter on by hand until the gasket touches, then tighten 3/4 turn by hand.
• Do not use the filter wrench to tighten (it’s mainly for removal).

Step 7: Refill with new oil

• Lower the van off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the oil fill cap on top of the engine and insert a funnel.
• Pour in 5.5 quarts of engine oil (5W-30 full synthetic, dexos1 Gen 2) first.
• Reinstall the oil fill cap.

Step 8: Start, check for leaks, and set the final oil level

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30-60 seconds.
• Shut it off and wait 5 minutes for oil to drain back to the pan.
• Check underneath with safety glasses on: look at the drain plug and oil filter for leaks.
• Pull the dipstick, wipe it with shop rags, reinsert, then read the level.
• Add oil in small amounts using the funnel until it reaches the full mark (typically ends up around ~6 quarts total with filter).

Step 9: Reinstall splash shield (if removed)

• Reinstall the shield and fasteners using the trim clip tool and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Wipe any oily areas clean with shop rags.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine again and recheck for leaks after a short 2-3 minute idle.
• Recheck the dipstick level once more after your first short drive.
• Dispose of used oil and the old filter properly (most parts stores accept both for recycling).
• If your Savana has an oil life monitor, reset it using the driver information display (if equipped).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $90-$160 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $35-$70 (parts only)

You Save: $55-$90 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.8-1.2 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.