🔧 Enclave - Engine Oil & Oil Filter Replacement

You’ll drain the old engine oil, replace the oil filter, then refill with fresh oil to keep your Enclave’s 3.6L properly lubricated and protected. The only “messy” parts are the drain plug and the filter, so take your time and keep things clean.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 1.0-1.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a cool-to-warm engine, not fully hot (hot oil can burn you).
• ⚠️ Always support the Enclave with jack stands on solid ground; never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep oil off the exhaust and rubber bushings; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses.

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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) x2
• Wheel chocks x2
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (8-quart minimum)
• Funnel
• Shop towels
• Ratchet
• Socket set: 7mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm
• Torque wrench (10-50 ft-lbs range)
• Oil filter wrench (adjustable band type)
• Oil filter cap socket set: 24mm, 27mm
• Trim clip remover

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Engine oil (dexos1 Gen 2, full synthetic 5W-30) - 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.
• Chock the rear wheels using wheel chocks.
• Warm the engine for 2–3 minutes, then shut it off (warm oil drains faster).
• If your Enclave has an underbody splash shield, plan to remove the small service panel (or the shield) for access.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise and support the Enclave

• Place wheel chocks x2 behind the rear tires.
• Lift the front using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the correct front jacking point.
• Set the front down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) (one per side).
• Give the vehicle a gentle shake test.

Step 2: Remove the underbody access panel (if equipped)

• Slide your drain pan (8-quart minimum) under the engine area.
• Remove fasteners using a 7mm socket or 10mm socket (some shields use bolts, others use screws).
• If there are plastic clips, pop them out with a trim clip remover.

Step 3: Drain the engine oil

• Locate the oil pan drain plug and position the drain pan (8-quart minimum) under it.
• Loosen the drain plug using a 13mm socket or 15mm socket on a ratchet (use the one that fits snugly).
• Finish removing the plug by hand, then let the oil drain fully (usually 5–10 minutes).
• Clean the drain plug and replace the seal with the new drain plug gasket or seal.
• Reinstall the drain plug and tighten with a torque wrench: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 4: Replace the oil filter (choose your filter type)

• Wipe around the filter area using shop towels to keep dirt out.
• Option A (Spin-on metal can filter, usually accessed from underneath):
  • Use an oil filter wrench (adjustable band type) to loosen the filter, then spin it off by hand.
  • Make sure the old rubber gasket isn’t stuck to the engine (double-gasket leaks are common).
  • Lightly oil the new filter’s rubber gasket with fresh oil (dip a gloved finger).
  • Install the new filter by hand until the gasket touches, then tighten 3/4 turn more by hand.
• Option B (Cartridge filter in a plastic/aluminum cap, often accessed from the top):
  • Place shop towels around the housing to catch drips.
  • Use a 24mm socket or 27mm socket on a ratchet to loosen the filter cap (use the one that fits snugly).
  • Replace the cartridge and the cap O-ring included with the filter (wipe the groove clean first).
  • Reinstall the cap and tighten with a torque wrench: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Reinstall the splash shield/access panel

• Reinstall fasteners using a 7mm socket or 10mm socket.
• Remove any remaining clips with the trim clip remover only if they’re misaligned, then reseat them.

Step 6: Refill the engine with oil

• Lower the Enclave off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Open the hood and remove the oil fill cap.
• Insert a funnel and add Engine oil (dexos1 Gen 2, full synthetic 5W-30): start with 5.5 quarts.
• Wait 1 minute, then check the dipstick and top off slowly to the full mark (most end up around 6 quarts with filter).

Step 7: Start, check for leaks, and recheck level

• Start the engine and let it idle for 30–60 seconds.
• Shut the engine off and look underneath for leaks at the drain plug and oil filter.
• Wait 5 minutes, then recheck the dipstick and adjust oil level if needed.

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✅ After Repair

• Reset the Oil Life Monitor on the driver info display:
  • Use the steering wheel controls to navigate to the Oil Life screen.
  • Press and hold SET/CLR until it resets to 100%.
• Test drive 5–10 minutes, then do one final quick leak check.
• Dispose of used oil and the old filter at a recycling center or parts store (never dump oil).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $120-$220 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $40-$85 (parts only)

You Save: $80-$135 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.