Engine Oil Change
2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
Also fits the GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL: same vehicle, different badge.
The 2014 Tahoe's 5.3L V8 (LMG or LC9, RWD or 4WD) makes for a straightforward oil change — GM rates it Easy, and the page's time estimate backs that up. The one thing that turns it into a mess: that drain plug points straight back toward the frame instead of down, so the whole game is where you put the pan. Check the specs and steps before you start; the numbers on the plug and filter matter more than usual here.
How Rough Is This Going to Be? Know what you're getting into.
Get it up on ramps or stands, then pull the fill cap and crack the dipstick before you touch anything underneath — it helps the oil actually move. The drain plug faces rearward, so oil doesn't just fall, it launches back a bit before settling into a drip, so pan placement matters. The filter sits on the driver side and comes off separately, so you'll be repositioning the pan mid-job. The estimated time window assumes the plug backs out clean and the old filter gasket comes off with the filter; a stuck gasket or a stubborn plug adds real time fast.
Save Another Trip to the Parts Store Clips, seals, fluids, and the little stuff people forget.
Bring a drain pan that actually holds the recommended minimum volume, not whatever's smallest in the garage. Have shop rags and brake cleaner staged for the filter boss and drain area before you button things up, plus a funnel for the fill neck. Don't skip lubing the new filter's gasket with fresh oil, and consider pre-filling the filter before it goes on. If the drain plug's seal looks tired, GM sells the whole plug with the sealing gasket already built in, so replace the part, not just a washer.
Here's Where It Gets Greasy The procedure, pain points, and common ways this job fights back.
Two ways people wreck this: cranking the drain plug down with a long ratchet until the aluminum pan threads strip, and bolting a new filter over an old gasket that stayed stuck to the mounting boss. Both cost more than the oil change did. People also check the level the second the engine shuts off and panic at a low reading — the top end and lifter galleys haven't drained back yet, so give it a few minutes on level ground first. Skipping the oil life reset just means the dash keeps nagging you even though the job's actually done.
Procedure
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1
Step
Drive the vehicle onto ramps or position it safely on a level surface, set the parking brake, and raise/support the front frame rails with rated jack stands if extra ground clearance is needed.
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2
Step
Open the hood, remove the engine oil fill cap on the passenger side valve cover, and slightly withdraw the dipstick to improve draining speed and ventilation.
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3
Step
Position a drain pan (minimum 7-quart capacity) beneath the rear center of the engine oil pan.
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4
Step
Note that the drain plug points horizontally rearward, causing hot oil to project several inches back initially.
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5
Step
Allow the old engine oil to fully drain until it tapers to an occasional drip.
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6
Step
Reposition the drain catch pan beneath the oil filter located on the driver side of the engine oil pan.
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7
Step
Unscrew the oil filter counterclockwise using a filter wrench or by hand.
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8
Step
Inspect the old filter to confirm its square-cut rubber O-ring gasket came off with the filter.
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9
Step
Clean the engine filter mounting boss with a clean shop rag to remove old residue and road grime.
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10
Step
Apply a thin coat of clean engine oil to the rubber sealing gasket of the new ACDelco PF48/PF48E filter.
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11
Step
Optional: Pre-fill the filter approximately halfway with fresh 5W-30 oil.
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12
Step
Thread the new oil filter onto the engine mounting boss by hand until the gasket contacts the mating surface, then hand-tighten an additional 3/4 to 1 full turn.
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13
Step
Do not overtighten with a wrench.
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14
Step
Inspect the drain plug threads and elastomeric sealing gasket (GM 12616850)
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15
Step
replace the gasket or plug assembly if the rubber is split, hard, or flattened.
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16
Step
Clean surrounding surfaces, drain plug, and filter area using brake cleaner and clean shop rags to facilitate subsequent leak inspection.
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17
Step
Insert a funnel into the oil fill neck on the passenger side valve cover and pour in 6.0 US quarts (5.7 L) of dexos1 approved SAE 5W-30 engine oil.
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18
Step
Reinstall the oil fill cap securely.
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19
Step
Start the engine and let it idle for 1 to 2 minutes while observing oil pressure on the instrument cluster gauge.
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20
Step
Check underneath around the drain plug and filter seal for leaks.
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21
Step
Shut off the engine and allow the vehicle to rest on level ground for at least 5 minutes to permit oil drainback into the pan.
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22
Step
Pull the dipstick, wipe clean, reinsert fully, and verify the oil level is within the cross-hatched operating band.
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23
Step
Reset the GM Oil Life System: Turn ignition to ON/RUN with engine off.
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24
Step
Press the DIC Vehicle Information button until 'OIL LIFE REMAINING' displays, then press and hold the checkmark (Set/Reset) button until the display resets to 100% and a confirmation chime sounds.
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25
Step
(Alternative method: Turn ignition to ON/RUN and fully depress the accelerator pedal 3 times within 5 seconds).
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26
Step
manufacturer lift and support points for this body, and whether the vehicle can be serviced on ramps given the drain and filter locations. For frame-contact lifts and hoist arms, place front lift pads under the boxed frame side rails directly behind the front wheels and rear lift pads under the frame side rails directly forward of the rear wheels/suspension brackets.
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27
Step
For floor jacks and jack stands, support points are located under the boxed frame rails, the front lower control arms, or under the solid rear axle housing.
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28
Step
The vehicle can be serviced safely and effectively on drive-on ramps: the engine oil drain plug is positioned at the rear face of the oil pan pointing rearward and the oil filter is positioned adjacent on the driver side, so elevating the front end angles the pan rearward to promote complete drainage while maintaining unobstructed access to both the drain plug and filter.
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29
Step
If the vehicle has to come up, it goes on rated jack stands or ramps, with the parking brake set and the wheels still on the ground chocked. Never work under a vehicle held up only by a jack. For this vehicle, verified research describes: Drive the vehicle onto ramps or position it safely on a level surface, set the parking brake, and raise/support the front frame rails with rated jack stands if extra ground clearance is needed.
Gotchas
- The oil drain plug is horizontally mounted facing the rear of the vehicle. When initially loosened, oil shoots out rapidly in an arc 4 to 8 inches behind the plug orifice, easily missing misaligned catch pans.
- The old oil filter gasket can stick to the aluminum mounting adapter. Installing a new filter over the old gasket will cause catastrophic oil loss upon engine startup.
- The cast aluminum oil pan threads can strip if the steel M12 drain plug is overtightened with long-handled ratchets.
- Checking oil level immediately after shutting down the engine yields a falsely low reading because the top-end and lifter galleys hold significant oil volume.
It's a Good Idea To... Greasy tips and useful while-you're-in-there advice.
The nastiest surprise on this job is the old filter's gasket staying stuck to the mounting boss when you pull the filter off. Thread a new filter over that leftover gasket and you get catastrophic oil loss the moment the engine starts. Check the boss, confirm the old gasket came off with the old filter, wipe it clean, then install the new one.
You Already Have a Screw Loose. Your Car Shouldn't. Final checks before you call it done.
Idle the engine, watch the oil pressure on the gauge, then check underneath at the drain plug and filter for leaks before calling it done. Let it sit, recheck the dipstick against the cross-hatched band, and reset the oil life monitor so the dash matches reality. Six quarts in, old oil out, done.