The 2010 Buick Enclave gives its owners luxury, dependability, and affordability all in one crossover SUV—as long as you keep its engine well oiled with the right stuff.

With the current crazy gas prices, the seemingly ever-expensive

car insurance

rates, and all the necessary maintenance fees that come with owning a car, you may be looking for a way to lessen your vehicle bills. Learning how to change your own engine oil could help you do that.

If you’ve never changed your own oil before, the process can seem intimidating. Once you have the know-how, though, you could be saving tons of money on your vehicle expenses. And to help you along,

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2010 Buick Enclave engine oil capacity

Before we get into how to change engine oil, we have to cover some basics. Specifically, the amount of engine oil that a 2010 Buick Enclave needs.

The Enclave’s 3.6-liter V6 engine has an oil capacity of 5.5 quarts or 5.2 liters. This may seem confusing because we just said the Enclave has a 3.6-liter engine—but that measurement refers to your engine’s displacement or the volume taken up by the engine cylinders.

The oil capacity of 5.5 quarts or 5.2 liters refers to the amount of oil that your engine needs for each oil change. Keep that in mind because the two metrics are not interchangeable.

MORE: How much should an oil change cost?

What kind of oil does a 2010 Buick Enclave need?

So, we have it down that your 2010 Enclave needs 5.5 quarts of oil. Now, we need to know what kind of oil to use. Each engine is designed to work with a specific type of oil,so you wouldn’t be able to select just any oil you happen upon at your local auto shop.

Per the Buick Enclave’s owner’s manual, the recommended kind of engine oil you should use is a SAE 5W-30 oil. Let’s break that value down for a better explanation: the 5 is the value of oil viscosity in lower temperatures—you’ll notice it is immediately followed by a W, which stands for winter. Lower values in this place signify thinner oil that works better in its cold operating conditions.

The second value, 30, tells us the viscosity of the oil at high temperatures, such as your engine’s standard operating temperature—because those things get hot! Altogether, these values identify that your 2010 Buick Enclave needs a 5W-30 oil type to perform well throughout a range of temperatures and create less wear on your engine.

And don’t get tripped up while motor oil shopping if you come across a 5W-30 synthetic oil. Full synthetic oil will work just fine in your Buick as long as the value of the oil is the same. So, just make sure the oil you walk out with is a premium-grade 5W-30, and you should be fine.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

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How often to change oil on a 2010 Buick Enclave

Okay, so we’ve gone over the amount of oil (5.5 quarts) and the kind of oil (5W-30) your Enclave needs. Let’s dive into the oil change!

Buick recommends an oil change after every 3,000 to 5,000 miles driven. That may not be the easiest benchmark to remember, so you can also estimate you’ll need an oil change every six months. However, if you don’t drive that often, your time between oil changes will likely be longer.

It will also depend on the type of oil you use—synthetic oil tends to last longer, and you may be able to go up to 10,000 miles between oil changes!

Maintaining appropriate levels of clean oil running through your engine is key for your vehicle’s health and performance. You can keep an eye on your oil by pulling out the oil dipstick every month to check the color (it should be a nice brown) and it's level. Also, be aware of these signs of bad oil:

Unfamiliar noises coming from the engine

New smells, especially anything that smells like oil, smoke, or burning

Changes in your vehicle’s performance

MORE:

Are Buicks good cars?

How to change your oil and oil filter

When your Enclave is ready for its next oil change, gather the necessary tools and materials. For this job, make sure you have a socket wrench, drain pan, filter wrench, new oil filter, and 5.5 quarts of 5W-30 engine oil.

You’ll want the oil in your engine to be warmed up before you get started, so let your vehicle idle for five to ten minutes or take it for a spin around the block. Then, turn your engine off when your Enclave is parked on a level surface, and

open the hood

to follow these steps:

Remove the oil fill cap.

Get underneath the engine with the socket wrench and remove the oil drain bolt and washer to allow the old oil to start draining.

Take the filter wrench and remove the old oil filter. Continue to let the oil drain out completely.

Install the new oil filter.

Replace the oil drain bolt using a new washer and tighten it to 29 lb-ft.

Refill the engine with 5.5 quarts of new oil and replace the fill cap.

Pull the oil dipstick out when you’re finished to double-check the oil level. Turn your vehicle back on to see if there are any leaks. If not, you will have successfully completed your oil change! Just be sure

your car's oil pressure light

has turned off, and you’re all set to clean up.

Also, don’t just dump the dirty oil. You’ll need to pour it into a sealed container and take it to your local recycling and disposal center.

After changing your oil, it’s a good idea to turn on your car and let your engine run for about 30 seconds before you check the oil level. This will give you a more accurate measurement, and you’ll be able to top it off if necessary.

MORE:

What to do if you have black and gritty engine oil

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Keeping up with changing the oil in your 2010 Buick Enclave will help keep your engine running smoothly and your maintenance costs down for the life of your vehicle.

Another great way to lower costs over your vehicle’s lifetime is by

shopping for car insurance every 6 months

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