I’ve been a mechanic for 55 years

A SEASONED mechanic has shown how vital precision is when performing an oil change at home.

The veteran technician noted that some drivers forget to drain their old oil when performing this routine maintenance task — an oversight that can destroy your engine.

During his TikTok video clip, mechanic Scotty Kilmer (@scottykilmerofficial) added that excess oil can jam in on your engine's pistons.

This jamming pressure can bend the pistons, which would require a complete engine overhaul, according to the car wizard.

But Scotty emphasized that even a tiny amount of excess oil over the full line can blow an engine's seals.

He clarified that the rear main seal of your engine requires pulling your motor out to replace it, resulting in a large repair bill.

Scotty recommended using your car's oil dipstick to ensure you’re not dumping too much oil in your vehicle.

A dipstick's end portion has two lines, with the bottom one indicating that your oil is a quart short and the upper line showing that your oil tank's full.

Remove a dipstick from its sheathe under your vehicle's hood and wipe off oil at the end of the tool with a rag to get any liquid that previously splashed up from the engine.

Car manufacturers typically mark dipsticks with orange or yellow handles for easy identification.

Drivers should wait a few minutes before performing another dipstick oil test to ensure oil fully settles.

Scotty ended his video stressing that using a dipstick on a level service is vital if you want the most accurate reading.

Viewers praised Scotty's oil change advice in his TikTok video's comments.

One viewer commented: "Scotty has saved the general public billions of dollars."

Another TikTok account echoed: "Man's a legend."