Just hit 5k, first oil change due, anything special to know for doing it myself?

[subarutoo]

I've never changed the washer in a year and a half and 36,000 miles. Some say its a good idea. Its not that I never change them, just that I don't feel that its a big deal. The filter change is done by braille unless you jack the car. I've been doing without raising the car, but replacing the filter is done blind, and I worry about getting foreign matter (dirt) by just reaching up there without seeing the fitting location. It can be done though. I've used Mobil 1 5-30 since the first change (5,000). Have fun.

[Swanny1172]

The worst thing that will happen if you don't change the washer is that you will get a few drops of oil on the pavement. I try to change them every time, but sometimes I just forget. It is a prophylactic measure at best.

[mcbrunnhilde]

Tom Stangl also has a great pictorial step-by-step on his website:

http://www.vfaq.net/mods/OilChange.html

[gforeman]

I have a FumotoValve for mine. Won't need a washer ever after I install this. I use one on all my cars. Makes changes a SNAP! I have the ones with the nipple. I just put a piece of hose on it and open the valve.

BTW, those black nylon ramps are perfect for the Prius. I was afraid they may be too high and the bumper would hit, but they are perfect.




Fumotovalve Website.

[faith2walk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mooney @ Jun 22 2007, 09:51 AM) [snapback]466287[/snapback]</div>

I've changed the oil on all my cars, so this should be no big deal. My only thought is should I switch to synthetic now or stay on dino until the end of the warranty? [/b]

If I changed my oil every 5k miles I would be in the shop every other week and I don't have time for that.

I have changed my oil every 15,000 miles since day one, and I change my filters every 7,500 miles.

I drive between 7,500 and 11,500 miles per month so that means a filter once a month and a change every other month.

I use Castrol Syntec 5W-20 (full synthetic) and if you look at the Used Oil Analysis postings you can see my stats are good (search UOA for more info). I did try an oil additive once, but did not notice any improvement, mostly because I believe the ICE isn't worked as hard with a hybrid, so improvements aren't as noticable.

[skruse]

M1-209 filter (Mobil 1) and Mobil 1 synthetic oil. Obtain filters from www.partsamerica.com. No shipping charge when you order a certain quantity. At least $1.00 cheaper than local retail (unless you order online in advance). M1-209 filters have a larger capacity and are significantly better than most off-the-shelf filters.

[jayman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Jun 23 2007, 02:02 PM) [snapback]466901[/snapback]</div>

If I changed my oil every 5k miles I would be in the shop every other week and I don't have time for that.

I have changed my oil every 15,000 miles since day one, and I change my filters every 7,500 miles.[/b]

The Prius in the EU has a normal 12 month or 10,000 mile oil change interval running ACEA spec motor oil. It's a pet peeve of mine how folks in North America have been conditioned to believe anything more than 3,000-5,000 miles is terrible.

Mobil 1 0W-20 and the dealer oil filter changed at 16,000 km was good for a lot more

[Earthling]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Jun 24 2007, 07:39 PM) [snapback]467389[/snapback]</div>

The Prius in the EU has a normal 12 month or 10,000 mile oil change interval running ACEA spec motor oil. It's a pet peeve of mine how folks in North America have been conditioned to believe anything more than 3,000-5,000 miles is terrible.

Mobil 1 0W-20 and the dealer oil filter changed at 16,000 km was good for a lot more
[/b]

Two problems with the above statements: Toyota requires oil changes at 5,000 mile intervals. Do it, or risk warranty coverage. Be able to prove you've changed the oil & filter.

And use the viscosity grade that Toyota recommends. Hint: it's not 0W-20!

Yeah, I know, it will work. But again, anytime you do things counter to what Toyota requires, you risk your warranty coverage.

When the warranty is up, by all means do whatever you want.

Harry

[FL_Prius_Driver]

My 1999 Camry has been through oil hell. It turns out that the 99 Camry engine has had sludging problems (including a class action lawsuit). See http://www.corolland.com/sludge.html. Note that the sludging causes to oil to "disappear" fast once the problem starts happening. Now the dealer wanted to claim "no record=no warranty". However, having written down in the little maintenance manual (supplied with the car) I had changed the oil, and put my initials in the "verification" block made a huge difference. With this, the burden is on the dealer to show that the records are falsified. Not a popular course of action to accuse your customers. Since I change my oil, I had just one record of changing for my own tracking....but an very accurate one. The Camry engine was cleaned and taken care on under warranty since I DID have records, not necessarily receipts. Now the sludging solution is to use synthetic oil to prevent the problem.

Now the Prius is a completely different engine. Especially important is that there is no "balancing shaft" in the oil sump beating the living daylights out of the oil. But the lessons learned are:

1) Use synthetic oil. It does not go bad in case you forget to change oil, or you want to dump less oil into the system by extending the change interval.

2) Write down in either the owners manual or the maintenance book, the oil used, the filter change, and sign and date that you changed the oil along with the mileage value. Keep this in your car. When the service shop calls and claims no record of oil change, you are able to correct them. Do not depend on the Prius 5K mileage oil indicator to be your only reference.

3) Signing and dating is simple but allows all of us that change our own oil to be "verifiers". Sticking the receipts in the same place would advisable, but not as a replacement for your date and signature.

[jayman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Earthling @ Jun 24 2007, 07:53 PM) [snapback]467396[/snapback]</div>

Two problems with the above statements: Toyota requires oil changes at 5,000 mile intervals. Do it, or risk warranty coverage. Be able to prove you've changed the oil & filter.

And use the viscosity grade that Toyota recommends. Hint: it's not 0W-20!

Yeah, I know, it will work. But again, anytime you do things counter to what Toyota requires, you risk your warranty coverage.

When the warranty is up, by all means do whatever you want.

Harry
[/b]

You raise good points. The average person raised in North America is conditioned to believe all motor oils are the same, and to also believe a motor will explode if the oil change interval is pushed much past 5,000 miles.

However, explain to me why the same Prius in the EU has a 12 month or 10,000 mile interval, but ours has one half the interval? A lot of it has to do with the crap dealer oil. If you search this forum you will discover I had my dealer oil tested, and it was GARBAGE. Not only poor quality, but contaminated at that.

As far as viscosity, I believe in matching viscosity to operating conditions. It can dip to -40 in winter here, and a 5W-30 only has to be "good" to -30 C. A synthetic 0W-30 or a synthetic 0W-20 provide reliable winter lubrication. My used oil analysis of Mobil 1 0W-20 after 16,000 km of service was very good.

Oddly enough, Toyota has commented on viscosity in the Prius. They seem to think a 0W-30 will cause engine smoking and oil consumption, but their wonderful dealer 5W-30 is just perfect for the motor. Despite the fact that at normal operating temperature, a 0W-30 and 5W-30 have the SAME BLOODY VISCOSITY!

In case you think the wonderful API/ILSAC oils are just the perfect answer to your motor, consider the API allows the motor oil to thicken 275% in service and still earn a "pass." The same oil can cause cold stuck rings, and cold sludge, and earn a "pass." I've covered this in detail, with appropriate API documentation.

If you want to know why I really have a thing about dealer oil, and you don't care to search my many posts regarding this issue, then consider this: bulk lubricant dispensing system.

A dealership has enormous cost savings by purchasing oil in bulk, usually a large tote bin delivered filled, or a bulk tanker filling it up. No standard contamination control exists, for example the dealership refuses to use a desiccant filter/breather, but an open inverted pipe on the tote bin. The tote bin is automatically contaminated with dust and moisture as a result