Oil Change 2010 Prius - do it yourself

Agreed -- power train is covered 6 year/60k with 10k [one year] oil changes. Dealer charges $59 for this service. Moble 1 is $8 per quart plus tax. How much is a filter ?If you screw it up and cause a problem, Toyota will not back you up. Having them do it is cheap insurance against such an event but I have no problem with those don't subscribe to the manufacturers recommendations. Doing it more often is as good a way to waste money as I waste in other ways, so knock yourselves out and welcome to the club.

 

This. While I won't address the invulnerable myth that oil in contemporary vehicles needs to be changed more often than the manufacturer's recommendation (it's not my money), the only cars that make an oil pump / extractor like a Pella worthwhile are those where the engine oil filter is accessible from the top, like a Hyundai or some Subarus. Otherwise, you've got to get underneath anyhow, so why bother. I got tired of wrenching a drain plug, so I just installed a Fumoto valve. Makes draining the oil easier (and is even an approved accessory by some manufacturers).

 

Agreed that most cars recommended to use oil extractor are having the filters installed on top for easy access. My '99 RX300 drain plug and hole threads have worned out overtimes so I replaced with original drain plug (actually bought for Prius but they are the same) since then no leaks. I was afraid if I continue to drain from plugs the threads are going to worn out fast thus using the extractor. Still contemplating if I should use it on Prius.

 

Thanks for the info. I needed some plastic pins for another toyota (they are officially called push rivets) and NAPA #665-3278 works better than OEM. The only problem is they don't keep them in stock and it takes 2 trips to get them. They are now $5.49, too.

 

I cannot get my head around buying oil filters by the 10 pack. My method is to drive over to the dealership, more-or-less on the day I'm going to change the oil, purchase oil, filter (one) and a drain plug washer, drive home, do the deed.

Especially with the US once a year or interval (ok, or 10,000 miles), it's going to take a long time to get through a 10 pack.

 

My last purchase was a 5-pack- 10 did seem a bit excessive.
For may people- going to the dealership is too inconvenient or just impossible with their limited hours of operation at the parts counter. I just can't get there during the workweek at all- and if I try to go there on the weekend it's 35+min each way with weekend traffic in town. So I press a button on the computer- and five filters arrive at my home a week later- and I didn't waste an hour+ running to the dealership to get an oil filter.

FWIW- the 5-pack of Toyota 04152-YZZA6 filters was $19.45 with free shipping on ebay.

 

I did buy 10 the first go around and they are gone (5K mile oil change interval when I bought the car). Ordered 3 more a couple of months ago, if there are a couple left when I sell the car I will pass them on to the new owner.

I usually buy Mobil 1 0W20 ahead when I find it on sale. If I have a few quarts left over I will use it for the next car if it is a Toyota or a Honda, otherwise I will give it to a friend who has a Hybrid Camry.

 

You use 10W20 in the Prius?
Any particular reason you don't go with the Toyota recommended 0W20?

 

Push-Type Retainers At Clipsandfasteners.com

Lots of clips & fasteners

Mike

 

He's using Mobil1 0w20.

 

I strongly suspect there's an international conspiracy to needlessly complicate the variety of fasteners, and keep prices high. And there's a whole sub-category of what I like to call devil fasteners, ones that are nigh impossible to remove without at the least the destruction of the fastener, and more likely, the destruction of the sheet metal in the vicinity.

 

More fasteners
50 GM Toyota 90467 07168 Rocker Panel Garnish Moulding Clip Push Type Retainer | eBay

Mike

 

Thanks... at a quick glance Mobil 1 0W20 became Mobil 10W20

 

I bought a 10-pack but our 11 Rolla has the same engine and same filter. Works out great.

 

My oil change experience: I just did the 1st oil change myself on one of our Prii- I did my wife's 2011 Prius II. Her Toyota Care had expired so I figured it was about time I get under there and do it myself. First- the ramps I have don't butt right up to the tires d/t the interference w/ the lower lip. No big deal, as you approach the ramps, they give way enough to drive up them. I think the " oil door" is a major pain.... definitely got in the way for me. Pulling the drain plug and draining the pan was no big deal - getting the filter housing off was a royal pain in the nice person - the dealer put it on waaaay too tight!!! I also found I had little room under the car even on the ramps- I'm used to my Subarau Forester that had a ton of room under it. I already purchased the filter housing removal tool - so already had that on hand. I ended up using my neighbor's very large metal flashlight w/ the batteries removed and used that for leverage on the ratchet to break the housing free- man what a pain that was! Cost should be about $23 when I get the rebate back. Used Pennzoil Full Synthetic - 5 quarts plus a Fram Xrta guard filter. Took much longer that I anticipated, though I thought it might being the first time doing it. I won't go to the local oil change places and the dealer I use costs about $45 for an oil change, so.... wanting to save a buck or two, I did it myself. After that, I re-set her oil maintanence indicator, logged onto Toyota Owners web site and entered the info to continue tracking the maintanence on the car. And lastly.... I was able to do this with alot of information garnered from this site - thanks to all who provided much of the background on a DYI oil change.

 

Thread revival I never will understand why dealers crank the filter cap on so darn tight. I used a jack n stands when I did my oil change. EZ once the car was high enough to open that hatch under there

Mike

 

Yeah.... it was incredibly tight. I've seen on this site where someone installed a hinge on that door....not sure I'll go to those lengths, but it would definitely make it easier... I've done my own oil changes for years, this is a first on the Prii, I'm a bit older and a bit lazier and not sure how many more I'll do, but I did want to get under there and at least see how it's laid out.

 

Southbound, one way to get the plastic access door out of your way is to remove the entire panel. This is the method spelled out in the Toyota Repair Manual. It takes a bit longer, but after a few times gets really easy. The fasteners at the access door are a bit different than the others (bigger, maybe grey coloured). It's a good idea to mark them and the adjacent panel surface, to help relocate, a reminder. Also, washing them in warm soapy water to get the grit out keeps them from seizing up, breaking. The real down side to just opening that access door is stress on the "hinge".

Also, are you using a torque wrench? The oil filter housing is 18 ft/lb, and the drain bolt 29 ft/lb. The With the oil filter cap in particular, if it's been sitting, torqued, for 10000 miles, it can be a bit reluctant to loosen up, even with the correct torque values. A breaker bar wrench is helpful. There likely are some dealerships over tightening, but it could also be getting glued on, it's a large diameter.

 

Mendel - thanks for the tips. I was thinking about stress on the hinge while I was under there. No - I didn't use a torque wrench, 1) don't have one, 2) never used one on any previous oil changes on any previous cars; not that I shouldn't be using one -I just don't. Good 'n snug has always worked for me. I did bust one plastic fastener while opening the access door - bound to happen. I may just get some from the dealer to have on hand. I'm hoping I won't have future issues on my wife's car getting the filter housing off, I may run into this on my car the first time I change the oil. Yeah, a breaker bar was a must last nite.... I improvised and used a long metal flash light minus the batteries - worked quite well actually...

 

Yeah I think if you did torque the housing to 18, it'd be an eye opener the next time you came to remove it, maybe vindicate the dealership. Torque wrenches can be quite cheap, and really are a necessity. "Good and snug" is nowhere near 18 ft/lb. I've done all the changes on ours, following the torque spec, and it's always takes some effort to get it started, and the first turn or two. You're mainly overcoming friction of the O-ring I think.

Spare fasteners are a good idea. For those fasteners I find a paint can opener like this very handy, due to the right angle hook: