I AM SO ANGRY re: oil change!!!

I studied the wonderful PriusChat posts and videos over and over again so that I could change my own oil. I reviewed them so much I could change the oil in my sleep.

I went to Autozone and bought everything I would need for my first-ever Prius oil change, including Mobil 1 synthetic oil and an extra expensive Mobil 1 filter. And yes a package of new washers! Got all the tools ready.

AND I CAN NOT LOOSEN THE OIL PAN BOLT!

I am so angry about this. I realize that because weigh about 110-112 pounds soaking wet I don't have the strength most of you have, but those bolts are not supposed to be tightened like that according to what I've read on this site. I think I tore a neck muscle trying to turn my wrench.

And YES I am using a 14mm. And YES I am turning counter-clockwise. I even squirted some Liquid Wrench on that thing to try to loosen it. It won't budge.

I know there's nothing any of you can do about this, but I guess I am just venting here unless anyone has a suggestion?

Thanks for the vent!

Julia

breaker bar.

Use your foot to push on the wrench, make sure it's on good and doesn't slip off.

You can either invest in a breaker bar... or tap on your wrench with a dead-blow hammer (technically you're not supposed to do that, but it does works )

Add a piece of metal tube to make the wrench longer that will make it easy. Flatten one end of the tube if it will not fit over the wrench.

Thank you. My neighbor got it off for me. Embarrassing, but.......

So guess what...the autozone dude game me the WRONG SIZE WASHERS! they're too big!

This isn't going so well!

I would re-use the old washer just this once, but it appears to have some black ring coating on it and part of that is peeling off.

The guy gave me 1/2 inch washers. I need smaller ones. :-(

Once again there is absolutely no reason for these oil change monkeys to ever tighten the oil pan drain bolt or the oil filter as tight as they do. Nor the tire lug nuts for that matter.

You should be fine using the washer again.

Congradulations on doing your own work Julia, things will get easier. Just remember, never push on a wrench ( a knuckle buster ) as suggested always use extra leverage ( foot or breaker bar ) never use leverage to tighten. The first time is always the hardest!

It's fortunate that the service monkey did not "cross thread" or strip out the hreads in the nut welded inside to the sheet metal in the oil pan. Worse yet, they might have broken the weld.

Good job.

Well...thank you all for your encouraging words and for your help.

I changed the oil. Successfully? Depends, I guess.

The job is done, but I'm not entirely sure it was worth it, if I can be completely honest here.

I got a lot of oil on my driveway. That's nasty. Not good at all. I also got a lot of oil on ME! That's not good either.

From the videos and photos, I didn't realize that I would be making such a mess since you guys don't make a mess AT ALL.

Meanwhile, now I'm going to worry that a.) I didn't tighten the bolt enough, b.) I didn't tighten the filter enough...or too much!, and c.) I had to re-use the crush washer because I purchased the wrong size washers and the store was closed.

Worse yet, I have showered really well and my hand still smells like OIL! That's nasty for a girl.

One good thing I can say....I have long hair and I didn't get any oil in it! Yay me.

Well....who knows....maybe some day I will make millions from a fragrance I market called "Au de 5W/30". A girl can dream....

Thanks again for your help and encouragement. Pray for me that my oil pan bolt and filter are tight enough!

At least they won't be hard to get off next time!

Off to buy the dreaded kitty litter to pour on top of the areas of the dreaded oil spills! Ugh!

J

From my nearly 50 years of changing oil, this is the best method that I discovered..............

And, that's waht I did for my new Prius "v," and posted it in this thread;

First oil change at 3238 miles................ | PriusChat

Thanks for your feedback, I always spill at least a little oil, I just wipe it off with newspaper, it all disappears in a week or two. I have never figured out where it goes. I think it evaporates into the air, just like water. Now you have to tackle rotating your tires!

1. This is why it is recommended that you use a torque wrench to tighten the oil drain pan plug. If you tighten it to 28 ft-lb you know that it is at spec and is neither overtightened, nor will it come loose.

2. Buy a 1/2" breaker bar to use with your 14 mm 6-point socket to give you leverage when you are loosening the drain pan plug. You may alternatively use a 3 ft long pipe (cut from a steel pipe TV antenna mast, for example) to place over your 1/2" ratchet wrench to provide additional leverage, but this is not an approved practice.

3. When tightening the oil filter, the spec is to turn the filter 3/4 turn after the gasket contacts the engine machined surface. However I have found that 1/2 turn is adequate.

4. The correct drain plug washers can be found at your Toyota dealer's parts counter.

5. Buy and utilize disposable latex gloves.

6. Use newspaper under your car and a large drain pan, 6 quarts capacity or so.

7. There is usually a learning curve for any worth-while activity. Next time you do the job (if you obtain the correct tools) it will go much easier and neater. Congratulations on surviving your first oil change.

Listen to Patrick, his advice is always flawless aand Complete!

You will have it aced after a couple more oil and filter changes. I'm surprised you had no difficulty with the filter? I use the washers a few times, never change after first oil change. In the old days we never ever changed the washer. Just another money grab I feel. Keep up the good work! H

Thank you all so much.

And Patrick...thanks very much for that checklist. And I won't need a breaker bar next time I change the oil, because I'm the one who put the bolt on this time!

I may encounter another tough nut or bolt, though, so a very good thing for me to have in my arsenal. I mean toolbox.

Oh and umm...rotate my own tires? I might just draw the line there!

By the way....what size ARE the correct crush washers? The autozone guy insisted they were 1/2 inch. Obviously not!

You don't need strength, it's just technique. Also it is extremely valuable to know how to change a tire. My daughter and her boyfriend were on a lonely road in Mexico. Her boyfriend did not know how to change a tire, so she did it. Why, I taught her.

Julia,
I think it is great you have started down the DIY road. It took a Prius for me to start doing these easy jobs, and now I would not even think of taking the car to a dealer. The second time is much easier, and after that a breeze.

Definitely follow Patrick's advice; your hands will thank you for the gloves.
Btw, if you used a good synthetic oil most of us agree that the car is happy on a 10k mile change schedule.

A prize for you for becoming a grease monkey: PM me an address and I'll send you 3 washers. I bought a box of them (more than I can use in a lifetime) at bulk prices a couple years ago.