1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

original engine oil on prius C?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by formula, Mar 8, 2012.

  1. formula

    formula Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2012
    320
    32
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    is it 0-20W for the 1.5L engine? my 2010 civic use 0-20W. I stock up many of them when they are on sale couple months ago.

    just want to make sure the prius C use the same rating oil. if not, I need to sell it to my neighbor or friend. lol



    What is the original engine oil on prius C? synthetic oil?

    is it better to change the original oil ASAP?

    any experts here? please help
     
  2. gohammer

    gohammer Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2012
    10
    2
    0
    Location:
    Zionsville IN
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Thought Toyota takes care of all maintenance for the first 24000 mi or 2 years.
    Sorry, didn't read the post right. Don't know the oil weight either.
     
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Sonic_TH and formula like this.
  4. formula

    formula Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2012
    320
    32
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    great. :) thank you JimboPalmer.


    What is the original engine oil on prius C? synthetic oil?

    is it better to change the original oil ASAP?
     
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    So far as I know, all 0W-20 oil is synthetic.
    I would replace it promptly at 10,000 miles, yes.
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. formula

    formula Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2012
    320
    32
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    thank you so much for your information.

    I can keep the 0-20W we have and use it for the prius. :)

    I use Mobile 1 Eco 0-20W, the green cap one.
     
  7. WX4GPS

    WX4GPS Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2012
    64
    10
    0
    Location:
    TMMK Georgetown KY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I second the green cap mobil one. Is anyone gonna do a drain and fill earlier then 10K just to get the shavings out? Is Toyota gonna hold us only to two oil changes with the Toyota care?
     
  8. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I feel certain that some folks will unnecessarily pour out perfectly good oil, yes. I would not expect Toyota to pay for that, no.

    (50 years ago, early oil change was a good idea, and the manufacturers had it in the maintenance manual. If it still was a good idea, it would still be in the manual)
     
  9. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2012
    631
    208
    0
    Location:
    LA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    I will be changing my oil right around break in due to wear metals that will be in there. I'm also going to send the oil to Blackstone for analysis and post that for others.
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
    3,292
    547
    0
    Location:
    2014 Prius c
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    IMHO it is not necessary; the tolerances are alot tighter nowdays and Toyota builds quality engines.

    My does mechanic recommend replacing filter after 500mi, but this is mostly for rebuild engines and especially for used cars when switching to synthetics. On new engines it is probably not needed. I did find some metal shavings on occasion on 1st/2nd oil change in new engines YMMV
     
  11. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2012
    631
    208
    0
    Location:
    LA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Now im even more curious to see the analysis just to satisfy my curiosity.
     
  12. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
    3,292
    547
    0
    Location:
    2014 Prius c
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    understandable. BTW does it have normal filter or the cartridge like Gen3?
     
  13. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2012
    631
    208
    0
    Location:
    LA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    I looked in the manual and noting so I went to look under the hood and it's a spin off filter # 90915-1000. It was very easily located next to the pan with nothing blocking it. Its going to be an easy changed every 10k miles with Amsoil for now and maybe Redline Oil later but still need to decide. Also, checked with K&N and no filter for it is out. Toyota for now I guess. I want to use better filter down the road.
     
  14. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,596
    11,220
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    I'm betting it's the same filter as on the gen2 and 1.5L engined Toyotas.
     
  15. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2012
    631
    208
    0
    Location:
    LA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Thanks for the tip! Just checked HP-1003 is the k&n for the Gen 2. I put 2006 Prius in the search. I have this filter here now so Ill check it out on my oil change.
     
  16. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2008
    4,194
    1,690
    0
    Location:
    Paramount CA
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Use Toyota Genuine Motor Oil 0W-20 SN/GF-5/Resource Conserving for the peace of mind. It has the motor-oil additive package designed according to instructions by Toyota and it's manufactured by ExxonMobil. It will also be the cheapest.

    Mobil 1, Mobil Super, Castrol, Amsoil, etc. could be hit or miss. Use those at your own peril.

    No need to change the oil after break-in, I think. It may also interfere with break-in if you change the oil before break-in is complete. In fact some recommend against it, as it may wash out the assembly lube too early. Keep it for 10,000 miles / 1 year, whichever comes first, according to the instructions by Toyota. Besides, new engines take a long time to break-in, given how slow they wear, especially with the high-quality manufacturing and high-quality synthetic oil today.
     
  17. vinnie97

    vinnie97 Whatever Works

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2010
    1,430
    277
    0
    Location:
    Somewhere out there
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Haven't seen any evidence that Mobil 1 is "hit or miss."
     
    Beauregard likes this.
  18. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2008
    4,194
    1,690
    0
    Location:
    Paramount CA
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Mobil 1 SM variety had high-wear issues (high iron ppm in used oil), which some Mobil 1 fans attribute not to wear but other factors. SN variety seems OK.

    There is no reason to deviate from the Toyota Genuine Motor Oil 0W-20 just because of slick marketing and advertising. Besides, you end up paying for the marketing and advertising. Both oils are made by ExxonMobil, if you are an ExxonMobil fan. Although, they are different formulations, with their pluses and minuses:

    TGMO 0W-20: Highest viscosity index (meaning better cold-engine protection and , oil thinner in cold engine), more fuel economy (because of higher viscosity index), stronger additive package (more antiwear additives etc.)

    M1 0W-20: Mediocre viscosity index but excellent extremely cold temperature start-up (good for cold sections of Canada, Alaska, etc.), weak additive package, possibly higher quality base oil, less fuel economy (because of mediocre viscosity index as well as 150 C HTHS viscosity almost being as high as a 5W-30 oil)

    At the end, the overall performance is what counts, but, again, there is little reason to trust M1 more than TGMO.

    If you're an MPG-purist (chances are that you are because you're driving a Prius) or an hypermiler, you should definitely use TGMO -- it will offer the best fuel economy because of its very high viscosity index. You will see less fuel economy with M1 and Amsoil because they have much smaller viscosity indexes and they will run much thicker in most conditions.
     
  19. vinnie97

    vinnie97 Whatever Works

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2010
    1,430
    277
    0
    Location:
    Somewhere out there
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for the information. I don't have any preference between the two per se' other than what costs less. ;)
     
  20. priusCpilot

    priusCpilot Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2012
    631
    208
    0
    Location:
    LA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Damn it! Good points indeed! Its so hard!!! Ok so the Toyota oil is in fact a class 3 synthetic oil like M1? Unfortuanly M1 is not that great of an oil since they changed the formula from a class 4 to class 3 some time ago. Many oil sample reports on bobtheoilguy.com site are "OK"

    If I only had the number to the guy in Japan that engineered the engine to ask him questions ahah. At the very least when I hit 600 miles, I will send some oil out to see the report and post it up which may be interesting. Im going to buy a quart to add back the 1/8th(q) I remove.

    Maybe do the first oil change at 3000 mile mark? That should give it time to break in with the orignal oil blend?