Another idiot who let the Low Oil Pressure warning appear

For the driving conditions in that area (i.e.a desert). The owners manual that comes with the car you bought is the one to read and follow.

 

The only oil recommended by almost all manufacturers is 0W-20. I wonder why? CAFE standards in the USA. You want to have issues as the car ages, follow your USA spec manual. I will follow the rest of the world manuals who advise 30 weight and even 40 weight oils.

 

Well, you're missing the whole point.
I have nothing against "checking your oil" the old fashion way. I do.
But the fact of the matter is, many people simply do not, or do not as often as they should.
Even us wonderful majority, that dutifully check our oil, I think could benefit from a better warning system than what currently exists. We're not talking about the 1920's technology of a stick....we're talking about the low oil pressure warning light. Which as it operates today, I think could be improved.

 

It would've been nice to be able to monitor the oil level in real time, but I don't see how. If we measure a crankcase pressure, it will be affected by blowback and vacuum leaks to the point of irrelevance. If we measure the flow around oil pump, we'll be measuring viscosity and nothing else.

The only way to create a reliable warning system (not an oil level indicator per se, just a warning system) that I can see is to monitor for air pockets on the receiving end of the pump.

 

Porsche and Subaru use a system of thermometers on the oil pan. They’re attached at different heights above the sump floor. If they’re all the same temperature, the pan is probably full of oil. If the bottom one is hot and the others aren’t, the level is probably low.

 

For those who WON'T check their oil, will keep Mechanics and Technicians in business!
And them people will complain that they are charging too much money.
So, either check your oil once in a while, or learn how to repair your equipment, or make enough money
so you can PAY someone to do it for you!

 

As was already mentioned by someone else......a compression and leak-down test tests ONLY the integrity of the cylinders.
It tells you NOTHING about abnormal wear in the bearings and varioius seals and other parts.....like a cam chain maybe.
Therefore it often will NOT "show whether the whole engine is basically good or not".

 

It's been posted many times on the turd gen forums. Well have to post diagrams or illustrations next.

 

orenji: My 2017 Prius only needs oil changes every 10,000...confirmed by the dealership when I took it in for service at 5,000 and all they did was check everything and rotate the tires. (Older models must be different at 5,000.) I was concerned because all my other vehicles are 5,000 but the oil wasn't even looking dirty until around 9,000 miles.

We have two adult daughters and I've tried teaching them how to maintain their vehicles. My oldest called me last year and told me she had a light on in her car. Hoping she wouldn't say "check engine" I asked her what the light said or looked like. She, of course, said, "Check Engine" So I calmly asked her if the car was running okay and how long the light had been on. She said it was fine and, oh, about a month or so!! So I got her car as soon as I can, read the codes, and was relieved it was just in need of a new fuel cap. (With a firm warning to never wait that long when a check engine light comes on.)

 

Toyota says 10k miles, dealership too, but your free to change it sooner. Don't assume they know best.

 

They also said lifetime fluid for another type of maintainince.

If highway then your golden for 10,000 mi oci.

 

If you read the owners manual, it has a maintenance schedule. If you stick by that, you'll be fine.
There are some exceptions, but hard to go wrong when you follow the directions!
Like "lifetime" fluids. That just meant until the warranty runs out.

 

That's true, Dogman! My old lawnmower died last month and the new one says no oil changes needed, lifetime oil. Wrong...I'm changing it out as soon as it starts looking dirty...at least every other year. I was shocked (pleasantly) that the Prius oil didn't start looking dirty until she hit around 9,000 miles. (Many years ago, I had a Chrylser van and the oil started looking dirty after just a month...did LOTS of oil changes on her well before the 3,000 miles...now all my vehicles run only 100% synthetic)

 

A PC member said on here that he/she didn’t have the patience for that, on a $16,000 investment.

 

I just looked, I have 375,428 miles on my 2002 Town&Country. I don't drive it as much since I got the Prius.
I was able to do 7500 mile changes. That's about the time I could hear the lifters.
Then I went to 5000 mile changes because it was easier to remember. The oil starts looking dirty around 3000.
But just because it's black it doesn't mean it needs to be changed. I use synthetic in both.

With a mower, I think you can "top it off" when it's burns it off. But I'm not using synthetic oil in it.
If it is a newer motor, you can probably go further. Tighter tolerances and all. But I don't think it will
hurt to change it once a year. Depends on how often you use it.

My 2010, which will hit 175,000 miles this week, only uses about 1/2 qt in 10,000 miles. Unless I drive it
a lot at 70mph. I usually drive 65mph and under. I just leave earlier. And 80% of my driving is highway.
And it doesn't start to change colors until 5-6000 miles. By 10,000 miles, it still looks good.
But the oil and filter are cheap compared to putting another engine in it!

 

It's THEIR money! Well, actually, it's the mechanics money, they just haven't gotten it yet!

 

Grit, to be fair, our Prius Owners manual IS about twice the size of any I've ever seen...and I've owned cars since 1979. (A POS Ford Mustang II which was just a re-badged Pinto...I bought it used, it was two years old, and it broke down on the drive home....fun times!)

 

Absolutely NOT true.
The color of oil alone means.......absolutely NOTHING.
Mobil 1, for instance, turns very dark very quickly.......or at least the original formulation did.

 

?????????? I don't know what you mean???
I use mobil 1, 0w-20, it does not turn black in my Prius. Even at 10,000 miles.

And the color does mean things. If it's milky, you have water in your oil.