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

Oil change questions

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by rustystew, May 23, 2011.

  1. rustystew

    rustystew New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    54
    4
    0
    Location:
    Galisteo NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    So, this weekend I changed the oil on my '07 prius. All went well for the most part. Only question I have is, I happened to spill a fairly significant amount of oil up top while filling it up (don't ask how, it was a stupid mistake, but it wont happen again!). I was wondering what the best way to clean it up is.

    Can I just use a hose and spray water down there? Seems a bit of a scary proposition with all the electronics back there.

    Or should I not worry about it?
     
  2. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2011
    3,292
    547
    0
    Location:
    2014 Prius c
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    you should be o'k washing it off, just give it a few hours to dry out.
    engine should not be hot but could be somewhat warm (say ~40min-1hr after driven).

    Auto stores (Autozone, Pepboys, etc) sell engine degrease spray you could spray before hosing off good luck
     
  3. tf4624

    tf4624 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2009
    525
    51
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    HOMe depot look for the purple bottle DEGREASER.. use some hot water mix and pore where it drained then rinse away with buckets of warm water till its not greasy any more
     
  4. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2011
    2,171
    659
    23
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Dispose of the runoff appropriately.

    I would tend to sop it up with paper towels, and then burn them for heat.
     
  5. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    3,326
    1,512
    38
    Location:
    Santa Fe, NM
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Don't get water down inside the spark plug wells.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I would use rags. Using water, it will likely end up in a storm drain, and from there into streams.
     
  7. rustystew

    rustystew New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    54
    4
    0
    Location:
    Galisteo NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    well it ran down between the firewall and the engine block. (behind the oil fill spot) Not easy to get rags back there.
     
  8. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Hi Rusty. There's a kind of recess or indent in the valve cover where the igniters (and plugs) are located. If you spill any oil behind filler hole then it usually ends up in there (the recess). It's a good idea to dry it out properly to make sure that it doesn't seep down into the igniters.

    BTW. See this thread where I did the same thing:
    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...7365-oil-change-fail-minor-advice-needed.html
     
  9. rustystew

    rustystew New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    54
    4
    0
    Location:
    Galisteo NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Phew, glad I'm not the only one :)

    Uart, thanks for the link.
     
  10. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    BTW. That was about 6 months and 14000 km (9000 miles) ago. In the end I never did remove the igniters to check if any oil got into the wells, but the engine hasn't missed a beat in that 14000 km so I assume it's all a-ok. I'll probably be doing the plugs at 150k km, which is about 12 months, anyway.
     
  11. rustystew

    rustystew New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    54
    4
    0
    Location:
    Galisteo NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Just posting this link to oil overfill fix for reference:
     
    1 person likes this.
  12. rustystew

    rustystew New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    54
    4
    0
    Location:
    Galisteo NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I also wanted to ask when changing the oil. After you have drained the old oil, replaced the filter, and added the first 3 quarts, How do you run the engine for 5 minutes before checking the level and adding more? Do you just get in and drive around some? In the post he mentioned taking that time to put the old oil into containers, but I turned on my car but the ice engine wouldn't run for nothing.
     
  13. MJFrog

    MJFrog Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2009
    780
    266
    0
    Location:
    NE Oklahoma
    Vehicle:
    2018 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    N/A
    When I change oil, I ONLY use 3 quarts. As long as the oil level is between the two dimples it is just fine. I find that 3 quarts puts the level slightly less than halfway between the dimples.
     
  14. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,037
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    You don't. Oil level is checked after an engine has been off for at least 15 minutes. Run it while checking it and you'll overfill it.

    And, as the man wrote, midway between the dimples is fine. 3 quarts is plenty for that.
     
  15. mikewithaprius

    mikewithaprius New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2011
    656
    103
    6
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I think he means run it, allow the oil to settle, and then check.

    Rusty, I just turned mine on and let it do the warm up routine for a minute or so, turned it off, then waited to let the oil settle. I think during that time I did some of the cleanup or something to fill the time.

    Are you a classical musician, too? I've seen drums or something before, but your car is named Allegretto...
     
    1 person likes this.
  16. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Yes I run mine briefly to make sure the oil filter and any other passages are fully primed with oil before letting it settle and making any final adjustment to the oil level. .

    Within just a few seconds of starting the oil should be right throughout the system, so you don't really need 5 minutes.. It doesn't hurt though, to let it warm up a bit so that the oil drains back more freely.

    I do the following:
    - put the car into ready
    - leave it in park and foot on the brake
    - slowly depress the accelerator pedal until it starts (or if it's cold it will start anyway)
    - let it run for 30 second to a minute.
    - turn it off the start packing up, cleaning up etc.
    - Recheck final oil level 10 to 15 minutes later.

    It takes me a good 10 to 15 minutes to pack up and clean up everything, including pouring old oil into a container for recycling.

    BTW. I usually fill to just shy of the top dimple, about 3.5 quarts.
     
  17. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Do a search for "inspection mode".
     
  18. rustystew

    rustystew New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2011
    54
    4
    0
    Location:
    Galisteo NM
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for all the tips guys! very helpful.

    Not a classical musician, but played baritone/euphonium in middle school through high school.
     
  19. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2009
    2,705
    509
    63
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    I don't run the engine for oil change - hate to waste fuel. I went back to my record from last oil change and level checks since then. The oil level moved down about 4 mm, i.e. the level is 4 mm lower after some driving (and resting) than it was when I completed the oil change. I did fill the filter near the top.