Oil Change Questions

yes, it causes "cavitation" or air entrainment in the form of bubbling, which reduces the lubrication qualities of oil.

It is better to put 3.7 quarts in the engiine than too much.

 

Many people do use a new one each time because they don't cost much. Personally I don't have any problems re-using them 4 or 5 times. They've got a teflon or plastic looking coating and if they still look ok I often re-use. Just make sure the mating surfaces are nice and clean (I like to also smear a little bit of clean oil on them) and use the correct torque of about 28 ft-lbs. (Being super exact here is probably not all that important, but just don't ridiculously over tighten like some people do).

No that's a bad idea. Most people find that about 3.6 to 3.7 quarts will bring them all the way to full on the dipstick, even with a fairly thorough drain. The full four quarts will put you about 3/8 to 1/2" over the full mark, which can have negative consequences. Just add 3.5 qts at first, then run the engine for 30 to 40 seconds to circulate (and fill and "dead" spaces), then give it a good 10 minutes to all flow back to the sump before checking the stick. It should somewhere just shy of full. If it's too far short of full then you can top off, but it's better to be just under full rather than just over with this engine. Save the last 1/3 -1/2 a quart for a top off if needed mid interval.

 

If you continue to use the Toyota washer, it is supposed to be replaced each time.

I suggest you start with 3.5 or 3.7 US quarts, run the engine for a few minutes, then turn off the engine and check the oil level after several minutes. If you use 3.9 or 4 quarts you will probably find that the resting oil level is above the top dipstick dimple.

 

My goal is to have the oil midway on the dipstick (between the two dots). This requires somewhere between 3 to 3.2 quarts.
Is midway good enough?
Is 3 to 3.2 quarts normal?

 

Anywhere between the two dipstick dimples is "good enough", and 3 quarts seems right to get mid-way.

However, the problem with being in the lower end of the range is that if your engine starts to consume oil or leak, and you do not notice and take prompt action to add oil, then engine damage could result.

Therefore, if you start with the oil level midway on the dipstick range you have less "safety margin" compared to starting near the top dimple. This isn't a problem if you frequently check your engine oil level.

 

Yes and no.

Yes it's enough to provide adequate lubrication, that's what the low/high range on the dipstick represents.

No it's not ideal for several reasons. Firstly (as Patrick said) it reduces your safety margin if you start consuming/losing oil. Secondly it increases the percentage concentration of contaminates in the oil (eg 30 ml of fuel is 1.0% contamination in 3L and only 0.8% in 3.7L). Lastly, oils have additives that are consumed during normal operation. Less oil means less additives hence the oil may sooner become depleted and lose some of its effectiveness. Though admittedly that's probably not an issue unless you are doing longer drain intervals.

The issue with overfilling is if it's significantly high then the bottom of the cranks can splash in the oil, causing not only a significant increase in friction, but also aerating the oil and increasing the oil loss through the crankcase ventilation system (into the fuel/air intake!).

If the overfill is only slight (or you're right on full) then the cranks wont splash the oil, but you might get a little bit of extra windage drag. The design of most modern engines includes baffle plates to minimize this though. The bottom line is that you may get slightly reduced oil drag if the oil is just a tad under full, but no one that I'm aware of has demonstrated any improvements with being 25mm under full compared with just 3 to 5 mm under.

 

I'm sold on the new Race ramps. They are the best that I've used. And, I've owned and used over 20 different pairs of ramps over the past 45 years. Each seemed to have "likes" and "dislikes" from my experience.

I got mine on Amazon.com and got the two "FREE" wheel chocks.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B003ZA8WIE?tag=priuschatcom-20
I had the Rhino Ramps for nearly 10 years. I was an earlier adopter. They slide all over the place on concrete. I have had my Prius "v" on the Race Ramps over 10 times. They don't slide on concrete or grass, and the wheels will npt "pull" them under them, as the Rhinos did and landed my previous vehicle on the "pinch welds" on their stops. The pinch welds cut notches on the Rhinos' back stops. I am glad that I'm rid of them.

The front and rear bumpers clear the race ramps with room to spare. If they did scrape, they will still not damage my car.

I hope to have years of good use with my Race Ramps.

 

I don't know. I guess any of the custom car shops will have them or can get them. The Amazon.com price is the best I've seen. I used my Discover card and got free one day shipping. I even got more than the usual reward points.

They came is a really nice cardboard box for storage. You can carry them in one hand with the carry straps, when you place the bottoms together.

I'm absolutely sold on them. Isent the rebate off the day after I got them. The FedEx Home deliver guy put the boc with the wheel chocks on my porch in less than 3 weeks.

 

The 56" amd 67" ones are for "ultra Low" and custom "lowered" cars.

 

Tire ramps are usually more stable than jackstands, so that should be a safer way to elevate your car. However, tire ramps cannot be used if you need to remove one or more tires (for example, brake or suspension service.) Then you need to use a jack stand to hold up that corner of the car.

If your car is resting on a level concrete slab, decent jackstands are quite safe.