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Another thread, another oil change...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Toyotally04, Feb 12, 2020.

  1. Toyotally04

    Toyotally04 Member

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    Hello everyone,

    First time owner of 2004 Prius. I know this subject has popped up from time to time and been around for a while. But I really wish there was some kind of chart for Prius models and mileage to determine the type of oil for oil changes.

    I'm at about 182k in mileage. With my past cars, I go to a franchise shop that changes my oil within 15 minutes or so. I've been going there for almost 10 years that I just roll in and say, "Yeah, go ahead with what you think is best" attitude.

    But now that I have a Prius, I'm wondering whether the shop will upsell me to something that I don't need in terms of brand and quality.

    My previous cars were pre-2000 Hondas and Toyotas; so I'm not quite familiar with any cars made after 2004. In the past, I've rented cars and did not understand how the headlights turn on, etc. etc.

    Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.
    Thank you,
    Toyotally04
     
  2. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    G2 Pius takes exactly 3.6 quarts with a new dry oil filter.

    Go to a Toyota dealer and buy a few of there filters there $4 each.

    Be aware the Jiffy lube joints database shows the G2 takes 5 quarts which will leave it quite a bit overfilled many posts on here of engine issues after Jiffy lube oil change becasue of this..

    Go to walmart buy there 5 quarts jug of Mobil 1 10-30 for $24.95.

    Take exactly 1.4 quarts out of that jug and save it. After 2 oil changes you almost have enough for a free oil change.

    bring jiffy that jug that now has 3.6 quarts and your new filter and they cant F it up to bad. This is what I do when foreced to use them.. Never any drama.

    I would also given the age of the car buy a new oil pan bolt. They are easily stripped. Duke the jiffy guy $5 and have him install that new bolt after he dumps it. My bought new 07 has seen about 20 oil changes so far and I have replaced the pan bolt a few times over the years very cheap insurance against stripped out pan Bolt at dealer is $6.

    My jiffy charges $20 with a coupon you supply the oil & filter. Your good for at least 10,000 miles or a year.

    And lastly new poster with newly purchased G2 sometimes they become oil eating little monsters. You have to determine how monsterly it is.

    Check the oil in the morning before starting the car theirs alot of oil stored in the cylinder head VVT vane and takes a few hours to drain back. Check the oil every few days till you get a handle on how much oil it eats or if any and keep it at the full line always.
    I still check the oil every Saturday on my cars.
    '
    Good luck and Happy motoring.
     
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  3. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    ^ Can't add or take away from that.....except that I usually change the oil more often than 10,000 miles.
    As long as you're monitoring your burn rate and keeping tabs on other maintenance items you're going to be just fine.

    Good Luck!
     
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  4. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    There is. It is a publication called the Owner's Manual.

    Prius Gen 2 Engine Lubrication.png
     
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  5. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    And just as importantly on a 15+ year old car with 182k miles on it, CHECK it often and CHANGE it every 5k. End of chart.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    What’s an owners manual?(n)
     
  7. George W

    George W Active Member

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    You don't pre-soak your new filter ?
     
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Describing exact oil capacity.
     
  9. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    I do too but didn't want to get to ocd with the guy. Gave him a good start.
     
  10. Toyotally04

    Toyotally04 Member

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    Thanks guys!
     
    #10 Toyotally04, Feb 13, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2020
  11. George W

    George W Active Member

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    Dry, meaning no oil in the filter? How much would it be with oil pre-soak in the filter?
     
  12. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    The owner's manual has 9.6 fl oz (.3 qt) as the quantity held by the filter if you look at the 'with' and 'without' filter quantities.

    With filter ........ 3.9 qt
    Without filter ... 3.6 qt

    But really, just measure out the 0.9 qt and fill the filter from that, then put the rest into the oil filler and top up with 3 qts. It doesn't need to be hard.

    Personally, I don't bother, I just put the filter on dry and put the entire 3.9 qt (which is 3.7 L for me) into the oil filler. A quick run of the engine at idle to get the filter filled and it is done.

    Run the engine for a couple of days and then check the oil level. Top up as required, but usually topping up is not necessary as it is right on the top mark. For some reason, if you run the engine straight after filling for a couple of minutes and then wait 5 - 10 min for it to settle, it will read low, so if you top up then you run the risk of overfilling. Stick to the measured quantities and you won't go far wrong.
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've never pre-filled oil filters. Maybe it's good, not sure. Never seen a shop manual advocate to do it.

    With a 3rd gen the oil filter is horizontally screwed in, so not even possible.
     
  14. Toyotally04

    Toyotally04 Member

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    Another question though:

    Last oil change (according to the sticker stuck on windshield) was done at a Toyota dealership with 0W20 oil grade.

    Should I follow that?

    Thanks
    T04
     
  15. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    In So Cal you can probably stick with 5W-30, 0W-20 is ok in cooler climates. The only consideration is cost. I believe the 5W-30 is cheaper.

    I have only used 5W-30 in mine, full synthetic.
     
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  16. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

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    Now manufactures advice against pre-filling the oil filter.

    If you fill the filter up from the center hole (which is the way people it up) and some peace of trash enters it (most likely something like aluminum peace of oil bottle seal) it will be in the system after the filter. That small peace of aluminum foil can be big enough to stop the oil flowing into some bearing and then the bearing and engine is bad.

    Of course many people still pre-fill the filters and problems are very rare. But bearing wear without pre-fill is so small that the small change of engine damage is normally considered to be worse. And most of oil filters are not installed in the way that you could pre-fill them anyways.

    If the filter is filled from outside then this is not a problem. In applications where pre-filling is very beneficial (like diesel fuel filters) special tool (like a bolt) that blokes the center hole is used and filter then filled from outside.
     
  17. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I've always pre-filled filters (until I got my PiP and Prime), but I know it's really not necessary. I'm just a little OCD sometimes.
     
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  18. George W

    George W Active Member

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    My Dad taught me to put just enough oil to let it soak in, not fill the canister. Back then, filters were a little bit larger.
     
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  19. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    The size change is a good point. It's amazing how small they are now.
     
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  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Honda's now using the one that used to be in their bikes.
     
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