Oil change when I can't get it hot enough

1. You don't need to drive it. Just start it up and run the A/C (or heat) low (or high). The engine will run as necessary. Once the engine has warmed up, it will shut off automatically. Then you can change the oil.

2. Even if the engine is cold (but not freezing cold), most of the oil will drain out.

 

^ that. It might take a little longer than a regular car but it will get hot enough.

 

5W-30 is thin enough that it shouldn't make a huge difference unless it's winter coat weather.

 

I did the EPR treatment on our Prius one evening last week, then drained the oil the next morning (in the garage, so somewhat warmer than outside). Even draining through a Fumoto drain valve (considerably smaller passageway than the drain plug opening itself), it didn't take long for the drips to stop.

 

Run it for 15~20 min in Maintenance Mode? It will run continuously, heat up good.

Not sure if 3rd gen chicken-dance is same, so fwiw:

1. Two push start button without foot on brake.

2. Depress gas pedal (completely) twice.

3. Depress brake pedal and shift to Neutral.

4. Depress gas pedal twice.

5. Press Park button.

6. Depress gas pedal twice.

Confirm Maintenance Mode displayed on dash, then depress brake and start button. Engine starts and runs continuously, till shut down by push of start button.

 

Some people would just be a scofflaw and drive it a mile or two on the public road. Not that I would ever recommend doing that and I would never do it myself.

 

You can also force the engine to run at about 2900RPM in park just by flooring it for a couple minutes.

 

In my experience, if you floor it, it will ramp up to a consistent ~2900 RPM after about 5 seconds and stay at that speed continuously. A minute or two at 2900RPM should be enough to heat it up for an oil change.

 

Don’t bother getting the oil hot just open the dump bolt and let it sit on a cold car. Let it drip for a while It’s not high viscosity.

You don’t do this much so learn how to dump the oil out and take the oil filter off without dumping the oil on your arm. It’s kinda messy.
Don’t want to learn with hot oil.

When I change the oil on my cars there always cold.

 

I try to change oil when the engine is warm, but often, I come home with the intention of changing the oil after shutting down the Prius. But, life interferes and I get delayed an hour or two. As edthefox5 says, it really does not matter, it will drain eventually.
kris

 

As a side note there’s a lot of oil trapped in the VVT section of the engine the VVT filter and it’s channel the solenoid tank and the cam vane so your not going to get 100% of the oil out no matter what you do.
If you want to do it better just increase the next OCI.

DIY it’s a very messy operation. Last thing you need is hot oil.

 

Fire it up and let it run until the motor stops. It's warm enough to change the oil and filter.