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Silly oil change question

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Steelholder, Feb 4, 2023.

  1. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Helps to build in some guardrails. I had an incident a year or so back where the oil filter fell off our Prius. I was very lucky to notice and stop driving immediately, and got it sorted with no long term damage to the car.

    As near as I can tell, I simply hadn't tightened it enough. Going from the calendar, the filter had been installed while I was recovering from a hand injury, and I think I just wasn't as strong as I needed to be.

    Now I use the other arm.

    Gotta keep adapting...
     
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Or use a torque wrench. ;)

    spin-on’s 13 foot pound, or 3/4 turn past first contact.
     
  3. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    That is what that little clip is for.....

     
  4. Montgomery

    Montgomery Senior Member

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    [​IMG]
    PITTSBURGH AUTOMOTIVE
    Solid Steel Auto Ramp Set
    Write a Review
    Auto ramp can lift cars, light trucks or other vehicles up to 8000 lb.
    $69.99

    [​IMG]

    Good ol' Harbor Freight!! Steel ramps for $70!! Sturdy and safe.
     
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  5. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Yep, for just changing the oil, these are wonderful! Tip: They only work with front or all-wheel drive vehicles. If you try driving a rear-wheel vehicle, like my Tundra, they'll just shoot straight out when you're on it a few inches! (Ask me how I know!) But when I put the Tundra in 4x4, she'll drive right up there.
     
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  6. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    So you like didn’t unplug the 12 v bat cable? You’re working on a car... that’s the stuff that I got from here during egr tear down
     
  7. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Instead of a bunch of individual replies:
    - I do have a set of ramps, but I find using a jack and jack stands gives me a little more elbow room to maneuver when changing the oil.
    - I always use wheel chocks, and keep them on my floor jack (like Leadfoot) so I don't forget to use them.
    - The parking brake on my Venza is electro-automatic, so as long as the idiot light is on I'm good (fingers-crossed.)
    - I always use a torque wrench for tightening the drain plug (30 ft/lbs on the Venza) and always replace the washer.
    - Even though the Toyota filter (90915-YZZN1) comes with the O-ring pre-greased, I always add a dab of motor oil to it.
    - I just go about 3/4 past initial contact on the spin-on filter.

    AND...

    Not to regurgitate the argument found on a couple of other threads, I will always replace the oil (the Venza uses 0W-16) every 5,000 miles because that is my prerogative. I used to go 10,000 miles when I had my 2010 and 2017 Prii, but would like to have the Venza last for as long as possible (Note: My two Prii had absolutuely no mechanical issues when I traded them in. The 10K interval was more for my convenience.) The cost of 5K oil/filter changes is negligible.
     
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  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I prefer to have parking brake off with the chocks in place (fore and aft on the rear wheels), rationale being then you have a stationary hinge point.

    One thing with wheel chocks (and I use them): when doing our sons oil, more than once when he’s trying to leave, we discover the wheel chocks are still in place. They work good lol.
     
    #28 Mendel Leisk, Feb 5, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2023
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  9. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    Those ramps won't work on a Prius, air-dam will scrap. I do use those on my full size GMC 4x4, but most of the time I just shimmy underneath to do the oil changes. The tires also tends to slip going up those smooth steel ramps. Putting it in 4x4 mode and airing down the tires a bit also helps.
     
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  10. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    Unreal...the poor guy just wanted to know it the tilt with the front end higher would hinder the oil draining out. Instead he gets a hundred suggestions on how to change the oil, what oil to use, how to be safe, chocks or no chocks, jack stands or no jack stands, whether to disconnect the battery, don't forget to turn off the car, how often to change the oil, whether to use the parking brake or not, instructions to use a torque wrench on the filter, whether to put a note on the steering wheel reminding him he drained the oil, which ramps will work and which will not and which are safe and will not crack, how to store the ramps...I'm sure I left something out.
    Let's see....how do I build that watch again???
     
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  11. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Well, he did get the answer to his question right in post #2 and said thank you in #3.

    After that it just went on as a PriusChat thread.
     
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  12. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    ....and use 0w-20 Toyota oil only.
     
  13. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    Your first time on an internet forum, huh? :ROFLMAO:

    "Par for the course", as you golfers say...
     
  14. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    We are a helpful bunch, aren't we?
     
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