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5,000 mile servce

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by bwilson4web, Sep 26, 2009.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I took my wife's car in for 5,000 mile service and a few extras:

    • sample of engine oil - dark brown, opaque
    • change and sample transaxle oil - dark red, opaque
    • single beep on "R"
    • tire rotate and depth - 8/32 all four tires
    • 4-wheel alignment
    Total cost: $231.09 ... I had extras.

    Wheel alignment numbers, now:
    Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6
    0 front or rear metric left is range right is
    1 front camber 0.1 -1.3 to 0.2 -0.5
    2 front caster 5.4 2.4 to 3.9 5.4
    3 front toe 0.03 -0.10 to 0.10 0.04
    4 rear camber -1.6 -2.0 to -1.0 -1.5
    5 rear toe 0.14 0.03 to 0.28 0.13
    .
    I do not like the right front camber and will get a camber bolt and fix. Also, I can reduce the rear camber and toe to the minimums with an EZ-SHIM. The time to do these fixes is before the tires begin to show any wear pattern and 5,000 miles is just too brief.

    So compared to the Firestone results, there are some differences:
    Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
    0 Firestone Toyota value
    1 0.1 -0.1 left front camber
    2 -1.4 -1.6 left rear camber
    3 -1.4 -1.5 right rear camber
    4 0.12 0.14 left rear toe
    5 0.23 0.13 right rear toe
    .
    Both sets of measurements are close enough that I feel confident I can bring them down to minimum levels.

    I tried to run some speed tests before and after:
    Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5
    0 miles MPG indicated speed segment
    1 11.6 51.6 70 west Jordan Lane towards Mooresville sprinkles
    2 12.2 53.5 70 west Jordan Lane towards Morresville after service
    3 7.4 52.3 65 south Athens to I-565 sprinkles
    4 8.5 62.1 65 south Athens to I-565 after service
    .
    I can not definitively state that the service improved my performance because the rain sprinkles required intermittent windshield wiper operation. The mileage differences could be a rain effect. However, looking at the transaxle oil, I have my suspicions.

    Yet to do:

    • engine oil is just over the "F" - I'll drain a cup or two to bring it under "F"
    • check the tire pressure - a notorious problem in the past, I'll do it when I next fill-up ... any guesses about what I'll find?
    Bob Wilson
     
  2. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    So I filled up my wife's car on Sunday but forgot to check the tire pressure. This morning it was 55F and the TPI came ... and I remembered. Sure enough, all four tires were at 35 psi, not the 44 psi I'd set them to before. A quick trip to the gas station and all four tires are fully inflated. I'm just pleased the technician didn't hit the TPI reset button.

    Bob Wilson
     
  3. jamarimutt

    jamarimutt New Member

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    My 5000 mile service will be a change of oil and filter, to be repeated at 6000 mile intervals after that. That's it. This has worked perfectly for my 2004, now at 110,000 miles (first spark plug change to take place at 120,000).
     
  4. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    Bob,
    Did you have the transaxle fluid changed? Never mind, I re-read your post. Why don't you do these things yourself? except for alignment of course?
     
  5. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I wanted the back-up beep converted to a single beep and I figured it was OK to share a little sugar with service department. Also, I needed a second wheel alignment check to cross check against the Firestone. Now I have everything needed and can proceed with my four-wheel alignment. Target is minimum rear wheel caster and toe and order the bolt to fix the caster in the passenger side, front wheel.

    As for future changes, you're right, I'll be doing them myself. But it did give me a chance to say, "Honey, I'm going to get your car oil changed ..." and have a quiet afternoon. <grins>

    Bob Wilson
     
  6. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    As opposed to "Honey, I'm taking the battery out of your car for a little testing"...
     
  7. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Ok, the real reason was to get the 5,000 mile service done before the floor mat 'recall' jams up the service departments. My wife's 2010 actually had missing floor mat, anchor clips.

    Bob Wilson
     
  8. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    Oh Lord. "Attack of the Killer Floor Mats" Who's the comedian who has the routine "you can't fix stupid"
     
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I just got my oil analysis back and started two thread in the "2010 Technical" forum: one on engine oil analysis and the other on transmission oil analysis. Feel free to review and comment there on the results. Hopefully some folks will eventually join me in a fleet study of engine and transmission oil wear characteristics.

    Bob Wilson