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DIY-Oil Change

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Blackat, May 28, 2024.

  1. Mr.Vanvandenburg

    Mr.Vanvandenburg Senior Member

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    2020 Prius Prime
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    He has a lot to learn about oil filters. What he says is 90% wrong. The coil spring he shows is to hold the thing together inside the can. The bypass valve works on the pressure difference across the media. Oil pressure can be 60 psi and nothing is bypassing until the bypass pressure is met above 60 psi. 10 psi bypass valve would need 70 psi on the inlet side of the oil filter to open.
    There is another bypass valve in the oil pump if things get really restricted, which dumps oil back to the pan and reduces oil flow.
     
  2. ETC(SS)

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

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    I DIY nearly all of my oil changes.
    I say 'nearly' because I have had to rely in an indy for a change on one of my CFO's vehicles when out of town (or out of the country.)
    NEARLY EVERY SINGLE TIME they manage to either over torque something or they over or under fill the sump.
    I'm THE LEAST anal person on the planet, but I somehow manage to get oil changes pretty much right.
    Every time.
    Well......except that ONE time when I did an unscheduled engine flush due to a poorly timed drain plug replacement. ;)

    I use a 4-5k mile OCI and all but one of my vehicles (4 GMCs for now) have sufficiently large oil sumps that there is little to be gained by tinkering with a larger-than-spec filter. I either use FRAM or an OEM (AC Delco, in my case) or whatever equivalent is available in the local supercenter.
    Mobil-1 is a slightly expensive favorite sub.
    My latest go-to oil is SuperTech in whatever blend is recommended for my motors - either 5w30 or 0w20.
    Even in today's horrible economy I manage to change my oil (6qts plus filter) for less than $30.
    Two of my vehicles have turbocharged four-bangers so I change the oil in those a little more often since a turbo is a 'wear item' that I expect to have to replace before 250,000 miles. I've never been tempted to cut open an oil filter, used or otherwise - and while it's entertaining to hear all of the discussions and debates over torqueing strategeries I usually use a 'redneck calibrated' 1/4 inch drive socket when tightening the drain plug and my increasingly creaky hands when tightening the oil filter.
    When arthritis asserts itself more fully, I will probably switch to a filter wrench and eyeball the 1/4 turn spec.

    Most of the oil-warriors are people who trade their cars out before they wear their cars out and so I always read the posts with varying interest to see if I might glean some hidden secret to cheating physics.
    However (comma!)
    In most cases it's increasingly strident and insult laden arguments about the difference between six and a half-dozen - and in the end very little has changed in the 40+ years that I've been changing oil.

    DIY oil changers all have one thing in common.
    Most of us have cars that are at least a little better maintained than the average driver.
    ALSO - If something goes awry with their oil changes they already know who to blame. :)
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.