Engine oil replacement?

Rule #1: Never overfill the oil. And never let the people who change your oil tell you, "a little over the line is OK."
If it were OK, the line would be that much higher.

Otherwise, change the oil like the book says.

 

Many of us changed to a synthetic oil after 3-5000 miles.

I use Mobile1 and change my own oil to make sure it is not over-filled.

Check out John's site for detailed oil change and a lot of other great Prius info.

John's Stuff - Toyota Prius and more

 

The most important thing is once it's done, check the dip-stick to verify the oil level before you drive away.

Other than that, don't ask for a "service", tell them you want an oil change. That's it. Be leary of any Quicky oil change place.

 

+1
Keep it synthetic I like both Mobil-1 and Castrol Syntec (black bottle) the best. (you can buy a 5 qt jug cheap at wal-mart for approx $20)
Also remember to use the proper viscosity of oil (5W30 here in the US spec) but feel free to try a 0W30 from Mobil-1 for a marginal fuel economy boost. Some Priuschatters are now using a thinner 5w20 and 0w20 weights as well with great results.

I also really like the Purolator "Pure One" line of filters.

 

Take the Scheduled Maintenance Guide with you; show the appropriate page to the service writer and tell them "do this". Anything more (other than fixing stuff that actually happens to be broken) is a waste of money for you and a boat payment for the dealer.

Absolutely check the oil level yourself before driving away! Always do that no matter who changes the oil.

As it turns out 3.5 quarts will completely fill the system at an oil change, and 3.0 quarts is more than sufficient. Try it and see. It's trivial to add more oil and a relative pain in the @ss to remove any excess.

 

I don't buy this bad advice for a minute.

The owners manual for the 2008 says 3.9 quarts oil for oil and filter change. 3.5 would not really hurt much but underfilling by almost 25% (3 quarts instead of 3.9) is just not a good idea.

Back in the 60's, drag racers would underfill engines to get a little extra power on the dragstrip ... but they were only under power for a few seconds ... and the engines were rebuilt PREQUENTLY.

I doubt that your intention is to rebuild your engine every month.

Here's the bottom line. Use good oil ... like Mobil 1 ... use the right amount ... and change it by the book ... which is 6 months or 5,000 miles ... whichever is first.

Old Bald Guy
2008 Prius
package 2
52.5 mpg on the clock this morning
lifetime average 49.62 mpg after 6000 miles/4 months

 

If you want to use an oversized Purolator Pure One filter, the PL20195 fits.

Costs no more than the stock size, but has about twice the filtering material, so you're that much less likely to clog the filter and require it to go into bypass mode.

Plus, you put about 8-12 oz. more oil into the system (because the filter is bigger) - more oil doing the same thing --> the additives in the oil will last a bit longer.

 

3.9 is if you drained EVERY LAST DROP of oil out of the engine and oilpan, which is impossible.

3.5 hits close to the top line, 3.0 hits a bit less then the center of the dipstick.


Usually, 3.9 is overfilling.

 

Yes, underfilling would be a bad idea. Using 3.0 quarts leaves the level halfway between the ADD and FULL lines on the dipstick, which is perfectly fine. 3.5 quarts fills it to the top. 3.9 quarts takes it over the FULL line because about 1/2 quart stays inside the engine, in the sump and coating internal surfaces. You can choose to trust either the shop and owner's manuals or the dipstick, but at least one of them is wrong. The info in the manuals passed from the design engineers through at least one technical writer and at least one translator, so I prefer to believe the dipstick.

I suspect a cultural difference here: the Japanese designers know that there is an acceptable operating range of oil level, whereas some American owners believe in their guts that "more is better". It Ain't Necessarily So.

 

"Maint Required" light flashing means that you have driven 4500 miles since it was last reset with it staying lit it means that you have driven 5000 miles. It is a "friendly" reminder to do the scheduled maintenance in the book which is every 5000 miles. Usually the only major thing that needs addressed (depending on the mileage) is an oil change.

So change the oil and reset the light, repeat in 5000 miles.

 

"engine oil replacement" = "oil change"

When the MAINT REQD light starts flashing for a few seconds upon startup, this means that 4,500 miles have elapsed since the light was last reset. When the MAINT REQD light stays on solid, that means that 5,000 miles have elapsed since the light was last reset.

Assuming that the MAINT REQD counter was reset the last time you had your oil changed, then the presence of the light means you need to have your engine oil and oil filter changed in the near future. The recommended service interval is every 5,000 miles.

My suggestion is that you specifically request that only 3.5 quarts of engine oil are added, so that the oil level will be slightly under the top dimple on the dipstick.

 

You need to read the Scheduled Maintenance Guide, and then show the appropriate page to a Toyota Prius service writer and say "do that". If you buy a dealer's "service package" you will get reamed.

 

I am still using up my "free" oil changes at the dealer. After they are gone I will probably go back to doing them myself using Mobil 1.

The attached scan is part of the most recent service ticket. Note what is said in the highlighted part. I asked the service writer to put a notation on not to over fill. He took it a little farther and said that I would check the oil in the parking lot. And yes, I did check it before I left. It was right at the top mark.

 

FWIW the manual says the range from low to full on the dipstick is 1.6 qt for my '08 (page 367.) The capacity is 3.9 qt with filter (page 466, full I assume.) So at the low mark there would be 2.3 qt remaining. Half full should be around 3.1 qt. Knowing that you can't get every last drop out, my plan is to have them put in 3 qt of Mobil1 5W-30 that I will supply and tell them "no more, no less...and leave my tire pressure alone." (Oil is overfull at present...looks like 4 quarts or a tad more, so I need to get a pipette bulb and some tubuing to drain...sigh, now I remember why I've always done my own oil on the vehicles I've owned.)

 

That's exactly what I have resorted to, except I tell them not to even check the tires. And under no circumstance is my car to take that free ride through their car scratcher . . . um, wash.

 

Two points here. Oil AND filter. To learn about filters, check here Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources and here Denso oil filter, Nippon denso oil filters, oil filter cross reference for cars, trucks

Simple rule first. Avoid FRAM filters. They are pure CRAP.
Oil. Use the best oil you can get ... saving a few cents on oil is bad economics. Mobil 1 is my preference. I have also used Castrol Syntec and Pennzoil Platinum with good results.

In my youth, I spent years working on cars, both at my father's shops and for Chrysler and Ford. With all the motors I ever rebuilt ... and put oil into a clean, dry, empty motor ... I have NEVER seen a dipstick which was accurate. Underfilling is bad business ... as is overfilling. Contrary to what some posters have said here, if you drain your oil FROM A WARM MOTOR with a level vehicle, you are NOT going to leave any substantial amount of oil in your motor. Whether you let it drain for 1 minute or 1 hour ... and I have tested this many times ... that extra 59 minutes doesn't get you much oil ... certainly not the half quart some posters would like you to believe.

Go by the book and put in what the manufacturer calls for. Your dipstick is probably wrong. They usually are.

If you knowingly use the wrong weight, quality, quantity, of oil .... then you are knowingly violating your vehicle warrantee.

 

What I find interesting is that the same motor will have different viscosity requirements in different parts of the world. Here in North America, the API would have us believe that 5W-30 is a magical "all season" oil, yet in most other countries the same motor will have a +50 F temp cut-off for the same viscosity

Here is the oil allowed in the Prius in other countries. You will note in Japan the Prius can run 0W-20, in Spain it's allowed up to 20W-50, but 5W-30 is prefered for most conditions

 

I'm not sure what you are proposing here. Are you saying put in 3.9 quarts (in which cases the dipstick will indicate overfull?)

That is why I propose for myself to start with only three quarts. Toyota's own material shows that 3.9 quarts = full, anything over that is technically "overfilled." The range they give from full to low is 1.6 quarts, meaning that 2.3 quarts is "low." Three quarts should put you midrange on the stick or at least give you a calibration point for the stick. It should not get you in any trouble. It allows 0.7 quarts of leakage/consumption. (The reader will also recognize that if they are having some leakage or consumption, he/she probably wants to add an extra half quart or so to run closer to the full condition without being overfull.)

If you put in 3.9 quarts it will be overfull, because there will be some residual, even if it is a single drop. I don't think there is any mystery to folks seeing their dipsticks showing 1/8" or so over whenever 3.9 quarts are put in the car.

Another way of looking at it: Hand a guy 3 quarts of oil and tell him to put it in the vehicle and you should be fine. Instead just tell him to put in 3.9 quarts...what do you think is going to happen the majority of the time? He'll put in 4 quarts = overfill, regardless of any residual oil which will only make the situation worse. (That's setting someone up to fail in my experience with mechanics whether they are highly skilled process mechanics, auto mechanics, or summer help at Jiffy Lube.) I can add an extra half quart at the house easily if I'm not satisfied with the level, but getting out extra oil is messy and takes more time and effort.

Has anyone put in 3.9 quarts and not had the dipstick indicate full or overfull?