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Oil change question

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Coopers ST, Nov 12, 2017.

  1. Coopers ST

    Coopers ST Junior Member

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    Hey all,

    Our 09 is new to us. The car now has 107,XXX miles. It doesn't seem to burn any oil as the level hasn't changed over the last 5,000 miles (the time we have had it). The maint required light is now flashing, I am guessing is a oil change required. I know it was done a few days before we got it as I saw the receipt. I looked at it today, it's still full, and looks really clean, like new actually. Is it ok to push this out a few thousand miles, maybe even another 5,000 of course checking levels and looks of quality frequently?

    Thanks for your input.
     
    #1 Coopers ST, Nov 12, 2017
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2017
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I would stick with the 5000 mile oci, that way your car will always be in top notch condition.
     
    #2 JC91006, Nov 12, 2017
    05PreeUs and Montgomery like this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The 2nd gen US Owner's Manual says to change the engine oil and filter every 5000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. 3rd Gen in the States stretched the interval to 10K miles or 12 months, but it's really up to you.

    Up here in Canada we don't have the warning light to cloud the issue, and in my case 6 months (Canadian 3rd gen interval is still 8000K kms or 6 months) invariably governs: I just slam in fresh oil and filter, sometime mid April and October.
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Nov 12, 2017
  4. Coopers ST

    Coopers ST Junior Member

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    My daily commute is 32 miles each way, probably 25 is highway. I actually couldn't believe how clean it looked. My guess is because the engine probably only runs 75% of the time. My regular cars get changed every 5000 miles and they run all the time, my Focus ST is boosted and is shifted at 4,000 rpm and still get changed at 5000 miles per Ford recommendation
     
    #4 Coopers ST, Nov 12, 2017
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's up to you, whatever you're comfortable with.

    With ours, even though it looks near-new on the dipstick right before I drain, with 5000 kms at most, pouring a bit of the drain oil into something like a pickle jar, it looks dark as ink.

    OTOH, I'm draining the oil on a couple of Hondas also, and they always look black as ink on the dipstick by oil change time, lol.
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Nov 12, 2017
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  6. LEVE

    LEVE Member

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    On my '05, I religiously changed oil and filter every 2000 miles. Then, read the manual and found out it had a oil change monitor. After doing a little research on it, I decided I'd follow Toyota's oil change monitor. Now, at 285,000 miles, and not burning oil, I'm a believer in that oil change monitor. It seems to fire at almost ever 4,0000 miles. It's worked so well that I adopted 4,000 mile oil change intervals on my '02. So far, so good.
     
    #6 LEVE, Nov 12, 2017
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  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    How many miles were on your car before you switched to longer oci?
     
    #7 JC91006, Nov 12, 2017
  8. LEVE

    LEVE Member

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    About 75,000 miles. I think I kept the local waste disposal yard in oil for their waste-oil heater in those miles.
     
    #8 LEVE, Nov 13, 2017
  9. 05PreeUs

    05PreeUs Senior Member

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    The MOST important of changing oil is.....

    CHANGING THE OIL, regularly on some schedule. 5k is GREAT, 6k, not so much.

    I am not aware of any engine that has failed from an oil related issue that also received regular maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines, or anything close. Now, skip a change here and there, all bets are OFF.
     
    #9 05PreeUs, Nov 13, 2017
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Also: check the dipstick periodically, and just before the oil change.
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Nov 13, 2017
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  11. 05PreeUs

    05PreeUs Senior Member

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    YES!

    High oil level is BAD for these engines, while generally not as destructively bad as no oil, still not good.
     
    #11 05PreeUs, Nov 13, 2017
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