First Oil Change - Pictures/Instructions

Oil Change at 1500mi. Oil sample taken.

The C oil change is exactly like the oil change on our 2009 Prius. Filter is the same size and in the same location. Even uses the same 14mm wrench on the drain plug.

4 qt oil.
14mm drain plug wrench or socket.
Purolator PL14476 or Toyota 90915-10003 filter.
Oil filter wrench or socket (Ampro 65/14).
Oil drain pan.
Jack and jack stands.
Plenty of paper towels.
Cardboard to lay on.
Magnet for fishing out the drain plug from the hot oil after you drop it.
Latex gloves.

Remember, warm/hot oil drains more quickly and more thoroughly than does cold oil. I recommend hot oil. Hot oil on your hands will not leave burns that require medical treatment...only a couple of naughty words.

Jack up the car and place the jack stands. Some experts may place things differently, but here's where I place mine.

(see photos 1 and 2)

The oil filter is easy to get to. Same place as the 2009, right behind the radiator and in the center. I used the socket to remove it. There will be a big splash of oil. Let it run out, then remove the filter the rest of the way and place it in the catch pan. Let the rest of the oil drain down. Wipe the receiving area clean.

I pre-fill my filters. Be sure not to forget to wipe some clean oil on the rubber o-ring or gasket before you put it on. Screw it on now. I screw it on hand tight, and then a little more. Other experts will have other opinions, but that's what I do.

For the grip challenged, or placement difficulties, a tip I read a long time ago is to place some skateboard tape around the filter to make it easy to grip with oily hands or to help the filter wrench get a grip in diffilcult places. You'd want to stick the grip tape on before you start work. The tape can also be found as the tape you can put on steps to keep from slipping.

(see photo 3)

Now you can drain the oil. The plug size is 14mm. I would prefer a six sided socket or wrench when possible. 12 point wrench/sockets can round off the corners of the plug. This is a problem on extremely tight fasteners or badly placed wrenches, or wrenches that are not the most precisely sized in their manufacture (read cheap chinese wrenches).

Put your wrench on the plug and slightly loosen. Place the catch pan under the plug and remove the plug. Remember that the oil will gush out about 10-12" from the hole. Place the pan accordingly. I let the oil drain until the stream turns into drips. Some experts will insist you let the oil drain overnight to "get as much out as possible for their baby." I don't worry about it that much.

Cardboard or papers under the work area will assist in keeping oil drip/drops/errors from making a mess on your concrete.

Replace the drain plug. Torque value for those using a torque wrench is 28ft lbs.

While the car is up, check your work. So far we have placed the stands, remove/replace the filter. Remove drain plug, drain oil, replace the drain plug.

Remove your tools from the work area. Remove the oil catch pan from the work area. I immediately drain the oil into a steel 5gal container I use for dirty oil. Accidents are only a misstep away, and they are a real bear to clean up from spilled used oil.

Return your automobile to the down and stationary position.

Photo 4 shows the funnel in the oil fill hole and the oil check dip stick.

(see photo 4)

Oil fill with new filter requires 3.9 qts. 3 qts will place the oil halfway between full on the dipstick and the add oil position. I will fill the rest of the way to the Full position. Other experts might counsel different amounts and fill levels, but I fill to where it says it's full. Manufacturing differences may mean some cars actually have a slightly different amount. It isn't anything to fall in a heap in a corner over. For the first oil fill on your car, take your time to get it right and make a record of it. There's nice little numbers of oz. on the side of the oil bottle, so use that as your guide.

Once the oil is filled it's time to run the engine to circulate oil through the new filter and anywhere from which the oil might have drained. I run mine for 30-60 seconds. If you turn the Pruis to HI heat, the motor will run. After the prescribed run time, shut off the engine and let the oil drain back into the pan normally for 5 minutes. Check the oil fill level via the dip stick.

If the oil fill is slightly above the add oil, it isn't much to worry about, IMO. If the oil fill level is below the mark, do as you wish and either let it be or add oil to bring it to the full mark.

Clean up your work area. Wipe down your tools. Grab a beer and a cigar. Congratulate yourself on another job well done.


Recap:

-Jack up the car, place your jackstands.
-Put down cardboard or papers under the work area.
-Remove the oil filter. Wipe the filter mount clean. Pre-fill the new filter and place on the mount. Hand tighten the filter or to your own personal specifications.
-Drain the oil. Replace the oil plug and tighten correctly.
-Place the car back on the ground.
-Fill with oil to the desired fill level.
-Check all work. Check it again.
-Start the car. Check for leaks. Let the engine run for 30-60 seconds. Shut off the engine. Wait 5 minutes. Check oil fill level. Adjust if required.

 

I've had a number of new vehicles in the past, and I've done the initial change at 1500mi or so on each of them. Part of it is getting to work on the car(s). I enjoy wrenching. Part of it is to open up the filters for a look-see. The last bit is to get the oil analysis done to see if there are any initial problems and begin the trend line.

I will then change the oil at 5k miles, and continue with 5k mile changes after that. There are those that have many different reasons for changing their oil at 10k mile intervals. I'm not one of them.

I have six motors in the drivway now to look after. Oil changes are about the easiest thing I can do on them. The Super Duty has a sticking rear caliper I have to change (it will match the front that rusted stuck.) The wife's 2009 Prius doesn't get but oil changes and tire rotations. The Camaro needs a new A/C compressor and drier. The wifes old car just needs looked after to keep it lubed and ready. The bikes always seem to have some little thing that needs optimised, lubed, or tightened.

It justifies the costs of tools and supplies, gives me something to do, keeps an eye on status, gets me close the vehicle to check all the other little things, and nips problems in the bud.

 

I change oils at 5k mile intervals and am unapologetic. The oil may be different than 1972 oil, but the contaminants aren't much. Besides, I've been tsk-tsk'd at by better people than the10k mile interval crowd. To each their own.

The filter was of good construction, but the element was not pleated paper. It was some sort of synthetic stuff press molded around the (8?) finned center section. I heard both good and bad about them. Haven't actually seen anything on the Toyota filter.

I didn't see any shavings or chunks. What I did see were about 15 or so small white spheres. They crumbled under the tip of my pocket knife as I tried to move them. There were no carbon flakes.

Not fully retired yet, but retired military. Still working to keep the wife in bon-bons. And, eventually the maintenance of toys accumulated exceeds the time available to play with them.

 

Only a factory number? Beats me, I always buy Purolator filters.

 

There are no shields on the C. Everything is open and easy to reach.

It would be very easy to get a flashlight, lay on your back, and shine the flashlight around to get your bearings. See the photographs early in this thread as to what you're looking for.

 

There was an aluminum washer on the drain plug. I don't classify it as a crush washer, but some might. It's too sturdy to need replacement each time.

 

The cup wrench often sticks to the filter. I've learned how to tap it off when it does, but sometimes I'd simply have to leave it on until I figured it out. It's quite simple once the light bulb/candle goes on over the head.

Once the filter is loose, but before oil starts to leak out, either:
1) carefully reverse the socket and it might come loose.
2) tap the top of the cup on oneside then the other and it should come loose.
3) remove the rest of the way by hand.