Changing oil in a Prius sucks

how much torque are you suppose to give that canister?

 

28 ft lbs

try that with a regular torque wrench; not enough room/

 

If you work at a dealer you would be putting a couple hundred foot pounds. Maybe kick it with your foot.

I think you just need to snug it up with one hand.

 

i siphon the extra oil out after every dealer change, then take it to the dealer very fifth change and make them deduct it from the price.

 

18 ft/lb's, for the oil filter housing.

28 ft/lb's for the oil drain bolt. <Ah woops, it's 27 ft/lbs, rechecking my attachment

 

Wow only 18ft pounds. I saw the guy that did mine last time, maybe applied 3x that torque

 

18 ft/lbs is not trivial, it being a large diameter item, and does take a bit of effort to break loose next time. I'm the only one whose touched ours, always used a torque wrench. It is definitely more than "hand tight".

The main object is to prevent it coming loose; the seal is the O-ring along the body. I mean, you could back it out a turn or two, it would still seal, as long as it doesn't start unscrewing itself, and even that's unlikely. The metal clip is ineffectual, at least it doesn't get in your way. Any regular oil filter socket of the right dimensions will work, there's nothing unique needed.

I'm using a Honda socket, looks like this. Again, the spec is 64 mm inside face-to-face, 14 facets:

 

Maybe I should start doing my own changes, that's like the only thing I don't do lol. It cost me $10 labor and I've always let my mechanic do it

 

I suppose I barely come out ahead in $'s, the cost on a typical oil change is $32.11 (Can) plus tax. That's for all Toyota at the parts counter. And then maybe every 4~5th change it's an extra $5.65, when I buy an extra liter of the 0W20 (I put in 4.2 liters).

The main thing is I like doing it: it's at my convenience. I can take my sweet time, remove the engine underpanel completely, keep it pristine. I look over the drive and steering boots, check for leaks, etcetera. I've got a garage with a slab, the floor jack, safety stands and so on.

 

Yes, definitely harder than it should be. Here's another gotcha' I found : if using ramps, you need the special low rise style to clear the front air dam; however, these won't raise the car high enough to rotate the flap out of the way. grrrrrr.......

 

My method...It's called "angular torque" position.

Mark the position of the canister housing at the proper torque, and you'll NEVER have to use the torque wrench again.

To tighten the cap correctly, just return it to the same position.

 

I'm curious if one were to really crank this thing tight, how far off the mark would that be?

 

I'm kinda sceptical of the mark method, for a couple of reasons:

1. I've got torque wrenches, so why not just use them?
2. Over time, with wear-and-tear on the cap, maybe it needs to turn further to achieve same torque.

Either way, the thing is not going to unscrew itself, but still: #1 does it for me.

Somebody here mentioned to buy a spare cap, good idea, I should really do it. Spiderman found the plastic on his was starting to powder a bit, I think.

 

Here's all you need to know for a Gen III oil change,

 

You might be skeptical, but the entire auto and aerospace industry is NOT.

Almost every manufacturer specifies the "angular torque" method as the most accurate method of tightening engine head bolts.

How much wear on the PA6 fiberglass filled nylon cap is there? It is lubricate by oil. Most of the friction is on the "o" ring, which is replaced and lubricated with oil, too.

 

Hey; The Toyota wrench might appear to be expensive on the outset.

But it is CHEAP in the long run, when one calculates the cost of broken or damages parts, lost time and aggravation.

And, if the cap is over tightened, this is the wrench that they used.

It will be the same wrench that you'll need to take it off.

 

i thought the gas cap had a ratcheting mechanism to keep from over tightening?

 

Not in my experience.

 

really? you don't tighten it until it clicks? i must be thinking of another car, i haven't purchased gasoline in months.