How hard is an oil change on this thing?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Foxhound @ Oct 14 2007, 08:52 PM) [snapback]525645[/snapback]</div>

It's more a matter of frustration.

Owners are obviously seeking info on how to just do it themselves... since the download rate for the CHANGING OIL document have been over 2,000 per month for quick some time now.

And fortunately, Prius makes it pretty easy.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Oct 14 2007, 11:53 PM) [snapback]525698[/snapback]</div>

Easiest oil change i have ever done. I cna now finish in <30 minutes & that includes cleanup.
The hardest part really is getting the old filter off the filter wrench during CLEANUP.

 

The biggest drawback is the car's low ground clearance. Unless you jack it a little, the filter is "change by Braille". I hate to reach up in there with a nicely filled oil filter and run into the dirt and stuff below the engine. That said, it can be done, and its not that big a deal once you do it a few times. As a matter of fact, if you do the required tire rotate at the same time, you have to jack the car anyway. I only rotate tires every other oil change (10K miles). In 44,000+ miles, I've never been back to the dealer, and the tires still look good @ 10,000 mile rotations. Give the oil a try, you'll need a small size filter wrench. I got mine at Walmart for about $5. It fits on the end of the filter and has a 3/8 drive for a ratchet extension (short).

 

I changed my oil Saturday and it wasn't a fun one! I'd done it many times before on my prior Prii, but this was the first time on my 2006, because the dealer gave me freebies at 5 and 10k.
No problem getting the drain plug off (I don't jack it up), and I replaced the OEM plug with a Fumoto valve. However, I could not get the filter off, even though I have the cap-end wrench that's worked fine in the past. The dealer must have over-tightened. I rounded off the filter trying to get it off, and the cap-end just spun. I have a half-dozen other oil filter wrenches of different philosophies, but, as many of you know, there is little to no clearance around the sides of the filter. I finally put the Mobil 1 in, drove to a local mechanic, and the counter guy walked out there and cracked it loose for me on his first try, with a band-type wrench.
Doh. But wait, I get even more stupid.
Then I drive home, debating whether, if I just took the filter off, the entire 3 quarts of Mobil1 would drain out that spot. I ended up chickening out and draining it through the Fumoto, then changing the filter and filling it up with 3 more quarts of expensive synthetic oil. I make sure the filler cap and dipstick are in place, back it out of the garage, and let it run a little. Then I top it off with a half-quart to get it to the top line on the stick, let it sit a bit, and check for leaks. None.
But, I apparently did NOT put the filler cap back on the second time.
Next day (having driven 100 freeway miles in between), I pull out of my garage and notice a big oil stain on the floor. Yikes. I'm hoping the filter is a little loose, or that the Fumoto is a little loose and not defective. Put newspaper underneath, wait a bit, and see it's dripping from further back on the engine. Yikes. Open the hood, find my filler cap still sitting there on top of the manifold, oil sprayed up and over the rear of the engine.
Good news is, I only lost about 1/4 quart of oil. Topped it off and it's been fine since.
Net result, I wasted 3 1/4 quarts of synthetic oil, and took about 3-4 hours of time to do what I should have done in 30 minutes.
Doh.
rpm

 

The Prius is an extremely simple oil & filter change - you do not need to raise the body. The Prius ICE is the same as the Toyota Echo ICE.

I stopped going to the dealer for routine service (too much ignorance). Purchase Mobil 1 oil at Costco, Mobil 1 double oil filters on line and oil changes are very quick and easy.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 17 2007, 12:06 PM) [snapback]527007[/snapback]</div>

The good news is you now know how NOT to do it in the future.
You can now be certified as a Prius Oil Change Expert via the trial by fire method of learning.

 

I too, left the cap off, and drove 45 miles on the freeway, smelling oil. What a mess. Sometimes lernin' can be painfull. You shouldn't change oil in the dark, I guess.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 17 2007, 03:06 PM) [snapback]527007[/snapback]</div>

Just to make you feel better... Years ago on my first oil change on my Porsche 914, after draining the oil, and putting the plug back in, I opened the cap and poured in the four quarts and drove away. I noticed that the oil light didn't go out AND that the clutch was slipping some.... I had poured the oil in the hole that was to be used to check the clutch.

PA P

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Foxhound @ Oct 14 2007, 06:52 PM) [snapback]525645[/snapback]</div>

No non raced, street legal vehicle needs the oil changed every 3000 miles. The 50's and 60's are long gone and so should this old wives tale. Engines and oils have come a long way since then. You should be able to put on 5000 to 7000 miles with Dino oil and easily get 10,000 miles with synthetic. But nothing is stopping anyone from changing out the oil filter sooner if they are concerned about dirty oil.

Early oil changes are not cheap insurance as many claim and is only a waste of good oil and money.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 17 2007, 12:06 PM) [snapback]527007[/snapback]</div>

NOTE TO SELF:
No vehicle can drain all the engine oil out the oil filter engine opening. The oil pan holds oil lower than where the oil filter is located. You will only get enough oil that would fill an oil filter, when you take the filter off.

 

Well I replaced the oil and oil filter on my just over 2 month new Prius. It was ready for it's second oil change since I had one done fairly soon after I bought the car. I followed the instructions as best as I could using the tools recommended on that web page john1701a.

It was fairly easy to do considering I haven't done anything to a car in my life, and I am not mechanically inclined at all. I wasn't quite so efficient but I presume I will get better as I get used to it. I made a bit of a mess, and had paper towels, newspaper, latex gloves, to keep the mess to a minimum.

I installed the Fumoto Oil Valve Drain to replace the oil plug. When I removed the oil plug from the car I couldn't find the gasket. I wiped away the oil pan drain area to see if the gasket was there and I didn't feel any gasket still stuck onto the pan. So I don't know where the gasket is that was supposed to be part of the old oil plug that I replaced with the Fumoto.

I started the engine and had it run for a few minutes by sitting in the car, and pressing on the accelerator lightly while in Park, so that the engine would run. There were no oil leaks on the ground. I presume I did that correctly as well.

To do all this work I bought some parking ramps and raised my car very carefully and gingerly on them, making sure to depress the parking brake and put some block behind the rear tires for added caution.

Because I heard so many bad things on here about how difficult it is to remove the oil filter, I decided to remove the oil filter first, and the oil plug second. The filter wasn't difficult to remove, I used an oil wrench.

I am hopeful that it all worked out fine. I will keep on eye on things to make sure.

 

its an easy oil change. I am changing mine this weekend. I think I am going to take some pictures and post up a tutorial. I don't think people realize how easy it is to do your own maintenance and its cheaper and the quality of service is better too.

 

My first oil change will be a little harder than the next, since I intend to drop the oil pan and clean any sludge found in there. After all, I just got this '02 Prius used at 116K miles and even though the oil has apparently been changed recently I am sure I'll find some gunk in the pan, much as I did in the transmission pan when I removed that.

Removing the engine oil pan requires to apply liquid (silicone?) gasket when reinstalling it, so I have to buy a tube of this from an autoparts store first.

The other thing I plan to do is to install a Fram Sure Drain drain valve. IMO much nicer design than the others I've seen. Too bad Fram does not make them anymore. I bought one off eBay and hope that it would fit - it is the SD-3 model. Some autostores still carry them as old stock or discontinued items as well. Does anyone know the thread pitch of the Prius '02 pan drain bolt? On the 04-07 I think it is 12x1.25 so the SD-3 should fit - I just hope it is the same on the '02...

I have the same valves on my two other cars and have had it on the car before that and they work flawlessly so far (200K miles combined or so). The profile is lower on these and the do not leak if you forget to latch them. Only drawback - they drain a little slower than without them - takes about 5 minutes to drain the as opposed to just a few seconds but it is a clean and tool-free job: just unscrew the cap and screw-in the little hose...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 17 2007, 02:06 PM) [snapback]527007[/snapback]</div>

Makes you wonder if the mechanic used as torque wrench putting on the new filter

When all else fails, the trick to removing an over tightened filter is to jam a screw driver or other sharp object into the filter to give you the ability to twist it off. It's a messy procedure but works. In addition other non-end cap wrenches could be use (like a clamp style) and it will cause the filter to collapse, warp and bend real easily. Looks like you tried this. I know jamming a sharp tool into the old filter may sound harsh but it works. The base of the filter is essentially a cavity with little structure inside. I had to do this on a few occasions in the last 15 years with various cars. This is the only means to get it off with regular tools at home. This procedure isn't for the faint at heart and most folks won't try it.

A cheap-o 2 ton jack will run you $19.00

Glad you got someone to solve your issue but too bad for the time spent and oil loss. I hate wasting oil especially something like mobile one.

-B

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rest @ Oct 19 2007, 05:53 AM) [snapback]527667[/snapback]</div>

you may want to include no vehicle under 100k in that first sentence...

engines wear- seals, rings, gaskets, bearings, etc. our other car came with a 7500 mile oil change interval. with 150k on the motor, we wouldn't go longer than 3k between oil changes. the oil is jet black by then.

when the prius hits 100k, depending of course on factors that can only be identified at the time, we will decide whether it needs a 3k oil change interval as well.

 

I had the same sort of experience as onerpm with my block heater. Goofy mistakes. I am now and EBH expert.

 

The oil filter only needs to be hand tightened, don't use a tool to tighten it. I know it feels like you only get half the use from the filter tool but it's all it needs.

As tight as you can get the filter by hand = plenty tight.

I change oil at 10,000km (6000miles) never had a problem. I think 5000 miles is a nice easy interval to remember, most of us know the old 5 times tables.

 

AS A MC TECH I USE THE SWING ARM METHOD...A LARGE CHANNEL LOCK PLIERS AND I SWING MY ARM

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Oct 22 2007, 07:40 AM) [snapback]528738[/snapback]</div>

I don't know they still feel like they needed the maintenance required light, and somehow some fool on here still ignored that light and wonders why he needs a new engine. And is ticked off that the dealer shows no mercy on the price.