There's a 12-page document now available on my website. I took 24 photos when changing my oil yesterday, to show you the steps I follow. Check it out.
John, this is fine! Thank you greatly for posting this information. All the work you put into your site is appreciated big-time!
Excellent work, John. Maybe sometime soon we can do one on installing the Futomo Oil Drain valve, with an Addendum showing an Oil Change using the Futomo Valve. A number of your photos could be "recycled" for this. Thank you. Bob
Read the docs - they look great and should allow even a novice to change their own oil. I did notice a few things that may warrant some attention: 1. A rubber mallet is listed as a required tool, however it is never mentioned in the steps why you'd want it unless you were trying to break free an over-tightened oil drain plug or filter. 2. When tightening the filter the 3/4 turn after gasket contact - some of us who are weaker may need to use the filter wrench in order to accomplish this. As long as it's understood that one cannot overtighten the filter (gasket will warp and oil could leak), using a tool appropriately here causes no harm. This, of course, is a matter of preference, but tightening the filter only hand tight can be equally disasterous should the filter come loose. I had a past car where my brother changed the oil, but didn't adequately tighten the filter, and the filter came off 1000 miles later, dropping oil and toasting most of the engine. 3. While it goes without saying for many of us, proper disposal methods of the used oil, filter, containers, and any cloths should be described. A true newbie may not know how or where to properly dispose of used oil, and simply trash it, pour it down the drain, or some other environmentally ghastly method. 4. Unrelated to docs - the drive half-shaft on your car appears to be rusted already - doesn't Toyota paint them? Is rusting of half-shafts anything to be concerned about? Given then thickness probably not - just seems that they'd be painted or otherwise protected from corosion. Give it up for John's digicam to make out such detail in such poor lighting conditions
Thanks! 1) I knew I'd forget something. 2) The tightening text has been revised. After countless years doing it, not being aware of differences in procedure for some was expected. 3) Disposal notes are on the front page now, and in green too. 4) Rust is normal in Minnesota. Between the blasting of winter sand and burning of winter salt, the underneath of a vehicle just plain cannot be protected entirely. It's a fact of life we have to deal with here.
John, would you mind adding it to the Knowledge Base here or would you mind if I added it? Great job!
5 years later... there's a version available for the next generation model too. John's Stuff - Toyota Prius Maintenance - Changing Oil .
