4th Gen Oil Change

[Vortec4800]

Does anybody have a manual or anything for changing the oil in the 4th Gen V8? I'm mainly looking for any special instructions, tools required, or anything else out of the ordinary. For example, my friend's GTI needed a 36mm wrench. That's a big friggen wrench, which we didn't have (and didn't realize until half way through). I'd like this to be as painless as possible, so has anybody done it yet?

 

[04'Sport4WD]

I've changed my own oil in all the vehicles I ever owned, but decided due to messiness and hassle I would just bite the bullet and pay for a high priced dealer job. I took it in last Saturday to make the switch to mobil 1 synthetic (at 1200 miles). I purchased the mobil 1 at wal-mart and took it with me. I was shocked when the guy told me it would only be $8 labor plus filter! Crap...you can't tell me it isn't worth that. Disposing of my used oil alone is a pita worth more than 8 bucks. I think the total with the filter and tax was around $14.

 

[bulldog-yota]

You wont need any special tools.

Remove the big rubber piece in the big skid and you will have access to the drain plug. Drop the front skid 4 12mm(if I remeber correctly) bolts and the filter is right there. Hope this is not the first change, but normally you can remove the filter by hand or use a strap tool.

Simple apart from working through the skids.

Now that said, I have my dealer do it, just too lazy to deal with every time. Toyota filters are pretty good, so I just buy my Mobil1 at Costco and have them put it in (I always aks for the old bottles back so I know they put it in). 7qts does the job.

 

[Vortec4800]

After opening the drain plug will the oil spew all over the skid plate? I haven't looked, but I would think a rubber plug directly under the plug would just cause the oil to miss the hole - unless the plug is pointed straight down?

 

[toyo]

No, it wont. It is oval shaped. It is big enough. BTW it is plastic, not rubber, just to help you find it.
When you drop the front skid plate, it is on hinges in the front, if your truck is jacked up, it will just hang. If not you will see how it comes off. Pull the old filter off. Let it drain for a little bit, alot of oil drains out of the oil cooler lines. Put new filter on with oiled gasket. Replace skid plate. Replace drain bolt, access plate. Put the oil in and your are ready to go.

 

[Good Times]

you gotta remove the front skid plate (4 bolts) to access the drain bolt and filter.

 

[Vortec4800]

No, it wont. It is oval shaped. It is big enough. BTW it is plastic, not rubber, just to help you find it.
When you drop the front skid plate, it is on hinges in the front, if your truck is jacked up, it will just hang. If not you will see how it comes off. Pull the old filter off. Let it drain for a little bit, alot of oil drains out of the oil cooler lines. Put new filter on with oiled gasket. Replace skid plate. Replace drain bolt, access plate. Put the oil in and your are ready to go.

Sounds pretty standard to me.

Thanks for the help!

 

[HuntRunner]

Any of you ever heard this?
I asked the dealership what kind of oil they use and they told me it is Toyota oil, which is made my Mobile 1 - Toyota's "Special Blend".

 

[bulldog-yota]

Any of you ever heard this?
I asked the dealership what kind of oil they use and they told me it is Toyota oil, which is made my Mobile 1 - Toyota's "Special Blend".

Nope sounds like BS to me.

My dealer uses Pennzoil, unless you request soemthing else or as in my case take Mobil1 with you.

So itstead of calling it SB (Special Blend) they should call it BS (as in Bull S&!t)

 

[kglueck]

as in my case take Mobil1 with you.

bulldog...how much do they charge you for the oil change when you take in the oil? just curious...

Kev

 

[bulldog-yota]

bulldog...how much do they charge you for the oil change when you take in the oil? just curious...

Kev

$0 I got a service plan thrown in when I bought mine. I bought my 4Runner in Nov 2002, so one of the first they sold and I got the dealership to throw in a service plan. I had a BMW before so I just said the first 60k service should be part of the vehicle, that's what I'm used too.

 

[HuntRunner]

Nope sounds like BS to me.

My dealer uses Pennzoil, unless you request soemthing else or as in my case take Mobil1 with you.

So itstead of calling it SB (Special Blend) they should call it BS (as in Bull S&!t)

That is kind of what I thought too......only thing is, they do have Toyota Oil, at least that is what it says on the container.

 

[Vortec4800]

$0 I got a service plan thrown in when I bought mine. I bought my 4Runner in Nov 2002, so one of the first they sold and I got the dealership to throw in a service plan. I had a BMW before so I just said the first 60k service should be part of the vehicle, that's what I'm used too.

That's the way to do it.

More than the price, I've seen (and know) some of the tech guys that work at the Toyota dealership. I wouldn't let them pay me to work on my truck.

 

[Vortec4800]

Alright I just finished changing the oil. Anybody know if there is a special sequence or anything to reset the computer, or does it go by oil quality? Sometimes if they go by mileage it will be all messed up.

 

[Kanab]

Alright I just finished changing the oil. Anybody know if there is a special sequence or anything to reset the computer, or does it go by oil quality? Sometimes if they go by mileage it will be all messed up.

switch your trip odometer over to the odometer and then hold in the reset while you start the 4runner, a oil change light will blink for a while and then go out you are now reset for another 5K miles.

 

[Vortec4800]

switch your trip odometer over to the odometer and then hold in the reset while you start the 4runner, a oil change light will blink for a while and then go out you are now reset for another 5K miles.

Perfect, just what I needed to know. So the light just comes on every 5k miles then? Is that the actual Toyota service maunal that says 5k?

 

[Kanab]

Perfect, just what I needed to know. So the light just comes on every 5k miles then? Is that the actual Toyota service maunal that says 5k?

Yes that's the magic number. It is just a reminder light. If the dealer forgets to set it, the light will come on 5K miles after the last time it is set.