My first oil change questions

[kevinpt]

How is it during the winter? Does the weather or anything from the roads (salt) effect how easy it is to use? I guess the weather part might be stupid since you would wait til it a bit warmer :loco:

i changed the oil last weekend and had some road salt on it. i just cleaned it off with a rag and opened the valve

 

[ebg18t]

That looks very interesting!! Do you have to remove ALL of the old oil and does this do that? Also does this tell you the amount? And how much oil do I need to put back in, thats one thing I forgot to ask, duh? 5 quarts right?

I just watched a video on the Pella 6000 and I really like the concept! Do you have any issues with it not removing all the old oil?

I have been using a Pella extractor for over 10 years. The tube extends down to the oil pan, I usually twist the tube around to insure it is getting everything possible. The container indicates the amount extracted. It is usually pretty close to what I put in on the last change.

 

[MikeInNH]

Toyota does NOT make oil. No auto-manufacturer does. They usually have a contract with one of the major oil manufacturers for 5 years..and then Toyota puts their label on it and sells it to you at a very high marked up price.

Not all synthetic oil is the same. The chemical makeup of synthetic oil vs dyno oil is EXACTLY the same. The difference is the impurities and the consistency. Synthetic oil is not made the same either. There are some (like Castrol and Mobil) that use dyno as the base stock and then it goes through a process called hydrocracking. Then there's true synthetics which are made from Esters base stock. The end result is a more uniformed synthetic then the ones made from crude oil. But the difference is very very very small.

Synthetic blend is just pure synthetic oil mixed with regular dyno oil. The blend you buy at the store is usually 80% dyno oil..and 20% synthetic.

Reading oil weight is pretty easy. Example 5w-20. The "w" stands for Winter weight. So the 5w is the weight of the oil when cold. the smaller the number the thinner the oil. The second number is the weight of the oil when hot. This is accomplished by additives. 5w-30 is really just 5w oil with molecules that are curled up when cold. Then as the oil get hot...those molecules elongate which makes the oil thicker.

 

[piccrazy30]

One more question….Greg says the engine has to be warm, is that true?

 

[jimmied]

Yes engine should be up to operating temp before changing.

 

[eddiebx]

One more question….Greg says the engine has to be warm, is that true?

Yes get the engine nice and hot before draining, this makes the oil thinner for a more thorough drain; and it would possibly be holding more of the impurities since it's been circulating instead of just sitting at the bottom of your pan. If you don't feel like working on the hot engine that's no big deal...just pull the drain plug and leave it till it cools off. Important thing is you drain it while hot that's all

 

[piccrazy30]

Thank you!! Today she is going to get the wash of a lifetime and tomorrow the oil change.

 

[AZ07Runner]

If you get the Fumoto with the nipple, get a piece of rubber hose about 8 inches long and attach it over the nipple. It will drain the oil right to the pan and prevent splash and, if you're outside, prevent breezes from whipping the oil where you don't want it. BTDT.

I've been using Mobil 1 5w30 High Mileage for quite a while in my last truck (see below) and current one. Great oil.

More than you EVER wanted to know about oil can be found at Bob Is The Oil Guy forum. Mobil and Pennzoil synthetics are generally favored over others. They are also readily available at Walmart...just about anywhere, for that matter.

 

[piccrazy30]

Thank you all for your help and answering my questions! Got it done today, it took 2 hours. My only mistake and I think someone said it on here was catching the excess when taking the filter off.