Oil Change

by **ericatdallas** » Wed Oct 02, 2002 9:10 pm

krooked Solara wrote:btw, anybody change their own oil??? i looked in my owner's manual to see if i'm tuggin' on the right bolt to drain my oil pan, but it doesn't say. i asked about this earlier, but no one replied. anyway, i got it changed by some wannabe Jiffy Lube place, and when they were done, i tried to see if i could remove the bolt that i was trying to get off, but it was still stuck!

the bolt i'm trying to remove is tigher than a 12 year old!
ewww j/k

am i messin' with the wrong bolt??

The problem with going to jiffy lube places is they use an impact wrench to tighten the bolt. That means a lot more torque on that fastener than it's spec to do meaning potentially stripped threads and a PITA to get out.

I change my own oil but I haven't been under my solara. It's usually in the center and the fastener is usually (as far as I've seen) perpendicular to the ground.

Have somoene show it to you on another vechicle and you should recognize it quick unless the Solara is different but I doubt it.

It's hard for me to explain (maybe someone else can do better) b ut onec you've seen one you've seen them all.

by **Flipside909** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 9:48 am

I usually let Toyota do my oil changes if I don't do it myself. I usually have a coupon for $19.95 or $22.95. Anything higher than that, I usually do it myself.

About 15 to 20 mins, 4.5 Quarts of Castrol GTX and a Toyota Oil Filter and a socket wrench is all I need.

by **Whatever** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 8:58 pm

i do oil change by myself too.

by **Jaimster** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 9:12 pm

Hey Flipside, you have a 4 cyl.?

by **Missay** » Fri Oct 04, 2002 10:50 pm

Solara1 wrote:Hey Flipside, you have a 4 cyl.?

flip..buy a 4cyl?? i highly doubt it...this is a no nonsense v6 man!! :evilbat:

by **ericatdallas** » Sat Oct 05, 2002 2:58 am

Solara1 wrote:Hey Flipside, you have a 4 cyl.?

What makes you think he has a 4 cyl? I think the V6 has an oil capacity of 5.0qts but the 4 cyl. has I think 3.5 qts (don't remember).

by **Flipside909** » Sun Oct 06, 2002 9:22 am

Missay wrote:
flip..buy a 4cyl?? i highly doubt it...this is a no nonsense v6 man!!

Damn right! Someone hasn't been paying attention. LOL

by **Flipside909** » Sun Oct 06, 2002 9:24 am

ericatdallas wrote:I think the V6 has an oil capacity of 5.0qts but the 4 cyl. has I think 3.5 qts (don't remember).

Actually it's 4.5. People always fill it 5 quarts BUT that's why people start seeing oil leaks at the valve cover gasket after 50K miles, specifically in the front corners of the seals.

by **redsolara** » Sun Oct 06, 2002 11:52 pm

Yeah, the dealer puts this sticker on what day i should come back or at 3k miles later but after seeing this post im just going to do this like every 4k miles

by **ericatdallas** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 8:24 am

redsolara wrote:Yeah, the dealer puts this sticker on what day i should come back or at 3k miles later but after seeing this post im just going to do this like every 4k miles

if it's under warranty shouldn't you do what the dealer says? Otherwise they'll say you didn't follow recommended service if soemthing happens to your engine. It's not likely anything will happen to your engine anyway, but oil is cheap.

In fact, I was looking at the Solara and the oil is very easy to change versus other cars I've seen. The oil filter is on the top under the hood in an easily accessible section.

Of course, my first oil change will be this week or next week, in 600 more miles, and I might say differently then but I doubt it.

by **Flipside909** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 1:12 pm

ericatdallas wrote:
redsolara wrote:
In fact, I was looking at the Solara and the oil is very easy to change versus other cars I've seen. The oil filter is on the top under the hood in an easily accessible section.

My biggest pet peeve of the 1MZ-FE engine design (applies to EVERY model the 1MZ is used in) is how the filter sits above the engine mount. No matter what you do, oil will get all over the mount. The only temporary solution is to put a bunch of towels under the filter as soon as you spin it off. The other is to just wipe around that area very well after you are done.

by **ericatdallas** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 10:10 pm

Flipside909 wrote:
My biggest pet peeve of the 1MZ-FE engine design (applies to EVERY model the 1MZ is used in) is how the filter sits above the engine mount. No matter what you do, oil will get all over the mount. The only temporary solution is to put a bunch of towels under the filter as soon as you spin it off. The other is to just wipe around that area very well after you are done.

Yah, I considered that as a possibility. But my last car had it towards the center and it was under the hood. It leaked oil in an impossible to clean section versus an easy to reach section in the Solara.

An option that I saw to this would be to install a remote oil filter. Don't know how well those work or if it's even worth it though.

by **sLoSoLaRa2k2** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 10:27 pm

i take mine down to toyota since i get free oil change there~

by **ericatdallas** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 7:02 am

Mine is free too, but I don't like the idea of cheap stuff going into my car and some idiot in a rush doing it too.

by **Guest** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 8:19 pm

i change mine every 2500 miles, especially now that I'm running the S/C!
$12 every 2500 miles is nothing and i don't mind doing it either. Mekes me feel better.

Oil Change

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