Anyone change thier own oil?

[Hoo024law]

I'm trying to save the money, plus changing your own car (any car's) oil is one of those things you should know how to do.

I've got a Haynes manual (oh and a 4-cyl. solara) and it seems pretty intuitive. Anything I should particularly look out for or that might catch me by surprise? From what I read, I should be cautious when changing the oil (to prevent a mess)

Thanks in advance

[Flipside909]

I'm trying to save the money, plus changing your own car (any car's) oil is one of those things you should know how to do.

I've got a Haynes manual (oh and a 4-cyl. solara) and it seems pretty intuitive. Anything I should particularly look out for or that might catch me by surprise? From what I read, I should be cautious when changing the oil (to prevent a mess)

Thanks in advance

Nope, just make sure you drain the oil first...replace the plug, remove the old filter and replace, and of course put a coat of oil on the rubber gasket of the filter...and make sure you don't overfill.

[DavPak]

and SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS!!
for warranty purposes.

[Hoo024law]

You mean the supplies that I am going to buy? save those reciepts? (oil, filter, pan, etc)?[/quote]

[DavPak]

You mean the supplies that I am going to buy? save those reciepts? (oil, filter, pan, etc)?

[/quote]

yeah, oil and filter will do fine.

[impactX]

Make sure you replace the drainer gasket. Otherwise you may experience oil leak

[Flipside909]

Make sure you replace the drainer gasket. Otherwise you may experience oil leak

That plastic gasket isn't necessary. The oil WONT leak out with or without the gasket. It's just another small profit for Toyota service departments to tack onto your bill.

[krook]

Anything I should particularly look out for or that might catch me by surprise?

yeah, watch out when changing the oil filter! as soon as you unscrew it, tilt it towards you to avoid spilling the oil all over the place.

[Hoo024law]

What's the best way to clean any excess oil that might spill onto the engine and its components? Should I take a hose to it. Specifically, im referring to the oil that might/will spil when i unscrew the oil filter. Again, thanks for all the input.

[NASTY]

Make sure you replace the drainer gasket. Otherwise you may experience oil leak

umm...whats the gasket?

[krook]

What's the best way to clean any excess oil that might spill onto the engine and its components? Should I take a hose to it. Specifically, im referring to the oil that might/will spil when i unscrew the oil filter. Again, thanks for all the input.

no NOOO! no hose. just use a good shoprag and get in there and get dirty! make sure your headers are cooled down so you can put your hand on it.

[Flipside909]

Make sure you replace the drainer gasket. Otherwise you may experience oil leak

umm...whats the gasket?

It's a plastic gasket used in conjunction with the drain plug. A small item toyota adds to every oil change.

[DavPak]

It's just another small profit for Toyota service departments to tack onto your bill.

hey hey, that's a PARTS department thing, get it straight!!
me and my techs could care less, its the parts people that push them!


(on another note, i just got another star! woo WOO!!)

[NASTY]

changed my oil for the first time today!
its pretty easy...oil filter leaks a bit, i just wiped it off with towels
it took me a while to figure out how to get the filter off (until i realized i should reach around the headers), but everything else was straightforward

[Peter]

congrats, and yeah, the leaking filter thing is annoying....