Just finished my first oil change on my tC and it's easier than most cars. I have the three free ones but may never use them as I really don't like trusting my car to even a dealer and would never consider a jiffy lube type place. They don't pay top wages to the guy who changes oil and filters. Anyhow, I had a bunch of free valvoline syn blend and only had to buy the filter.

The filter is mounted base up so a very small amount leaks when it is loosened. Horizontal mounts leak a bunch. Also it is in plain sight, unlike my last car on which one had to remove the passenger side front tire and wheel well liner to see it. Was overtightened badly, as I find on almost every "professional" oil filter installation. One disappointment was the fact that I was going to install a Fram SureDrain valve and couldn't bring myself to do it. When it's installed it becomes the lowest point on the car by maybe an inch. It looked awfully vulnerable on there so I took it off. The crankcase hold exactly 4 qts, kind of small but doesn't result in 0.2 qt leftovers.

This aspect of the car appears quite well designed for a change. Since this is my first Toyota since a 1984 Celica, it was a pleasant surprize. To anyone with the inclination, I recommend DIY oil changes. You avoid the mistakes of others less interested in your car, can use better quality oils than most dealers supply, and avoid scheduling hassles. I did this change at 1,000 miles as I always do since I cannot bear the thought of the debries and leachate floating around in new engines any longer than that. Ramps such as Rhino are a must since the car has little ground clearance.

 

Awesome, it's good to know how easy it is to work on this car. I currently have a 1995 Nissan King Cab, oil change on that is a _____. Can't wait to get my tC

 

Thanks for the info gfcrane.

I'd like to do my next oil change too. Can you please answer the following questions:

- which side of the car is the filter under? I will be jacking up that side.

- Is there any kind of under fairing that must be removed to access the oil filter/pan?

- what size is the oil pan bolt?

Thanks.

 

you are scaring me. you don't mean that you will be under the car with one side jacked up, right? i know you didn't mean that, but i've had a bad experience in the past with a really smart friend getting under a car that was merely on a jack with no ramps or jack stands.

 

gfcrane
Thanks for the info, word on the street is the fram valves suck as they drain really slow, everyone says to use these:
http://www.fumotovalve.com/
(made in japan too)

Thanks!

 

i was just wondering about those stray fragments and debris that people say are in the oil of a new car. wont they get caught in the filter anyways so we dont have to worry about them?

 

The filter is on the passenger side of the car but I agree with the post about getting under anything using only a jack for support. I don't know the size of the plug since I just took my socket set under the car and picked the one that fit. About 10mm I think. One thing I didn't mention is that you will need some type of wrench to remove the filter if it's as tight as mine was. It's recessed above other parts so a strap wrench can't be used. I have a small tool from AutoZone that works on both my cars. It has three arms like claws that grip the corregated end of the filter. I think that the Fumato drain valve will also end up being the lowest part of the entire undercarraige, by maybe 1/2 inch. It still would look vulnerable to me. The bottom of the car is remarkable smooth and flat when you look at it at bumper level and the oil plug itself is barely visible.

On the need to change the oil early, it's more of a philosophy that a fact. You either beleive or don't and I suspect the car doesn't care one way or the other. The tC will undoubtedly last just about the same life with every oil change done at 1,000, 3,000, or 5,000 miles. Some of us just like to change oil I guess, and it doesn't hurt the engine at all.

 

Thanks gfcrane. I went ahead and changed the oil today. The pan plug is 9/16" (same size plug and filter as my old Toyota Paseo).

I did jack up, and support via a jackstand, the passenger side of the car to gain access. But, upon locating the pan drain and filter I realized that they are so far forward on the passenger side, that there was really no need to jack. I could reach them easily from the front, without jacking, even with the drop from my TRD springs. I was happily surprised.

Later.

 

moved...

 

Those metal shavings have 2 places to go: 1.) It will be evacuated in the exhaust system. or 2.) It recess into the oil the be trapped in the filter.

 

yea i was thinking the filter should catch any debris in ur oil. but how does it go out through the exhaust?

 

Anothe way to prevent metal shavings, is that some car manufactures put magnetized oil drain plugs that capture and metalic debris that would bass through to the engine.

 

Hey I was wondering about one thing, how do you reset the maintenance req'd light? I tried what the book say but i cant get it to work. I probably just don't understand it. If you guys can help out that'll be great.

 

I would recomend to any toyota?scion owner that you purchase your oil filters from the dealership. i normally wouldn't buy anything from the dealership but i used to run a quick lube shop and saw millions of filters but the toyota ones are definately a higher quality than most aftermarket. I know it sounds stupid but they are thicker and have more filter material in them and better seams and gaskets.

 

Me too.

 

nothing is floating around in the oil !! thats why there is a oil filter DUHH!