m1a2x3x7

hey guys just bought my tC wed. and i now have 400 miles well this week i will go over 500 and am wanting to change the oil. im gonna use mobil 1 full syn. now on my last car (2002 chevy cav. with the ecotec engine) the oil filter was in a place that i have never seen before and with a filter ive never see before. looking at the engine i cant see the filter is it under the car? right or left? more towards the front or back? (i havent looked under yet)

my next question this is my first 5spd. how often should i change the transmission fluid?

last question ive been breaking my engine in so ive been shifting at around 3-4000 rpms the car seems really slow in 1st gear will that change soon? i know the car isnt a crazy fast car to begin with.

sorry for the noob questions

vanberge

first gear is a little slow... unless you hammer it :-)

i waited till about 1000 miles before hitting her hard

Otocan

your best bet with breaking it in is drive it through all RPM ranges gently throughout the break in, and nearing say 500+ miles you should bring it up to redline gently every now and then, but the worst thing you could do is floor it when it's so new, right next to NOT bringing it through it's range when it's new. I wouldn't punch it until after 1000 miles.

now that I think about it, I would gently bring it through it's full range now. right now. since you're at about 500. at least bring it up to 6000 GENTLY in first and second then drive it normally for a little while... what I mean is, shift it at 4000 every once in a while for a day, then bring it up to say 4500 that night, next day reach 5000, etc.

and take it to the dealership and have them do the first three oil changes, and get it changed when you hit 1000 miles, then at 5000 miles then every 5000 miles after that unless you beat the car hard or drive in a very dirty enviornment. I don't know where the filter's located because I haven't changed the oil in this car before. And don't use synthetic... this engine doesn't need it... you'll just be wasting your money.

Your car will pull very hard in first gear after it's fully broken in, actually it pulls so hard it's hard NOT to skid the tires in first when you give it gas because its geared SO short. and the engine gets it's happiest from 4000-6250rpms.

rentedshoes

If i remember correctly the manual said to change it after 5k. Scion knows best.

PonyTc

dunno mine is automatic, my reflexes are too slow for manuel

hahaitzskippy

just drive your car the way you want to.

changing oil to synthetic means, you CANNOT go back to regular oil.

oil filter under front passenger side of the engine.


i pushed my car from day one... everything is fine. even dynoed it, came out to be 141hp and 151 tq, jus lik everyone else (on avg)

GeeReg

This isn't true at all....Also, I'm not positive about Toyota, but some manufacturers recommend not doing the first oil change before it's scheduled because the oil from the factory contains special additives to aid in break-in.

moriarty

it is true. the seals in the engine will adapt to having the synth, then when you change back you will develope oil leaks through the seals. but, you probibly know more about this than i do.


also, the factory break-in period is 1000 miles, I figure it is a good time to change the oil for the first time.

GeeReg

Can't say that I've ever heard of that problem. However, Valvoline says it's ok to switch back and forth in their FAQ.

If the first scheduled change is at 1000, then that's fine. I wasn't aware it was that early.

GeeReg

Maybe this is what you mean:

Taken from the Advance Auto Parts site


Myths | Back To Top
As with any new technology, there are a number of myths and advertising claims that need to be explored. Back in the late 1990s, the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus ruled that "synthetic" could be defined as the product of an intended chemical reaction.

As a result of this battle of semantics, the NAD, the Society of Automotive Engineers and the American Petroleum Institute ended up with broad interpretations of "synthetic." What that means to the layperson is this: if you want full synthetic or semi-synthetic or whatever, read the label to make sure you're getting what you want and what you think you're paying for.

One urban myth surrounding synthetic oil is its compatibility with conventional oil. At one time, those who switched from conventional to synthetics had to stick with synthetics—there was no going back. Synthetics expanded the seals in the engine; then, when conventional motor oil was used, that engine sprang multiple leaks.

epitek

wth is going on with these forums. it seems like once a topic is mentioned, there are several posts about teh same thing. this is the fourth such "synthetic oil" thread i've posted to in the last 36 hours.

haha. but im not complaining, or i should do less of it. i love scionlife.

anyway, so does this dispell the myth of synthetics? i'm looking to switch to synthetic oil after my first free oil change, since i have to bring it in to replace that crappy head unit.