Engine - Oil Change Tricks


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Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1998 15:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: JC Nordyke 
Subject: Ugh!

Brian wrote:
>>>>>
I just finished my first oil change on my 3.0 powered 93.   All I want
to know is if the engineer who put the filter in that location has been
fired yet....  I have never had my oil changed at a quick-lube place,
but I'm very seriously considering doing that from now on...  What a
PITA that job was... 

bkg
>>>>>

Brian,

  I must agree that this is not the easiest job. Here are a few tricks
that I have learned. The easiest way to get the filter off is from
the bottom. Remove the skid pan and use one of the old metal band type
filter wrenches. The other trick that I learned about was to take a
1 gallon Prestone bottle, and cut the top of it off about 2.5 inches
from the lid, straight across. Then take the top, remove the lid and
turn it over and balance it on the front a-arm cross member. This keeps
the oil off of everything. Set your drain pan below the opening, and
then remove the filter. One cheap SST. I think I got this off of one
of the past digests, so I can't take any credit for it. HTH.

JC Nordyke  KC0BKC  TLCA #2921
jc.nordyke@mci.com  nordyke420@integrityonline9.com
'88 4Runner <-(for sale)     '72 FJ40 projekt
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

============================================================================
Toyota 4x4 page: http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/toyota

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Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1998 11:59:06 -0700
From: Scott Wilson 
Subject: Re: Ugh!

brian.gallus@dhcmail.com wrote:
> 
> I just finished my first oil change on my 3.0 powered 93.   All I want
> to know is if the engineer who put the filter in that location has been
> fired yet....  I have never had my oil changed at a quick-lube place,
> but I'm very seriously considering doing that from now on...  What a
> PITA that job was...

Ha ha ha!!  Don't worry you'll get much better at it....after a few more
ruined shirts, and more hot oil spilling down your arm!  ;-b   
Actually, I've gotten so that I can do it in only a couple minutes, and
spill very little oil.   I loosen the filter, then starting unscrewing
it AS FAST AS I CAN, spinning it with my right hand, and as soon as it
falls off the threads, catch it (opening side up) in that same hand. 
...takes a bit of practice though.  :-)  

Don't mess with those quicky places....here's my current list of stuff
they've done to me...only the tranny one was done to my 4Runner...

- -after completing oil change, and running the engine, they realize
they've put the wrong filter on, change the filter (full of oil) and put
on the correct filter (empty of course)...then the sent me out of the
shop ...so basically I was a quart low! (luckily I was watching, and
told their manager on them.)

- -overfilled my oil pan, resulting in blown cam and crank seals....did
they pay...NO

- -backed a Thunderbird into my Prelude Si.  ....and then charged me for
the oil change!  It was a HUGE hassle to get the money to fix my car out
of them.

- -overtightened the fill and drain plugs on my tranny, resulting in a
CRACKED CASE!  Then they proceeded to "patch" the case so I wouldn't
find out!!

Scott
- -- 
     _____
    /_/_|_\__       Scott Wilson TLCA #5261  CA4WDC #13393
    | _     _ :     88 4Runner SR5 V6
    */_\---/_\'     Santa Clara, CA
     (_)   (_)      http://www.off-road.com/~swilson
L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

============================================================================
Toyota 4x4 page: http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/toyota

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Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 12:28:11 -7 GMT
From: "Leo G. Divinagracia III" 
Subject: Re: Ugh!

> From: brian.gallus@dhcmail.com
> 
> I just finished my first oil change on my 3.0 powered 93.   All I want
> to know is if the engineer who put the filter in that location has been
> fired yet....  I have never had my oil changed at a quick-lube place,
> but I'm very seriously considering doing that from now on...  What a
> PITA that job was... 
> 

this is just the first one.  don't worry about it.  the biggest help 
is if you remove that louvered cover that toyota calls the skid 
plate.  4 bolts and it's out.  then you can snake your arm around the 
parts to remove the filter.  i find that the old style band-type 
filter remover/installer works the best.  then place a catch tray 
made from an empty coolant jug works (in fact, i saw the toyota 
dealer oil changers use this trick) to catch the oil from when you 
remove the filter.

after 3 or 4, it becomes second nature...  if you have a set of 
ramps, you can even sit while doing it, instead of crawling on your 
back...


- -----------------------
Leo G. Divinagracia III           
ldivinag@csuhayward.edu

============================================================================
Toyota 4x4 page: http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/toyota

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Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1998 16:26:15 -0500
From: Alan 
Subject: Re: Ugh!

> Brian wrote:
> >>>>>
> I just finished my first oil change on my 3.0 powered 93.   All I want
> to know is if the engineer who put the filter in that location has been
> fired yet....  I have never had my oil changed at a quick-lube place,
> but I'm very seriously considering doing that from now on...  What a
> PITA that job was...

Well, I've changed my oil three times now....and if you can get your truck 
on a slight incline, when you drain the oil, it will flow right through 
the hole in the skid plate.  And I access my oil filter from the driver's 
side wheel well. I just remove part of the covering that keeps too much 
stuff from flying in the engine, and sticking my hand and a sock wrench 
in there and just crank it right off....Really, its not too hard doing 
it that way as long as you can catch the filter before it falls.

But, that is juat what I have encountered.....I'm not pro by far!!!

A l a n
1998 Prerunner



============================================================================
Toyota 4x4 page: http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/toyota

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