Question/Opinion Oil Change

It was the maintenance. He runs a greenhouse and has a gazillion irons in the fire. I work for him part time playing with his excavator and running over trucks with his dozer( kidding).

 

Oh, I’m talking about our state, not Texas. You need to be a resident to practice constitutional carry.

 

Sucks for them.

 

Most people don't realize that a shooting proficiency test as well as a high noon shootout training course are required for every residency application.

 

Here is my ultimate DIY oil change parts list:

$37 Fumoto Original F103S LC-10 Lever Clip FS-Series Engine Oil Drain Valve, 1 Pack

Fumoto Oil Drain Valve (#F103S with LC-10 Clip)

$75 Motivx Tools Oil Filter Wrench, Drain Tool, and Advanced Engine Oil Funnel Set for Toyota & Lexus 2.0L - 5.7L Engines With Cartridge Style Systems

Motivx oil filter tool kit

Metal OEM Toyota Oil Filter Cap (#15620-31060)

Metal OEM Toyota Oil Filter Plug (#15643-31050)

TRD Oil Filter (#PTR43-00082)

Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0-20w

 

Don't forget to get the $12 rebates on the jugs of Mobil 1 as they do them several times throughout the year.

 

I made a make shift splash guard/funnel with a 2 liter soda bottle as with the 4cyl angled filter, oil can get everywhere. Can't complain too much though, it's not a cartridge filter and the drain itself is accessible.

 

I would want to know WHICH Quaker State oil your dealer was using for those "free" oil changes. If they're not using a full synth 0W-20 they might have a liability issue were there to be a problem down the road, so to speak. For the record, my 911 takes 10 to 10-1/2 qts per oil change but there are 14 quarts in there and you have to drain both the oil resevoir and the crankcase and only use a high ZDDP oil like Valvoline 20W-50 Racing, which is getting harder to find. I would not worry about a few ounces left in your Tacoma.

 

My 2009 had that lifetime deal but when I took it in one Saturday at 6:30am for the service to open at 7am, I was 5th in line and by 7am there was about 20+ vehicles lined up and counting and this was a 20 service bay dealership. The was the only time I went and did the rest myself.

 

Yeah the one I go to only does it by appointment only. The max I have been there for an oil change is an hour. They also will give me a rental for the day if its a work day so that I can just come back that evening for my truck.

 

My Toyota dealer is the same way, line of retirees going out the door and around the corner.

 

A rental for an oil change? That's a good dealership customer service wise.

 

1. Depends on the angle. It does not have to be perfectly level to do a good oil change. Some oil will always be trapped in the engine, even after draining for a week straight at perfect level. So if you really don't have any ground *near level* where you can change the oil, yes get the ramps and use it to get your rig near-level. It doesn't have to be perfect, don't go OCD on this. Believe me, your truck will not know the difference from a few extra ounces of dirty oil and it's not worth agonizing over. The most important thing is doing the service at regular intervals.
2. This is way overkill. Near level is good enough. I don't know the jack points on a 3rd gen and I don't want to guess because not killing you is a plus.
3. Those pumps are great for non-able-bodied people who want to change their own oil, and for vehicles with drain plugs buried underneath stuff (guards/shields, etc). Other people who use them are tech snobs and lazy bones. Getting under the vehicle to pull the drain plug gives you a chance to inspect the chassis, driveline, exhaust, and other components for wear, damage, debris or leaks. Some people will say these pumps promote a buildup of sediment on the bottom of the oil pan -- I don't believe this is necessarily true because most modern oils are very good at suspending the teeny particulates not caught by the oil filter (suspending = not settling out). So if your engine is in healthy running condition and gets regular maintenance, this should not be a problem even if you do use the pump. I think the only way to get sediment buildup at the bottom of the oil pan is with a very dirty engine that doesn't get regular maintenance and sits unused for long periods, regardless of how the old oil is removed.
4. LOL... an oil change is not a major service, it should be quick and easy. Using ramps and a pump sounds like it would take 2 hours just for an oil change. Most people have a place in the garage, driveway or curbside where they can park the rig "level enough" to do a good oil change in under 30 minutes.

 

Good summary. But, the oil change on my SAAB 99 years ago was a gonad buster. A hidden cartridge filter doing everything by feel was the culprit . My four cylinder Toy was a joy and the newer ones good too. You’re right. It’s an easy job and torquing your own drain bolts, filters is satisfying when even th3 dealer left a fill cap off and sprayed oil all over the engine compartment. I check the dealer job just like I’d check the minute lube job. Bottom line now is, I’d rather be playing golf now.

 

Ramps are fine as well as the pump.

 

I just hold a quart size ziplock bag over the filter as I spin it off. Works like a champ. I can get under without ramos pretty easy now with the demello bumper and 1.5" lift on the fron with the king coilovers. Plenty of room now.

Only time I use ramps for the Taco oil change anymore is if I need to get under there with the pressure washer first.....

 

I use ramps for oil changes because it gives me some extra room for dealing with the skid plate. It also gives me enough room to use a 5-gallon bucket to catch the oil under the pan and filter. That almost eliminates the oil splashing that I get with using a normal oil catch pan.

I use a pump for my BMWs, though. Since they have cartridge filters in the engine bay, you don't need to access anything under the car at all. Since I'd have to get under the truck to get the filter, I don't see any point to pumping the oil out the top.

Being under the truck is a great opportunity to check for leaks and whatnot. I don't need to do that on the BMWs because I know there are always oil leaks.