DIY Oil Change or Dealer

Not just the drain plug, we used to impact on the oil filter too.

 

i DIY most things. i dont have a big enough ego to go around thinking, "well, now i know it's done RIGHT". i do know it's done the most inexpensive way possible as far as dollars go. maybe not so much savings if i calculate my time in.

in my history, i have effed up some oil changes. broke a sending unit that is right next to a honda CRV oil filter..cost me $80 for a OEM honda part. left off my filler cap, and coated my engine compartment with a fine mist of oil, and lost the cap. didnt notice the o-ring came off of a filter so i ended up double 0-ringing it and trust me..it was like Exxon Valdez in my driveway. i am in no ways the perfect sin-less shadetree mechanic.

i do my own oil changes yes. so far i havent mucked up the tacoma change yet...if i dont count that first time when i didnt notice the drain nipple in the oil fillter collar..and i made a friggen mess. i had a paper towel stuffed in there, but damn..a bunch came out.

the dealer price quoted by the OP is less than i pay for my DIY job. that is a very good deal in my opinion. it would be tempting. i would be lying if i didnt say it was at least tempting.

 

As a follow on, my next door neighbor has a Highlander that the dealer was the only one to do oil changes, and they tried to charge him for helio-coil repair because the oil drain plug was stripped. He basically told them that they stripped the drain plug threads, because they were the only people to ever change his oil. They did the repair for no charge.

Not sure why dealers feel they need to overtighten drain plug, since they don't require much torque to seal properly, but they do. Maybe they're trying to increase business for pan thread repairs, or they want to make it so difficult to remove that the owner feels he has to take it to the dealer to change the oil?

 

I don't let anyone touch my truck unless I know them personally and I am right there with them. Too many horror stories of "certified techs" putting too much or too little of the wrong oil or cheaper oil in the truck. Using a dented oil filter. Bulk oil at a dealership sucks. You can get better quality oil at the same price you're paying them to do it. So many other reasons not to have someone else do it for you. The best reason is that you know for sure you put the exact amount of the CORRECT oil in your truck and you torqued the nut and filter properly if you do it yourself. Too many stories of "techs" using impact wrenches to put on drain plugs and wrenches to tighten an oil filter without oiling the lip. I can go on...!

 

Some people swear by genuine Toyota oil and wont use anything else. Same kind of people that swear by certain brands, kookoo crazy people.

 

Yep, when changing oil on my Tacoma (6" lift) I can actually use a creeper and wheel around under it no problem without that jack. I use the floor jack for my other vehicles mainly.

 

i roll one side of the truck up on a six in curb to slide under on my fat days. sometimes just that tiny bit of room is enough to get deeper under.

 

I see the opposite, younger don’t like to get their hands dirty, older are old school

 

and using the impact to put on the lug nuts after a rotation. I did the free service at the dealer once and never again. I needed a breaker and a cheater to get them loose.

 

We had this kid that thought the impact gun would stop when it hit the torque spec... dude broke 3 studs off a brand new cummins before he stopped and asked why they were breaking lmao.

 

The oil they use for their oil changes is not the same oil they sell you at the parts counter. They use whatever that particular dealer can buy in bulk for the cheapest price that meets the lowest legal specs for motor oil. I've looked at the barrels they come in and one barrel said Castrol, and at another dealer the barrels there said Exxon mobil and they flat out told me they get their oil from whichever supplier can provide them with the best price that meets the specs for their cars. They don't use synthetics unless the car specifically calls out for it like in some of their hybrid cars, and they will upcharge for that oil. So those who get their oil changed at the dealership aren't getting the "Toyota" oil they think they're selling at the counter. lol. I mean come on, you really think they'll sell you Toyota oil, filter and labor for $33 bucks. Let's be real.

 

I do my oil changes myself. One of the bonuses is that you get under the truck and hood, and get to check for any other potential issues. Before they become major ones.

 

Yep.

It's all about the bottom line.

 

Do yourself a favor and install a Fumoto drain valve and do the service at home. No mess, easy as falling off a log.

 

Definitely DIY been using synthetic for years, started using vacuum lift down the dip stick tube to drain the oil.
Wish I would have stated using one years ago much easy know

 

Aside from oil, any other regular maintenance that can be done at home and how often? Brake and transmission fluid? My trucks at 76K but I only put maybe 10K on it, not sure what's been done or what it may need.

 

Oil change is also my time to grease the drive shaft, use the turkey baster to change a bit of steering fluid and generally look stuff over.

 

lf you don't know what has and hasn't been done. It's a good idea to change all the fluids. It's cheap insurance, and then you'll know for sure that it's all been done.
While you're at it, do the spark plugs too.

 

If you're unsure of what's been done and you have the necessary tools at home, I would also recommend doing a drain and fill of all fluids:
- Coolant
- Oil & filter
- Front/Rear differential
- Brake fluid & bleed
- Transmission fluid (but this should really be done at 100k, much debate on this one)
- Power steering fluid

Also, change your air filters, both intake and cabin air. Take your front tires off and check the condition of your brake pads. They should still have a groove across the middle, if there is no groove, you'll probably want to replace them. Your rear pads last a bit longer, about 100k or more depending on driving patterns. Replace your spark plugs and check the condition of your serpentine belt and hoses. Hoses and belts shouldn't be dry or cracking or have evidence of soft spots when you squeeze them. Personally, I would just replace your serpentine belt at this time unless it looks new. I just replaced my the belt on my 12 and it still looked new but it was starting to squeak. Take a look at your valve covers for evidence of oil leaks, also look around the front of your motor below the fan for leak accumulation there. If you're feeling froggy, you can degrease your engine with foaming engine degreaser or dilute some SimpleGreen. Don't let the simple green sit for to long on your hoses or rubber parts or they may dry out. Just spray, agitate and rinse until the motor is clean.

As far as frequency of these maintenance intervals, they will be found with your manual. Toyota information services has digital manuals in the event that you have misplaced yours.

-J

 

This^
I wrenched at a Ducati dealer for years, my old boss hired a kid that was a total burnout with no business working on things and it was like a Benny Hill sketch every day watching him try to do stuff. Would forget to bolt seats down, body panels on, let someone leave without their front calipers torqued on one day (just hand tight), mounted tires on backwards etc etc.. Worked there for a few years and would STILL ask us constantly what oil/amount to put in X-bike and the torque specs.. like GO LOOK AT THE FRIGGIN MANUAL. Im sure there plenty more like him out there working on stuff, including Yotas. I work on my own vehicles. Trust no one..
Plus, jesus christ it only took like 15-20 minutes and most of that was gathering the tools, rags, etc. Then again I have tiny hands and could reach in to hold a catch jar under the filter weep hole and fit under my stock truck on a creeper so it wasnt too bad.