Time for an oil change?

[kizz]

Hi Guys,

I've finally done my first 5000km since buying my S'Tivo, so i'm contemplating doing an oil change.

When I first bought the car I replaced what the dealer had put in, and used Penrite Everyday fully synthetic. Although the oil wasn't all that discoloured when I checked it last week, I decided to empty it, and use up the last 2 lts of my Shell Helix Ultra just to get rid of it. So, first question, having only 2 ltrs in my car, is this bad? Haven't been running it for that long, and the car is running fine.

Next question is (seeing as i'm also only about 3000kms away from the 70,000km service) should I just wait another 3k km, top the existing oil up a little for now, and then do a full tune up (oil, filter, spark plugs) at the 70k svc? The car doesn't miss a beat, and always running smooth so it seems a waste of money to change the oil now, for 3000km, then having it done again.

Or, do I just go ahead and change the oil etc now, then maybe even wait until 71/72k and then get the 70k svc done, and have the oil etc replaced again seeing as it would be due again?

Something I am taking into consideration is that my driving lately, and will be for the next month is relatively short distances. By the time I leave home and get to work, the car has only been running at normal operating temps for about 5 mins (only live 10min from work), and I read somewhere that for short distances like this it's wise to replace oil a bit sooner? Correct me if that's wrong please.

Thanks in advance.

Paul.

[CHA54]

is the oil level actually registering on the dipstick with only 2L of oil in the engine??

I'd be throwing whatever you can in it to get the oil to the full mark. It's quite easy to starve the engine and spin a bearing when it's low.

[kizz]

is the oil level actually registering on the dipstick with only 2L of oil in the engine??

I'd be throwing whatever you can in it to get the oil to the full mark. It's quite easy to starve the engine and spin a bearing when it's low.

No no, the dipstick is reading about halfway. I was just saying 2ltrs as that's all I had left in the container :)

Thanks for the advice though.

[Mecha-wombat]

Fill it up

You might not get to next service

Oil starvation IS BAD

If you truly care about your car fill it with oil

Oil is relative cheap, $65 5l Mobil 1 considering you would pay the same for a tank of fuel which will not take the same distance as the oil would why skimp

[kizz]

Ok, firstly I topped it up with oil anyway as I wasn't going to change the oil just yet, but then this morning I decided that I would do an oil change and then wait a bit longer for the 70k service.

but...... now i've just stripped the oil sump plug, and can't get it off! What do I do??

[Rolla Boy]

Go to Toyota and buy a new Sump Plug, then head to Repco and get a decent 14mm spanner so it won't happen again...

After you've done that, get some vice grips and remove the old sump plug and throw it away...

[kizz]

Will do, thanks.

[kizz]

Will do, thanks.

Also, forgot to mention, I added some Oil Flush. Will this do anything seeing as I am not able to change the oil now?

[Speedz]

omfg why are you asking all this question...?

you shouldnt do any oil changes till you have a clue...

tbh i just dont want you to end up in tears if you accidentally damaged your beloved ride...!

Edited October 18, 2009 by Speedz

[eviltwin]

go and buy a filter and 5 Litres of oil and do it properly , by the sounds of it you need some proper tools also , what on earth did you use to strip the sump plug?

[CHA54]

dont drive it if you've got oil flush in the system.

[123R-Prozak]

dont drive it if you've got oil flush in the system.

you just reminded me of when i owned my old ford falcon EL..

i was at a cousins house and just before i left i decided to change the oil when i got home so ill put the flush in when i get home and let it idle for 5-10 mins, but decided since it was a 10 min drive home i put the flush in and drove home.. i didnt end up doing the oil change when i got home cause i could be bothered.. done it the next morning, and i let it warmed up and idle for 5-10 mins so didnt really needed to put it in the night before... silly me..

[kizz]

omfg why are you asking all this question...?

you shouldnt do any oil changes till you have a clue...

tbh i just dont want you to end up in tears if you accidentally damaged your beloved ride...!

Firstly, what do you mean by "why are you asking all these* questions?" It's a forum... for exactly that!

It's got nothing to do with not "having a clue", because i've done heaps of oil changes, just not with the sump plug being stripped, which again is why i'm asking for advice.

[kizz]

dont drive it if you've got oil flush in the system.

you just reminded me of when i owned my old ford falcon EL..

i was at a cousins house and just before i left i decided to change the oil when i got home so ill put the flush in when i get home and let it idle for 5-10 mins, but decided since it was a 10 min drive home i put the flush in and drove home.. i didnt end up doing the oil change when i got home cause i could be bothered.. done it the next morning, and i let it warmed up and idle for 5-10 mins so didnt really needed to put it in the night before... silly me..

How'd it go the next morning?

[123R-Prozak]

dont drive it if you've got oil flush in the system.

you just reminded me of when i owned my old ford falcon EL..

i was at a cousins house and just before i left i decided to change the oil when i got home so ill put the flush in when i get home and let it idle for 5-10 mins, but decided since it was a 10 min drive home i put the flush in and drove home.. i didnt end up doing the oil change when i got home cause i could be bothered.. done it the next morning, and i let it warmed up and idle for 5-10 mins so didnt really needed to put it in the night before... silly me..

How'd it go the next morning?

started it up in the morning, ran fine, done the oil change, didnt notice anything wrong, drove fine!... i thought u can put load on the motor with flush in it.. but soon found out u cant when i started my apprenticeship lol

[eviltwin]

Mate, i see your point , yes it's a forum and this is it's purpose but possibly taking a little bit of common sense out when doing something new on a car is needed... research if prior , stuff like emptying the old oil and throwing just 2 litres into a motor that requires double that is pure stupidity in my book. I don;t mean to come off as insulting here but FFS if you started to notice the plug not coming off and stripping you'd stop and find a better instrument to use to remove it instead of totally farking it? just ask us prior to doing the job , if you seize the motor you'll be either selling a flintones spec car or copping a big repair bill. being a 2005 model car i cannot understand why you would oil flush it? change the oil ever 5k with the filter , run the same oil each time and keep it happy by filling it to the correct level , especially a high revving engine such as a 2ZZ. If your unsure please ask and then go and play , not the other way round it's like building a house without nails and wondering why the **** it fell down...