Dad's Aurion Oil Service

[Tony Prodigy]

Hi Gents,

Visited Mum and Dad over the weekend and it turned out to be a visit/oil service as I discovered it was due and although I had a feeling it was close, I didn't think it would be that close. It was a recent trip to Queensland which brought the oil service closer than expected. So Luckily I had all the necessary gear handy over there to be able to do this for Dad. Current ODO reading being 83559. Last oil service was approximately 75,5** (I forgot the exact number), so roughly 8K travelled.

It was also the first time using the Motive X Tools oil funnel that I showcased a little while back. While the oil was draining, I assembled the funnel and screwed it into the filler hole. The seals on the funnel ensure a tight seal so no liquid can seep out. It fit neatly and securely.

Having allowed the oil to drain, I unscrewed the filter housing, wiped it clean and gave it a wash with brake cleaner to remove old oil residue. The oil had a brownish-reddish tinge to it and it definitely looked spent. I assume this was also partly due to residual oil additive the last time Dad's "former" mechanic" used for no apparent reason.

Installed fresh Genuine Parts Toyota Oil Filter and plugged the sump back up and started the fill process.

The beauty of the new funnel is that due to the size of the intake neck you can position the oil container spout directly in the centre of the funnel and pour directly into the engine without it backing up into the funnel. I was able to dispense the whole 6lt in around 20 seconds. I was impressed. Clean was minimal. I left the funnel attached for a few minutes to allow residual oil at the base to stop dripping then removed, degreased, wiped it up and put it back in the box. Job done.

Gave the car a once over, adjusted tyre pressures and it was complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Tony Prodigy

[Bigmike62]

Tony prodigy, good to see another person useing Penrite 5w30..

Since owning my 40 series Presara, That's 18 months now, I've fed it Penrite oil..I think it's great to support an Aussie company..

I'm doing 2 oil changes a year, regardless of kilometres travelled.

I want to keep this car for at least another 5 years and I enjoy looking after it..

Cheers to you for taking care of your dads car..

Bigmike..😃

[Tony Prodigy]

Thanks Big Mike. I feel it was my duty to take over the servicing because I didn't realise his so called mechanic was ripping him off in the past charging for things he didn't even need and my Dad doesn't know any better. I put a stop to the gouging quick smart and assumed the role of chief service guy.

Saving him plenty of money now.

I decided to use Penrite for his car for two reasons. One, to support Australian business and two, something different to the Nulon I use on my car. It would be nice to compare the both even though I have full confidence in both products. The opportunity for specials also exist for both Penrite and Nulon which makes it a far more attractive proposition especially when you know you can get them in a 6lt container off the bat.

Dad's car, including my Aurion will remain in the family for a very long time, so I will give them extra special attention to keep them preserved as best as possible.

I'm planning on doing his auto transmission service soon too, so keep an eye out for that post.

Cheers mate 

[campbeam]

6 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I decided to use Penrite for his car for two reasons. One, to support Australian business and two, something different to the Nulon

Two big reasons is that they are quality and the price when on special.

 

 

6 hours ago, Bigmike62 said:

I'm doing 2 oil changes a year, regardless of kilometres travelled.

Good preventative maintenance thinking. Girlfriend's Yaris has been a bit neglected so I am going oil changes end of each quarter for this year then probably switch to every 6 months.

[Tony Prodigy]

38 minutes ago, campbeam said:

Two big reasons is that they are quality and the price when on special.

Make that 4 good reasons.😀

[KAA]

Thanks for the post and pic's on your dad's service mate, when it comes to keeping these beauties perfect and on the road nothing is too good for them. Glad you got the opportunity to do this for your dad plus to know he is being treated with the respect due all car owners, and not being used as a cash cow by those who choose to just gouge money.

KAA

[Tony Prodigy]

4 hours ago, campbeam said:

Two big reasons is that they are quality and the price when on special.

 

 

Good preventative maintenance thinking. Girlfriend's Yaris has been a bit neglected so I am going oil changes end of each quarter for this year then probably switch to every 6 months.

Sounds like a good plan Ash. I'll monitor the colour of Dad's oil over the next few months and see. That muddy, brownish/reddish colour has me thinking it's residual engine flush the silly mechanic put in it. It didn't even require it as he was the one who had been servicing it every 10k or less where sludging is virtually impossible. So why put engine flush ?? Because he could and because he could tell my Dad any story and poor Dad would believe him. Mongrel even sold him a fuel injection clean when the car only had around 50k on the ODO !!!!. That one made me curse.

Hopefully after this service the oil should assume it's normal colour degradation, you know that kind of golden syrup look. 

[campbeam]

8 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Sounds like a good plan Ash. I'll monitor the colour of Dad's oil over the next few months and see. That muddy, brownish/reddish colour has me thinking it's residual engine flush the silly mechanic put in it. It didn't even require it as he was the one who had been servicing it every 10k or less where sludging is virtually impossible. So why put engine flush ?? Because he could and because he could tell my Dad any story and poor Dad would believe him. Mongrel even sold him a fuel injection clean when the car only had around 50k on the ODO !!!!. That one made me curse.

Hopefully after this service the oil should assume it's normal colour degradation, you know that kind of golden syrup look. 

I did have a close look at your pictures. I was more looking at the oil filter cartridge and no apparent signs of oil sludge particles in the filter element. The reddish colour certainly looked like the remnants from an oil additive treatment.

It will be interesting to see how many kms pass before the oil on the dipstick is not so transparently clean and goes to a light golden colour.

My suggestion for the next oil change would be to use a budget engine oil as an engine flush before adding the new engine oil. All helps to give the new oil a clean start so it can stay cleaner longer.

[Tony Prodigy]

9 hours ago, campbeam said:

I did have a close look at your pictures. I was more looking at the oil filter cartridge and no apparent signs of oil sludge particles in the filter element. The reddish colour certainly looked like the remnants from an oil additive treatment.

Not knowing what brand of product either, the oil colour had me thinking regardless. When I dispensed the old oil into an empty Penrite 6lt container, I put a new unopened container side by side to compare levels through the transparent windows. The engine had consumed around 500ml of oil. I suspect what the engine flush tends to do is create a fine gateway for the oil to escape past the rings and vaporize. Will keep an eye on this and re measure on the next service.

9 hours ago, campbeam said:

It will be interesting to see how many kms pass before the oil on the dipstick is not so transparently clean and goes to a light golden colour.

Yeah, me too. I plan on going over there in the next few weeks and will check it again.

9 hours ago, campbeam said:

My suggestion for the next oil change would be to use a budget engine oil as an engine flush before adding the new engine oil. All helps to give the new oil a clean start so it can stay cleaner longer.

 I didn't expect this to be honest, but I did allow it plenty time to sufficiently drain. Hopefully it should clear after this batch.

[AurionX2]

Hahaha I love that funnel!

On the oil change: I gave up on draining the oil from the filter casing a while ago, I skip this step, just unscrew and drop the casing in the drain pan carefully so I don't get burnt 🙂 No mess, no environmental disaster caused and no animals killed or harmed during the process. Need to take a shortcut here and there, it's my upbringing.

Edited May 26, 2021 by AurionX2

[Tony Prodigy]

8 hours ago, AurionX2 said:

I gave up on draining the oil from the filter casing a while ago, I skip this step

I have done it both ways myself and it can get messy while unscrewing the housing. I must say, it is a PIA with that plastic drain tool. It is a mongrel to get out once it clicks in. I had to crack it off with pliers. I think I'll miss this step next time too.

[AurionX2]

13 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

I have done it both ways myself and it can get messy while unscrewing the housing. I must say, it is a PIA with that plastic drain tool. It is a mongrel to get out once it clicks in. I had to crack it off with pliers. I think I'll miss this step next time too.

How I'm doing it: after placing the drain pan under the casing and loosening it I start to undo it slowly while applying upward pressure against the thread, this way there's very little, if any, oil dripping past the o-ring. Then once it came off completely (you can feel the characteristic thread click) I swiftly pull it off and away turning it upside down. Once the oil deluge stops I carefully place the casing in the drain pan. Not messy at all. Rubber gloves strongly recommended 🙂

Edited May 27, 2021 by AurionX2

[Tony Prodigy]

17 minutes ago, AurionX2 said:

How I'm doing it: after placing the drain pan under the casing and loosening it I start to undo it slowly while applying upward pressure against the thread, this way there's very little, if any, oil dripping past the o-ring. Then once it came off completely (you can feel the characteristic thread click) I swiftly pull it off and away turning it upside down. Once the oil deluge stops I carefully place the casing in the drain pan. Not messy at all. Rubber gloves strongly recommended 🙂

That's pretty much what I do too, but when you have the car lifted at the front it will tend to spill over from the inner side for a bit. No big deal I guess, at least you have a drain pan underneath to catch the spillage. I also wear disposable latex gloves. Much easy than having to constantly wash hands. 

[campbeam]

50 minutes ago, AurionX2 said:

How I'm doing it: after placing the drain pan under the casing and loosening it I start to undo it slowly while applying upward pressure against the thread, this way there's very little, if any, oil dripping past the o-ring. Then once it came off completely (you can feel the characteristic thread click) I swiftly pull it off and away turning it upside down. Once the oil deluge stops I carefully place the casing in the drain pan. Not messy at all. Rubber gloves strongly recommended 🙂

My approach is to put the Aurion up in ramps which then gives plenty of safe working space underneath.

I can use 2 drains pans, 1 under the oil filter cartridge and the other 1 for the engine pan drain. I loosen the housing until oil starts dripping into the pan then continue with an extra turn so that more oil continues to drain. Eventually, I fully remove the housing and drain the remaining contents into the drain pan.

Any oil on the outside of the housing is easily wiped off with a rag. Not really that messy and I am using gloves. Extra protection for my skin and to make hand cleaning easier is to use Sorbolene. Also makes putting on close fitting gloves a lot easier.

[Tony Prodigy]

9 hours ago, campbeam said:

My approach is to put the Aurion up in ramps which then gives plenty of safe working space underneath.

I can use 2 drains pans, 1 under the oil filter cartridge and the other 1 for the engine pan drain. I loosen the housing until oil starts dripping into the pan then continue with an extra turn so that more oil continues to drain. Eventually, I fully remove the housing and drain the remaining contents into the drain pan.

Any oil on the outside of the housing is easily wiped off with a rag. Not really that messy and I am using gloves. Extra protection for my skin and to make hand cleaning easier is to use Sorbolene. Also makes putting on close fitting gloves a lot easier.

You described it exactly the same way I do it Ash, except I jack the front up. I find that while it's draining and jacking it up high and lowering it down a couple of times helps draw out more oil from the hidden plateaus inside the motor and from what was a drip drip of oil turns into a steady trickle again.  

After I unscrew the the filter housing I like to wipe inside there with a lint free cloth, then as you all know, degrease the housing itself to rid it of contaminated oil.

I try to be as meticulous as possible, you know, go that extra mile.. Oops.. there goes my OCD again 😄