Change your own oil in your V6 camry (DIY, pic intensive)

95WhiteCamry · Dec 29, 2007

Disclaimer: i take no responsibilities for your fuck-ups, do at own risk.

So it was time to change the oil in the coupe and I was hesitant to dish out 35 bucks to the local jiffy lube to get my oil done, or 75 bucks if i wanted synthetic. So I went to Kragens, picked up a case of Mobil 7500 Synthetic blend oil for 20 bucks, a fram oil filter for 4 bucks and figured i'd do it myself. I did half the body work on my car and a full suspension set-up so i thought i could tackle this too.

Parts required :
oil filter wrench
oil (5W30 Mobil 7500 synthetic)
containers for old oil
a socket to take the drain plug off with (i think it was a 14mm)

time to get to work!

Step 1 : warm car up to a warm state (just above the low mark so that the oil is fairly liquidy) and raise the car up on jackstands. In my case, i secured my hood with an old broom handle simply because i don't trust the hood struts.

Step 2: remove and inspect oil cap for sludge or for symptoms of a blown headgasket. (mine was gunky and old, but no noticable sludge or headgasket problems)

Step 3: Locate drain plug. On the bottom-side of the car near the passenger wheel. Should be easy to spot.

(I have no clue what that small leaf on it was :lol: )

Step 4: place catch container below the drain plug, unscrew it and let 'er rip. The key is to yank the plug as fast as you can so you don't have hot oil going down your hand as you turn the final few threads and decide to pull it out. Once you feel it is almost out, spin fast and yank it away, making sure the stream of oil goes into the catch container.

I used a total of two Gallon containers. Filled up one and a half.

Step 5: clean off the drain plug and place a new washer on it if the old one is worn out. Mine was a bronze one that was good as new. I'll replace it on the next oil change.

Step 6: now is a good time to take off the oil filter (do it only once all of your oil is drained. Grab your wrench and spin counter clockwise. Once it is loose, you want to take it off as fast as you can and don't turn it over! the filter is full of oil (in my case hot oil) that will want to go everywhere. The filter is essentially a cup on the inside so you want to make sure it is in the right orientation when you take it off so that there is no major spillage everywhere.

What the block looks like without the filter.

Step 7: (I may have lost count =P ) Now is a good time to reinstall the drain plug. Put it back in and tighten it but not too much. By hand first and then via socket. Don't overtighten as it may cause the threads to wear. Use your own judgement. Tighten to the point where it feels tight and then move on. Clean off random oil residue along the pan so that once you start putting oil in, spills and drips will be easy to spot.

Step 8: Take your new filter, unpackage it, oil up the rubber washer and the surface that will touch the block with the new oil and tighten it on. tighten by hand and once the rubber washer contacts the block, do a 3/4 turn more and then it'll be fine. Check to make sure it is securely tigthened.

(filter in place)

Last step : fill your car up with oil. After each quart, inspect for visual leaks. I put in 5 quarts. Turn the car on, pray it doesn't explode, and let it run, observing for any leaks. I let mine run for about 15 minutes with no visible leakeage.

You're done. Go have a cookie and take your car for a spin around the block. Congrats as you just did your own oil change!

p.s. make sure to properly dispose of old oil at an oil recycling center.

As the coupe stands now, 6k miles after massive front-end collision

(yes.....it is lowered :lol: )

Thanks and i hope this was of some help!

-alex

masteryota1 · Dec 29, 2007

thanks alot, i plan on doing my first the first do it myself oil change on the camry in about 3-4 weeks, and never saw a diy for camry yet alone the v-6

masteryota1 · Dec 29, 2007

oh, and if you have any photos of exactly where you placed the jackstands it would be useful

Venom_5 · Dec 29, 2007

if your car is like mine, the pinch welds may bend ... in which case, you can place the jackstands on the frame rails

DO THIS IN THE FRONT ONLY (if for some reason you need jack stands in the rear for another project, the frame rails will not support them in the rear)

here's a pic of where they would go in the front [red circle = good, blue circle = bad!]

of course, most people use the pinch welds (little strip that goes in the factory scissor jack) ... im not sure why mine bend and nobody else has that problem :lol:

the pinch weld is the little strip on the far left of the picture, in case you dont know

92ES5sp · Dec 29, 2007

Very nice write up.:clap:
Looks like youve got some oil leaks goin on there. How are those doin?

95WhiteCamry · Dec 29, 2007

thanks for the replies, guys!

the oil leaks i'm not worried about. i lose less than a quarter of a quart between oil changes...so maybe one day i'll do it, just not now :lol:

in regards to the jack stand positions, i don't have photos but i'll try to explain to the best of my abilities. near both front wheels below the door is the little thing where you jack the car up with. i think they're called pinch welds. directly along the same perpedicular path of the car (i.e. more to the center of the vehicle) is the frame of the car. my jack stands fit perfectly under that frame.

front
_______
|-------|
|-------|
0------0
j-x---x-j
|-------|
|-------|
0------0
|-------|
|______|
rear
0 ->wheels j -> piece along car where you jack it up with x-> the frame (subframe, maybe) where i placed the jack stands

xtremeskier97 · Dec 29, 2007

^^ nice illustration there!

Jeeves · Dec 29, 2007

It should also be noted that the simple act of putting blocks behind the rear wheels is a good safety tip.

LazyAccent · Dec 29, 2007

Nice write up, i plan on doing an oil change in a couple weeks since im low on money and synthetic oil is expensive plus the 40 bucks for an oil change. I'd rather do it myself for less.

Camryv6xle · Dec 29, 2007

hey, great write up. i did my oil change today, i got a 94 v6 and it sucked getting the oil filter out i kept burning myself on the headers lol but got em out eventually. :thumbup:

bigbird · Dec 29, 2007

nice man. it shoudl be very helpful, prolly good sticky material.

me im lazy, i dont even use jacks i just use the OEM one for changing a tire.:lol:

Lumberg · Jan 6, 2008

I consider myself a pretty good mechanic--I used to do it as a job. I am a cocky, lazy guy. I love taking shortcuts, finding alternate ways to do stuff, "afro-engineering" as one of my former coworkers put it.

I would never, ever put any part of my body under any part of a car that was supported only by a jack, whether the original or a nice floor jack. Heck, sometimes I examine the brakes with the car just on the jack and that gives me the heebie jeebies.

I have read too many stories about mechanics getting parts or their whole bodies crushed when a car came down. Much better, much more experienced mechanics than I. Guys who are more careful and meticulous than I. I am determined to never, ever be the subject of one of those stories.

I am sure that for every horror story about getting crushed, there are 10 people who regularly get under cars supported just by jacks and have never been hurt. I hope you're one of the majority.

dc_98_cam · Dec 29, 2007

Just before you install the new filter, hold it upright, fill it with as much new oil as it will hold, and smear some of the excess around the gasket seal. The filter material will hold the oil and not let it spill out, kind of like a sponge, even when the filter is inverted. By the time that you are ready to install the filter, the oil inside it will be completely absorbed. ... Just don't fill it up again, since that would be more than could be absorbed, and it would spill when turned upside down.
The advantage of this technique is that when the engine is started, the filter will be partially filled with oil, and allow the oil pressure to build up ... a fraction of a second sooner than it would with a completely empty filter. It might even extend the life of your bearings and rings by a small amount, over the life of the vehicle.

youngflashycamr · Dec 29, 2007

^^^ co sign on that jack thing..if i dont use that i use ramps...

ohgood · Dec 29, 2007

Just a few things to mention:

use E-brake and make sure it's in Park or First (manual)
use wheel chocks
use jack stands or ramps + jack stands
use a socket, never vice grips or open end wrenches for the plug
inspect the old filter for water, gas, metal shavings. (its a sign of things to come)
inspect the old oil for water, gas, metal shavings (ditto)
check the belts, hoses, coolant level, PS level, brake level, etc.
wipe everything with a shop cloth to prevent oil making a stink
always write down the mileage and date of the oil change. (i'm dealing with this now...)
always use the recommended oil for your climate
always always always check the oil at each and every refuel. (see my thread about my mother in law's camry)
always let someone know you're outside messing with the car (shit happens, cars= heavy)
check for leaks, run the oil to autozone, check for leaks, check oil level.

Nice write up. Just don't try to do it fast or you'll miss something, and that co$t$ money.

my fleet:
1998 suzuki gs500 (20,000 trouble free miles)
1989 toyota pickup ext cab (164,000 trouble free miles after timing chain replacement)
1997 honda accord wagon (vtec, 220,000 trouble free miles)
1998 camry 22re (140,000 miles, and at the dealer after being run low on oil. it's the mother in laws, and i still feel terrible about it)

Eye8Pussies · Dec 29, 2007

looking good! great pics/steps of course, and also good tips by others

added to the diy :thumbup:

Tuner571 · Dec 29, 2007

Great write up man, this should help alot of people.

Quicksilver300 · Dec 29, 2007

good thread! With my I-4 I dont even use a jack. Idk if that's possible with the V6, but I just loosen the pan bolt till it starts weeping. slide the collection pan under the oil pan and with little effort release the pan bolt, which just falls in my collection pan. On the I-4 the oil filter is very easy to take off and there's no need at all for a jack there.

Obviously using a jack is easier, but I have a dirt driveway and I'd rather not risk getting crushed. Again not everyone can go without the jack, especially if the car's lowered.

95WhiteCamry · Dec 29, 2007

thanks for the responses guys, i appreciate it! :thumbup:

and thanks to the other tips posted by other members, i kinda forgot to specify the little details :lol:

BlueFusion6851 · Dec 30, 2007

The only thing I dislike about changing my own oil is the fact that I burn my arm on the headers and the oil from the oil filter runs down to the y pipe area and burns off after I've been driving for awhile... such a lovely fragrance. :lol:

islandboy57 · Jan 8, 2008

Sigh.. Whoever designed the oil filter location on the engine should be shot. I cringe when I need to change the oil in my mom's car. And it's twice as often as my car to top it off! Sometimes I think it'd be easier to bring it somewhere than burn my arm and spill oil all over from the filter..BUT I like doing it myself and someone at the local Toyota dealership is hooking me up with a discount on Toyota oil filters. Comes down to $6 or so each.

Anyway, nice write up! Your pictures were nice and clear, and what you wrote combined with what other posters mentioned = great DIY. I noticed your oil cap and where you pour the oil in looks pretty nasty. Looks the same on my mom's

. I'm hoping now that I'm maintaining the car, my frequent oil changes will offset the slight lack of maintenance in its earlier life.

stewart591 · Dec 30, 2007

if you dont know how to change ur oil... kill yourself

TheKevin · Jun 12, 2008

that's funny you should say that because my friend can install a lightweight crank pulley, header, springs and shocks but hesaid he 's never changed his oil.

MIC0417 · Jan 6, 2008

Damn, you people and your V6's :sosad:

bigdaddymak20 · Jan 6, 2008

Good points on safety!!! On the oil change, that mobil 7500 is only semi synthetic oil and is only 10-15% synthetic. You have a sludge prone vehicle that I would only use a premium synthetic in. Something toyota, mercedes and others should have been recommending and are learning the hard way. They are spending millions fixing cars that are great cars. BTW mobil, castrol, ect. that you see at the store are not real synthetics. Only Amsoil, Redline, and Royal purple are true synthetics. Take care of your rides but beware of the crap the oil companies are selling you.

95WhiteCamry · Jan 6, 2008

^^ hmm, that's an interesting point.

but wouldn't that make it false advertising then? (maybe i just didn't read enough fine print on the quarts)

on a side note, having a sludge prone vehicle, it has used regular dyno oil for it's previous 135k miles. i honestly doubt that changing to full synthetic might help it anyway. the only main reason why i went with this oil is because the interval is much longer. thanks for the heads up though!

Lumberg · Jan 8, 2008

I go with German Castrol 0w30, never had a problem. About yearly oil changes.

bigdaddymak20 · Jan 8, 2008

Yes its confusing!! Mobil sued Castrol in the late 90s because castrol was using petroleum base oil and calling it synthetic. They used a chemical process making it somewhat synthetic. Well Mobil lost that suit and now most of the synthetic oil on the shelf is not true synthetic. German castrol is true synthetic cause it has to meet tough european acea a3 standards, but is the only one they sell that is. Would take too much space to explain it all but if you search google you can find a lot of info. I personally use amsoil, it tests far better than any other oil.

bigdaddymak20 · Jan 8, 2008

Here's a tip from us toyota mechanics on changing that filter on the v6. We agree it sucks too. You can do several things. One is to lay a rag over the exhaust to protect you arm. Or two take and old tube sock cut out the toe and put it over you forearm to protect you, I like this one then you can tuck it away in your tool box till the next change. There is no end to what you can use to protect you arm.

islandboy57 · Jan 8, 2008

I usually put a towel over my forearm while reaching for the oil filter. Makes it hard to see but it generally works pretty good.

95WhiteCamry · Jan 8, 2008

^^ i just sucked it up and did it bare armed :lol:

Change your own oil in your V6 camry (DIY, pic intensive)

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