Maintenance and other Q's

1901 Views 15 Replies 8 Participants Last post by EnderSavesTheDa, Mar 5, 2008

EnderSavesTheDa

Discussion Starter · Mar 1, 2008

I'm at 17k and have yet to go in for Toyota's maintenance. All I've been doing is changing my oil and oil filter every 3-5k miles with Mobil-1. I suppose I should finally get the service done. I was going to rotate my tires myself but I don't have a torque wrench and don't wanna over do it or vice versa.

So here's my question, does it matter which dealer I do the maintenance with? I got my car at Toyota of Orange in SoCal but would prefer going to North County/Miller Toyota for service.

Another thing... the last time I changed my oil I put in a little too much oil... about 4.8 quarts (I had one of those 5 qt bottles)... I drained the oil a little bit and checked the oil level... it was still above the tick mark. I drained it a little again... it was still above the tick mark... I drove around for a day because I ran out of time and then the next day I drained it a little more and it was still above the tick mark. Then I turn the dipstick around and the oil seems to be between the two tick marks...

So embarrassingly I need help reading our dipsticks. Also I hear so many different things... check it while the engine is warm, cooler, 5 minutes after starting... I'm going nuts and I feel like a total noob, which I guess I am. My brother-in-law showed me how to do all this once but I guess I only remember the part about how to change the oil and filter.

I've been changing my own oil since last year around April or so since the dealership took 2 hours to do it and didn't even use the oil I gave them (I came in when they just opened ~ 7am)... and they charge an arm and a leg for BS like visual inspection of parts, etc... if you guys have any suggestions on which dealership in socal to go to, let me know.

Sorry for the noobiness, thanks for the help.

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touringcamry

· #2 · Mar 1, 2008 (Edited)

Not much needs to be done at 17000 miles. Just change the air filter and rotate the tires. Inspect fluid levels, brakes, CV boots, belts, etc while you're under the car or hood.

You don't need a torque wrench to rotate the tires. IF all you have is the wrench in the trunk for the spare, that works just fine. Don't jump on the thing...just push on it with the full weight of your torso and maybe a bit more.

LE05

· #3 · Mar 1, 2008

ideally, tires should be rotated every 5K miles. get a torque wrench... if you plan on doing your own maintenance and repair in the future, its a good investment. as for the checking your oil...read your manual... the procedure on how to check the engine oil should be in there.

virg

· #4 · Mar 1, 2008

EnderSavesTheDa said:
Another thing... the last time I changed my oil I put in a little too much oil... about 4.8 quarts (I had one of those 5 qt bottles)...

Snugging up the wheel nuts is all that is necessary, snug them up and then give them a little bump tighter.

Follow the operators manual as to the proper amount of oil. Half a quart over fill won't hurt anything, but best to stick with the exact amount. Doesn't matter whether you check the oil when its hot or cold. That only applies to automatic transmissions (when they have a dip stick). Personally I've owned mostly Fords before purchasing my Toyota. Never had an accurate dip stick in any. Always showed half a quart low.

Good luck...virg

healthman

· #5 · Mar 1, 2008

you should also replace the cabin filter,adjust tire pressures(spare too) and check for any leaks or fluid stains under hood.

TRD VVTi

· #6 · Mar 1, 2008

It doesn't matter which dealer you use. It's a good idea to use the same one if you can though. That way if you ever need after warranty assistance, they will see that you've spent your money with them for service. Many times, that's made the decision for me when it came to helping someone after warranty. If they had Joe Blow do their service work, I usually would not help them.

touringcamry pretty much summed it up. You will want to clean the cabin air filter also. Just remove it and tap it off.

You can buy a simple and cheap torque wrench at AutoZone, Pep Boys, Advance, etc. I have a cheap torque wrench that I use for lugnuts exclusively. Exact calibration isn't needed so don't spend huge amounts of dough. I wouldn't use a cheap torque wrench for precision engine work though.

It's best to let the car sit for several minutes on a level surface before you check the oil. That way oil will have time to run down into the pan.

Stick with 5,000 mile services, and be sure to rotate your tires every 5,000 miles also.

I don't recommend snugging up lugnuts and giving them a little bump tighter as a way to properly torque them.

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EnderSavesTheDa

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 1, 2008

The service departments 'round here are very shady...

Thanks for the advice everyone, TRD... I think I'm going to pickup a torque wrench and do it myself.

One last thing, on my last oil change I "reset" the maintenance light... which wasn't on, but blinked @ start up... it didn't go away then a couple hundred miles later (a week of commuting) it came on and stayed on. Anyone know what that's supposed to mean or advice regarding that?

I will read the manual a little later if there's no response =P. (And I did read the manual about checking oil, it wasn't helping much since I still got such an off reading... it was like way above the second tick mark... but the back of the dipstick wasn't)

TRD VVTi

· #8 · Mar 1, 2008

EnderSavesTheDa said:
The service departments 'round here are very shady...

Thanks for the advice everyone, TRD... I think I'm going to pickup a torque wrench and do it myself.

One last thing, on my last oil change I "reset" the maintenance light... which wasn't on, but blinked @ start up... it didn't go away then a couple hundred miles later (a week of commuting) it came on and stayed on. Anyone know what that's supposed to mean or advice regarding that?

I will read the manual a little later if there's no response =P. (And I did read the manual about checking oil, it wasn't helping much since I still got such an off reading... it was like way above the second tick mark... but the back of the dipstick wasn't)

It starts blinking 4,500 miles after it was reset last and comes on solid 5,000 miles after it was reset last. The reset procedure is extremely simple. It's in the manual, or if you do a search you will find numerous threads regarding the reset.

Basically, you make sure the regular odometer is showing. Hold in the trip reset button and then turn the key to the on position. The odometer will shows dashes that count down and then it will reset. After it does this you can release the trip button and the light will be reset. Like I said, there is a thread with the exact procedure, and the manual shows the same thing.

MrSo0h0o

· #9 · Mar 1, 2008

EnderSavesTheDa said:
The service departments 'round here are very shady...

Thanks for the advice everyone, TRD... I think I'm going to pickup a torque wrench and do it myself.

One last thing, on my last oil change I "reset" the maintenance light... which wasn't on, but blinked @ start up... it didn't go away then a couple hundred miles later (a week of commuting) it came on and stayed on. Anyone know what that's supposed to mean or advice regarding that?

I will read the manual a little later if there's no response =P. (And I did read the manual about checking oil, it wasn't helping much since I still got such an off reading... it was like way above the second tick mark... but the back of the dipstick wasn't)

if the main. light didnt go away then you didnt reset it correctly.. try again...

EnderSavesTheDa

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 1, 2008

I know, I've done that... I normally change my oil @ 3-4k before the blinking starts... never had the light actually come on before :lol:. I guess I screwed up a lot on my last oil change :hammer:.

I'll just jot down the trip A mileage and reset it again.

MrSo0h0o

· #11 · Mar 1, 2008

EnderSavesTheDa said:
I know, I've done that... I normally change my oil @ 3-4k before the blinking starts... never had the light actually come on before :lol:. I guess I screwed up a lot on my last oil change :hammer:.

I'll just jot down the trip A mileage and reset it again.

the light should come on every 5k regardless of when you change the oil..

EnderSavesTheDa

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 1, 2008

by changing my oil I mean I change the oil and reset the light...

marc780

· #13 · Mar 4, 2008 (Edited)

The service departments 'round here are very shady...

Beyond, i refuse to take my car in for anything except as a last resort - with regards to changing your oil and getting the level right. What i do is let the oil drain until im bored to death then put the plug in. I put in 4 qts (i have a V6) then i add another half quart. The oil now reads about full or maybe a little over, now i start the engine and let it idle for 30 seconds and shut it off.
I start cleaning up the oil mess for a few minutes and then check the oil, usually it is a little above the add mark. So i add a little more til it reads a little bit more than halfway in between the add and full marks.
I check it next day on a level surface and its usually at the full mark (there's always going to be some old oil left in your engine after a change. And it can take overnight for all of it to come back down.)

EnderSavesTheDa

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 5, 2008

thanks for the advice, marc.

glad someone agrees with me about the dealerships

i have a mechanic friend who used to work at an audi dealership. a guy had his TT trucked in because he hit something and his oil pan spewed out the oil. a manager says he'll take care of the car, takes it round back, revs the hell out of it WITHOUT OIL until the engine's busted then charges the dude an absurd amount of money for a new engine.

other stories... he told me how he's pretty much paid to do nothing to some cars... just wait a couple of hours, then return the car...

yes, I know those are Audi dealerships... but Toyota service departments don't give me much more to believe in.

TRD VVTi

· #15 · Mar 5, 2008

EnderSavesTheDa said:
i have a mechanic friend who used to work at an audi dealership. a guy had his TT trucked in because he hit something and his oil pan spewed out the oil. a manager says he'll take care of the car, takes it round back, revs the hell out of it WITHOUT OIL until the engine's busted then charges the dude an absurd amount of money for a new engine.

I would bet money that the owner of the car didn't pay anything but his insurance deductable and was in on the situation, and your mechanic friend wasn't.

I may or may not have blown up a damaged engine to help a good customer out on more than one occasion. I may or may not have advised someone to do that for me. I may or may not have advised a customer to do that to help themselves.

EnderSavesTheDa said:
other stories... he told me how he's pretty much paid to do nothing to some cars... just wait a couple of hours, then return the car...

Many Technicians spend a lot of money on expensive tools to beat book time. It makes them more efficient, which makes them more money. Experience will also allow you to recognize, diagnose, and repair vehicles much more quickly. That's how they make their money. If you can do a four hour job in two hours because of your experience and investment in tools, you shouldn't make less.

Not everything is as it appears. I've been in nearly every facet of the automotive business and know how things actually work, instead of how they appear to work.

You appear to think that Audi dealer is somehow dirty. The information you provided doesn't show that at all.

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EnderSavesTheDa

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 5, 2008

TRD VVTi said:
I would bet money that the owner of the car didn't pay anything but his insurance deductable and was in on the situation, and your mechanic friend wasn't.

I may or may not have blown up a damaged engine to help a good customer out on more than one occasion. I may or may not have advised someone to do that for me. I may or may not have advised a customer to do that to help themselves.

Many Technicians spend a lot of money on expensive tools to beat book time. It makes them more efficient, which makes them more money. Experience will also allow you to recognize, diagnose, and repair vehicles much more quickly. That's how they make their money. If you can do a four hour job in two hours because of your experience and investment in tools, you shouldn't make less.

Not everything is as it appears. I've been in nearly every facet of the automotive business and know how things actually work, instead of how they appear to work.

You appear to think that Audi dealer is somehow dirty. The information you provided doesn't show that at all.

:ugh3:

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