Finished My 1st Oil Change on the Rig
 

Just wanted to let you all know that I just finished my first oil change after 13,400 miles on my rig. I changed from oil from 5W-30 dealership oil to 10W-30 Mobil 1 Sythetic. :nerd:

One alarming thing I found on my rig was that ever since I purchased the vehilce through Rice Toyota in Greensboro, NC they have changed my oil. But since doing my own on Saturday, I've discovered that the dealer NEVER EVER took the skid plate off completely because of the evidence they left, which was oil deposits left on the plate. :mad: For those of you that take your 4Runner to Rice Toyota DON'T EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad: :nono:

If they can't even perform the simplest tasks of changing the oil correctly, then why should we as customers trust them to perform a labor intensive job in the future????

On a side note, the oil filter was hard to get to. Why did Toyota make it so inconvenient. On my last vehicle, E36 BMW M3 1998, the oil filter was right under the hood as soon as you unscrewed the bolt. :confused:

Is it okay to wait 5K-6K miles to do my next oil change, now that I have Mobil 1 in the rig??????:dunno:

Hey man,

Good to hear all went well. I've got Amsoil synthetic 5W-30 in my rig and I love it. I've always had success with synthetic oils (knock on wood).

Don't be too upset or suprised with the 'oil gunk' residue on your skid plate. Toy dealers and other garages have done this method of oil change forever. Unless you ask people to specifically remove the skid plate first, they will take the easy route. Because they included the hole in the 2nd half of the front skid plate for the oil drain plug, it allows people to do the lazy-man's oil change. A couple months ago I removed the skid plate and sprayed it clean from all the months of gunk on it.

As for oil changes, if you do your own (or not) it's highly recommended that you get the oil filter relocation kit. Oil changes are now fun, less messy, and easier to do. I'm getting this for my Runner in the next year, that's for sure:

http://www.performanceproducts.com/p...dorid=&search=

How does that contraption work?

Hey,

I changed my oil this weekend and I really do not believe a relocation kit is necessary , but it is nice.

I will post some pics but here is how I do it.

1. With truck on ground, remove plug and drain old oil (5 mins)

2. Replace plug, loosen lug nuts then lift truck and remove drivers side front wheel (5 mins) . I lift with a floor jack on the central cross member with the skid plate still in place (per manual)

3. Pull back rubber flap in driver side front wheel well. (1 min)

4. Position oil catch can at rear of skidplate, driver side. Using a filter top wrench ($6) and two extensions with a 1/4" drive ratchet, unscrew old filter. (The extensions go down through the upper A arm near the front bushing) (5 mins)

5. Replace filter in reverse. (3 mins)

6. Replace wheel, lower truck, retorque lug nuts. ( 5mins)

7. Refill with 4.8 quarts and check level and for leaks (3 mins)

Comes out at 22 mins give or take..I am a little faster
now :D

David

Getting the oil filter replaced through the wheel well is the way to go.

Otherwise I like the relocation kit because it makes it even easier. Oil changes with it take 5 min. Basically it has 2 caps and 2 fluid hoses. One cap on the spot where the filter was, 2 hoses connecting to the other cap, mounted wherever you want, and into the new oil filter location. Most people mount it under the hood or on the outside of the wheel well.

If you mount it in your engine compartment then basically you open the drain plug, pop your hood, undo the filter (catch the oil seeping out), oil the new one and replace, put the drain plug back on, add proper amount of oil and done!

The oil filter relocator means a quart or so more of engine oil though.

A girl I work with just bought a '96 witha a boat load of goodies including remote oil filter....

...I really should take a second look at that. I think It was mounted close to the battery.

Re: Finished My 1st Oil Change on the Rig
 

I think the reason the filter is there is to discourage you from doing your own maintainence. They want you to take it to the stealer for every little thing including oil changes.

I'd say yes on the Mobil 1 going 5,000 or more. I last changed oil in February with Mobil 1 10w 30 full synth, 4,600 miles ago and its still more golden colored than black. I think the Purolator filter is helping that also. When I was using normal Quaker State and Fram filters it would be BLACK at 3,000 miles. :mad: I'm pleased with the M1 and will stick with it for the time being.

I can do my changes in 7.5 minutes flat, but I lost my bunny deflector (aka skidplate) long ago. I drive around to warm it up, and put some grip tape on my new filter while my hands are still clean first.(30 seconds not counting drive time) Then I throw the catch pan underneath, pull the plug (30 seconds) Next, grab a shop towel and my trusty old leather glove to remove the filter. This is where the grip tape helps, it gets great bite on the leather glove meaning no tools needed to remove the filter. The good old 22R leaves lots of room to reach in there with 2 hands (one to hold the towel, one to loosen the filter) and grab it. (We'll call that 1 minute including beer swigging time) Now i'm 1/2 done, time for a 3 minute beer break as the draining finishes. Now its time to fill the new filter with oil , oil the gasket to make a good seal and install the filter, and drain plug.(1 min. tops) Then its time to refill. I made a funnel from an old Mobil 1 bottle so I can add 2 quarts at a time. The wide mouth of the M1 bottles will kind of screw into the oil filler hole perfectly and stay in place, also the wide mouth makes for shorter pour time. Filling takes about 1:30. The change itsself is now finished. Stop the clock! The last step is to pour the old oil into the newly emptied bottles and store them for disposal at the next trip to the parts barn. (2 minutes)

What year do you have ?? I have a 00', because toyota left the drain plug just outside the skid plate you dont need to take it off.. Only if you have a second gen do you need to remove the skid plate completely, which is a total pain in the head.. Im glad toyota fixed this in the 3rd gens.......