Good video. My dad taught me to fill the oil filter with oil before installing, it takes a few minutes more because the oil has to saturate into the filter. Leave a 1/2" space on top to prevent spilling and room for the threaded tube. By doing this it helps lubricate the upper engine components much more quickly.
Thanks for the video. Tomorrow is the first oil change for my wife's Prius C. I am going to set up a 3/8" square drive clicker type torque wrench for tightening the drain plug and I think somewhere I have one of those socket devices that grip the bottom of the oil filter. I have been changing my own oil for 52 years and your video made me reflect that I have had more problems with tightening the drain plug bolt than any other activity of an oil change. My daughter's Toyota had an aftermarket speed drain plug that broke off. Fortunately the stub spun out with a hand held sharp tip punch. I had an oil change place cross thread the drain bolt. For the next video, why not tell the drain washer dimensions and encourage viewers to buy one and put it in the glove compartment. Another Toyota engine uses a 10 mm i.d. aluminium drain washer. Losing the drain plug washer is the second oil change mistake that eventually happens.. I have never noticed any benefit from departing from the car maker's oil recommendation. If anything, heavier oil in an old Mercedes distracted me from realizing that I had an exhaust manifold crack that eventually burned an exhaust valve. I write the oil grade, quantity and drain plug wrench size in felt tip pen on the underside of the hood of the engine compartment. Thanks again.
Wow. Great! Use that torque wrench. I might make another video for my wife's next car. She still needs to get 100k more miles out of this one first though.. Come on 300k. I'm so close I can smell it... Wait I had Mexican last night. Nope.... That smell is me.
Great video. After oiling the oil filter gasket and hand tightening I'll come back just a little so as the gaskets goes back on to itself thereby relieving tension in one direction. Learned this from an old aircraft mechanic. Cheers.
I always pour new oil into the filter through the outside holes. Something I have done since I started servicing heavy equipment back in 1972. I hate to see the oil pressure light stay on red for too long. The strap wrench that plugs into your extension makes the whole ordeal a bit easier. Try putting a plastic bag over the filter before you take it off it will make it a lot cleaner to deal with. If anyone ever gets a filter stuck and NOTHING will help, I have driven large screwdrivers through the filter and got it off that way. Thanks 14mm info will save me a trip from under my yuppy rig.
Great tip about the bag around the old filter, I'll start using that. I also fill the new filter about 90% of the way and take my finger, dip it in the oil left in the new filter and "grease" the gasket with it. Helps get a better seal and prevent binding I think. I also wipe the old oil filter surface with a paper towel.
I've been using a K&N oil filter, it has a nice small socket bolt head on the end so you don't have to stab the old filter off. I wipe the drain plug with a rag and place a dot of oil on it when reinstalling the bolt so it doesn't get stuck to the case next time. As below, pre-filling a filter is a nice touch. And I always wipe oil around the rubber seal so it seats nicely against the case. My dad taught me that, he use to be a service mechanic in his early days.
Thank you. I found your video on my really first search on how changing the oil to my prius c and I don't need to look another one. Very good job explaining. I'm the cold Canada north so I'll use the recommended oil though. Thanks again !
Just remember to change it regularly. 0W oil is very viscous, however cold climates tend to be very hard on interior lubricated parts as most motor oils flow slower at lower temps. (the W is the oils winter rating). This info is readily available all over the net. The OW synthetic oil for the Prius C does good at cold temps, however I would bet my left shoe that cold Canadian winters thicken that oil up enough to warrant a mid winter oil change whether it needs it or not.
First off, great video. Very straightforward and clear. I have been looking on Amazon for the correct socket wrench adapter for the filter, but most of the offers fail to note the Prius C specifically. I'm guessing it's 64-65 mm, but I wanted to get some advice before committing to buy. And this is all before I go out and just climb underneath my car to measure.
The socket style oil filter wrench that you need will be dependent on the filter brand and style used, not on the car. So the Prius C will accept many different filters, each one (potentially) requiring a different size or type of wrench. Just find a filter you like (make sure it HAS the bottom configured for a socket, not all do) and get the socket for THAT filter. And just stick with that same filter for future changes. Hope that helps!
All the synthetic filters that come up on an Amazon search don't have a plastic casing around it, but look like open fans. Is that what I will need for my Prius 3? Maybe it is a bit different than a Prius C and one opens a filter cannister and replaces the guts and replaces it? Thanks so much, you made me realize I could do my own oil changes again after all these years. My local oil change centers charge $88 for synthetic oil! And there is a good chance they didn't use a synthetic filter, so that means there is no extension of time and one still needs to change the oil at 3000 miles! Thanks for your fantastic video.
I agree with you the manual only goes up to 30 degrees in my country it get to 36 degrees and with additional heat close to 40 something. In the Caribbean I will want something that will be good up to 50 degrees.
0W only refers to the cold temp viscosity. It's good down to -40 F degrees. The engine cooling system maintains the engine at the proper top end of the heat spectrum. 5W is good down to -25 degrees F. The second number in 0W20 (the 20) refers to the oils viscosity at 100 degrees F. Since your engine maintains the temp with the radiator and an electric fan I would always buy 20 if you can, but if it's not available you could probably get away with anything close in a mild climate.
+Ken Lewis I'm under the belief that people who over-maintain their vehicles or attempt to get more life out of their car by using different weights of oil are the same people who coddle their car when they drive.... less likely to speed, slam the brakes, accelerate quickly, etc... so it's a bit of a false positive when things like this lead to longer lasting engines because it's equally or more likely that it is the driving style which is the deciding factor. No science behind that, but take it for what it is worth.
I actually almost agree with you, which is why I posted to another user that oil weight doesn't matter that much. I believe this, however, mostly because of where I live, since winners are mild, and because the oil system is a closed loop. The air filter is the main entry point for sand dirt and other pollutants into the system. Change that guy often and you will be all right.
I have a friend, 75 years old and he has a key chain with around 15 keys on it. He takes off the ignition key with his twist lock type of key chain when he starts and drives the truck. He says it will prolong the life of the ignition switch. I tell him he won't live that long.
@@kuriozo I heard a statistic that 75% of all statistics used are made up... I just made that up... 4 years later my engine still runs great! 0W is a winter rating (describing the oils viscosity in cold weather). I live in warm weather, so it really doesn't matter... or maybe it does 20% of the time... I just made that up too....
A million thanks for this video bc in my country only the dealer can really check these things. I m the only one that has this car in this country until a few months ago and i dont wanna go to the dealer. The local mechanic doesn't have the confidence to attend to my car.
@@kenlewis6387 the reason the manufacturers keep recommending lighter and lighter oils (print it on the oil cap) is for fuel economy, in order to meet government mandates. I worked for Quaker State for years. It's how it works. Don't believe me than dump some old school straight 30 weight in your Prius. Not to mention the difference in pour point depressants and viscosity improvers etc.
I like to add oil into the filter BEFORE I attach it to the engine.It doesn't take much (1/2 cup?) but this at least allows the engine to not run dry for the second or two it takes for the oil to make its way through the engine and into and out of the new filter.My 2 cents...Also, I have a Prius C (my 2nd Prius) and they both are the best cars I've ever had.100% Toyota!
I love what you do for me... "Toyota!" Now you are supposed to jump in the air and freeze about two feet off the ground while doing a fist pump into the sky!
Are you still using a oil filter wrench or socket? Wondering why not hand tighten medium tight. My understanding that the heat will help it seal. (Also in FL)
Thanks a lot! OK, I changed the oil BEFORE the "maintenance required" light came on. Should I follow the reset procedure anyway, or just keep driving? Here's the same question asked another way - Does the car actually monitor some characteristic of the oil, or does it simply count miles? If it counts miles, I'd like to ask it to start over :).
Hi there, many thanks for the video - very informative. I live in an area where temperature goes beyond 40 degree Celsius during the day. what type of oil would you recommend for my Toyota Prius 2012 model?Thanks
+Mohammad Ishfaq You can always stick to the manufacturers recommended 0w20, but if you can't find it any low weight oil will work fine (5w20 5w30 10w20 10w30) High heat conditions aren't going to affect the engine as harshly as cold weather. Your viscosity should not be an issue at 40 Celsius. If the temp goes down dramatically at night stick with the manufacturers recommended weight.
Thanks for the video. A couple of thoughts. Get yourself an oil filter socket and use a short extension on your ratchet. You will save yourself a great deal of frustration (and pain). On the topic of using 5W30 instead of the recommended 0W20. The oil passageways in the engine are designed for specific viscosity. I believe you will starve your engine at lower temperatures using the high viscosity oil. Even in Florida the engine has a warm up period where the oil is not up to temperature and since you can't start your engine and allow it to warm up before driving (It's a prius, not a conventional car) you may want to reconsider thinking you know better than the people who design the engine. Last thought. Changing at 3K intervals with a full synthetic is just not necessary. While I have trouble with the whole 10K concept and do my changes at 7.5K, changing at 3K went out about 20 years ago as far as oil additive technology is concerned. You won't hurt anything, except when you bust your knuckles using that oil filter wrench by doing the more frequent changes.
Great advice. I bought a spring loaded filter wrench from Walmart and an extension. Now my knuckles are scab free! I started changing the oil every 6 months but still change the air filter every 3
Ken, I live in southern California. I drive a 2013 Prius (IV trim). I drive at least 1000 miles a week and 95% of that is highway. I have been using 0W-20, but it sounds like you would recommend that I use 5W-30 as well.
I used it because it was on sale. I had no issues. This is mainly due to the fact that the temp here doesn't get to 0 degrees Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
You are a rad dude! Thank you for sharing this! Question, I drive on the highway at least once a week and live in California. It's cold right now, but not FREEZING cold, and I am driving long distances when I hit the highway. Would the 5W-30 work for me as well? Does the dealer always use the 0W-20 because this car is meant for in-city use?
0w and 5w only refer to the oils ability to stay viscous or "Slippery" at cold temperatures. The low number means it does well at freezing. As long as the temperatures aren't in the 30's you should be fine. 0w is viscous to -40 degrees. 5w is viscous to -25 degrees. I would only worry if you park your car in liquid nitrogen at night...
Ken, I would recommend looking up the torque specs in the maintenance manual and torqueing the drain plug to the proper value. I don't think they make a Prius C manual yet, at least I can't find one, so call your dealer and ask the service technician what the proper torque value is. Otherwise nice video.
Hey Jim, thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure that the torque specs are in the manual, however if you ask a dealer service center what the torque specs are on the oil plug, they would open their manual to a crisp, never before turned page and look on in amazement at numbers they never thought they would ever read... If you are too worried about it, you can get copper oil plug gaskets that distort in shape if you over tighten.... I don't worry about it. I've never leaked, and the plug always comes off.
It's exactly the same. I didn't notice a difference. I can still get 80 mpg over 10 miles if I drive it like a golf cart... Using the gas engine to only charge the battery... And this is 4 years later.
Very helpful video, thank you! Did you ever find a better way to remove that oil filter? I feel like I'd just get so frustrated with trying to get into that tight spot that I'd just take it in for someone else to change my oil.
Go with the manufacturer 12 mo/10k miles (I have switched to every 6 mo on mine) but change the air filter more often. Like every 3 months. I don't care what the manufacturer says, that's an open loop. Sand and dirt gets in there and messes up piston rings.
No... What... Just no... Don't disconnect your battery when you change the oil... That's like asking if you need to hold your breath while you put on your shoes...... Don't hold your breath while you put on your shoes.
ken lewis - thanks for making this video - you helped me maintain my daugthers prius for about 25 bucks - jiffy lube charges 70$!!!! ho ho ho - think ill stick the extra 45$ into my IRA!
Nice. You could also lay 70 one dollar bills out on your bed and roll around in it, or make it rain (money), or go crazy at the dollar store... I'm not that judgy. You do you.
Essentially the oil has to be super thin because the engine never has a chance to warm up. Warm oil is more viscous - less resistant to movement. Cold oil in a hybrid either has to be less resistant to movement when cold... Because it is constantly stopping and never warms up. Here is an article facebook.com/notes/eneos-motor-oil/hybrids-why-you-should-use-0w-20-in-yours/93478811894/
Thanks Blinky! I think we are at about 3000 miles with the 30 weight oil and ready for another oil change... No problems in the Florida heat and highway only miles with this oil. I would change my oil again with a heavier weight oil any day.
Ken Lewis I'm curious, not judging you or acting like I know it all cause I'm clueless about cars...but I thought the C only need oil changed at 10k miles? You plan on changing it 7k miles early? Is this because you drive the car more than average or something? I'm lost.
***** I have always changed my oil every 3k miles, and usually drive a car 300,000 miles. Most miles are highway miles in Florida with lots of sand blowing all over in the air. I change my air filter every time I change the oil. This is probably overkill, but my shocks, wheel bearings, and even exposed rubber dry rots before my engine goes bad.
True, but our engine does not turn off when at highway speeds. While we do get about 60 mpg, we drive 30 miles per day minimum. Most of that is using the engine. The only time we are able to use the electric motor is at slower speeds in stop and go traffic and in our neighborhood. Therefore, since we are probably changing about 200 miles early, it only benefits the life of the engine to change the oil when we do.
***** If you listen to the engine you can actually start to hear the valves more at startup around 3000 miles... This pretty much goes away when you change your oil... You do it your way, and I'll go on getting 300,000 miles per engine...
Hi I am using Toyota 2010 Prius 1500cc . My car done 70 k. Can you please advise me which oil type I should use? There are some options in castol oil 5w-30, 5w-40, 0w- 40. Thanks
+Himanshu Gupta The manual recommends 0w20. The brand doesn't matter, however I usually use mobile brand. The area in which you live is the greatest indicator as to whether or not you can use another weight of oil. Cold weather requires a thinner oil because the cold will thicken up the oil and not allow it to flow as freely. If you live in an area which regularly goes below 40 degrees F, I would stick with the Toyota recommended 0w20. If those are your only options regardless of the weather, I would use the 0w40. The 0 indicates its cold weather viscosity and the 40 indicates its viscosity at a temperature of 100 degrees C.
I don't know where you live... Your climate is very important to answer this question. I would only use 0W20 or 5W20 in most climates. If these are your only options I would probably choose 5w30, but without knowing the minimum and maximum temperature where you live I cannot honestly answer.
New Prius C owner here dose it usually tell you when maintenance is required when its time for maintenance.Like leaving a message on the drivers screen saying you need to service it .
+Thabie Melvin Yes, there is a mileage based alert that tells you when it's time for maintenance. But the word Maintenance is a very broad term with many meanings.
We just got the message on our Prius C2 and had to go watch a couple of videos to find out how to turn the message off.. Some of them don't explain the correct method.. Maybe because they cleared the message before making the video?
HI You are doing great bro! Can you please upload a video of toyota aqua (prius c) 2014 model how to tune engine. or Engine tuning process, throttle engine
With Modern engines tuning is simply changing the spark plugs and air filter. The truth is... for modern tuning... Putting in high flow air filters and high flow exhaust does absolutely nothing unless you change the engine computer settings. Adding cold air intakes fuel injected engines are a waste of money because the computer compensates for the extra O2 and regulates the fuel to perform at factory specs.
Do you still have it? I want to change an air filter. Also my tire pressure light is on all the time with proper air in tires, also changed the tire plugs a few times.
We just sold it with almost 300k miles. Air filter is super easy. Its a large box with clips inside the engine compartment the bottom of the filter will be dirty. Change it every 3 months when you change your oil... No matter what! You will need to take your car into the shop for the tires. The light is on because your TPMS (tier pressure monitoring system) needs to be replaced in each tire. This happens when each sensor battery goes bad on each tire about every 3-4 years.
@@kenlewis6387 Yeah I saw where it was for the air filter, got one ordered. I have 129k on mine. Ok, it's because of batteries then? Weird that I've had it since 2012 without that issue. Have a video where those are at to replace? Will auto zone have them? Thanks
@@Dazzler69 The tires must be removed to replace the TPMS sensors (built into the valve stems). The new sensors must be matched to the ECU with a special machine... It costs a small amount of money, but take it into the shop for this one.
hi , i am from Fiji islands in the pacific. we have thousands of japanese second hand prius gen 2 and gen 3. please advise the best oil for prius gen 3 . we have a tropical climate with temps between 30-34 C and we dont have winter cold weathers. Also advise about fully synthetic and semi synthetic and the recommended km required for oil change thanks
at the moment for the first oil change i used fully synthetic sai ow-20 from korea. but some of my friends say that its not performing much so have switched to 10w-30 is this correct
Do your friends own a prius? What gas mileage do you get? What makes them qualified to tel you that your car is not performing? Here in the united states the typical driver gets 40-45 miles per gallon in a Prius. In the Prius C with inner city driving I can get 100 miles per gallon over a 10 mile stretch, but as soon as I get on the Highway I am down to 45 miles per gallon. I don't know how you drive, so I don't know what to tell you about your performance, except that it has very little to do with your oil.
@Matthew Allen MemphisMatt To get extremely high mileage, you have to be willing to make people angry. You change the dash view so that you can see the charge on the battery. Start off very slow so that it's in EV mode. Try to watch how much power you are using on take off so that it remains in EV mode. You can cruise on flat surfaces up to about 35 mph. Coast to stop signs. You are doing it right if you barely touch the brake. This charges the battery back up. Then take off in EV mode. This technique does not work if you have to use enough power to take you out of EV mode for every day driving. It also does not work if you have to achieve speeds above the EV mode limit.
+Harryson Bilgera Yes you are correct. However it doesn't really matter where I live because it doesn't get cold here. This is only important if you live in cold places. Here watch this. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6JI_UKDynwo.html
+Ken Lewis The oil filter wrench you are using in your video can be used in two ways. However, since the job is so lite, it is easy to get away with using the wrench backwards. I am continually amazed at how little torque is needed to install a new filter and not have it leak, as long as you wipe off the sealing surface on the block.I have a Prius C and I NEVER need to use a filter wrench.Hand snug is just fine and easier, just make sure you wipe off the sealing surface on the block for the filter.I have not seen a drop of leakage in the 4 years I've had my Prius C.As an aside, I also have a 2007 Prius and never used a wrench on that filter either. Also never had a leak on that car.The socket tools for filters are a much better option, in my opinion.Just don't get the new filter too tight or it will be a bear to get off!
There could be lots of reasons for average MPG drop. Most don't have anything to do with Oil. If your battery is old, you could be running mostly on the gas engine. Best MPG is inner city driving, so if you switched to Highway, then your MPG could drop. If you drive more at night, or if the outside temp went up and you use the AC the MPG could go down. You have to think about all of the reasons your gas engine comes on and your car switches out of electric mode. I don't know enough about your situation to tell you why your average dropped.
my Prius c4 is every 10k. save time and headache by DIY. Seems like when i go to the dealer, they always try to say that something needs to be addressed.
Of course something else needs to be fixed. They have a business to run. You have money the dealership needs. They can't exist without you. You are a very valuable cog in their machine... Now go back to work so you can make more money that you can give to the dealership~ Just kidding. you don't have to work. Life is short. Go to the beach.
I am looking at maybe a 1 or 2 year old Prius C . Toyota says the battery life warranty on Prius's are 100,000 miles or 8 years . How much do batteries coast to replace on Toyota Prius's are 8 years or 100,000 miles? Dose anyone own a Prius C what are your experiences with it.
Thabie Melvin I just did a quick search for pruis c battery replacement. Mid 2015 the cost for a new battery is about $2,250. There is a Pruis place down the road from my house that will pull and test your cells then replace bad cells for like $800.
The 0w20 oil is for emissions. Today's cars must have lower emissions, which means getting up to operating temperature NOW. Buying the absolutely cheapest oil or what's on the best sale is a poor excuse, since I can go to WalMart and get a 5 qt bottle of 0w20 full synthetic and filter for a good price. I drive in the Los Angeles area, and my hybrid is equally reliable at 35 deg and in summer at 105 deg.
Agreed... Use the manufacturers recommended oil, unless it's unavailable. Sometimes it's not on the shelf. In that case I use the lightest weight possible (5w) and then I drive down the road without looking back!
Thanks a lot! OK, I changed the oil BEFORE the "maintenance required" light came on. Should I follow the reset procedure anyway, or just keep driving? Here's the same question asked another way - Does the car actually monitor some characteristic of the oil, or does it simply count miles? If it counts miles, I'd like to ask it to start over :).
Are you still using a oil filter wrench or socket? Wondering why not hand tighten medium tight. My understanding that the heat will help it seal. (Also in FL)
I have an oil socket that fits but some brands use different sizes. One size does not fit all. I bought an adjustable spring loaded oil filter socket at Walmart that does great! I do lubricate my new oil filter with oil and hand tighten when reinstalling. You have to be careful about over tightening. I have seen oil filters on too tight... It's not pretty. And there's not a lot of room down there to mess with a filter that tears in half because you couldn't get it off with a wrench.
