Re: Basic oil change info?
I think the answer to these questions amount to "it depends." As far as lifting the van for an oil change, it is not required. However, if you can't get underneath the van to do the oil change then yea you'll probably need to lift it. As far as the oil filter goes, it all depends. I use Wix #51068 oil filters and there is a little bit of oil that comes out (it is an oil change after all) but it's not like the Exon Valdez or anything. As far as how tight it is, you're just gonna have to go in and find out. I throw mine on hand tight but even still after thousands of miles sometimes they need a little extra coercion to get them off.
The Wix filters have a gasket on them, and it is possible that the gasket will detach from the filter get stuck to the motor when the spent filter is removed. This could cause you to potentially put a new filter with a new gasket onto the old gasket that is still stuck to the motor, causing leaks and possibly other issues. So check your old filter when you take it off to see if the gasket is still on it. If it's not, feel with your fingers in the area where the oil filter came from and see if the old gasket is still on there and remove it if it is.
Hope it helps.
Re: Basic oil change info?
I figured out a long time ago that I could use a Philips screwdriver and hammer to punch a hole diagonally through the filter to vent it which allows it to drain back into the engine. I do this before I pull the drain plug so the filter has time to drain before I remove it. I do it diagonally from near the edge so I can punch the outer casing as well as the inner portion towards the bottom. Of course you want to be careful not to go through far enough that you knick the mounting threads. I also wrap a rag around the base of the filter to catch any remaining oil. Otherwise, what the other guy said. You can also check post #46 towards the end of the page in this thread:http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...w-owners/page3
Re: Basic oil change info?
Thanks for the replies and tips. I've changed the oil on other cars and trucks in the past and just wanted to see if there was anything I was missing before I started.
I changed the oil last week and it was an easy process.
For the questions I asked:
Do you need to lift it? No, the oil pan drain plug sits on the passenger side (in my '86) and can be easily accessed from the passenger side of the van. You do not need to get fully under the van. With a 14mm socket, you should be able to slide just your shoulder and arm under and get it out. Even a bigger guy shouldn't have any problems doing this.
Is the oil filter hard to get off, will it spill oil and do I need an oil filter gasket? The oil filter came off with minimal force. It sits upright and there is enough room to get both of your hands on it to remove it without an oil filter wrench or tension strap. After letting the oil drain out for a good 15+ minutes (remember to remove the top engine oil cap to release pressure) the oil filter came off without spilling much of any oil. Most oil filters will come with it's own gasket.
I asked these questions because I did not want to create a mess where I was doing this at. You should be fine if you lay some newspapers out about 3 feet by feet under the plug and filter to catch any splash or drips.