Basic oil change info?

[AnotherUser]

Hi, I couldn't find a thread on how to do a basic oil change.

A few questions I had were:

- Should I have to lift the van to get in there and remove the drain plug? I will be doing this on gravel, so I can't slide under the van easily

- When I remove the oil filter after I have drained it, will a lot of oil leak out? Can you usually remove the filter with your hands, or do you typically need an oil wrench? Do the oil filters need a gasket?

Another other tips would be appreciated, thanks

[AD2101]

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.

[originalkwyjibo]

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

[AnotherUser]

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.

[!986van]

Just bought a 86 Toyota Van and when I go to change the oil almost nothing comes out. I check the dip stick and it says that it is filled with oil.

I run the car for a bit and try again, and again nothing coming out!.

I added more oil just to see if the dip stick is somehow reading full when its not, but when I check it again after adding the amount of oil has increased.

I poked around to see if there is any gunk and nothing, I changed the oil filter and still nothing. It seems like the pan is empty but the stick reads full.

So now I have too much oil in my van and nothing at all will drain out. Help!!

[PNW vanwagon]

that's head scratcher. can't imagine how sludgey oil has to get to not drain at all. a couple questions: did you remove the oil filler cap before pulling the oil drain plug? and are you positive you pulled the correct drain plug for the OIL and not some other plug by mistake?

[spacelegovan]

ok, probably dumb question .... so I have looked around here fer about 30 mins and have not found the engine oil capacity for my 88 , I am going to change the oil and filter ( filter# 1560133021 was only 5 bucks from the dealer they had to order it) and want to purchase enough oil to do the job, Thanx !!

[Flecker]

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