what kind of oil?

[tuffluck]

hey guys, i live in texas...pretty chilly here in the winter, but it gets 100+ average in the summers. i would assume i just use 10w30 for my 1991 toyota corolla, but i actually don't know.

i think it's got conventional oil in it now, so i'm not sure if it's a good idea to go to synthetic now with the car having 120k miles on it. is it? let me know what you guys think i should do, and if nothing else, just confirm the viscosity of the oil i should be running with this car. thanks!

[93rollaracer]

I've been using 10W-30 on my 93 (has about 115k miles) since I've owned it, so you should be fine.

[Diblue]

I also live in Texas, all I've ever used in my 91 Corolla is 10W 30, and it's done great.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by Diblue

I also live in Texas, all I've ever used in my 91 Corolla is 10W 30, and it's done great.

how many quarts do i need to get?

[tuffluck]

i put 3.5 in there and it looks to be a little much...that okay?

[Diblue]

you want to do your best to NOT overfill it. If you put too much in there, it can damage your engine (or so I've been told) atm, my oil is a very little bit over the full line on my oil stick. If it's way over the full line on the dipstick, drain some out slowly. You want to do your best to NOT go over the full line. The owners manual for the car should tell you how many quarts it holds, but you have to guess at how much it takes when topping it off if it's low. It's best to start a little at a time, and add more than to overfill, and have to drain of course.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by Diblue

you want to do your best to NOT overfill it. If you put too much in there, it can damage your engine (or so I've been told) atm, my oil is a very little bit over the full line on my oil stick. If it's way over the full line on the dipstick, drain some out slowly. You want to do your best to NOT go over the full line. The owners manual for the car should tell you how many quarts it holds, but you have to guess at how much it takes when topping it off if it's low. It's best to start a little at a time, and add more than to overfill, and have to drain of course.

no, it doesn't say how much oil. i asked the guy at the auto store and he said 3.5 quarts, but that's a little too much. how much do you put in yours?

edit: this is so damn frustrating. i can't find how much oil my car takes anywhere on the internet or even in the stupid manual. someone with a 91 corolla please respond and tell me how many quarts you put in your car...please...

[Brian R.]

Fill the engine with 3 quarts, run it for a minute, let the car set for a few minutes on a level surface and check the level. If you need more, add some until it's at the "Full" mark. If it is half way between the marks, add half a quart. If it's down to the next line under "Full", add a full quart. Then after your done, write down the total of all you've added in your owner's manual. The only thing that can make a difference is if you've changed the filter or not.

[Diblue]

on an oil change in my 91 corolla 4AFE engine, with changing the oil filter, it generally takes between 3-4.5 quarts to fill it back up. My husband says it should be 4 quarts for our car. If you haven't changed the oil filter, it holds roughly 1 quart of oil in it, so subtract one quart from what you put in, but I don't suggest doing an oil change without changing the filter.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by Diblue

on an oil change in my 91 corolla 4AFE engine, with changing the oil filter, it generally takes between 3-4.5 quarts to fill it back up. My husband says it should be 4 quarts for our car. If you haven't changed the oil filter, it holds roughly 1 quart of oil in it, so subtract one quart from what you put in, but I don't suggest doing an oil change without changing the filter.

what? that's crazy, because an oil dipstick cannot lie. it's got about 3.25 quarts in it right now, and it seems to be pretty close to full. and yes, i did change the filter as well.

that doesn't make sense that your car would take more oil than mine...what's going on?

[Diblue]

it could be that the new oil filter has not filled up yet, don't know how much you've run it. I know I have put up to 4 quarts in my car at an oil change. I start with 3, and run it for a bit if it's full on the dipstick, and then I check it again later that day, to make sure it's not still low. also, in the time it takes for all that to filter through and what not, I could have a small leak somewhere (did for a while, which could have changed the ammount needed to finish topping it off) In my old car (1987 Chrysler New Yorker...crap car) it would varry from oil change to oil change how much I needed to put in it. There were some days that car seemed to use a lot more oil than normal.) mind you, it's been a while since I've done my own oil change, since it costs me as much to buy the stuff and do it, as it does to drop it off and shop at Wal-mart while it's done for me, and I don't have to worry about where to go do dump the old oil. If you want an exact ammount as to how much oil should go into your car at an oil change, you might call a toyota dealership, and ask their service department. The one where I'm at has been very nice to answer any little questions like that for me about my car.

[tuffluck]

should i check the oil level on the dipstick while the engine is hot or cold? if i do it when it's cold, the oil sits a little above the F on the dipstick. if i do it when it's warm, it sits about halfway between the bottom of the dipstick and the F. i think i'm just going to leave it alone. there can't be more than half a quart too much/little, so there really is no reason for me to worry about it i don't think.

[Brian R.]

Originally Posted by tuffluck

should i check the oil level on the dipstick while the engine is hot or cold? if i do it when it's cold, the oil sits a little above the F on the dipstick. if i do it when it's warm, it sits about halfway between the bottom of the dipstick and the F. i think i'm just going to leave it alone. there can't be more than half a quart too much/little, so there really is no reason for me to worry about it i don't think.

I check mine cold. If you check it hot, allow enough time for all the oil to drain back into the pan, or make an allowance that it hasn't. Your level sounds just right.

[Diblue]

o.k. here it is....

Page 172 of the Toyota 1991 Owner's Manual Corolla.

Oil Ammount needed for the 4A-FE Engine

3.4 qt. (2.8 lmp. qt., 3.2 liters) engine oil API grade SG having viscosity proper for your climate (multigrade and fuel-efficient oil is recommended.)


Page 177 from the same guide suggests these oil weights

F -20-50 degrees or C -29-10 degrees 5W-30

F 0-100+ degrees or C -18-38 degrees either one 10W-40 or 10W-30

[Brian R.]

Manuals are not always correct. Check your level after you've changed oil.