Newby maintenance questions

juspat2

juspat2

Member
Hey everyone- excuse the pedestrian questions but very new to doing my own maintenance. Did my oil, f/r diff, lube chassis, MAS clean, etc., All went well but couple post-maint questions.
1. The plastic hand pumps for the gear oil...do you clean those and keep them? Or just one use and chuck them? If the former, with what do you clean them?
2. Grease gun. Never had one before - do I leave the grease can in the gun and just ensure the cap is on the hose, or do I remove and store somehow or?
3. I got some overalls to work in, but how do you clean those ? The wife will understandably not want them in the washer
4. Best way to get oil off of the concrete garage floor? (And yes, don't get it on the floor is good advice but)

Thanks and appreciate your time!
 
juspat2 said:
Hey everyone- excuse the pedestrian questions but very new to doing my own maintenance. Did my oil, f/r diff, lube chassis, MAS clean, etc., All went well but couple post-maint questions.
1. The plastic hand pumps for the gear oil...do you clean those and keep them? Or just one use and chuck them? If the former, with what do you clean them?
2. Grease gun. Never had one before - do I leave the grease can in the gun and just ensure the cap is on the hose, or do I remove and store somehow or?
3. I got some overalls to work in, but how do you clean those ? The wife will understandably not want them in the washer
4. Best way to get oil off of the concrete garage floor? (And yes, don't get it on the floor is good advice but)

Thanks and appreciate your time!
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1. You can reuse it. Clean it if you want to otherwise just wrap it in a plastic bag and store it.
2. You can leave it in and cap it.
3. Take them to a laundry mat?
4. Cat litter under cardboard over night to absorbe as much as possible. Take laundry soap make a past and take a brush and scrub the stain. There are other methods you can try if that doesn’t work. They make stuff you can buy as well.
 
What OR said.

1. Keep it on the bottle and seal s trash bag over the whole thing. When you use it again, pump several times to clear any contamination.

2. I toss the grease tube. I find it thins out/ separates over time, but I live in south Texas with hot hot summers. For as often as you use them, cheap enough.

3. Laundromat for sure!

4. Best I’ve found for oil stains in the driveway is cat litter ground in, leave overnight, sweep with stiff bristle brush, work in Dawn detergent water, and work in a larger circle to “blend” the stain. It’ll never completely come out, but it won’t be so noticeable.
 
Speaking of oil changes, is anyone using castrol black bottle edge? It seems to be the only thing my wife's 3.6 penstar likes, was thinking about trying it in my taco when it comes due for its first oil change.
 
bdarnold12 said:
Speaking of oil changes, is anyone using castrol black bottle edge? It seems to be the only thing my wife's 3.6 penstar likes, was thinking about trying it in my taco when it comes due for its first oil change.
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My son's 08 Subaru Legacy GT seems to like Castrol Edge (black bottle) 5w-30. Currently using NAPA Syn 0w-20 in my 2017 Tacoma.
 
bdarnold12 said:
Speaking of oil changes, is anyone using castrol black bottle edge? It seems to be the only thing my wife's 3.6 penstar likes, was thinking about trying it in my taco when it comes due for its first oil change.
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BigMau said:
My son's 08 Subaru Legacy GT seems to like Castrol Edge (black bottle) 5w-30. Currently using NAPA Syn 0w-20 in my 2017 Tacoma.
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I don't understand.
What doesnt the engine like about other BRAND oils? Keeping in mind other oils being same viscosity and synthetic.

Ive used mobil1 for about 20yrs now because i like it, but ive never had an engine not like an oil that i can recall.
 
Bojangles said:
I don't understand.
What doesnt the engine like about other BRAND oils? Keeping in mind other oils being same viscosity and synthetic.

Ive used mobil1 for about 20yrs now because i like it, but ive never had an engine not like an oil that i can recall.
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I only use organic oil made from sustainable algae eaten by krill that are eaten by whales specific to the south Atlantic. It’s expensive and the process of harvesting and extraction is time consuming. It requires a 10,000 acre facility ran 24/7. 18,000 employees work 12 hr shifts. The facility is operated off solar and wind energy. It’s the only thing I’ll use in my Toyota.
 
Bojangles said:
I don't understand.
What doesnt the engine like about other BRAND oils? Keeping in mind other oils being same viscosity and synthetic.

Ive used mobil1 for about 20yrs now because i like it, but ive never had an engine not like an oil that i can recall.
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Lifter rattle at startup after its been sitting overnight. I haven't tried m1 in it because technically on paper it doesn't meet FCA's BS spec of ms6395. Been thinking about trying m1 ep in it anyway just to see what happens, I'm sure its a fine oil, just that FCA pissed off Mobil when they sarted using Pennzoil.
 
Son's subie uses a small amount of oil between oil changes. This is a lot less using Castrol. Just use an oil that meets your engines specs!! Otherwise, you will go crazy posting about oil on this forum. I had good luck with NAPA syn in my 09 Tacoma.... so same brand of oil in my 17 Tacoma!
 
Scott Wyman said:
I be at the Terota dealer getting my erl changed. Found out my lifetime engine warrantee wont allow nme to change my own oil. :( Figured might as well take it back home to get its transfusions done.
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The last time a Toyota dealer changed my oil....
They forgot to reinstall the oil fill cap on my engine. Covered my 2002 Tundra 4.7l and Interstate 84 in fresh oil. I was very lucky I did not blow my engine.
 
BigMau said:
The last time a Toyota dealer changed my oil....
They forgot to reinstall the oil fill cap on my engine. Covered my 2002 Tundra 4.7l and Interstate 84 in fresh oil. I was very lucky I did not blow my engine.
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That's always the first thing I check before I leave any oil change. I've had that happen more than I can remember.
 
This is why I do as much of my own maintenance as I possibly can. I work part time at a parts store and I can't believe the number of parts we deliver that are being replaced strictly because of some idiot parts changer's incompetence.
 
Scott Wyman said:
That's always the first thing I check before I leave any oil change. I've had that happen more than I can remember.
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Mechanics dont make minimum wage.
Lube techs are paid minimum wage.
Quick lube places dont hire mechanics
Mechanics dont work for quick lube places unless its inbetween jobs.

Ive worked a few of those goofylube type places as a youngster.
Ive shown up hungover, and sometimes even drunk from the night before.
I worked the pit, so i was never seen.... most of us partied together. Some nights after work me and another clown at 3am would be sitting on a porch killing a keg sitting between us. Working later that day after a short nap.

I could function fine and get all lower bay checks, oil drained, plug and filter back on within 3 minutes per vehicle. From a civic to a 4x4 cherokee (rubbber diff check plugs).
I assume not everyone can do this job with their eyes closed, but for some of us it was easy money.

You take a risk each time u take ur vehicle into a quicklube place and walk away..... NEVER GO INSIDE THE LOBBY!!!

I tallied 60-80 oil changes per shift on avg..... Never an issue.
3 bays side by side, 1 pit man.... 6.5hr shift....2 or 3 techs in each upper bays. Thats about 4 cars per hour per bay. A good pit man can hustle to keep up with the demand of 6 techs up top (2 to 3 per bay). Sometimes id pop up and check tires to mock them. Many of these places gave u weekly or monthly tallies of ur times and numbers. The managers get bonuses for times, quantities of cars, and up charges.... We got food if we won. I was pushed to upsell all the time and would cuss out the manager so loud, people upstairs in a closed lobby would be glued to the windows wondering wtf was happening since i was in the pit and nobody could see us, he also had oil filters fly in his direction a few times as i just refused that bs.

Another place i was a pitman i made region lower bay tech and got some cash and a trip to national competition in Arkansas.... Bentonville to be exact. I was in a fight before the nationals happend and lost my job.... .these kids are overworked and underpaid.... Not well trained.... Not piss tested.... Always watch em.
 
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