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Tips

Oil Change

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Anthony_S

Anthony_S

Senior Member
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Okay, so this is probably going to seem pretty silly but I am changing the oil on my TR3A this evening for the first time since I have had it, which is only last fall. I was wondering if there is anything special I should know or any tips and tricks. Im sure there is a thread out there about this but I thought I would ask.

Thanks so much!
Anthony
 
I use 20/50 castrol and ZDDP...
 
If you still have the original replaceable cartridge oil filter, just be absolutely sure you a: have the correct new gasket for the cannister, and b: that you make sure to remove the old gasket. Doubling them up seldom does anything but annoy you as you attempt to mop up several quarts of fresh oil from the garage floor! :madder:
 
Stock canister filter, or spin-on adapter?

If it's the stock canister, then you need to be sure to pry out the old gasket from it's groove, and clean the groove to be sure there weren't two of them in there. It's ironic, but with two gaskets you are almost certain to have a leak.

When you reinstall the canister (after cleaning it and dropping in the new filter cartridge), make sure the edge of the canister enters the groove in the head. There is supposed to be a seal between the flat washer (under the bolt head) and the body of the canister, which has been missing on many cars that I've seen, causing a slow leak at that point.

Don't forget that there are a lot of places that should get a drop of fresh oil at each oil change. Door hinges, pedal pivots, throttle linkage, distributor shaft (under the rotor); to name just a few. Get a copy of the owner's manual and follow what it says.
 
Thanks for the input. It is the stock canister filter. Can you get that gasket at your local auto store?
 
The gasket should come with the filter cartridge. (Actually, they usually come with an assortment of gaskets and you have to pick the right one.)

If not, you should be able to buy it from the usual LBC suppliers (Moss, TRF, etc). Very unlikely you would find it separately at an auto store, IMO, but it's possible.
 
Okay great, I should be good to go then. I already have the filter. Thanks for your thoughts. What is ZDDP?
 
Zinc dithiophosphate, an anti wear compound that used to be more prevalent in engine oils. With the advent of catalytic converters many companies reduced the amount of zinc in their oils as it was believed to interfere with, if not ruin, the converters.
 
Also (in case you haven't read ahead in the manual) be sure you have enough oil on hand. The 4-5 quarts you put in your Honda or Toyota won't do it here. You'll probably want 7 quarts of what you're using to be sure you have enough to fill to the correct level.
 
I recently purchased Valvoline Racing Oil 20W50 for my TR4. It still contains that ZDDP stuff.

Hoppy
 
Hey everyone thanks for the input :smile: I put it up and drained the oil and got the filter off without a problem....wow a lot of oil came out, more than i expected....almost overflowed my pan haha. Filled it with the racing oil like mentioned above and no leaks or drips so I would say it was successful!
 
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