Toyota Yaris Engine Questions

yaris46

I live in Florida so I have the LUXURY of being able to dump ALL my cooling fluid and replace it with a mixture of 15 percent Glycol, distilled water AND WaterWetter. I have dropped engine operating temperatures significantly. I will be able to provide EXACT temps shortly but it looks about its a 20 degree drop. GLYCOL transfers heat VERY POORLY so the less you can use the better. IF YOU LIVE WHERE IT GETS COLD YOU MUST HAVE FREEZE PROTECTION. WaterWetter ADDS to heat transfer making the cooling system more efficient.

nippononly

making the engine run cooler also makes it consume more gas. Not generally a good thing.

But what is Water Wetter, and why can you use it only in Florida?

yaris46

Exactly where did you ever get misinformation like that? A HOT ENGINE requires a higher octane fuel to prevent preignition. Thats why high performance engines need Premium fuel. An engine that runs cooler needs less octane AND PERFORMS BETTER. WaterWetter is used at racetracks across the country. Racing engines use NO GLYCOL since Glycol does not transfer heat efficiently. I simply brought up Florida since if for example you live in Wisconsin you will need at least a 50/50 mix in your cooling system. In Florida I don't need to worry about freezing so I can greatly reduce the amount of glycol in my cooling system. I suggest you check out REDLINE products. They make IMO the best synthetic oil and manual transmission synthetic oils in the world. I use Redline in my Jetski but at 9 bucks a quart I stick with Mobil 1 on a 12K car.
http://www.redlineoil.com/products_coolant.asp

yaris46

Just a quick update on oil filters: FRAM IS TRASH
The company is so good at marketing that people actually think its a quality filter. Oil filters utilize filter media to "filter" the oil. Fram has some of the least filter media of ALL filters. Factory OEM filters are generally decent quality but there are ALOT of filters that are far superior to OEM. I personally use Mobil 1, Porolator PURE ONE, ans I used to waste my money on K&N and Amsoil filters. Believe it or not the Wal Mart brand filter actually performs BETTER than many name brand filters.Check out the reviews on the "quality" Frams!
CHECK OUT THIS:http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/FilterStudy.html

lucynethel

I have posted so many oil & filter study links I almost have cramps. Wait....I DO have cramps! In the end, I fully AGREE that FRAM is JUNK, period. But it is simply beyond me why anyone, even some no good CHEAP no good rotten so & so would skimp on such cheap insurance! BUY the OEM filter while in warranty. Change it yourself, go to Walmart, whatEVER! But PROTECT yourself. USE OEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY! If you ever have a warranty claim, TRUST me.....I had to decline more claims than you can imagine based on the use of NON documented maintenance work. Or, results based upon "evidence" of sub standard crap installed somewhere else. PROTECT yourself.

lucynethel

I got magnets on sale! :-) :P

yaris46

If that were the case than using Mobil 1 is a liability. I forget the name but there is a landmark case that DOES NOT ALLOW MANUFACTURERS TO DENY WARRANTY CLAIMS SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T USE THEIR PARTS. I agree, if you go to JIFFY LUBE and have a 35 cent oil filter and some low budget Dino oil installed, then the manufacturer can deny warranty. If the parts or components are of OEM QUALITY OR BETTER then there is no cause for concern. God if this was the case you would be stuck going to the dealer for EVERYTHING. Thats EXACTLY what they want you to think.

lhanson

I give up, what does the term "Dino" mean?

yaris46

Dino is a term used for petroleum based oils. Synthetics now dominate the performance car markets and the term generally used for the "old technology oil" is Dino.

yaris46

nippononly

Oh dear, I see you are a true enthusiast. Well, let me rephrase: for regular folks driving their cars to and from work, gassing up with the regular unleaded and going home to park their cars in the driveway and forget them until morning, making the engine run cooler will merely cause the ECU to enrich the mixture more than it otherwise would, causing the car to waste gas.

The Yaris is already designed to run on 87 octane. Aint none lower than that available at the gas stations in my state - perhaps there is in Florida? If you have some source for 85 or 82 octane unleaded and you want to trade in a bunch of expensive chemical additives to make the engine run cooler, thereby tossing out the low-cost-maintenance advantage of this car (which would otherwise require no coolant changes for a long time), just so you can see some slight gain in performance, more power to you. Literally! :-)

yaris46

Where do you get this information? Do you have ANY DATA documenting that the ECU will inject more fuel into a car simply because it runs 20 degrees cooler? This ain't rocket science, a cooler engine LASTS LONGER. Why do you think people spend THOUSANDS on OIL COOLERS and LARGER RADIATORS for heavy use vehicles? TO COOL THE ENGINE. As for cost effectiveness I NEVER stated that my maintenance approach is cheaper. ALL MY CARS are treated the same: Synthetic lubricants wherever they can be used. Do you use synthetic? Are you familiar with the properties of synthetic oils VS Dino? Synthetics "bind" to the cylinder walls and all engine components, allowing for LESS WEAR DURING STARTING. Synthetics also allow for people like myself who p[ut 30K-40K yearly on a car to extend oil changes. MANY SYNTHETICS can go for 25,000 miles before there is ANY DEGRADATION.
I personally WASTE MONEY and use Mobil 1 w/Mobil 1 filter every 5K. I also expect to hit over 300K on my vehicle. Since there is a TIMING CHAIN on the 1.5 my PRIMARY CONCERN is providing the best lubricants available in order to acheive over 300K on a 1.5 liter motor.

lucynethel

Just trying to warn you ......if ANY failure can be assigned as "related", Heaven help you. As for Mobil 1 oil? It comes standard in a lot of cars OEM. Think you missed my point but I DO understand what YOU are trying to say as well.

nippononly

Hehehe. Oil coolers and larger radiators? Sure, on 1-ton pick-ups used for towing. You do know the Yaris weighs like 2300 pounds right? :-)

I just wanted to make sure a balanced view got onto this thread, that's all. Do all that stuff you love if you want. The Toyota 1.5 is one of the most durable engines they make - I am quite sure that with maintenance by the book, it will go 300K miles with or without the synthetics and whatnot.

It is fun to baby your car.

yaris46

I was simply pointing out a common sense analogy towards the question of whether or not running an engine at cooler temperatures has any benefits. I mean C'MON! A third grade kid knows that HEAT degrades EVERYTHING. That includes OIL, RUBBER, ELECTRONIS, PLASTIC, and METAL. In other words all the materials under the hood of your car! Frankly I could give a Rats Behind if people go to Jiffy Lube! Where BTW YOU WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY.
I just spent an hour on the phone with Toyota tech support. I was given a case number and it simply states that the owner has informed Toyota that he is using FULL SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS in his car. Toyota HAS NO ISSUE REGARDING WARRANTY CLAIMS, as long as you keep proper records and NOTIFY them that you are switching to SYNTHETICS.

yaris46

Just a quick FYI: I contacted Toyota Customer service and informed them I was using Redline MT90 and Mobil 1 oil and filters. Toyota created a case number for me and explained that since I have contacted Toyota and its now documented that I use Synthetics and will CONTINUE to use synthetics, my warranty cannot be voided. The key is to CONTACT TOYOTA and obtain a case number documenting the transition to synthetics. You also need to keep detailed records which is nothing more than common sense.

waterboy5

Not to bad mouth anyone, I do my own maint on all my vehicals, and this is why, got my Yaris on the 1st of Aug 06, went 100 or so miles, checked tire pressure, 29lbs (low) checked the oil, quart and half overfull, there was no windshield washer liquid, my point is it is really hard to trust anybody to do basic maint on your vehical. Love the car though!

yaris46

BTW: Whats the best tire pressures for this car?

waterboy5

sorry took so long to reply, inside the door jam has the recommended pressures, but the cold press on my tires is 44lbs, the door jam says 32lbs, I put 35lbs in all 4, seems to give good stability, and it is very important in the gas mileage game to keep them properly inflated, and if anyone is going to purchase one of these cars, HOLD OUT for a manual transmission!! people who are complaining about poor gas mileage more than likely have auto trans and they are driving them like a huge heavy SUV, imagine an egg under the gas pedle, monitor your tire pressure frequently, dont over rev the engine, dont oversteer at highway speeds and you will get the results I am getting, 42.3 mpg!

lhanson

I agree with everything you say except the 35 lbs. If the cold pressure is 44 lbs, then why not put it up to 42 lbs, they still won't go up to more than 44 even when hot. If you are driving on snow and ice (not much of a concern now)you might want to lower it a little bit for better traction. Your ride may be a little bumpier at 42 lbs, but who cares when we are maxing out our MPG. I have been getting 38.4 MPG in town with my MT Yaris hatchback driving just like you say.

nippononly

the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure isn't purely random - they are attempting to maximize TRACTION (which will definitely decrease if you run around with the tires at 44 psi) and tire life (which will also be affected), in addition to fuel economy.

I might go 10% higher than the recommendation (which would be 35 in the Yaris), but not more, for those reasons. Usually I just follow the manufacturer recommendations.

lhanson

Wouldn't the money saved on gas more than make up for the decreased tread life, especially if we are not laying rubber on take off, accelerating in and out of traffic, tailgating, not anticpating red lights and slamming the brakes at the last second (all this is done in order to take 1 or 2 minutes off a morning commute). We are not talking NASCAR here, if a tire is rated at 44 psi, we should be able to safely run it at 42 psi. I am sure that the tire manufacturer is padding his rating by at least a couple psi for liability purposes.

nippononly

42 to 44 psi, most of your tire's contact patch is barely touching the ground. You ever seen tires where the center line of the tread is worn smooth, but the outside parts of the tread are still almost new? That's what your tires will look like after 18 months if you keep them pumped that high. And as far as water dispersal and traction for stopping and starting, you might as well put bicycle tires on the car.

But yes, you will make 10-20% better fuel economy, probably. Which will save you probably $100-200 per year (at 12,000 miles per year), for which you will pay by going through your $300 set of tires maybe twice as fast as you otherwise would, costing you around half your savings. So is saving $50-100 per year worth compromising your tire traction? It's a decision only you can make.

waterboy5

Just a little tidbit I heard about tire wear, did you know that as a tire is rolling on the road, it actually stops for a split second, and that split second is the reason tires wear out, makes ya go hmmmmmmmm. Anyway I am dealing with EXTREME heat here in Texas right now and thats why I dont go any higher than 35lbs in the tires, maybe as it cools off here I will add 2 or 3 more lbs in em.

lhanson

The following link would seem to indicate that you are right and I am wrong. The 32 PSI on the door trumps the 44 PSI on the tire. I just find it hard give up that much tire capability knowing what it will do to my MPG.

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/TireSafety/ridesonit/brochure.html

ap_n_yaris

I use 34 psi cold, it seems to be working fine, also used nitrogen to fill tires, the molecule is alot bigger than O2.
alot less room for error. also on door car has gvwr 3280 lbs
what does it really weigh?

nippononly

is the TOTAL weight the car can carry, including its own weight. The curb weight of the Yaris with a manual transmission is 2293 pounds. That is the weight with nobody and nothing in it. If yours is an automatic then it weighs about 40 pounds more when empty.

lucynethel

The scariest thing about this car to ME, is that with myself & my wife, add a 30 pack of beer and we are OVER the GVRW rating...... :sick:

nippononly

Ummmm...lucy, that would make the two of you about 800 pounds combined, man. No offense meant if that is actually the case. The car's payload is about 800 though.

tjw1308

No offense here either, but exceeding the GVWR would explain the gas mileage too...

:P

j/k

T

lucynethel

I'll have to recheck the manual. According to it, the load weigh capacity was a mere 425 pounds. I'll whip out the old bifocals and look again....

lucynethel

845 pounds TOTAL passengers and luggage. Wife was reading 323 KGS. Funny, she isn't blond either..... :P

rodnreel

This is not really an engine question, but hey I didn’t want to start a new discussion.

I took my Yaris to my dealer for the first free oil change and was very happy with the service. I have a second one coming in a few weeks. (Free as well, I paid sticker but got a second one free as part of the deal! Hey, I did better than some!) I am seriously thinking about letting the dealer do all my normal service! I know that is crazy, but they are quick, nice and close.

My question is do they really do more during a normal service than somewhere else? Is it worth the extra dollars to let them do it? Would it really be worth it to take it to them on the normal (about every 5,000 miles) service schedule?

I am not going to do my own work, but I'm not mechanically inept either, I just don't have the time, but I might have the money if I thought it was beneficial? Comments please...

stat

While you're at it, why don't you just give them ALL your money and let them handle it for you? They can keep tabs of your remaining balance as they deduct what they need for your servicing every 5k.

That's what I did. I mean, it's SO convenient, I don't have to balance my checkbook anymore. I just go to the dealer and they tell me what's left in my account.

Now the kids are happier. The wife is more content with life. We should all have our cars serviced by the Dealership more often.

:shades:

nippononly

that is a SERIOUSLY heavy amount of sarcasm to respond to a question like that with. I take it you have had some bad experiences?

I have found a few things to be true, which has led me to do a lot of servicing at the dealer:
1. most routine servicing is about the same price at the dealer as elsewhere, give or take a $20 or so, which I am in a financial position not to really care about. Also, since my dealer also washes and details the car at every service, it's worth an extra $10 to me anyway.

2. If they somehow screw up the servicing, they will stand behind their work much more than most independent shops, and certainly MUCH MORE than the corner Jiffy Lube or gas station.

3. If it's a service where you have to leave the car, every dealer I have ever been to has had either loaner cars, on-site rentals, or a shuttle that will both drop me off and pick me up, and usually some combo of two or more of those.

Now, can you get a faster oil change at the Jiffy Lube? Yes, definitely. In and out in ten minutes beats the heck out of the dealer's express 29-minute dealie, which usually is more like 39 minutes. I don't mind, but that's just me. I cruise the lot checking out the new models. :-)
And they also do the wash and detail, like I mentioned, at my local dealer. And check all the underhood fluids.

Also, for major repairs, you can usually get a significantly better price at independent shops than the dealer - as for whether or not you will get the same caliber of work quality, it varies shop to shop (and dealer to dealer, as they are certainly not all equal either).

Oh, final note: I don't typically follow the manual when it comes to every minor service. That WILL wind up costing a fair amount of extra money, IMO. I do intermediate servicing at 15K miles, a major service every 30K, and oil changes at 5K intervals with tire rotation every 10K. Once I'm out of warranty, it just gets the one big service every couple of years or 30K miles (with oil and tire rotation at the usual intervals in between), which has always proven sufficient for my driving pattern.

rodnreel

Thank you nippononly, that was very informative, unlike the other jerk...

Your schedule sounds about like what I had in mind. And I agree with you, I’d don’t mind paying a few extra dollars for minor service that has benefits.

stat

Who said anything about Jiffy Lube?

I'm an advocate of FULL SERVICE. That's why I chose to direct deposit ALL my payroll checks into local service dept's account.

I WANTED THE TOYOGUARD and Pinstripes and VIN etching. I wouldn't have had it any other way. I'm not going to leave my baby exposed to the elements.

Heck, I even have my gas pumped at FULL Service fuel stations.

87 Octane? NO WAY!! Not for ENTRY LEVEL my mode of transportation. I baby it with SUPER PREMIUM high grade 99 Octane. Sure, I could save a couple measley cents by running across the street where they just sell regular gas, but I choose the service station with the ULTIMATE Gas Guarantee. This way, if my clown car ever goes bonkers, I know they'll stand behind the Gas they sell and replace my engine for FREE.

I even take my car in to service everytime I need my mirrors adjusted (just so that they are accurately calibrated with the X and Y axis).

It's just like the old proverb: You get what you pay for. And that's why I ALWAYS Pay more for Good, QUALITY, GUARANTEED products and service. I'd rather be POUND WISE and PENNY FOOLISH.

Can you believe some moron actually once told me to BUY LOW and SELL HIGH? I say: BUY HIGH and GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY. Tell the cheapskates to stay at home. :P

tjw1308

Wow... and you guys give me grief for MY sarcasm :P

T

nippononly

Now there has been even more sarcasm! That guy has missed his vocation, I think, unless he is a comedian.

A couple of other notes as to what I wrote:
1. that schedule works for me because I drive the car about 18K miles per year, and a lot of my miles (more than 50%) are on the highway at full speed. If you do mostly rush hour driving, or you drive way less miles than me, then you may want to adjust your schedule accordingly.

2. One thing you DO have to watch out for at dealers: some dealers have a list of "recommended services" that so far exceed the manufacturer recommendations that you can really overspend. If that is the case at your local dealership and there is no convenient second choice dealership, then for any services that are not just oil changes or tire rotation, you can either
- bring the owner's manual in with you each time you leave the car, and just have them do what is shown in there, which may cost you less (paying a la carte, instead of their combo price for extra services), OR
- call ahead and price out just the services you want (again, using the manual) and then call a good independent shop and get a quote from them, and compare prices.

One thing that can be very beneficial with Toyota servicing is to use Toyota parts, rather than aftermarket parts. So if you give the dealer a miss, you may want to still ask that the place you DO go use Toyota parts. Any place worth their salt will do so upon request, and it shouldn't cost much more.

rodnreel

OK, thank again. I drive about 20,000 MPY, 80% highway. You did a great job answering my questions. I'm not going to throw my money away, but I thought I'd give my local dealer a shot to do some simple things and see how it goes.
Again, I don't mind paying a FEW extra bucks for quality and honest service. I live in a small town, and people come from the big city just to deal with my dealer. Believe it or not there are some good ones out there...

rodnreel

Uh, your a jerk. Go stick your head in a oven. It might save us all....

Kiss my :P

stat

I'm a jerk for encouraging you to buy premium gas and have ALL of your servicing done at a dealership?

I guess you're also the type to slap a baby for smiling at you?

:P

lucynethel

Troll troll.......how droll.

homeriq5

I dont know if the rest of you guys have been seeing this, but sometimes my engine gets stuck at 3000 RPM just randomly and doesnt come down for a while while making a loud buzzing noise. Even though it goes away after a while, its sort of weird, especially given the car only has 7000 miles on it. What do you guys think (I drive the automatic sedan)?

yaris46

I assume the post regarding TOYOGUARD was a JOKE?
If not then PLEASE UNDERSTAND thats the BIGGEST SCAM CAR DEALERS use to make money on HIGH DEMAND VEHICLES. TOYOGUARD does NOTHING. The warranty is WORTHLESS. People actually think that TOYOGUARD PROTECTS THEIR PAINT and if the paint gets DAMAGE THAT TOYOTA WILL REPAIR IT. TOTALLY FALSE.
TOYOGUARD IS NOTHING MORE THAN A POLYMER PROTECTANT. WANT PROTECTION?
WWW.ZAINOBROS.COM FOR POLYMER
WWW.ARMOURFENDUSA.COM FOR ACTUAL PAINT PROTECTION
As for the interior 2 cans of scotchguard at a cost of 10 bucks protects the interior.
I change my own oil and filter because I know its done PROPERLY AND I USE THE PROPER PRODUCTS.
FULL SYNTHETIC MOBIL 1 AND EITHER A PUROLATOR PURE 1 OIL FILTER OR A MOBIL 1 OIL FILTER. THEN REGULARLY CHECK YOUR AIR FILTER AND BASICALLY THATS ALL THERE IS TO GETTING 300-400K OUT OF THIS ENGINE. I ALSO SWITCH MY MANUAL GEAR OIL TO FULL SYNTHETIC REDLINE AS WELL.
The YARIS is the easiest car I ever owned when it comes to oil changes. It takes literally 5 minutes to change my oil. ITS DONE PROPERLY WHEN I DO IT. I CAN AFFORD 5 MINUTES TO MAKE CERTAIN THE JOBS DONE RIGHT.
Bringing your car for oil changes is like RUSSIAN ROULETTE.
You never know who is doing the work or WHAT OIL AND FILTER IS BEING USED.
HERE IS A LINK REGARDING OIL FILTERS. AS SHOWN FRAM FILTERS ARE AMONG THE WORST FILTERS MADE. GUESS WHAT MOST SHOPS USE WHEN THEY CHANGE YOUR OIL?
PENNY WISE DOLLAR FOOLISH? I SUGGEST SPENDING YOUR MONEY ON QUALITY OIL FILTERS AND FULL SYNTHETIC OILS (NOT BLENDS) AND CHANGE YOUR OWN OIL.
A SET OF RHINO RAMPS ARE 20 BUCKS, JUST DRIVE YOUR CAR ON THE RAMPS AND DRAIN YOUR OIL. PLACE A PLASTIC BAG OVER THE OIL FILTER AND UNSCREW IT. THE OIL WILL FALL INTO THE BAG ALONG WITH THE FILTER. NICE AND NEAT!!
HERES THE LINK ON FILTERS:

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

tjw1308

You know, I agree 100% about it being essentially worthless.

Here's the problem: PEOPLE KEEP PAYING IT!!!

If you don't understand why dealers keep charging it when people keep paying for it, I dunno what to tell ya.

We currently don't have a prep package like that. We DO however, have a $5000 "Chrome Wheel" package that goes on all of our automatic FJ Cruisers. Are the wheels worth $5000? OF COURSE NOT! Do people pay it? THEY SURE DO!

The bottom line here is, if you don't want it, don't BUY it. If enough people stop, IT WILL STOP. If people keep paying it, don't blame the dealers.

We aren't the Red Cross. We want to make as much $$$ as we possibly can, but most importantly, we want to make as much as you will LET US.

Everyone, including dealers, knows how worthless things like Toyoguard are.

But Toyoguard allows them to make money on cars they'd otherwise have to give away. Especially when people come in waving invoices and wanting full retail for their trade...

If you don't want it, don't buy it.

T

bottgers

A friend of mine bought a "S" packaged sedan with an automatic. I have to say the Yaris is more impressive than I expected it to be. The 1st thing I noticed was how roomy its interior and trunk is. I would say it has as much or more room than does my '99 Corolla. It was also quiet and seemed to have enough pep (though I'm sure the stick is peppier, and I prefer a stick anyway). The Yaris has the sound and feel of a much more expensive car. I love the way the suspension felt, firm yet still fairly smooth riding. Steering response is also excellent. Those are the two things about my Corolla I absolutely can't stand. The Corolla has a very soft and sloppy feeling suspension, and the steering response it's much better, if any.

I could definitely go for a Yaris, but I can't see going into debt for one when my Corolla is bought and paid for, and with only 93K miles, it's just getting broken in.

bottgers

....where'd everybody go?

trdsupraturbo

Hi

My name is Jesse Brenneman. I JUST bought a Yaris yesterday, and am amazed by the comfort, the drive, and the looks.

However, this morning, my key sort of stuck in the ignition position. I mean, it didn't automatically kick back to where it normally does. So I went to move it back myself, and the engine turned itself off before I could touch it. I was thinking maybe it sensed something was weird and shut itself off. So I waited a minute and tried again. This time it started nicely, but the "check engine" light came on as soon as it did. Weird.

Next, I put gas in it, and the gas cap wouldn't click when I tightened it. I tried like 10 times, but got cold so gave up.

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced similar problems.

Thank you.

Jesse

robertkn

That is weird. Please let us know the diagnosis after you have it checked out.

On the subject of engine lights and gas, here is another weird one. When I picked up my new liftback last week the salesman made the comment that they have had problems with engine lights coming on for customers who use BP brand gasoline. He recommended using any other brand and kind of endorsed Speedway brand. Has anyone else ever heard such a thing?

want_a_yaris

1) Are oil filters readily available at Wally World and most chain parts stores now?

2) I can't find a recommendation for the interval to change the AT fluid in the manual.