How to Change the Oil in a Toyota Camry

How to Change the Oil in a Toyota Camry. All Toyota Camry models use the same process when changing the oil. However, depending on the age of your Camry, your car might take a different oil than a newer Camry. The filter locations change too, depending on the type of engine in your Camry.

Prepare Your Camry for an Oil Change

Lift your Camry up using a car jack and then set jack stands underneath it. If you don't have jack stands, you can drive your car up onto a set of wheel ramps. Make sure you brace the backs of the front tires, so the car doesn't roll.

Pop the hood and locate the oil filler cap and dipstick. A newer Camry, specifically models made from 1997 to 2000, have the oil filler cap on the valve cover. Remove the cap and dipstick.

Check what type of engine is in your Toyota Camry. If you have a 1 MZ-FE engine, then the oil filter is under the front exhaust manifold. Any other engine has the filter underneath the car.

Gather an oil drip pan, new filter, closed end wrench or metric socket and cleaning cloths. Slide under the car and locate the drain plug and filter, if necessary. The drain plug is usually on the bottom rear of the oil pan, with the filter near the front.

Change the Oil

Take the closed end wrench or metric socket and remove the drain plug. Pull the plug quickly, and let the oil drain into the pan for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Check the threads of the plug for damage and clean off excess oil.

Replace the drain plug and move over to the filter. If your filter is located under the front exhaust manifold, slide out and look under your hood for the filter. Using a filter wrench, remove the filter and dump the oil into your oil drip pan.

Coat the rubber gasket of the new filter with oil and replace the oil filter. Slide out from under your car and fill your car with oil. Camry's dated 1983-1988 use 15W-40, 20W-40, 20W-50, 10W-30, 10W-40, 10W-50 or 5W-30 oil. For a Camry dated 1989-1991, use 10W-40, 10W-30 or 5W-30 oil. Camry's dated 1992 and on use 10W-30 or 5W-30 oil. The 5W oil is for colder temperatures and is the preferred oil for most vehicles.

Start your car for about a minute and let the oil pressure build. Check the oil level on the dipstick. If it's not at full, turn off the engine and add more oil. Lower your car and shut the hood.