2000 TOYOTA AVALON recommended oil

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Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high- speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are high- speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.

Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the park-
ing brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
Winter driving tips
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection of engine coolant.
Your coolant must contain ethylene- glycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components. Use
TOYOTA Long Life Coolantº or equivalent.
See Section 7- 2 for details about coolant
type selection.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze orplain water alone.
When it is extremely cold, we recommend
to use 60% solution for your Toyota, to
provide protection down to about -50 C
(- 58 F). Do not use more than 70% solu-
tion for better coolant performance.
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for winter start-
ing. Section 7- 3 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge. Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Section 7- 2 for recommended viscos-
ity. Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota deal-
erÐhe will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de- icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer 's directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-age your vehicle's paint.
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Checking the engine oil level
Low level
Add oil O.K. Too full Full level
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle should be on a level spot. After turning
off the engine, wait a few minutes for
the oil to drain back into the bottom of
the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstickÐpush it in as far as it will go, or the reading will not be
correct.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end.
CAUTION
Be careful not to touch the hot ex-
haust manifold.
If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the engine.
Remove the oil filler cap and add engine
oil in small quantities at a time, checking
the dipstick.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to
fill between the low level and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for ref-
erence.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the f iller cap hand- tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.): 1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
NOTICE

Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.

Check the oil level on the dipstickonce again after adding the oil.
Engine oil selection
Use API grade SJ, Energy- Conservingº
or ILSAC multigrade engine oil.
Recommended viscosity (SAE):
SAE 5W- 30 is the best choice for your
vehicle, for good fuel economy and
good starting in cold weather.
If you use SAE 10W- 30 engine oil in
extremely low temperatures, the engine
may become difficult to start, so SAE
5W- 30 engine oil is recommended.
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Fuel
Fuel type:Unleaded gasoline, Octane Rating 87
(Research Octane Number 91) or higher.
For improved vehicle performance, the
use of premium unleaded gasoline with
an Octane Rating of 91 (Research Oc-
tane Number 96) or higher is recom-
mended.
Fuel tank capacity, L (gal., Imp. gal.): 70 (18.5, 15.4)
Service specifications
ENGINE
Valve clearance (engine cold), mm (in.):
Intake 0.15Ð0.25 (0.006Ð0.010)
Exhaust 0.25Ð0.35 (0.010Ð0.014)
Spark plug type: DENSO SK20R11
NGK IFR6A11
Spark plug gap, mm (in.): 1.1 (0.043)
Drive belt tension measured with Bor-
roughs drive belt tension gauge No.
BT- 33- 73F (used belt), Ibf: Generator belt
8822
Power steering pump belt
11 520
ENGINE LUBRICATION
Oil capacity (drain and ref ill), L (qt., Imp.
qt.):
With filter 4.7 (5.0, 4.1)
Without filter 4.5 (4.8, 4.0) Oil grade:
API grade SJ, Energy- Conservingº or
ILSAC multigrade engine oil is recom-
mended.
Recommended oil viscosity (SAE):
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