2001 TOYOTA RAV4 oil change

'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1582001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.

Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.

Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil
is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems.
The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by high±speed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to judge
the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed.The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in prop-
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it
is essential that the oil level be checked
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil
level be checked every time you refuel
the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see ªChecking the engine oil levelº on
page 220 in Section 7±2.
Facts about engine oil
consumption
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2112001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See page 222 in Section 7±2 for addition-
al information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See page 220 in Section
7±2 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the ªHOTº or ªCOLDº
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See page 223 in Section 7±2 for addition-
al information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See ªEngine exhaust cautionsº on
page 157 in Section 2.)Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip±offs that
indicate service is needed. Some impor-
tant clues are as follows:

Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging

Appreciable loss of power

Strange engine noises

A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)

Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monoxide
leak. Drive with the windows open and
have the exhaust system checked im-
mediately.)

Flat±looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear

Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road

Strange noises related to suspension
movement

Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking

Engine coolant temperature continually
higher than normalIf you notice any of these clues, take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in se-
rious vehicle damage and possibly
personal injury.
Does your vehicle need
repairing?
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2472001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Fuel
Fuel type:
Unleaded gasoline, Octane Rating 87
(Research Octane Number 91) or higher
Fuel tank capacity, L (gal., lmp. gal.):
56 (14.8, 12.3)
Service specifications
ENGINE
Valve clearance (engine cold), mm (in.):
Intake 0.19Ð0.29 (0.007Ð0.012)
Exhaust 0.30Ð0.40 (0.012Ð0.016)
Spark plug type:
DENSO SK20R11
NGK IFR6A11
Spark plug gap, mm (in.):
1.1 (0.043)
ENGINE LUBRICATION
Oil capacity (drain and refill),
L (qt., Imp. qt.):
With filter 4.2 (4.4, 3.7)
Without filter 4.0 (4.2, 3.5)
Oil grade:
API grade SJ, ªEnergy±Conservingº or
ILSAC multigrade engine oil is recom-
mended.Recommended oil viscosity (SAE):
5W-30 Preferred
Temperature range anticipated before
next oil change
COOLING SYSTEM
Total capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
Manual transaxle 6.3 (6.7, 5.6)
Automatic transaxle 6.2 (6.6, 5.5)
Coolant type:
ªTOYOTA Long Life Coolantº or equiva-
lent
With ethylene±glycol type coolant for a
proper corrosion protection of aluminum
components
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2482001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
BATTERY
Open voltage
* at 20
C (68
F):
12.6Ð12.8 V Fully charged
12.2Ð12.4 V Half charged
11.8Ð12.0 V Discharged
*: Voltage that is checked 20 minutes af-
ter the key is removed with all the lights
turned off
Charging rates:
5 A max.
CLUTCH
Pedal free play, mm (in.):
5Ð15 (0.2Ð0.6)
Fluid type:
SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
MANUAL TRANSAXLE
Oil capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
Two±wheel drive models
2.5 (2.6, 2.2)
Four±wheel drive models
3.4 (3.6, 3.0)
Oil type:
Gear oil API GL±4 or GL±5
Recommended oil viscosity:
SAE 75W±90AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
Fluid capacity (drain and refill), L (qt.,
Imp. qt.):
Two±wheel drive models
Up to 3.3 (3.5, 2.9)
Four±wheel drive models
Up to 3.9 (4.1, 3.4)
Fluid type:
Automatic transmission fluid Type T±IV
Change automatic transmission fluid only
as necessary.
Generally, it is necessary to change
automatic transmission fluid only if your
vehicle is driven under one of the Special
Operating Conditions listed in your
ªScheduled Maintenance Guideº or
ªOwner 's Manual Supplementº. When
changing the automatic transmission fluid,
use only Toyota Genuine ATF Type T±IV
(ATF JWS3309 or NWS6500) to aid in
assuring optimum transaxle performance.
Notice: Using automatic transmission
fluid other than Toyota Genuine ATF
Type T±IV may cause deterioration in
shift quality, locking up of your trans-
mission accompanied by vibration, and
ultimately damage the automatic trans-
mission of your vehicle.TRANSFER
(four±wheel drive models)
Oil capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
0.9 (1.0, 0.8)
Oil type:
Hypoid gear oil API GL±5
Recommended oil viscosity:
Above ±18
C (0
F)
SAE 90 or 85W±90
Below ±18
C (0
F)
SAE 80W or 80W±90
REAR DIFFERENTIAL
(four±wheel drive models)
Oil capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
0.9 (1.0, 0.8)
Oil type:
Hypoid gear oil API GL±5
Recommended oil viscosity:
Above ±18
C (0
F)
SAE 90
Below ±18
C (0
F)
SAE 80W or 80W±90
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2202001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Checking the engine oil level
Low level
To o f u l l O.K. Add oilFull 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 filler cap hand±tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., lmp. qt.):
1.8 (2.0, 1.6)
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
ENGINE OIL SELECTION
Use API grade SJ, ªEnergy±Conservingº
or ILSAC multigrade engine oil.
Recommended viscosity (SAE):
5W-30 Preferred
Temperature range anticipated before
next oil change
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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