oil change, drain bolt? Options

[Cormudgen]

I just bought my 6th gen (96 ST) not to long ago. Not knowing when the most recent oil change was I decided to go ahead and do it. I went and picked up an oil filter (Purolator $3.50---good choice?) and I have some Castrol GTX 10w 30. Get under my car and find the oil filter(beneath the exahuast manifold) and think I find the drain bolt. Basicaly just about 12 inches below the filter. REally i just want to veriffy this is the right bolt. Also is that oil and filter a good recomendation for my car ( 138,000 miles).

*edit*I tried to undo the bolt and just couldnt get it off. I"m going to try again in a little bit. Would much prefer to do this myself.

Cormudgen

[Chrobis]

umm wow... all you guys using synthetic oil in your 7a-fe's and 5s-fe's are just throwing money down the drain.... And Im just wondering if anyone has ever opened their owners manuals...? because it tells you what viscosisty oil to use, and that vis. oil should be used for the life of the engine, not ever changing it because you have alot of miles... Not using the right vis oil could mean worse gas milage, and actual under protection... It can also cause start up problems, because the oil is not running at the correct vis at start up, causing the engine to possibly struggle under cold temp.

I may be wrong (CHECK YOUR OWNERS MANUAL) but most toyota engines use 5w-30w oil

Synthetic oil should only be used for HIGH PERFORMANCE engines, (any toyota engine ending is GE or GTE) otherwise your wasting money.

And as oil filters go, most of them are the same, but for the same price as a fram you can go to your local toyota dealer and order OEM Toyota Oil Filters which filter better then most of the filters sold at your local auto store. I got my toyota filters for $3.50 each, while a fram would have cost me $4.50, and the toyota filters are better.

Also, remember every time you change your oil your supost to lube the oil filter gasket with a little oil, and to not overtighten your filter (only hand tighten it) and to replace your drain plug gasket, (also sold at your dealer for about 80 cents) Never overtighten the drain plug or oil filter because both of these are under pressure and end up tightening themselves more, so if they are originally tight, they will be horendously tight at the next oil change.

I also recomend sticking with high name brand oils only, such as castrol, valvoline, mobil-1, quaker, etc. and stay away from oils like Car and driver, chevron, shell etc oils.