2009 Vibe -- recommend tranny lube, engine oil, spark plugs

1.8-liter VVTL-i (2ZZ-GE) and VVT-i (1ZZ-FE) engine, transmission, exhaust, intake, and performance tuning discussions
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GenVibe301
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Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:46 am

2009 Vibe -- recommend tranny lube, engine oil, spark plugs

Post by GenVibe301 »

Hello,

( I am posting this message in this more appropriate location because of slow viewing and zero responses in the Tech forum )

My car the past three years is a smooth running 2009 Vibe, base version front wheel drive, manual transmission, 1.8L engine now with 85,000 miles which I am planning to never sell. I am very happy with the Vibe design and driving experience so will make repairs as needed over the coming years rather than ever looking to buy any other car. Location is Mid-Atlantic area.

(a) Radiator
What is the proper coolant fluid to use with the 2009 1.8L engine ?
I recently had the radiator completely flushed then filled with Dexcool because the mechanic said to use the fluid specified in the owner's manual. I assume it is okay because of not being mixed with other types of coolant. What coolant will be best to use after the next radiator flush ?

(b) Manual transmission
What are the best fluids to install for each of these goals: best lubrication and long tranny life, best gas mileage, and quietest operation ?
I assume the manual tranny maintenance is to completely drain out the old fluid then install new fluid rather than flushing like an automatic transmission. Does the manual tranny have a filter to replace ? Note --- please reply with information about maintaining a ~manual~ tranny rather than automatic tranny.

(c) Engine
What are the best fluids to install for each of these goals: best lubrication and long engine life, best gas mileage, and quietest operation ?
Also, what oil filter ? Current oil is fossil fuel Pennzoil and as far as I know the car has never had synthetic oil.

(d) Spark plugs
What spark plugs to use, and what gap distance ?

(e) What are the most common Vibe parts needing maintenance other than the basic upkeep mentioned above ?


Advice will be much appreciated to enjoy this car for a long, long time !

Kevin
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vibenvy
Posts: 7121
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 5:38 am
Location: Sandwich, IL

Re: 2009 Vibe -- recommend tranny lube, engine oil, spark plugs

Post by vibenvy »

GenVibe301 wrote:(a) Radiator
What is the proper coolant fluid to use with the 2009 1.8L engine ?
I recently had the radiator completely flushed then filled with Dexcool because the mechanic said to use the fluid specified in the owner's manual. I assume it is okay because of not being mixed with other types of coolant. What coolant will be best to use after the next radiator flush ?
The owner's manual incorrectly states to use DexCool. The correct coolant is Toyota SLLC (Super Long Life Coolant). I would strongly recommend dumping the DexCool and re-filling with the proper Toyota SLLC.
GenVibe301 wrote:(c) Engine
What are the best fluids to install for each of these goals: best lubrication and long engine life, best gas mileage, and quietest operation ?
Also, what oil filter ? Current oil is fossil fuel Pennzoil and as far as I know the car has never had synthetic oil.
What's "best" really comes down to preference. Some people swear by synthteic oil. Personally, both our 09 GTs have only ever had Penzoil conventional 5W-20 and Toyota oil filters. IMO, it's more about actually changing the oil and filter on time as opposed to what brand or kind of oil you use.
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302LVR
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 2:04 pm
Location: South Florida

Re: 2009 Vibe -- recommend tranny lube, engine oil, spark plugs

Post by 302LVR »

I agree with Vibenvy. The chemicals and lubricant brands you use is more than any thing personal preference but i tend to use the name brand stuff because of their quality and reputation you can say. The DexCool was designed for vehicles with iron blocks and aluminum heads i believe to fight galvanic corrosion but any good quality anti-freeze/coolant(Toyota, Prestone, etc) should do the trick just make sure you use distilled water to top off and not regular tap water.

For manual transmission: I'm using Mobil1 75w-90 gear oil in my 6 speed and runs smooth with no noise. I've also heard of other people running Redline, Royal Purple, Lucas, or Amsoil but those are a bit pricier.

For engine: I use either Valvoline SynPower, Pennzoil, or Mobil1 5w-30 synthetic in mine but stay away from Castrol or Quaker State for personal reasons. I change my oil every 4k to 5k miles depending on how the car feels and ambient weather. Also, look for an oil filter with an ANTI-DRAINBACK valve in it which protects the motor from dry start-ups by keeping the filter filled with oil when you first start up the vehicle.

For spark plugs: I'm running NGK Laser Iridiums which come pre-gapped and recommended by toyota for my 2zz engine and supposedly last 100k miles or more.

I also like to remove my MAF sensor every oil change and spray it with starting fluid or MAF cleaner for better throttle response just in case its dirty. Also, i check for puddled up oil from blow-by not caught by my pcv valve and usually inject small amounts of carb cleaner when the car is ON while i rev the motor a bit to clean up the intake runners and valves.

Hope this helps.
jolt
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: 2009 Vibe -- recommend tranny lube, engine oil, spark plugs

Post by jolt »

The factory spark plugs for the 1.8 are Denso, which is the company that makes most, if not all the electrical hardware for the Vibe.

The OEM spark plugs are Denso SC20HR11
Spark plug torque is 18 lb-ft
Spark plug gap is 0.040 to 0.048 in

Change motor oil every 2 to 3 thousand miles unless you do long drives then you can stretch it out long on the mileage. Change the engine air filter and the cabin air filter, it is behind the glove box, every two to three years as needed.
095spdvibe
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 7:02 am

Re: 2009 Vibe -- recommend tranny lube, engine oil, spark plugs

Post by 095spdvibe »

I use royal purple 5w20 with a quality filter. I change once a year or every 10k miles. Oil is just starting to darken at 10k mile changes. This car has not given me any issues on over 4 years. With such a high revving engine. I stick to higher quality oil
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