Screwed-Up Oil Change - did it affect my LC? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Threads
75
Messages
430
Location
Philippines
I posted this in the 80-section as well. Maybe you can help/share your comments as well: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=141327

I had my LC's diesel oil changed over the weekend. Same vendor/mechanic that has been changing the oil for about 4 times already.

Everything was normal: drain the oil, put back on the drain plug; remove filter, put in new oil filter; and then put in the usual 10L of diesel oil. I started the LC and for about I think 2-3 minutes, vendor was yelling at me to kill the engine. And I did. Getting out of the LC, there was oil all over the floor. My first instinct was the drain plug was not filled in. But it was. The mechanic/vendor then looked again and said that it's coming from the filter.

My first instinct was defective filter? But's is new and OEM-sealed from Toyota. After checking and removing again the filter, it turned out that the filter was not properly seated/locked. Mechanic thought he had tighened it enough. So mechanic re-tightened and I/vendor watched him again. Started the LC for just about 15-30 seconds just to see that LC is not spewing oil again. It's not - and the killed the engine.

Vendor/mechanic then started adding oil. I thought we lost only about 2-3 Liters but they ended up adding 8 liters. We checked everything before starting the engine and there are no more leaks. Drove home for about 80 kms (after seriously reprimanding vendor/mechanic) and parked the car. Things looked normal to my untrained/non-mechanical/non-LC type of guy.

My concern on the LC: how does the above affect my engine. Should I be concerned that the LC was running for about 1-2-3 minutes with very low oil? Or since it was at idle and we did not run for extended period of time, the engine should be ok.

Don't flame me: I know I should be the one to change my oil.
And I know I will never go back to that vendor/mechanic.
 
I suppose you were watching the oil pressure indicator and warning light during this first run before you found the leak.
If the oilpressure light was out and you've seen a more or less 'normal' oil pressure, I would not worry at all.

To be sure, you could give it a try to get a written statement from the vendor/mechanic so that they warrant the engine for, let's say, the next 10.000km's ?
 
You'll be alright, there is a low oil pressure cutoff that would shut it down when the oil pressure gets too low. also, i had an oil filter come loose when I was driving, lost nearly all of my oil as well - that cruiser still runs fine and has for the last 10 years. Yours will be fine.
 
If the engine was in any trouble it would have made a racket. Even without oil in the sump it would still have an oily residue on the components.
If it was at low rpms ,all the better.
 
I have seen this many times when I worked as a tech at a local GM dealer.
Unfortunately most of the time the customer never knows about it. I doubt there would be enough cylinder pressure at idle to do any damage to the crank bearings.
I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Just a question for making an oil change.

How tight should the oil drain plug be?

Just tight enough not to leak or fall out. Over-tightening it is really what you want to avoid. We've had multiple cars at the shop I work at come in with their drain plug threads stripped horribly by over-enthusiastic oil-changers.

and Podiev, I wouldn't worry too much about the engine: oil is sticky stuff. You were on a level surface too (I imagine) so even with 8l missing, I'm sure that it stayed lubed up. Getting something in writing in case the engine goes before the next oil change wouldn't hurt though.
 
Last edited:
"My first instinct was defective filter? But's is new and OEM-sealed from Toyota. After checking and removing again the filter, it turned out that the filter was not properly seated/locked. Mechanic thought he had tighened it enough. So mechanic re-tightened and I/vendor watched him again."

I would suspect that the o-ring from the previous filter was still on the mount. That happened to me once, what a friggin mess!

Of course, I always look at the previous filter on removal since then.
 
Dont be surprised if youve blown a rod bearing or two. The same thing happened to me in my Jeep Cherokee. The engine ran for a very short period of time while the oild filter had blown off. I had spun two rod bearings in that short time.
 
Dont be surprised if youve blown a rod bearing or two. The same thing happened to me in my Jeep Cherokee. The engine ran for a very short period of time while the oild filter had blown off. I had spun two rod bearings in that short time.

At idle for a min or two....no way.


Your engine is fine.

I also suspect the oring/gasket from the old filter was also stuck on there and he doubled it up.

Pull the filter again and make sure he didn't just crank it so tight it would seal with two gaskets.....
 
Mudders - thanks for all the reassuring words.
Oil warning lights did go on at any point in time. Oil pressure was normal.
And no, previous o-ring was not on the mount.

This forum really rocks. I learn something new everyday - especially that low oil cutoff feature - never thought about this before. Is this specific to an LC80 or to toyota? Or universal feature of pricey SUVs?
 
My bj60 also cuts out if the oil pressure is low.
 
You'll be alright, there is a low oil pressure cutoff that would shut it down when the oil pressure gets too low. also, i had an oil filter come loose when I was driving, lost nearly all of my oil as well - that cruiser still runs fine and has for the last 10 years. Yours will be fine.

You sure about that? On a 1990 HDJ81? What is it tied into? Fuel solenoid? AFAIK the 81s didn't even get an oil level sensor until 92/08 so no dash light would have come on.
In any case, it should be alright, cool engine no load.
If you are worried about it drop the pan and check/swap out the big end con rod bearings, that is apparently where lack of oil damage shows up first.

I wouldn't sweat it

Sheldon
 
Last edited:
You sure about that? On a 1990 HDJ81? What is it tied into? Fuel solenoid? AFAIK the 81s didn't even get an oil level sensor until 92/08 so no dash light would have come on.
In any case, it should be alright, cool engine no load.
If you are worried about it drop the pan and check/swap out the big end con rod bearings, that is apparently where lack of oil damage shows up first.

I wouldn't sweat it

Sheldon
My 95 HZJ75 has a low oil sensor but it doesnt shut the engine down.
They are horribly overpriced, unreliable little things and probably wont work when you need it anyway.
Last I heard the sensor that fits into the oil pan was $400 AUD from toyota.
Used units are unavailable in oz
 
You'll be alright, there is a low oil pressure cutoff that would shut it down when the oil pressure gets too low. also, i had an oil filter come loose when I was driving, lost nearly all of my oil as well - that cruiser still runs fine and has for the last 10 years. Yours will be fine.
Yep, X2. She'll be fine.
 
My 95 HZJ75 has a low oil sensor but it doesnt shut the engine down.
They are horribly overpriced, unreliable little things and probably wont work when you need it anyway.
Last I heard the sensor that fits into the oil pan was $400 AUD from toyota.
Used units are unavailable in oz

In my rig there is one as well and I'm glad mine doesn't shut of the engine. I've seen the light come on in more than one case on a steep incline (climbing). Would have been a bummer if the engine had stopped then!!!
The oil pressure was fine but according the warning light the level was too low which it was not.
 
I guess yours counts as a pricey SUV BB:D

Nah just a standard feature of the EDIC system.

Scared me on my first oil change......why did it quit. LOL
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom