DIY oil change?

[NYC570]

Even when I had free oil changes I still did my own oil changes. It's not because I like it or because I'm a fanatic. It's because dealerships cut corners and I don't trust them, at least the ones in my area. I can't see how they can accomplish an oil change in one hour cleaning everything properly, greasing everything properly, torquing everything properly (haven't seen anyone at a dealership using a torque wrench). I make sure to do it properly and rather not have to deal with their warranty and what that entails when they make a mistake.

 

[04UZJ100]

Even when I had free oil changes I still did my own oil changes. It's not because I like it or because I'm a fanatic. It's because dealerships cut corners and I don't trust them, at least the ones in my area. I can't see how they can accomplish an oil change in one hour cleaning everything properly, greasing everything properly, torquing everything properly (haven't seen anyone at a dealership using a torque wrench). I make sure to do it properly and rather not have to deal with their warranty and what that entails when they make a mistake.

Agree but….You don’t need to torque anything on an oil change. Can go by feel on drain plug and skid plates.

 

[bloc]

Agree but….You don’t need to torque anything on an oil change. Can go by feel on drain plug and skid plates.

There is a ton of evidence posted to this board and examples cited a mere half page back on why this is bad advice, especially the filter housing. I’d agree on the skid plate bolts but that is about it. Even the drain plug spec is very different than what a fastener of that size “feels” like it should need.

A torque wrench is quick to use. Good techs understand things like the importance of the filter housing or the disparity in spec/feel of the drain plug.. and might even keep those things in mind and successfully go by feel and experience when they do have to do an oil change. but good techs usually aren’t who do dealer oil changes day in and day out.

 

[04UZJ100]

There is a ton of evidence posted to this board and examples cited a mere half page back on why this is bad advice, especially the filter housing. I’d agree on the skid plate bolts but that is about it. Even the drain plug spec is very different than what a fastener of that size “feels” like it should need.

A torque wrench is quick to use. Good techs understand things like the importance of the filter housing or the disparity in spec/feel of the drain plug.. and might even keep those things in mind and successfully go by feel and experience when they do have to do an oil change. but good techs usually aren’t who do dealer oil changes day in and day out.

Ehhh as I am sure you know torque inputs and stress applied to threaded joints changes significantly with or without the presence of lubrication. Are those Toyota specs dry? Are they covered in residual oil? That will directly impact the tension and friction of the threaded connections. I’ll stay with “feel”.

 

[bloc]

Ehhh as I am sure you know torque inputs and stress applied to threaded joints changes significantly with or without the presence of lubrication. Are those Toyota specs dry? Are they covered in residual oil? That will directly impact the tension and friction of the threaded connections. I’ll stay with “feel”.

"feel" might work for you on your truck but the evidence says it isn't working for many people bringing their vehicles to dealers for service.

On a threaded connection with the diameter and pitch of the oil filter housing cap the presence of a film of oil will make no difference in the clamping force, for the relatively tiny amount of torque for that diameter. Besides.. that one is pretty easy to dry if you want to. Same for the filter drain plug, given its very low torque compared to thread diameter.

On the oil drain I'm going to have to assume toyota was smart enough to publish a spec they clearly expect people to follow that is appropriate for the vast majority of uses of that connection. Besides.. bolts of that diameter are more often tightened to around 100ft-lb.. using one third of that drastically reduces the dry vs lubed thread importance. It would be critical when pushing a fastener anywhere near yeilding.

 

[AnyMal]

I’ll take the 200 with filter hanging down and tool to drain the housing over a car with a cartridge filter upside down under an exhaust manifold any day. With a 3/8” impact, nitrile gloves, and a creeper my changes are less than 30 minutes and I typically don’t spill a drop. Including the important stuff (not the skids) torqued to spec.

As for torque.. with a filter cover that is known to stick and break on people I will absolutely not be advocating going without for someone new enough at this to be asking whether you can get oil & filter at OReilly. Let’s keep it in context. With my experience wrenching on cars is it needed here? No. But I still use it because I have them, know the numbers by memory, and it absolutely avoids problems down the road. Plus on atypical stuff like our drain plug with the plastic gasket, the 30ft-lb the factory asks for “feels” too tight and takes a long time to get there. But that is what they specify for whatever reason.

OP like I said if you are near Austin I’d be glad to help you learn.

It’s been a while since this comment but I’m getting ready to do all fluids replacement at 60k. Dealer wants like $1,200 and LCS isn’t really into doing it. As far as power steering, brake, diffs and coolant it’s pretty straightforward it seems, only “tricky” part is transmission fill level.

Are you interested in a paid teaching gig :$ ? I’m in great hills and have a lot of spare time at the moment.

 

[bloc]

It’s been a while since this comment but I’m getting ready to do all fluids replacement at 60k. Dealer wants like $1,200 and LCS isn’t really into doing it. As far as power steering, brake, diffs and coolant it’s pretty straightforward it seems, only “tricky” part is transmission fill level.

Are you interested in a paid teaching gig :$ ? I’m in great hills and have a lot of spare time at the moment.

Don’t need to pay me to teach! I’ll send a PM

 

[acruisinf]

This is a long shot, but does anyone know the part number for the small plastic bash plate covering the drain plug? Mine is cracked and needs replacing.

 

[grinchy]

This is a long shot, but does anyone know the part number for the small plastic bash plate covering the drain plug? Mine is cracked and needs replacing.

I just cut one out of a galvanized shingle from HD. 49c. Then you have to get new bolts, used dealer for that.

 

[Mdog97]

First oil change today at my friend's shop (60k miles on odometer) - thanks to everyone for the helpful info in this thread and elsewhere. Not quite DIY - it was a slow morning so the two regular mechanics there did a fair amount of the work with me after they put it up on the lift (that's just how they roll).

Installed the ezdrain valve from Jowett (still waiting for the billet filter housings to come back in stock). We couldn't figure out how to get a crow's foot to work on the valve body for a torque wrench, so we used the finger tight + 1/8 turn recommendation from the ezdrain instructions. It was probably a bit more than 1/8 turn to my eye, but I deferred to Mark the mechanic who was doing the wrenching on the valve and who does this for a living.

Several of the skid plates had to come off to get to the grease zerks on the prop shafts...also helped to put it in neutral so that we could turn the shafts by hand. The small removable portion of the front skid plate was missing. Another happy surprise with this CPO purchase.

The mechanics, who do this stuff all day 6 days a week (not on LCs, admittedly, but they see plenty of the 5.7 V8s), didn't want to drain the stock filter housing before removal - "it's plastic - they break - just take it off all at once". So, I let them have at it. It made a big splash, but their pedestal oil catch pan caught everything just fine. The new TRD oil filter we installed was square (thanks @bloc) so no problems there. 8.5 quarts of Mobil 1 had the oil level just a hair above the upper mark on the dipstick after running the engine for ~30 seconds to fill the filter.

Engine air filter and brakes/rotors were replaced 3 months ago as part of the CPO process, so those were skipped, as was the tire rotation (recent flat => changed tires on rear axle; will be replacing wheels with TRD BBSs and three more new tires shortly.) Cabin air filter was also new from April, but the recirc door / flap is broken, so that's the next project.

The underside of the LC looked very clean for a northeast US 60k mile late 2017 manufacture vehicle. Positively shiny in spots, only slight rust on the welds. I was very impressed. I removed the KDSS skid plate to find that the valve body is heavily corroded, as expected. I left it off and sprayed some penetrating oil on it, but did not fool with the bolts while the suspension was unsprung....will be trying the bolts when I can find a cooler, dryer day with some level ground and a creeper / big ole piece of cardboard.

Need to get the front positive camber dialed out, but will do that after the new wheels and tires. Anything else I should do or check? The maintenance schedule calls for "Re-torque propeller shaft bolt" - what bolt is that? Is there only one?

 

[CharlieS]

The mechanics, who do this stuff all day 6 days a week (not on LCs, admittedly, but they see plenty of the 5.7 V8s), didn't want to drain the stock filter housing before removal - "it's plastic - they break - just take it off all at once". So, I let them have at it.

This kind of mentality is a big part of why I do my own work. If you are going to do a job, do it by the factory procedure. Trying to beat book makes a mechanic more money, but it is cutting corners. If they're willing to do this on a simple oil change, what other corners are they cutting?

 

[AnyMal]

This kind of mentality is a big part of why I do my own work. If you are going to do a job, do it by the factory procedure. Trying to beat book makes a mechanic more money, but it is cutting corners. If they're willing to do this on a simple oil change, what other corners are they cutting?

Every single one possible. Even as far as saying they did a service and just, idk, lie instead.

 

[TLC2013]

First oil change today at my friend's shop (60k miles on odometer) - thanks to everyone for the helpful info in this thread and elsewhere. Not quite DIY - it was a slow morning so the two regular mechanics there did a fair amount of the work with me after they put it up on the lift (that's just how they roll).

Installed the ezdrain valve from Jowett (still waiting for the billet filter housings to come back in stock). We couldn't figure out how to get a crow's foot to work on the valve body for a torque wrench, so we used the finger tight + 1/8 turn recommendation from the ezdrain instructions. It was probably a bit more than 1/8 turn to my eye, but I deferred to Mark the mechanic who was doing the wrenching on the valve and who does this for a living.

Several of the skid plates had to come off to get to the grease zerks on the prop shafts...also helped to put it in neutral so that we could turn the shafts by hand. The small removable portion of the front skid plate was missing. Another happy surprise with this CPO purchase.

The mechanics, who do this stuff all day 6 days a week (not on LCs, admittedly, but they see plenty of the 5.7 V8s), didn't want to drain the stock filter housing before removal - "it's plastic - they break - just take it off all at once". So, I let them have at it. It made a big splash, but their pedestal oil catch pan caught everything just fine. The new TRD oil filter we installed was square (thanks @bloc) so no problems there. 8.5 quarts of Mobil 1 had the oil level just a hair above the upper mark on the dipstick after running the engine for ~30 seconds to fill the filter.

Engine air filter and brakes/rotors were replaced 3 months ago as part of the CPO process, so those were skipped, as was the tire rotation (recent flat => changed tires on rear axle; will be replacing wheels with TRD BBSs and three more new tires shortly.) Cabin air filter was also new from April, but the recirc door / flap is broken, so that's the next project.

The underside of the LC looked very clean for a northeast US 60k mile late 2017 manufacture vehicle. Positively shiny in spots, only slight rust on the welds. I was very impressed. I removed the KDSS skid plate to find that the valve body is heavily corroded, as expected. I left it off and sprayed some penetrating oil on it, but did not fool with the bolts while the suspension was unsprung....will be trying the bolts when I can find a cooler, dryer day with some level ground and a creeper / big ole piece of cardboard.

Need to get the front positive camber dialed out, but will do that after the new wheels and tires. Anything else I should do or check? The maintenance schedule calls for "Re-torque propeller shaft bolt" - what bolt is that? Is there only one?

Off to a good start with the maintenance. Depending on how you use it (towing, 4-low wheeling) i'd start thinking about swapping out the differential and transmission fluids. I am going to be using 30k intervals for the diff fluids and 60k for the transmission going forward. It's a pretty straightforward process as DIY and my 200 sees a fair amount of off roading.

 

[zoned]

Ok so here’s a completely dumbass question but I haven’t done an oil change myself in a long while and never on my lx. Can I just raise it up to high and get under there or do I need to get some ramps or what? How do you guys do it that don’t have lifts?

 

[grinchy]

Ok so here’s a completely dumbass question but I haven’t done an oil change myself in a long while and never on my lx. Can I just raise it up to high and get under there or do I need to get some ramps or what? How do you guys do it that don’t have lifts?

Hi works just fine.

 

[Mdog97]

This is a long shot, but does anyone know the part number for the small plastic bash plate covering the drain plug? Mine is cracked and needs replacing.

I think it's 51456-60070, but I'm still researching

 

[bloc]

That is the number I’m finding in my parts program.

Bolts are 90119-08862

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Much has been said about torque and the plastic filter housing; very helpful.
What about torque for the 15620-31060 "Venza" housing?
It's aluminum so I assume it can withstand "good and tight" torque but what's the recommendation?
I looked and couldn't find the info for the recommended toque for the Venza.
My housing arrives (hopefully) next week and I want to be ready.

 

[KLF]

Much has been said about torque and the plastic filter housing; very helpful.
What about torque for the 15620-31060 "Venza" housing?
It's aluminum so I assume it can withstand "good and tight" torque but what's the recommendation?
I looked and couldn't find the info for the recommended toque for the Venza.
My housing arrives (hopefully) next week and I want to be ready.

It's forged/molded into the bottom of the housing, you can't miss it.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

It's forged/molded into the bottom of the housing, you can't miss it.

OH!!! Well that means even I can't screw it up LOL. Thanks!