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Oil & Filter Change for LC200
- Thread starter BigDouggieDoug
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Great thread. Fumoto vavle is on the way, not playing that drain game again 
Very helpful write-up and follow-on suggestions. Oil change went very smoothly.
If you stick the end of a shop vac hose in your oil fill hole and turn it on, you can remove the oil plug and install the Fumoto valve without losing any oil or making a mess. I usually throw a sock over the end of the hose to help keep the hose stuffed in the hole. It never ends up with any oil on it.
Nice procedure!
My 07 Tundra (5.7L) used the same filter setup that you guys have here, I never could get the white plastic deal to work right, i just made a mess. Also I tried several aftermarket oil filter wrenches before dropping the long green on the one from the dealer. My daughter's corolla uses the same type of oil filter, but it is not as messy because it is on it's side so the oil drains out better.
If you have the time and place i recommend owners should do their own service work. Even if you are not into wrenching, it is good to be familiar with the simple things so you know more about your car, and you can call BS when a shop is trying to rip you off!
My 07 Tundra (5.7L) used the same filter setup that you guys have here, I never could get the white plastic deal to work right, i just made a mess. Also I tried several aftermarket oil filter wrenches before dropping the long green on the one from the dealer. My daughter's corolla uses the same type of oil filter, but it is not as messy because it is on it's side so the oil drains out better.
If you have the time and place i recommend owners should do their own service work. Even if you are not into wrenching, it is good to be familiar with the simple things so you know more about your car, and you can call BS when a shop is trying to rip you off!
Great write up! I had no idea that the filter was any different that all of the ones that I have changed in the past. Thank you for taking the time to grab great photos and provide an excellent detailed write up!
Does anybody know WHY Toyota chose this type of filter setup? Is there some meaningful benefit to the cartridge type of filter? I mean, every other vehicle on the road uses spin-on filters. Why not the LC (and apparently the 5.7 Tundra)?
Many auto manufacturers have/are switching over to the cartridge type. I've heard it reduces waste, but I'm unconvinced on that. I think they just like to make things messier than they need to be. (I think the location of the oil drain plug supports that theory, though the fumoto valve resolved that issue nicely.)
On a side note, I've used this a few times for my oil filter changes and have been pleased with it (I now have two, keep one in the LC and one in my tool chest in the garage):
Toyota Lexus Scion Special Oil Filter Wrench Tool LARGE SIZE | ASR Parts
There's a link on the ASR website to the Tundra Solutions forum where I originally learned about it. I have no affiliation to ASR, just happy with their tool...
Loved this post as I was getting under the 570 for the first time to change the oil. I found out very quickly that it was going to be a PITA.
Whoever had completed the oil change before me had left off the felt seal for the oil drain plug. They then used a pneumatic lift to torque the bolt to 2000lbs (sarcasm). I had to get my feet on the frame and push/pull with my breaker bar. Insane! Anyway, I inspected the bolt and the threads of the oil pan. Everything was good. I drained the oil and then installed the Fumoto valve. These have been on all my vehicles.
Next up was the oil filter assembly. Boy was I expecting a similar issue, and I got it. I was so worried as my oil filter cap kept slipping. The dang thing would not turn! I pulled out my torque wrench to see how bad it was and I went up to 300 foot pounds and still no movement. I was a little pissed. Either way, I got it off after a lot of spasmed jerks. I was then able to to get it off with ease. Again, thankfully no damage to the threads.
So, I get everything back together and torqued to spec and I go to drop in my 7.9 quarts of oil. Well, minus what I put in the oil filter prior to re-installation. And, I had to use vice-grips to get the oil cap off. Man! These guys made sure there would be no oil leaks.......
I notice there is this froth like an espresso crema. Question, as I've never seen this is all my time changing oil, anyone else see this? It is thick like a chocolate mousse.
Whoever had completed the oil change before me had left off the felt seal for the oil drain plug. They then used a pneumatic lift to torque the bolt to 2000lbs (sarcasm). I had to get my feet on the frame and push/pull with my breaker bar. Insane! Anyway, I inspected the bolt and the threads of the oil pan. Everything was good. I drained the oil and then installed the Fumoto valve. These have been on all my vehicles.
Next up was the oil filter assembly. Boy was I expecting a similar issue, and I got it. I was so worried as my oil filter cap kept slipping. The dang thing would not turn! I pulled out my torque wrench to see how bad it was and I went up to 300 foot pounds and still no movement. I was a little pissed. Either way, I got it off after a lot of spasmed jerks. I was then able to to get it off with ease. Again, thankfully no damage to the threads.
So, I get everything back together and torqued to spec and I go to drop in my 7.9 quarts of oil. Well, minus what I put in the oil filter prior to re-installation. And, I had to use vice-grips to get the oil cap off. Man! These guys made sure there would be no oil leaks.......
I notice there is this froth like an espresso crema. Question, as I've never seen this is all my time changing oil, anyone else see this? It is thick like a chocolate mousse.
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Pics aren't showing, but from what you said if the oil is frothy it could be they over filled the oil if you haven't dumped the oil measure how much came out. Hopefully someone chimes in. I don't know what damage could be caused by over filling
Considering how hard it was to get the drain plug, filter cap and filler cap off I was thinking the oil must not have been changed very recently. And as far as I know, that sludge in the cap means the oil hasn't been changed enough.
What would be the course of action for something like this? Warm up the engine and flush the oil out 2 or 3 times?
Just going to throw this in this thread for everyone.
Took the LC in for the 15,000 mile service. Not an oil change service, so I figured I would just do it myself. I had done it at 5K miles, Toyota did it at 10,000. Well... When I did the 5K I put in a Fumoto valve. When I took it to the dealer for the 10,000 I told them there was a Fumoto valve and explained how it worked.
Well I get underneath, get the access panel off, drain pan setup, turn the valve. Nothing. Try again and again. Nothing. Well fug. Seems that when they did the 10,000 oil change the tech buggered the Fumoto valve. So order a new one and push off doing the oil change till the new one comes in. New one comes in and I take off the old valve and put the new one in. Check out the old valve... Well seems the tech really didn't know how to use the Fumoto valve. They had undone the nipple and the ball had popped out and so when they put it back together, they just tossed it all in without making sure that the arm in the handle lined up with the groove in the ball.
So make sure you do your own oil changes or if someone is changing your oil for you and you have the Fumoto valve, that they really understand how to use the valve.
Took the LC in for the 15,000 mile service. Not an oil change service, so I figured I would just do it myself. I had done it at 5K miles, Toyota did it at 10,000. Well... When I did the 5K I put in a Fumoto valve. When I took it to the dealer for the 10,000 I told them there was a Fumoto valve and explained how it worked.
Well I get underneath, get the access panel off, drain pan setup, turn the valve. Nothing. Try again and again. Nothing. Well fug. Seems that when they did the 10,000 oil change the tech buggered the Fumoto valve. So order a new one and push off doing the oil change till the new one comes in. New one comes in and I take off the old valve and put the new one in. Check out the old valve... Well seems the tech really didn't know how to use the Fumoto valve. They had undone the nipple and the ball had popped out and so when they put it back together, they just tossed it all in without making sure that the arm in the handle lined up with the groove in the ball.
So make sure you do your own oil changes or if someone is changing your oil for you and you have the Fumoto valve, that they really understand how to use the valve.
The only time I've seen gunk like this on the inside of the oil filler cap was when I had coolant mixed with the oil. That was on my '67 Saab 96 V4 and the cause was a cracked block allowing coolant to migrate to the oil.
There are test kits available to test motor oil for coolant contamination - it might be worthwhile to test your oil.
HTH
Are pictures showing now? I had an issue with the links and instead just uploaded them. Thank you for the suggestion about changing the oil with a 2.5k frequency. I'd rather be safe then sorry and in the grand scheme of things that is a cheaper solution for me than a major parts failure.
Ive seen sludge like that in a cap before from a Tacoma V6, and it didnt have any other problems besides a neglectful owner, my bro-in-law, lol. From what Ive gathered, frequent short trips where the engine doesn't fully heat up can cause this, and it only gets worse if the oil isn't changed regularly.
Of course, it can also look like that if oil and coolant are mixing, but you would usually see that on the dipstick too I would think.
Of course, it can also look like that if oil and coolant are mixing, but you would usually see that on the dipstick too I would think.