Is my Drain Plug Loosening?

J

JerryBob

Joined
Apr 11, 2013
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Location
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In June 2024 I changed the oil in my 2015 Tacoma V-6 using the same crush washers from the same big stash of OEM washers I've always used. I used a Husky clicker torque wrench set to 30 ft-lbs.

In Jan 2025 when I went to change the oil, the drain plug was barely tight. When I tightened the drain plug with the new crush washer, I tightened by hand, and giving a pretty hard pull on the socket.

A couple of weeks ago I had the torque wrench recalibrated. I was told it wasn't very far out of spec.

I just changed the oil again today, and the drain plug took almost no effort to remove. Just a light snap.

I have to think the problem is the crush washers. But I know they're the correct ones, and I am using the same batch. I have changed the oil in the truck for 10 years following the same steps, and have never had a problem before. The drain plug has always required a bit of a tug to loose it. I can't identify what's changed.

Any ideas? Should I re-torque in a month or so?

I just paid $75 for calibration and $10 for another bag of OEM washers. Maybe I should just cut my losses and get a Fumoto valve.
 
On my Mazda, Neon and Cavalier I've never used a torque wrench on the drain plug. I've always threaded the drain plug till tight, then 1/4 to 1/2 turn past that till snug.
 
JerryBob said:
In June 2024 I changed the oil in my 2015 Tacoma V-6 using the same crush washers from the same big stash of OEM washers I've always used. I used a Husky clicker torque wrench set to 30 ft-lbs.

In Jan 2025 when I went to change the oil, the drain plug was barely tight. When I tightened the drain plug with the new crush washer, I tightened by hand, and giving a pretty hard pull on the socket.

A couple of weeks ago I had the torque wrench recalibrated. I was told it wasn't very far out of spec.

I just changed the oil again today, and the drain plug took almost no effort to remove. Just a light snap.

I have to think the problem is the crush washers. But I know they're the correct ones, and I am using the same batch. I have changed the oil in the truck for 10 years following the same steps, and have never had a problem before. The drain plug has always required a bit of a tug to loose it. I can't identify what's changed.

Any ideas? Should I re-torque in a month or so?

I just paid $75 for calibration and $10 for another bag of OEM washers. Maybe I should just cut my losses and get a Fumoto valve.
Click to expand...
Aluminum or steel pan? If aluminum and bolt being steel maybe the threads are stretched on the pan.
 
D

Thread 'TOYOTA OIL DRAIN PLUG GASKET'

I have two (2) Camry's...both with the 4-cylinder engine. I change oil in both of them ~ 2x per year. I use the Toyota oil drain plug gasket pictured below and torque both drain plugs to 18 ft-lbs per Toyota spec. Over the past 2 years, I've noticed that both drain plugs are finger tight at best when I change the oil. I've noticed that the coating or whatever is on both sides of these aluminum washers disintegrates...mostly on the side of the gasket that is in touch with the oil pan. FWIW both oil pans are metal. The drain plugs are both the original and are perfect. You can hand...
  • Wow
  • Like

Just covered this two weeks ago!

In a nutshell, you're right, the washers are garbage. I thought mine were because they were knockoff but you have the same problem with genuine Toyota parts.
 
eljefino said:
D

Thread 'TOYOTA OIL DRAIN PLUG GASKET'

I have two (2) Camry's...both with the 4-cylinder engine. I change oil in both of them ~ 2x per year. I use the Toyota oil drain plug gasket pictured below and torque both drain plugs to 18 ft-lbs per Toyota spec. Over the past 2 years, I've noticed that both drain plugs are finger tight at best when I change the oil. I've noticed that the coating or whatever is on both sides of these aluminum washers disintegrates...mostly on the side of the gasket that is in touch with the oil pan. FWIW both oil pans are metal. The drain plugs are both the original and are perfect. You can hand...
  • Wow
  • Like

Just covered this two weeks ago!

In a nutshell, you're right, the washers are garbage. I thought mine were because they were knockoff but you have the same problem with genuine Toyota parts.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Thanks. I am using the same part number and they look like the same blue washers. Supposedly they're "genuine Toyota" but who knows.

18 ft-lbs seems light, but your engine could be different. I haven't noticed any disintegration of the washer. I am going to take a Q-Tip and some white oil base paint and run a small line from the plug to the pan to see if it's moving over time.
 
JerryBob said:
Interesting. Thanks. I am using the same part number and they look like the same blue washers. Supposedly they're "genuine Toyota" but who knows.

18 ft-lbs seems light, but your engine could be different. I haven't noticed any disintegration of the washer. I am going to take a Q-Tip and some white oil base paint and run a small line from the plug to the pan to see if it's moving over time.
Click to expand...
If you have white out - correction fluid that will also work for making a witness mark.
 
97prizm said:
On my Mazda, Neon and Cavalier I've never used a torque wrench on the drain plug. I've always threaded the drain plug till tight, then 1/4 to 1/2 turn past that till snug.
Click to expand...
I did it that way in January. It was still looser than normal today. I gotta think the problem is the washer, not the torque, which I've done both ways now - by feel and with a torque wrench.
 
If there were no leaks, it was oil tight. That's what's important. 30 #ft is good, I imagine I end up with a little more than that by hand.
I don't buy the idea the warshers are bad. If you wanna try 35 #ft, I won't tell anyone.
 
I had the same issue with OEM crush washers on the 4Runner. I don't use a torque wrench. Just my calibrated arm. On the next OCI it would be looser than I like.

I got tired of this and buying/replacing crush washers for every OCI. So, I went to Lowe's and bought a copper washer. With a piece of glass and 1200 grit sandpaper I did figure eights until the pattern on the washer was even. Just like I did years ago when rebuilding injectors for Detroit Diesels. Problem solved. No leaks.
 
You could put a stainless steel worm clamp on it. Position the clamp's head against the bottom of the pan. I used to do this with an old bimmer in which I installed oil temp and pressure gauges. The drain plug was the oil temp sensor.
 
Interesting that the blue Toyota washers are the suspects. I use them in between the free ToyotaCare oil changes so the ones I put on and the drain bolt I tighten gets removed by the dealer and the ones they use get removed by me, every 5k miles. I haven't noticed that the drain plug feels too loose. The dealer won't say anything 'cause they don't know I'm changing it in between since I use Toyota filters. We're done with ToyotaCare now so it will be all me going forward. I'll pay attention to this now.
 
Not to hijack the thread, but I just installed a Fumoto brass body valve on the RX350 with a blue fiber washer and the specifications called out 15 ft-lbs. I can vouch that the washer generally does not leak for 10+ years of service or back out.
 
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