Oil Pan Replaced - Learning Lesson (Lots of Pics)

[mcwilly]

Story time... Last week when I changed the oil in my 2001 Toyota Echo I used a torque wrench for the very first time to tighten the drain plug, I've always just hand tightened. Set that baby to 28ft/lbs, getting tighter, and tighter, still no click, then loose and turning again. Only thought that went through my head was crap I stripped my oil pan threads.

Made a couple calls to the local shops, no pans on hand, they would have to be ordered in for just over $100. I ordered one off amazon same brand for $60, would be a few days to arrive.

I tightened the drain plug as much as I could and put a little oil in it and left it for 6 hours. No sign of oil coming out. Filled it up with some cheap conventional just in case it ended up being a loss.

I drove it about 400km till the new pan arrived. I kept an eye on it, it was weeping, I figured it dripped about 4-6 times a day judging by the little spots it left.

Once the pan arrived I drained the oil, (managed to save most of it), I had to turn the plug way more times than normal to get it out. It is magnetic so it just stuck to the pan as I drained it.

It wasn't until I had the pan off that I really look at the threads on the pan and the plug. Turns out it was the plug that had wrecked threads... I could have just put the original bolt back in. Facepalm moment and lesson learned. Check first to see what threads are actually wrecked.

I tracked down my purchase of the plug, it was from amazon in 2017. Listing no longer exists. I never heard of the bolt stripping so I wonder what it is made of. People always say not to overtighten and strip the pan threads. I always assumed the bolt would be stronger.

Anyway the pan was already off so I installed the new one with a fumoto valve. I documented my silliness with photos.

 

[mcwilly]

I was interested to see how much the fumoto valve stuck into the pan as that is one of the complaints about them. Pretty minimal in this case.

 

[Chris142]

Yep. Just needed a new bolt. Stop overthinking the bolt torque. Use your arm and stop when snug.

 

[mcwilly]

Yeah I always have in the past. I think I was just curious as to what the actual spec was. Apparently a lot tighter than I do by hand.

Now I have a perfectly good back up oil pan

 

[doitmyself]

All's well that ends well!

 

[Rand]

waiting on new thread when futomoto valve gets damaged by parking stop

(is it the lowest thing hanging down in that area under the car?)

 

[Mainia]

The plug you bought from Amazon stripped because it is aluminum, and you torqued it to a steel plug spec.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by mcwilly
Yeah I always have in the past. I think I was just curious as to what the actual spec was. Apparently a lot tighter than I do by hand.

Now I have a perfectly good back up oil pan

The torque spec was for a regular, steel plug that goes into a steel oil pan with steel threads. I see you bought one of those aftermarket, magnet type plugs and at least from the pictures, it looks aluminum. Once the material of the plug changed, so has the maximum torque value.

In any case, great job fixing this and sharing with us. It's all part of a learning process.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Now on to replacing the muffler bearings? Great pictures and its a live and learn lesson.

 

[mcwilly]

Originally Posted by Rand
waiting on new thread when futomoto valve gets damaged by parking stop

(is it the lowest thing hanging down in that area under the car?)

Pretty close, it's about level with the lower control arm a little ways behind it. This is the supposedly new and improved SX model, but it is a little bigger than I expected.

This car doesnt really see anything other than highways so it should be okay. And if not I have a spare oil pan!

Originally Posted by Marco620
Now on to replacing the muffler bearings? Great pictures and its a live and learn lesson.

I'll let you know when I find them

this is the "live and learn" car. I typically try it on this car before touching the STI.

Originally Posted by KrisZ

The torque spec was for a regular, steel plug that goes into a steel oil pan with steel threads. I see you bought one of those aftermarket, magnet type plugs and at least from the pictures, it looks aluminum. Once the material of the plug changed, so has the maximum torque value.


Thanks, that makes sense then.

 

[Linctex]

That's some interesting gunk you scraped out of the lowest area of the pan!

 

[Rat407]

Just be happy you can change out the oil pan so easily.

 

[mcwilly]

Originally Posted by Linctex
That's some interesting gunk you scraped out of the lowest area of the pan!

Yeah it was like a black paste right under the drain hole.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by Chris142
Yep. Just needed a new bolt. Stop overthinking the bolt torque. Use your arm and stop when snug.



Exactly right Chris. I have had do tons of pan replacements when PM techs at the shop go ape carp on em'

Then they get fired

 

[oldhp]

On my last 3 new vehicles all the drain plugs were not very tight to me. I use a short wrench to tighten and when I take it out it always feels tighter than the factory did. I have to keep telling myself......"It's a oil pan drain bolt stupid, not a head bolt."

 

[benjy]

surprised no one asked, what oil, drain intervals, + driving habits.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I keep a couple of spare oil drain bolts, for Honda/Acura and Toyota.
If the threads are buggered up I toss 'em.
Quickie lubes hire Arnold Swarzenegger to work in the pit.

25 pound feet is plenty, at least for me.

 

[andyd]

You guys with torque wrenches. Set 'em on 0 and keep them in the drawer for oil changes. My 3K OCIs raised a burr on the Borman 6's 12mm oil pan threads Even after chasing the threads with a tap, there was a burr that chewed up the plug after a few changes. I changed the Fridge's oil and filter yesterday.I understand the shift to cartridge filters. Its a good idea. I did my 4th Camry oil change. There are directions on the Toyota filter box in several languages. All in print that is way too small to read. I have figured out what the plastic widget is for. By getting my hands wet with oil for the 4th time. I should change filter on the SE while it is fresh in my head. I'm using a 10K OCI The filter comes out dark, but not sludgy. Oil is a few shades darker but not black.

 

[JustinH]

I've never torqued an oil drain plug and never had a problem. It was just common sense to get it snug and crush the new washer.

Nice job with the oil pan, was it as easy as a transmission pan on that vehicle? Those bolts I would torque however!

 

[mcwilly]

Originally Posted by benjy
surprised no one asked, what oil, drain intervals, + driving habits.


I bought the car at 210k kms (255k now) and have been feeding it whatever synthetic brand name 5w30 is on sale for 7k to 9k km OCI's. Did a couple UOA which showed pretty excellent results.

Fram Ultra filters changed every 2-3 oil changes.

Commuter car sees 80km round trips to work (75% highway) 4 times a week.

I picked up some cheap VWB conventional for a few OCI's.

I've never seen under the pan before, I'm not sure if that amount of varnish is normal for that area of the engine at 250k kms. I imagine the previous owner ran mostly conventional.