Oil Change 5th Gen: How To- LOTS of PICS!

[WCVanHorne]

Like your kit. I've got the same torque wrench I think & jar of anti-seize.

I opt for the Toyota 0W20 though. Good price and two 5L jugs do both my 4Runner and Yaris almost exactly.

I do have to get a smaller torque wrench next time to get the drain plug on the filter back on correctly. It's off the range of that big one. Looked at this one at Princess Auto but It seemed a bit cheap so I'm keeping my eye out.

 

[WCVanHorne]

Skidplate Tab Contrarian

I'm posting this as a standalone comment to highlight probably the only thing on which I diverge from Antman's great procedure/writeup.

I *DO NOT* advise removing the tabs from the skid plate.

Now I don't know if I have some sort of slightly different setup or angle on them but I find they make a great hinge to help remove and align/reattach the skidplate (it is what I actually think they are designed for). They in no way make it more difficult for me, quite the opposite. After removing the bolts it simply swings down and I slide if forward to unhook. Reverse is just as simple, hook and swing up.

I believe it would be more difficult without them. The plate would be harder to align with the holes and a pain to hold up while threading; basically a three hand job.

Anyhow my 2 cents: I say at least try it first with them on before grinding them down.

 

[1000MPH]

If you go back and look at antman's pics he's, not suggesting you remove the tabs entirely but to grind them down a bit.

Also, it seems that it is easier to remove the skidplate on the trails than the other models. I didn't need to do any mods on my skid, it swings down and is easily removed.

Also, personally I wouldn't use a torque wrench that size on the drain plug. I'd be concerned of damage due to improper use. I get a much better feel with my normal rachet. I also wouldn't use one on the oil filter housing or its drain plug. They use o-rings.

 

[4RunnerFan]

2015s any better?

As a 4th gen owner ('08 Limited V6 4wd), I swore I would never upgrade to a new T4R because of all of the features that were removed in the 5th gen (due to the falling value of the dollar against the yen). In the past year or so, the dollar has gained at least 30% against the yen and it appears Toyota is slowly adding back some features (e.g., LED tail lights, projector headlights), an encouraging sign.

Reading this thread about how much time it takes to change the oil, however, is very discouraging, to say the least.

For 2015 T4Rs, have there been any improvements to this lengthy oil change procedure? For example, do you still need to remove the skid plate?

 

[WCVanHorne]

If you go back and look at antman's pics he's, not suggesting you remove the tabs entirely but to grind them down a bit.

Apologies, my bad for not checking back. Somehow I had it in my head that the suggestion was a more radical removal.

Also, it seems that it is easier to remove the skidplate on the trails than the other models. I didn't need to do any mods on my skid, it swings down and is easily removed.

Well I can only speak for my 2012 SR5 but it is easy without any mods.

Also, personally I wouldn't use a torque wrench that size on the drain plug. I'd be concerned of damage due to improper use. I get a much better feel with my normal rachet. I also wouldn't use one on the oil filter housing or its drain plug. They use o-rings.

Not certain sure which torque wrench you are referring to. If it's the big one it is actually adjustable down to 20 ft-lbs so basically good enough for the filter housing at 18 ft-lbs. But not, as you note, the drain plug at 10 ft-lbs. That plug (and some other non 4Runner applications) is what I was thinking of getting a smaller ~200 in-lbs one for. As you note you can pretty much do these by hand but there is nothing wrong with a properly set torque wrench on an o-ring. Technically more accurate than "feel".

 

[1000MPH]

Oops, sorry WC, I was referring to this monster.

 

[ShAwTWiN]

Oops, sorry WC, I was referring to this monster.

I worked with my small one as well... Just not shown in that picture.

 

[VTOL_Yoda]

Completed the 60K service at home. Yes, that skid plate / air dam tasking with a bit obnoxious... however my daughter supervised the effort to success. This was the first time that I have ever purchased or used a special tool for removing a filter. Glad I read about that before digging into the oil change.

I now own two grease guns... prop shaft fun.

Cheers.

 

[cmoore50]

Thanks for the write up. Thank God I won't have to fight with those tabs next time.

 

[boyfester]

Thanks for the great write-up and photos. I'm a new owner and I was under the TE the first day trying to find oil filter and drain pan amongst all of the skid plates. Now I know. After reading your thread, I can't believe how difficult it is to get to the oil filter.

On another note, where did you find the torque setting for the small oil filter drain plug? My wife has a 2008 Lexus ES350 with the same oil filter housing (whoo-hoo, I don't have to buy a new wrench) and I've been changing oil and filters on it for years. I always thought the entire housing and filter plug were both 18 ft-lb. Even the official Toyota oil filter wrench states a torque of 18 ft-lb on the labeling. It frustrated me because anytime I would place the 3/8" extension into the drain plug and loosen it, the entire housing would come loose, not the small drain plug, causing all of the oil to flow out the sides creating a gigantic hot mess. I've never been able to use the nifty plastic do-hickey that comes with the oil filter. I've poured through the owner's manual and never could find a 10 ft-lb torque for that. Can't wait to use that new tidbit of info next time and put the little plastic oil filter tool to use. Thanks! :israel:

 

[1000MPH]

Torque spec for that drain plug is on the filter box.

 

[pbcolt]

First of all, thank you for the great write up!

I just got done changing the oil on my 14 and everything went well except for one thing.

When I was done tightening the plastic filter housing, the indicator tab was nowhere near where it started. It seems like you would have to start the filter housing in a particular orientation for the indicator tab to end up where it started when you removed it.

Did I mess something up?

 

[pattycakes]

Torque spec for that drain plug is on the filter box.

Lets be honest , there is no possible way you can change your oil with out getting "some" oil on our hands , most of us wear latex gloves when changing the oil , for that reason I have skipped dealing with that little plug and cheap plastic drain valve thingy and just remove filter housing and tip and pour it into drain pan , yes I get oil on my glove coverd hands , clean out housing with brake clean upside down and let dry and be done with it . No more playin wit that little plug no more .

 

[96r50]

First of all, thank you for the great write up!

I just got done changing the oil on my 14 and everything went well except for one thing.

When I was done tightening the plastic filter housing, the indicator tab was nowhere near where it started. It seems like you would have to start the filter housing in a particular orientation for the indicator tab to end up where it started when you removed it.

Did I mess something up?

I've never actually looked but I assume there is only one thread on the cap and housing in order to ensure that the tab always ends up back where it started. I'd guess that you might need to tighten it further. It its fairly easy to tighten for the first few turns and then when the large O-ring makes contact with the housing it needs more force to overcome the added friction. After that it's just a matter of tightening it until the lip on the cap comes into contact with the housing at which point the tab should be in the right spot.

 

[Americas High Five]

So thanks to [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] - i decided to change my oil myself for the first time!

Everything went somewhat smoothly; minus the fact that the dealer on my last oil change (back in April) forgot to put the oil drain plug skid cover back on! I am glad i finally crawled under there to do it myself otherwise who knows how long it would have been before someone else brought that to my attention. I went back to the dealer and they ordered me a new oil drain plug cover (of no cost to me) with little to no push back.

So to those of you who dont change your own oil, i would think about starting or at least be sure to double check whoever does' work.

This experience fortified my decision to never let anyone else change my oil!

 

[pbcolt]

I've never actually looked but I assume there is only one thread on the cap and housing in order to ensure that the tab always ends up back where it started. I'd guess that you might need to tighten it further. It its fairly easy to tighten for the first few turns and then when the large O-ring makes contact with the housing it needs more force to overcome the added friction. After that it's just a matter of tightening it until the lip on the cap comes into contact with the housing at which point the tab should be in the right spot.

You're probably right that it is only one thread. If anything I think I over-tightened it, because I really can't turn it anymore.

 

[1000MPH]

How far past? 1/8"? 1/4 turn? I agree with 96r50. It's the o-ring that seals it. You just need to tighten until it meets the body.

 

[Deebert]

even I did it

Thanks to my cell phone (internet) and this how-to, I was able to pull this off by myself. I've always done my own oil changes - Camry, Scion tC, Tundra and now my 2014 4Runner. But OMG WHY WHY WHY did Toyota do this? If it's to keep me from doing my own oil changes, they failed because now I can't trust some oil change place to go through all these steps! There's no way they could put it back together correctly.
Just fyi, I'm a female in my (cough, cough) 50's at 5'4" and 110#. If I can do it, anybody can.
BTW, removing the skid plate was a breeze. I sat on the ground facing the truck, put my toes under the back side of the plate and lifted just a little while pulling from the front. Easy breezy
Thank you SOOOOO much for this tutorial!!!

 

[Deebert]

First of all, thank you for the great write up!

I just got done changing the oil on my 14 and everything went well except for one thing.

When I was done tightening the plastic filter housing, the indicator tab was nowhere near where it started. It seems like you would have to start the filter housing in a particular orientation for the indicator tab to end up where it started when you removed it.

Did I mess something up?

I had this same problem and then I discovered I had the larger o-ring shoved down past where it should go. When I moved it back to the correct slot (as shown in the original post), it tightened closer to where it lines up.

 

[THEROK]

There is no way a dealer express lube dude will put in the time to understand all the little details. Toyota care oil change came back with a leak on skid plate already so I have little faith to begin with.

Like the plastic housing not getting marred because a tech chose to use a screw driver and not by hand... Placement of the o ring, replacing with a new one, torque values, all the bolts.

Looks like I'll be doing my own heretofore. Many thanks.