thecole1098
New member
The engine takes about 6 quarts, but get 7 just to be safe. And Dexron III for the tranny.
Oil Change Disaster, what did I do?
- Thread starter Gen3mrd
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4Reak Show
New member
Funny story. 99% you didn't harm anything since you were aware and didn't run it long. It's a yota. They can take a little abuse.
To make you feel better, my very first professional oil change 11 years ago was on a Tacoma 3.4 auto and I drained the ATF at first so yes, this does happen. You aren't the first, won't be the last.
Don't feel bad either. Mistakes, by nature and definition don't happen intentionally. One time isn't an issue, as long as you learn from it. I'd be willing to bet you'll never mess up on that job again for the rest of your life.
To make you feel better, my very first professional oil change 11 years ago was on a Tacoma 3.4 auto and I drained the ATF at first so yes, this does happen. You aren't the first, won't be the last.
Don't feel bad either. Mistakes, by nature and definition don't happen intentionally. One time isn't an issue, as long as you learn from it. I'd be willing to bet you'll never mess up on that job again for the rest of your life.
JZiggy
Senior Member
This. Don't even ask about that time I changed a CV axle on a friend's sedan and forgot to tighten the lug nuts on the front wheels, because I guarantee it won't happen again
... :biggrin2:
Fern
New member
Before you touch anything else, go buy yourself a Chiltons or Haynes for your vehicle and read up on the task before you touch a tool.
I have one for all my vehicles.
In my early years I tried to fill a transmission without the drain plug in. Quite the mess down the driveway since I didn't realize until AFTER I emptied all the bottles.
We've all been there.
I have one for all my vehicles.
In my early years I tried to fill a transmission without the drain plug in. Quite the mess down the driveway since I didn't realize until AFTER I emptied all the bottles.
We've all been there.
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BrianSD_42
New member
In situations like this (referring to the first post) my first suggestion would be to literally walk out of your residence knock and the next door and ask the resident dude of the house for advice. I'm pretty confident more than 50% neighbors have changed oil at least once in their life. You might be surprised how many folks, even in suburbia could be of great help to you.
Meh. The manuals may be useful, but we're definitely in the age of youtube/forum posts now
AuSeeker
Elite Member
If you haven't already drain all the oil out of the engine make sure you watch the drain pan, with 16 quartz in there your drain pan is going to overflow before you get all the oil out, be ready with another pan or to put the plug back in before you have another mess on your hands!!
Slowgoat
New member
I totally did this once, pulled the wrong plug for the tranny. I could tell by the smell what I had done. It is easy in the dark under there to switch them up.
Remember, an expert is someone who understands all the mistakes that can happen in any given task and knows how to avoid them. You are on your way to becoming an oil change expert!
Smart folks learn about the mistakes before hand. Either through other people screwing up, or education. Those manuals (Chilton Hanes and Toyota Factory Repair) are worth their weigh in gold. Lots of great cautionary info in there. The front of the manuals is fantastic for general mechanical knowledge and especially safety.
You’d be surprised how many of us here have had similar boo boos when we first started. I know I still have them!!
The most basic, easy thing is what blows up in your face. Now you’re experienced!
Remember, an expert is someone who understands all the mistakes that can happen in any given task and knows how to avoid them. You are on your way to becoming an oil change expert!
Smart folks learn about the mistakes before hand. Either through other people screwing up, or education. Those manuals (Chilton Hanes and Toyota Factory Repair) are worth their weigh in gold. Lots of great cautionary info in there. The front of the manuals is fantastic for general mechanical knowledge and especially safety.
You’d be surprised how many of us here have had similar boo boos when we first started. I know I still have them!!
The most basic, easy thing is what blows up in your face. Now you’re experienced!
thegipper
New member
Shit happens, everyone has made a stupid mistake at least once while working on their truck/car.
If your tranny fluid was so dark that it looked like used engine oil, you'll definitely want to do at least 2 or 3 drain and refills. You only get about 4 quarts out of the transmission pan and the system holds something like 13 quarts.
[MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] has made a ton of excellent DIY videos including one for flushing your transmission fluid. You can either do a bunch of drain and refills or do a complete fluid exchange. I would suggest doing the fluid exchange since your fluid was so dark.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/217550-3rd-gen-toyota-4runner-diy-videos.html
#21 is the one for the tranny fluid exchange
If your tranny fluid was so dark that it looked like used engine oil, you'll definitely want to do at least 2 or 3 drain and refills. You only get about 4 quarts out of the transmission pan and the system holds something like 13 quarts.
[MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] has made a ton of excellent DIY videos including one for flushing your transmission fluid. You can either do a bunch of drain and refills or do a complete fluid exchange. I would suggest doing the fluid exchange since your fluid was so dark.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/217550-3rd-gen-toyota-4runner-diy-videos.html
#21 is the one for the tranny fluid exchange
thegipper
New member
One other thing, if you haven't already read the 3rd gen buyers guide, I would do so.
It has all of the known issues and preventative maintenance things you need to know about.
Things like lower ball joint failures, pink milk shakes and so on.
Good luck
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html
It has all of the known issues and preventative maintenance things you need to know about.
Things like lower ball joint failures, pink milk shakes and so on.
Good luck
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html
thezentree
Senior Member
Meh. The manuals may be useful, but we're definitely in the age of youtube/forum posts now
I won't argue that, but they're a good reference for when you're out in the woods and something's broken.
ZionXIX
New member
Making mistakes is how we learn. You will learn from this and likely make more mistakes but that's ok. I have done some stupid things and now I'm better for it. Now you have a story you can laugh about later. I have had good luck with Castrol transmax for import vehicles. It says Toyota on the bottle. I agree that you should do a few drain and fills over the next few hundred miles if your trans fluid was indistinguishable from engine oil. Also I have found that accessing the oil drain plug is best done from under the front bumper. Its very difficult to access the transmission plug from the front.
mtbtim
Elite Member
Meh. The manuals may be useful, but we're definitely in the age of youtube/forum posts now
I don't know about Chiltons or Haynes manuals but I love my Toyota FSM. I reference it all the time. It's been an invaluable resource to me. When I do research for a video, I usually reference the FSM first followed by looking up good forum write-ups and then YouTube videos.
I find a lot of YouTube videos leave the viewer guessing and aren't detailed enough for my taste. That's why Sean and I try to give as much information as possible in the videos we make so the viewer has the best chance at success with the repair, maintenance or modification we're doing.
So for me, the manuals will always be a valuable resource.
sportscarfan
New member
As an Industrial Technology graduate (the '90's PC term for Industrial Arts), I support this statement.
After showing my brother-in-law how to change his 4runner oil twice, he tried on his own and did this exact thing. To celebrate his victory, he then drove it about 2 miles to the carwash. By the time he got there he knew something was very wrong and I got the call. We ended up correcting the oil change SNAFU right there in the car wash bay.
This happened about 4 years ago, and he's still driving the 4runner. I think he's managed to get the oil change right since then, but only under the supervision of my sister.
wake_rider
New member
Hey man, mistakes happen, but they also happen more often when we don't research well prior to action; the old homage "measure twice, cut once," applies here. Do plenty of research even over the easy things if there is even a hint of confusion.
I had a girlfriend once whose older brother (a country boy who thought I couldn't know better than him since I don't wear Wranglers) that came out to "check" her oil after I had just completed an oil change on her car. He then proceeded to turn her car on while he checked the oil level, swearing that you HAVE to leave the car running to accurately check the dipstick. After he left, I reiterated to my girlfriend that it was he, who in actuality, was the dipstick and now I needed to figure out a way to drain the extra 2 quarts of oil he forced into a running motor.
I had a girlfriend once whose older brother (a country boy who thought I couldn't know better than him since I don't wear Wranglers) that came out to "check" her oil after I had just completed an oil change on her car. He then proceeded to turn her car on while he checked the oil level, swearing that you HAVE to leave the car running to accurately check the dipstick. After he left, I reiterated to my girlfriend that it was he, who in actuality, was the dipstick and now I needed to figure out a way to drain the extra 2 quarts of oil he forced into a running motor.
Hepar
New member
As many others have said, it's a fair mistake. I'm impressed that you even posted the original post. I'm sure you knew that you'd most likely get some sh*t for having issues with such a simple maintenance especially this day and age with how people can be over the internet. I bet most everyone here will make sure they're draining their oil the next time. Even if they've been doing it almost blindly for years.
This forum is a great place for contacts too. One great way to learn more about your rig is to see if there are folks in your area and to try to meet up with any of them if they are ever doing any wrenching on their rig. You're going to see that these things can be incredibly easy to work on.
And not to sound like too much of a tree hugger, but if possible clean off the residual oil someplace where the water drain doesn't flow directly into the local water source.
mtbtim
Elite Member
Yeah, times have changed. I took auto shop in high school. But, I learned a lot more by working at a full-service Chevron Gas Station in the early 80's. At the fire department I work at, a decent amount of the younger guys know nothing about auto mechanics. It's kind of sad.
I mainly think it's a generational thing. I'm at the tail end of the Baby Boomers and auto mechanics and the trades were common career paths and we weren't afraid to work on things. Kids aren't learning about auto mechanics because their dad or possibly mom, didn't teach them about it or suggest they learn about it. When their car needed servicing or broke down, they took it to a mechanic. Every time I visit my local Toyota Dealer for parts, there's a line of cars waiting to get into the service department to get bent over at $150/hour.
In a lot of ways, we have softened up as a society and I'm glad I grew up at a different time.
On the flip side, my kids aren't as careful with their stuff as they might be- cause hey, Dad can fix it. At least they're learning that it's an option. Why pay a mechanic 100 bucks to do something when you can spend 5 grand on tools and do it yourself!
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