Oil plug gaskets? A must replace??

[daugherty83]

Not sure If I can get to a Toyota dealership and need to change my oil tomorrow. Is this a crucial gasket, I have seen some that reuse and some some that swear by the new ones. Would there be a good replacement from a hardware store that would work equally well? Is the gasket itself a metal one that forms, or just rubber? Thanks.

 

[Elton H]

ive really never changed mine once in awhile if i remember ill switch it don't leak any oil

 

[LINY4Runner]

I would change it as often as possible.
I work for a Toyota dealer, so I don't pay for mine, but a 10-pack is probably around 5 bucks. Don't bother with a hardware store, because they're not metl OR rubber, they're more of a regular gasket material, which is why I don't lie to reuse them.

 

[daugherty83]

Thanks guys. I will probably just use the orig gasket this time around and order some online next week.

 

[peter78]

It is not made out of metal, more a type of fiberglass or plastic. While it is nice to change it, I wonder if the Jiffy Lube type places every change it? I change it every other time, but I have let it go for quite a few times.

It is there to prevent leaking. When I got my parents old Previa and I changed the oil, it was obvious that it had not been changed in years. It didn't seem to affect it as there were no leaks.

 

[K.C.]

Dealer part only.

It's not metal nor rubber. It's kinda difficult to describe.

$1/each

• Replaced it at every oil change
• Torque it down to 29ft/lbs
• Save old washer for friends that don't replace theirs at every oil change

 

[p nut]

I usually never change mine, unless I lose it while changing. Be sure to double check for leaks after a day or so. I've never had one leak.

 

[Ray.Klefstad]

On my other cars and trucks, I've reused mine time and time again, but I clean it and coat with black high-temp RTV sealer before putting it back on and tightening it down snug. Mine never leak.

Ray

 

[Supra725]

I usually go to napa and pick the fiber gaskets for the oil plugs.

I don't change it unless is started to leak, I have used the current one the last 2 oil change and I have not even an single drop of oil on the drive way..

It doesn' hurt to change it, is less than an dollar..

Whats better, changing the gasket out or changing the oil again(due to leaking)

 

[J.A.]

90430-12031 - Made of aluminum, crush type washer, with a thin fiber coating on top and bottom.
90430-12028 - Made of lighter, non-metal, fiber compressed material

About $1 each over here as well. Not necessary to change every time but every third time is a good idea.

 

[J-money$$$]

is this on the drain plug? not to sound too stupid but i have had my truck for 60,000 miles since iv bought it from the original owner and mine never had a gasket since i have had it, and its never leaked, i just changed my oil and was thinking that the drain plug should need one but since its never leaked... ill go get some

 

[004Gunner]

is this on the drain plug?

Yeah it's on the plug itself. Just inspect it when changing the oil. The gasket should not be stuck to the plug or the pan or have any other defects in it. Not crucial to replace it every time by any means but it should definitely be on there and fully intact. I've replaced mine once in 95k miles.

 

[TheDurk]

I reused a Toyota fiber one a few too many times. While it never leaked, it did eventually break in half when I took it off. (I use a torque wrench when I put the plug back, so it was NOT overtightened.) Luckily I had just bought a few new ones as I had no other car around.

 

[fishin4]

wow , my local dealer (open road toyota) charges me $5 bucks for a toyota filter and there are always crush washers(blue and white )inside and they check that at the parts counter and add if needed.

 

[alpine]

2001 4Runner

Changed oil and reused the original washer.
I guess it was a crush washer, so it started leaking.

Got some "genuine" washer off ebay, said it was teflon.
Installed it, and still leaking, maybe even worse than before.
Tried another teflon off the same package, still leaking...

After some research, I got new washers, some fiber and some crush(blue ones)
Tried fiber, not leaking as much as in teflon, but still leaking.
Tried crush, no leak what so ever...

So the summary is; stay away from teflon, crush is the way to go...

 

[3bears]

I use the Toyota washer, and can get by a few times reusing,,but ive had some wet spots around the plug,when reusing, nothing big but a few months ago I got a bunch, switch now every time, no leaks