Livid: oil drain plug fell outta my Tundra

[oldnslo]

Stubee,
I would check and recheck the oil level. Noy sure if Toyota made a chnage between 08 & 10 models but mine only holds a little over 7 qts with a filter change. putting 9 quarts in and no filter change sounds like potential over fill.

Roy

 

[Stubee]

This is the 4.6 liter V-8. I have checked & rechecked the oil. I do believe this truck lost every drainable drop by the time we got it to the parts store. It holds 7.9 quarts w. filter change. Added 7 quarts & allowed long drain down = didn't even show on stick. Slowly added quart 8, came to mid-fill level. Ran it about one minute, top end clatter oh no. 10 minute drain down = oil not showing on stick. Added about another 1/2 quart, oil level back to mid-level, waited, started it & engine then silenced. Now shows mid- fill level w. 8.5- 8.6 vs. oil change 7.9 quarts. I think most oil changes don't occur after 25 miles of bouncing on a flatbed + two more hours sitting by the road before that w. no drain plug. This was a serious "drain down". Also think top end clatter had nothing to do with that last 1/2 quart, just took time to get oil everywhere again. Pressure showed great after 8 and 8.5 quarts.

On taking it 150 miles to the dealer: I called Toyota road assist & they said I could tow it anywhere for diagnostic, that was before I located drain plug hole. I was 150 miles away + a zillion other things meant tow to my cottage 35 miles then tow to dealer 130 miles--on a Saturday-- then take me home 16 miles from there etc. to leave me there w. nothing...for a drainplug.

I do appreciate the advice here, just trying to explain what happened. I'm hopeful...

 

[JDgreen227]

I don't blame you at all for being angry and I hope your dealer steps up and makes this situation right. I have been changing my own oil for 35 years now and it really doesn't save me a whole lot of time or money, the payback is that I know it was done right and to me you cannot put a price on that.

 

[Stubee]

I got full tools & believe me, my trust in shops is done & will be checking & and maybe get ramps etc again & go back to doing it myself.

 

[46andtool]

I'm all about working on my own stuff. When I bought my B2320, the salesman told me about their service department. Yeah, right - my garage is the service department for my machines...(Cars, trucks, tractors, vacuum cleaners, etc...)

 

[lawlopez]

I had a VW Golf once.
I changed the fuel filter.
No huhu.

Then I took it for servicing another time and the dealer changed it.

During a snow storm, the wind shield washer ran out.
I stopped and filled it.

It ran out again.

The hose to the windshield wiper pump was leaking.

The engine compartment smelled of diesel.

They put the wrong filter in.

I had just had the timing belt replaced and it runs the injector pump.
It has a short life and the last place you want diesel is on that belt.

Nothing bad happened.

 

[tcreeley]

Years ago I changed the oil and filter on my wife's Sentra. Always did it. I changed filter brands at the auto parts- try something new.
I went to work the next morning and she left after me. A co-worker of mine was driving by as she was pulling out. He saw oil shooting onto the drive and stopped her.- She called me.
It turned out to be the filter- right one by the book, but wrong design size. I went back to the old filter. No problem with the car though.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I got full tools & believe me, my trust in shops is done & will be checking & and maybe get ramps etc again & go back to doing it myself.

I think at this point I would only let them change the oil in that truck. Reason being is if the motor fails or a oil related issue you have a record and firm ground to stand on.

Chris

 

[Stubee]

Yeah, made plenty of my own mistakes here years ago when I wrenched. How about putting in new clutch in wife's car--team effort but my fault/my car--& not ensuring rear seal bolt torques? Take wife for drive a couple days later to show her how I could now really pop the clutch & proceed to blow tranny on that launch? This one took me 3 full weeks to find a salvage tranny as they were junk & blew on their own. Had to search three states..,

Tundra bought new less than 2 years ago. Kept my last two F-150s seven years each, next Toyota T-100 twelve years. The Toyotas use zero oil so only check it every 2-3K.

Lesson learned, back to wrenching. They will do oil changes as long as under warranty. Thanks.

 

[lawlopez]

of course I did put a filter on my prius. the old O ring was already on the mating surface.

kinda of leaked.
My fault so ...

Then again I wasn't getting paid.