First Time DIY Oil Change 2.7l

Hey friends! Tomorrow I'm going to change my oil for the first time and I wanted to run my plans by you guys to see if I have all my bases covered.

I have a 2011 2.7l 5 lug double cab.
What I purchased for the change is as follows:
- (2) 5 qt jugs of Mobile 1 0W-20
- Toyota oil filter
- Toyota washer
- Fram filter wrench
- funnel
- catch pan

Ok so my plans are:
1. Unscrew oil cap in engine bay.
2. Remove bolt in oil pan and start to drain oil.

3. Remove oil filter.
4. Wait for oil to stop dripping
5. Replace oil pan bolt with new washer.
6. Install new oil filter (after putting some oil on the seal)
7. Add 6.1 qt of oil
8. Run truck for a few minutes and check level.

Am I missing anything?
Is that the correct oil pan bolt pictured?

Thanks for any advice!

 

Looks like you have your bases pretty well covered...


I always drain my oil with the filler cap off and the oil hot just after running the engine, before any particles suspended in the oil have a chance to settle to the bottom of the pan. And I let the pan drain with the old filter off for about a half an hour or more so that most of the drips come out. I also drilled my oil plug and installed a really strong magnet to catch super fine steel particles as the oil circulates past it.

 

Instead of replacing the oil pan bolt, I would install the fumoto valve which makes subsequent oil changes amazingly easy and mess free. I've used fumoto valves on all of my vehicles for many years and have never had any issues except for easy oil changes.

 

I take the drain plug out (actually, open the Futomo valve) and let it drain overnight, when possible. Fill the filter with oil before install, too. Futomo, Fumoto..whatever the f it is.

 

With the location of the I4 oil filter I like this style of filter wrench with a 8" extension. That Fram wrench may be tricky to get around the filter.


And +1 for fumoto valve.


I only add 5.5 quarts, 6.1 will overfill.

 

Let me know how that oil pan works out for u. I was going to buy one but I was worried about it leaking

 

Why are you using (2) 5 quart jugs? I use (1) 1 qt bottle and (1) 5 qt jug when I change mine.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys, it was a great success!
The fram wrench worked just fine.

It worked great. Didn't leak a drop!

Haha because I wanted to be so OCD about my first oil change that I put in 6.1 qt on the nose.
The mobile 1 at my wal mart was $25 for the 5 qt jug and $7.99 for 1 qt jugs.
Plus I figured I could use the remainder 3.9 qt for my next oil change.

After checking the oil level afterward it's really difficult to tell where the oil actually stops. It looks to be way over the full line.

 

Told ya so.

 

Maybe I'm missing something

 

There always seems to be confusion on whether to add the amount of oil shown in the manual or to add oil to the full line on the dipstick.

For what it's worth I go by the dipstick. I'd rather the engine be slightly low than overfilled and risk added pressures wearing seals.

Either way I'm sure you're good to go. Following the dipstick is just my preference

 

From the Owner's Manual:
"The engine oil capacity is a reference quantity to be used when changing the
engine oil. Warm up and turn off the engine, wait more than 5 minutes, and
check the oil level on the dipstick."

So it sounds like they want us to use the dipstick to verify oil level.

And I don't know that a high level will increase pressure. But if it is high enough for the crank to hit it, it could get whipped up which is probably not a good thing.

 

Being the cheap, frugal old codger that I am, I use 5.5 quarts of Mobil 1. Two five quart jugs and a 1 qt bottle from Wally World gets me two oil changes at a very affordable rate. And 5.5 comes out just about right on the dipstick.

 

I love TW ... where 0.6 quarts of oil can create drama.

I doubt either method is doing any damage guys. Couldn't resist throwing in my two cents.

 

Any harm in going 5 quarts 0-20 and 1 quart 5-20? Would I just make some weird 1-20 hybrid?

 

Thats what I always put in mine, I can never find the 0w-20 in a 1 quart bottle only 5w-20 so I just mix it.

 

Knew I should have stayed out of this. If either way checks good on the stick, what's the diff? And if you check the stick at 2000 miles and it needs oil, you add it. Personally I'm at 95K; I change oil and filter every 5K using approximately 6 qts. I say approximately because I'm usually pouring the last qt off a 5 qt jug. I verify on the dipstick and adjust as necessary. I check the stick about every 1000 miles roughly. I have yet to have to add any oil in between oil changes.

Or are you saying you don't check your dipstick in between oil changes?

Unsubbed.

 

My BAD, I started the controversy after OP like most of us found 6.1 shows way overfilled on the dipstick.

I'm out too, glad the fram filter wrench worked out for you OP, I figured it would be difficult but I was wrong.

 

It looks like there is a small outlet there with a rubber cover on it so you can remove the rubber cover and attach a hose to catch the oil draining from the filter when it is removed. I was wondering if anyone has run a tube from the little nipple on the bottom of the oil filter housing to a drain pan when changing the oil?
Thanks,
Ken

 

OP, I hope you didn't use the filter wrench to tighten the new filter. It should be just hand-tight.