Do you use a washer on the oil drain plug?

Do you use a washer under the oil drain plug? In the 3 other vehicles I have owned, I never used a washer there (I probably have 50 oil changes in my experience).

But I changed my Taco oil for the first time myself today and after finishing the job I poured the old oil into an old jug and $#@! I noticed a washer at the bottom of the oil. I can only assume it came from the oil plug but I don't want to have to drain my oil again in order to put the washer on.

So, do you guys use washers at all? Do we *need* to? Can we re-use the old washer?

 

Crush washers are cheap insurance to prevent leaks and also help to keep your drain plug in. My dealer provides them free with a filter purchase.

 

x100^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

ive always re-used crush washers and never ever had one leak?????? even on my crf450r's mx bikes which have two oil drain one for trans and one for engine

 

If there's an old one on the plug, I'll reuse it. If there isn't one, I don't bother putting a new one on. Never had any leaks or issues.

 

x2

 

Those washers act in two ways.
1). It prevents crushing.
2). They actually provide a buffer between your oil pan and oil plug... When your oil heats up, the plug can actually expand and begin to drip oil. The washer prevents this from happening.

My two cents:
Toyota is in the business to make money... If they can save so much as .10 cents on each vehicle, they have pocketed $10,000 out of every 100,000 vehicles sold... They put it there for a reason! Advanced or Pep Boys offers a pack of 5 for around $2.49, although I am sure that guys on here get them for cheaper!

 

Another opportunity to vote for a Fumoto drain valve that comes with its own small cut gasket.

 

I've always re-used my crush washer as well. Not saying this is the right thing to do, but I haven't had any real problems.

 

Just a few wraps of teflon tape at the base of the bolt and you are good to go.

 

Fumoto on all my vehicles, no leaks, no stripped drain bolts and an oil change takes an hour- 1 min to flip valve 50 min to drink beer and 8 min to refill.

 

you know teflon tape is technically meant for pneumatics right? EVENTUALLY the oil can eat through the tape and you can also get tape in your oil pan. smart thinking, but not a good idea in my eyes.

 

thats only 59 minutes good sir

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA.... That is some funny $hit right there.


As far as the thread goes, yes, there should be a crush washer on the drain plug. Low pressure systems can sometimes get away without, but don't ever try to re-use a crush washer on a brake system.

Teflon tape is for tapered threads (NPT fittings).

 

Oh yeh, and for the tech tip of the day. If you are ever in a pinch, you can anneal a crush washer with a torch and then re-use it. Place it on a brick and heat it up to a glow and let it cool slowly.

 

haha mr. mechanic type over here


you can buy them for like .50 cents

 

I re-use the washer that's there. If you don't over-torque the drain bolt it will last a long, long time. But if it's split I don't fret since I also wrap the threads with Teflon tape to seal things.

But one time the washer broke in half and I didn't have a spare OR teflon tape. I just cut one from the cardboard filter box and it worked just fine, no drips.

I totally don't get anal over it and I have one hell of a lot more than 50 oil changes on a bunch of different vehicles.

 

I got one of these.

 

what Prt# did you use? looks like

$32 F-103 Engine Oil Drain Valve

F-103 is the one for us right?