Dealer left engine oil without the cap-went offroading heavy

I'm on 6 quarts of 0w20 and a cartridge filter. Ain't nobody in my neighborhood that's willing to do it for less than 70 bucks, 100 seems to be the average. I stopped shopping after two changes.

I can get mobil 1 extended for 28/jug, and 13 dollars for a 2-pack of filters. (It would be half of that if I bought non OEM.)

So last weekend I did:
Oil: $34
Oil filter: 7
Intake filter: 15
Cabin filter: 11
Rotation: free

Price difference vs.
Jiffy lube: -$73 ($140ish oil+air filters)
Dealership: -$48 ($115 with coupon)
Firestone: -$48 (also about $115)
DT: also free rotations, but you wait 1-2 hours.


For oil alone it's $41 to crawl under the truck vs $70-100 to get it done.

 

You may very well be right. IIRC the warning light said "low engine oil level". I was a bit freaked at the time and my only thought was to get the engine off so although that is what the manual says it should display, can't confirm. For the oil pressure to be low on level ground, wouldn't the level have to be below the pump intake which would mean a 5 quart or so oil spill in the garage?

 

I wish the vacuum method worked on the v6's but it simply doesnt.

I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE fluids at home.

I'll change leaf springs, wire stereos you name it.

Ask me to change anything but a small fluid repair? F off and die.

Stains on the garage floor or my own stuff pisses me off.

Plus like most, I procrastinate like crazy with my waste fluids.

 

2gr-fks has an oil level sensor. It is inside the lower oil pan

 

I've been lucky that I can be so lazy with disposal. The lab I work in has contracts for hazardous waste removal - I don't think they've clued in that over half of the organic solvents container came from my house. (They pay by the drum, and the drum gets replaced annually whether it's full or not. This year was a transmission change year, so.... it's full. )

I love wrenching of all kinds. The one thing I absolutely hate above all hates is putting something on or taking it off the jackstands. The truck is easy, it only needs lifting when I need to remove or rotate a wheel. The hatchback on the other hand...haaaaaaaaate. Pulling the underbody access panel to get to the plug and filter means that there's a car levitating from just over my head to my belt buckle. There's no central jack point, it's all one corner at a time, which makes rotations extra sketch. Even if I use the ramps instead of stands. Still hate.

 

It was the Boston dealership that left the fill cap off after the oil change.

 

I learned something new.
Thanks

Use 2nd Gen guys only have a pressure sensor.
Once it comes on, it’s too late for the most part.

 

I've never seen any 3.5 FWD or RWD with the sensor. May be an american thing.

We always see the indentation.

Maybe its a freedom sensor?

 

My bad and apologies. Thank you!

 

I guess some do.
The service manual shows one?

I haven’t seen many 3.5 engines to know.
90% of what I know comes from “working on/ or owning” what ever it is.
Unless someone I know owns a 3.5 and needs a hand, I’ll likely never know a lot about one.

 

Yea I checked it. We've had a few apart and havent seen a float yet. It makes you wonder why tacoma which is US and Canada would have no sensor for canada. Unless cold weather makes it trigger off, but you guys have alaska so thats a moot point.

I'll take a pic of a taco 2gr thats getting a headgasket tomorrow

 

Good to know. Thanks for the info. Any idea how much oil is still in the pan when the sensor registers low?

 

Probably the warning level is set relatively to the oil strainer. I'm guessing 1.5-2 qtrs on level surface

 

I wouldn’t be happy about it, but I wouldn’t stress too much either. It’s what the filter is for. The amount of dust that entered should have been minimal. I usually check anything I have done to my truck, but sometimes not. Two oil changes and no symptoms of damage would be enough for me to start to relax. I probably wouldn’t even change dealerships. It’s one of those things that happens. Lesson learned. No obvious harm done, and everything pointing to nothing harmed at all.

 

When I pay someone to do something I expect it to be right.
If I have to 'check' their work then why am I paying them in the first place.

 

Yikes

 

Regarding the concern over the open oil fill. Find the OE specs and test (or have someone qualified test) oil pressure, with an accurate gauge, at hot idle and say 2500 rpm. If the pressures are in the middle or top end of spec, then there has been no damage done to the bearings. That is the only real concern with debris in the pan. The oil filter is going to get most everything that made it in and probably will be collecting bits of dirt for quite a few oil changes to come. I would not be concerned at all for the engine if that test passes. Now, if it doesn't, or you are on the low end of spec, I seriously would just sell the truck. Low oil pressure at hot idle is no bueno.

 

No...the oil change monkey f-ed up. He's the only one at fault.

 

Corolla?!? Jack at center of subframe, and there's a fist sized stud for the jack in the rear. Owner's manual!

 

You have never made a mistake in your life ? These guys are under a lot of pressure to do this work in a hurry on the lowest Mechanic part of the pay scale they make mistakes from time to time.
Again like I stated before If you leave any repair place without looking at the repairs that were made to your vehicle no matter how big or small with your own two eyes before you leave the premises then you are a dumbass.