Rod knocking after pulling trailer up steep hill

Thanks for this!. It helps. This post really spooked me, main reason was references to the "bulk-oil-change" references here and there. Like I said I can't imagine a multi-million dollar Toyota franchise or established bulk-oil supplier risking everything by using sub-standard "bulk"oil in a $75,000+ Tundra, Lexus, Supra etc still under warranty to save $2.00 per oil change. I see the bulk oil tankers in my area delivering all of the time, and the names on them are well known/historic and -very- highly regarded local companies that have been around for years and years. I'm still going to mark my (OEM) oil filter though. Just saying....

 

Or have it done in a shop you have a personal relationship with and 100% confidence in. I have one of those just down the block, though I usually do my own oil anyway. Also, not all oils are created equal. Put the best synthetic you can get in your engine; its pennies on the dollar of your annual fuel cost.

 

I don’t change my own oil anymore.
I can still get it done for less than $50
It cost me about $37 to do it myself.
I’ll gladly pay someone $13 to change my oil.

I mean, last time I did my oil. I managed to drain the oil into the driveway and not the drain pan.
I forgot to take the plug out of the drain pan. WTF…..


Yeap, $13 is cheap compared to a driveway full of oil.
Plus, I don’t have to take off the old oil and filter if I let someone else do it.

Moral of the story, “Just because some people suck, doesn’t mean they all suck”.
I still have faith in other people.

This little guy right here caused me a massive headache.
If you own one, throw that plug away as soon as you buy it.

 

I didn't throw the plug away: I just forgot to screw it in tight enough. Left a trail of oil on the driveway that persisted for about three years. Thank goodness I had a pickup bed to throw the whole mess into. The Spouse wasn't happy: spoiler alert: The: "It's just free Driveway Sealer honey " sales pitch won't fly: don't even try it.

 

I can't remember on which thread. But if your vacuum pump engine (Sr, sport or limited that doesn't have the electronic booster) there's a member selling an engine because he was non vacuum pump for under 2k. Maybe someone here can help hook things up. He was mid west I think.

 

Correalation and causation. Possible that some oils may varnish and color a bit while still lubricating fine? No idea, just asking the question.

 

main bearing is bad, look at the pictures, also everything else we found. Again, wish you were here to lay hands on it.

 

That bearing pictured doesn’t look damaged and main bearing failures don’t normally cause a knock. Failed rod bearings are the noise makers. I suspect your issue is in that scored cylinder, likely resulting in piston slap and your “knock”. You could pull heads and then that piston to see, but ultimately it looks like you at a minimum need a short block and a lot of cleaning. Long block or a low mile engine might be the better choice if you can source one.

 

Once spring rolls around (temp is currently -13C) I am going to pull a plug and have a look see. Same for inside the valve cover if i can. The oil filler spout is in front to the vvti sprocket so not sure if i can find access to the valve train. Picked up a cheap dual lens (straight and side view) inspection scope and am itching to get some pics.

Seems a like a good scope for $50 CDN and works with android/ios phones so you can take pictures easily. Cable is stiff enough that it it should be easy to snake/poke thru
One lens is straight ahead, the other on the side. comes with hook and magnet attachments to help you retrieve small things

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CF2BCY18?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

Are you still going to talk to the dealer? I doubt you'll get anywhere, but sure as hell is worth a shot. From the sounds of some of your previous posts, you do a decent amount of business with them. That has to be worth something in a person to person conversation

 

we all make mistakes but the best of us usually dont repeat them. The price is irrelevant compared to knowing the task was performed in a competent manner. (granted you have to be able to perform the task in a competent manner) I got my free oil changes from toyota and see the people who work there. I had to return because they placed the rubber O ring in the wrong slot.

Sidenote: given your username should you be handling firearms?

 

Don't think anyone but me has done the oil change on any of my vehicles in the last 40 years. I wait till pennzoil ultra platinum 5w30 goes on sale (40-50% off) and buy two bottles.
Run engine for a couple of minutes until temp gauge registers (want oil warm but no so hot it would burn me on the way out).
Run it up on ramps so drain plugs is now lowest point, pull drain plugs and go inside and have a fresh cup of coffee (maybe 30 minutes).
Back outside at which point all the oil is drained and its not even dripping anymore. Reinstall drain plug with new gasket. Undo filter and place small cup under the built in drain to catch any oil. Install new filter by hand and tighten only by hand 3/4 turn
Add the entire contents of the 5L jug of pennzoil, start it up, roll down ramps and its done.
I do go out 30 minutes or so later and pull dipstick and confirm.

Total actual time spent (excluding coffee breaks) is maybe 10-15 minutes and i know everything is done right.

Now if i went to dealer (i would never take any of my cars to the quicke oil change places) I would have to spend al least 2 hrs (30 minutes drive X2) plus time waiting for them to get in in and serviced).

So i can get it done faster , better and cheaper than the dealer . Being retired I put on less that even the severe OCI so i change it once a year now. But even if it was more often I would still do it at home.


On the OMG can they be that stupid side....

Took Tacoma in for first service (still under warranty but still did my own oil change(s) at 500 miles and 5000 so told then not to) .
I have the weathertech floor mats..

They told me they had to take them out to work on the truck since they were "UNSAFE" . After i stopped laughing I told them they had to be kidding but they did it anyway.

Next time i went in for service i asked if they were going to take out my floor mats. The service manager said no, we sell them now...

 

If you saw how much oil is left in the pan that can't come out, no one would bother with warming up an engine.

 

IMHO i do it so that the oil drains off the cold internals more completely , drains more quickly and stirs up and carries with it any materiel that may have settle in the pan.

 

That dog don't hunt.

The oil was hot from the night before already flowed/ dripped off the internals. It's already in the pan along with the contaminants.

It's a lot easier doing an oil change on a cool engine not having to worry about burning yourself.

 

That's why i wait till the temp gauge only starts to move. Oils is just warm and not scalding. And since i drive it up on ramps i want that cold oil on the internals to flow down easier. I agree that overnight the oil would have drained down but I have just started it cold again. But hot or cold any oil change is better than none.

 

I don't think there would be a significant difference in the quality of the oil change itself whether you warm it up first or not, but agree that the rationale doesn't make much sense since it was warm when the oil drained into the pan in the first place. Not sure I understand the ramp thing unless it is to get the vehicle level. I use ramps on our slanted driveway when I do the Corolla and the RAV4 both so I can fit under it and get the vehicle level, since that is likely how it was designed to optimally drain. But again, not sure it would make a significant difference.

Back on topic: OP, any pics of the pistons and rings (did I miss that)? Any other rough-looking cylinders?

And not to speak for the OP, but I doubt he expects much from the dealer with that many miles, mainly to let them know that he believes he had an oil-related failure and that they should review their process. Unless the OP has a huge fleet of vehicles constantly moving through the dealer for maintenance, there's no financial incentive for them to do much other than give him a couple of free oil changes to keep his business.

 

Oil flows easier when hot and contaminates dissolve into the oil more readily. So when you drain hot oil, you are more likely to get more oil quicker and get more of the contamination with it.
You will not get all of the oil even over night. And it is more important to get the contamination versus the oil. So I change mine hot.

Oil drain temperature was also a question on my red seal exam. The correct answer was drain the oil hot.

 

Everyone is missing my point. Because I pull it up on ramps (since drain plugs is at back of the pan and its easier to crawl under)...

The oil is now stone cold if i just pull it up on ramps and shut it off. The oil that did drain down to the pan isn't in the pan any longer. Its cold and everywhere. So i warm it up to allow/repeat the process that would happen during a normal cool down. And being up on ramps I can have a good look around at cv boots etc

 

I hear what you’re saying.

I use ramps as well however, I drain the oil with the oil hot. As in after the inches has been running 15 to 20 minutes hot.

With the proper tools you won’t get a drop on you. So the temperature of the oil is irrelevant. Hot oils flows better and allows more contaminants to flow out with the oil.

It’s how I was taught to do it, it’s how I still do it. 40+ years after buying my 1st car.