Engine seized 1,000 miles after oil change

She has the 2tr it’s a screw on filter not the cartridge ones the 3rd gen has

 

I did. Mechanic says we didn't throw a rod, but he thinks the ball bearings melted to a shaft? (I know nothing about trucks) and then cooled and I guess shattered -- that's the noise we heard in the engine.

 

Dumb question that I don't see answered yet, what does the dipstick read now?

 

?

I will ask the mechanic to check if the oil plug was tightened properly. But he said there was zero evidence the oil leaked out -- it would have made some mess on the undercarriage, especially going 80 mph -- don't you think?

 

no one is going to put a brand new drain plug out of the goodness of their heart, do you have a pic of it?

 

Not necessarily, do you have a skid plate that covers the oil pan and drain plug?
If you were on a 5 day trip it could have been dripping out when you were parked and you would have not noticed

 

I will ask that. They filled it on Aug 22, but it's been sitting at the auto shop for a few days waiting for the new motor, so maybe there's more evidence of oil leakage. Good idea.

 

most likely thing is that the guy at the oil place THOUGHT oil was coming out and going back into the engine, but maybe it didnt.

which begs the questions about things like what about the dipstick, this that and the other. you could have various internals of the engine looked at to see if they also are dry. if so.. then a leak OR oil never actually went back in, the latter of which is my guess.

 

My thought. Oil was on the dipstick from before it was drained. Barrel was empty. Tech checked the dipstick and said it looked full, like it probably was before. Tech put the dipstick back in and you drove off. Engine made it a good while!

 

Occum's Razor. It sure as shit didn't just vanish. lol

 

That’s a good point, some of those jiffy lube places actually drain the oil from the pain (they have a guy underneath in the bay) other jiffy lube places never touch your drain plug and suck it out with a machine from the oil fill hole

 

Sanity check: If they didn't put any oil in it, the engine wouldn't have lasted 100 miles..... Never mind 1,000.
And pretty sure the oil pressure light would have come on just prior or would have been on from the outset. Maybe not in time to shut down and save it, but it would have come on.

Catastrophic failure of unknown cause(s).

 

Interesting. I will ask my mechanic to check that.

I do.

 

Both of my trusted mechanics say it could have gone 1,000 miles without oil, because "Toyota makes a good product."

 

The video shows the tech cleaning the dipstick after the first check, but it's possible. I'll watch again.

 

That plug looks brand new someone just replaced it, also as great as the 2trfe is it will not make it 1k miles with no oil probably a 100 miles with no oil but not 1k. I would honestly be very suspecting of your mechanics for saying that

on YouTube there’s a video or two of pranks where they completely drain the oil on a Toyota Camry to prank their mechanic and they drive it a few miles in Chicago with zero oil to his shop it makes it but there’s already signs of trouble while the guy is driving it (smoking etc)

Let’s say god himself made your engine and it did last 1k miles with no oil doesn’t explain the lack of the oil light or the cel light unless your ecu is fried

 

I think the plug is new, too. Looks like they wiped around it, too, doesn't it? Just can't figure out who installed it or when.

Not sure what an 'ecu' is, but the oil light did come on when the engine seized. Just not before. No smoke. No noise from the engine until right before it died.

Both mechanics are confident the truck could have gone 1,000 miles without oil. And they didn't talk to each other first, and have no reason to lie to me.

 

First: truly sorry to hear this happened. I'll agree to disagree. Maybe the engine will give more than 100 miles... but not 200/500 1000 IMO, (and not because Toyota made it). Connecting rod bearings and cam bearings need a cushion of constant oil lubrication under pressure. They might run awhile without oil, but if you shut it down or it fails on it's own: it's done.

 

Absolutely not
Frankly, if they say that I question their mechanic ability and they may be missing the actual problem.

 

Appreciate your input. What happened to the oil then? No smoke, no evidence of a leak.