2ng gen 2.7 oil/filter change questions

First off I wanted to say hello as this is my first post. I own a 2012 2.7 Tacoma. In the past I've never done any maintenance on my car. But I've gown sick of my local dealerships B.S. and have decided to do my 30k service myself. Other than doing basic maintenance on my motorcycle I'm not very mechanical so I'm pretty much learning as I go.

I'm using this thread to walk me though the steps.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/4-cylinder/37648-complete-30k-maintenance.html#post612865

So far I've replaced the cabin air filter, and the engine air filter. Today I cleaned the butterfly valve. Didn't seem real dirty. The toyota did cough a bit on start up. After checking the everything was connected correctly I assumed I make have been excessive with the intake cleaner and it was just clearing that out...hopefully that's normal..It's running fine now. No coughing.

Now I'm onto the oil and filter change. It took me ages to fine the oil filter. I thought it was on the driver side. Finally saw a thread where it mentioned it was on the passenger side.

Couple questions.

1. Is the filter accessed from underneath the truck or via the engine bay. I had a hell of a time reaching it from underneath.

2. Does the oil drain crush washer need to come from toyota or can that come from a local parts store?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

1. I access it from up under the truck. I usually put my truck on ramps to change the oil. It makes it a lot easier.

2. I use filters and crush washers from Toyota. From my experience crush washers from the parts stores take a lot of torque to crush them. Quite a bit more torque than what the service manual recommends. Toyota washers seal up nice at 28 ft/lbs just like what the manual says.

 

I agree....I good set of Rhino ramps will make getting under the truck so much easier and the oil filter will be very accessible. I usually put a zip lock bag around the filter as I am loosening it to catch most of the oil drip and the rest goes down my left arm.

Another suggestion is to swap out the oil drain plug for a Fumoto valve. You only do this once and to drain the oil subsequently, all you need to do is flip a valve and let er drain. Very easy and not messy.

 

well when I had my reg cab hit 5k miles I was gonna do my own oil change. the oil filter was STUCK. I bought a strap oil filer wrench and it didn't even budge the filter. traded it in before I had my first oil change apt. when my access cab is due for an oil change I will be sure to make the tech only hand tight and then half a turn the oil filter so when I change it myself it isn't a headache

 

Will running the truck up on ramps allow all the oil to drain out? Do I just drive it up from the front? Should I chock the rear wheels?

 

K&N makes an oil filter with a nut welded onto the end, it makes it way easier to get the filter off. The P/N for the Tacoma is

$16 HP-1002 K&N Premium Oil Filter: Protects your Engine: Compatible with Select FORD/LINCOLN/TOYOTA/VOLKSWAGEN Vehicle Models (See Product Description for Full List of Compatible Vehicles), HP-1002

HP-1002.

They were awesome on my old CBR, I could never get the leverage I needed with my hand since the oil filter was behind the headers. With the K&N, I could just stick the ratchet with extension through the headers and loosen it that way.

 

I just remember on my 94 R22RE 2.4 motor, I could just reach in around the AC compressor, loosen by hand and snake the old filter out is seconds...

On the other hand, I must own 10 different oil filter wrenches, and two different sized oil filter PLIERS.

Stock filters are often put on way too tight on initial installation

Howard

 

1. Yes, the oil plug is at the back of the pan so if anything it'll help.

2. Yes just drive the front up on the ramps. Be careful though and don't overrun them.

3. Not absolutely necessary but not a bad idea for safety reasons. I have been guilty of just setting the parking brake, but chocks are safer.

 

Yeah I was going to do an early oil change on my 2.7 to get the break-in debris out at about 2,500 miles. Dumped the oil and then figured out the same thing: The filter was insanely tight, as in no clearance at all between the metal lip of the filter and the base where it screws onto the engine. The strap wrenches I have wouldn't work either because the position you're working in doesn't let you put real good force on it. So I filled it up with Mobil 1 and figured oh well at least it got 5 quarts of fresh oil into it.

Then when the dealer did it at 5k they showed me a wrench they use to get the factory ones off. I've had all kinds of different vehicles and never have seen one that tight.

Really, you guys change those washers on the drain plug every time? Good to know.

 

I use autopartstore 1/2" drain plug gaskets and haven't had any problems. I'll prob check out oem next oil change. Did you also do all the gear oil? I found changing the diffs and transfer case easier then regular oil changes. I replace every washer when doing changes.

 

Tips like these are why TW is tits!
Anyone else have experiences/recommendations/criticisms with these valves?
I don't off-road per say, just occasional rough forest roads and fields, so I presume it's a safe attachment, especially the model without the nipple (we're back to tits again).

 

Personally I don't see the valve being all that great. It's really not that hard to pull the oil pan bolt. I'm sure lot's of people love em but it's not for me.

 

I've had mine for about 2 years now. Works great. I've never had a problem with it. Plus cleanup is a breeze. No more hot oil all over my hand and arm.

Do not fear innovation.

 

Ha ha! For me, it just doesnt make sense when the filter is so difficult to get to and messy.

 

Haha. I'm a kiss kinda guy myself. A hole, washer and nut just seem so much easier. I would be a little nervous when offroading with that valve. But like I said I'm sure they work great. Thanks to this thread I went out and got a torque wrench .

 

I've got a quart of rotella 5/40 left from my motorcycles last oil change. Would it be a big deal if I topped off the taco with that to make the 6.1 qt change? The rest would be the normal 5/20

 

I would stick with 0/20 syn or 5/30 conv oil; something about oil flow through the vvt screens is something I've "heard" about but I could be wrong and I'm sure I'll hear about it.

 

it wont be 6.1 quarts with a filter change.i put 5.5 in my 2.7 prerunner and that shows right on the full line.its a matter of great debate on here.

 

do not mix oils, and 6.1 is an incorrect number discussed to death all through the forums