Tips for changing oil pan gasket 2010 Tacoma v6

Hi TW, well, under the truck today just checking things out, and looks like latest project will be changing oil pan gasket......217K

Some usual questions from a first timer....
DIY or take it to shop?
worth doing to save $?
How can you mess it up?
Use Toyota brand sealer or something better....
Thanks in advance.

 

Extremely easy to do

 

It depends if it’s the upper or lower pan.
The lower shouldn’t be too bad.
I’d recommend Toyota FIPG for the seal.

 

I’ve heard of some guys who will only do it with the engine removed and upside down. Pretty extreme. I drain then remove the old pan, scrape the old stuff off the engine, let it drip overnight. There’ll be drips hanging on the innards low points. Wipe those off, clean the gasket surface off really good with carb or brake cleaner and clean rags. I have some bolts, same diameter and pitch as the oil pan bolts but about 8” long with the heads cut off. Also 4 about 4” long. Put a thin layer of goo on both surfaces, screw in the headless bolts somewhere in the middle on both sides. Raise the pan in place using the headless bolts as a guide, now the other 4 bolts go in so the pan is close but not touching. Now you can guide the pan perfectly straight up and get the bolts in. Get them all snug, remove the guide bolts of course. I’m sure Toyota has a torque value, I use my impact driver on its lowest setting which makes them barely tighter than finger tight. Allow time to cure, don’t shortcut this step, I leave it overnight. Next day I tighten the bolts one click tighter with the impact, fill oil. Sure it’s a 3 day process but I’ve never had one leak.

Generally, if it’s a stamped steel pan I get a new one, they deform very easily and won’t go on flat. I have a Milwaukee impact driver, it’s not an impact wrench. It has 9 impact settings, 1 barely tighter than finger tight, 9 almost tight enough for lug nuts. If you’re anal about torque, it would probably need an inch pound torque wrench.

 

Is the engine oil pan the preferred way to go? Mine is leaking slightly and I want to fix it. I will replace the whole pan and gasket if need be.

Thanks.

 

It’s the BEST way to go.

 

First I like to make sure nothing above is leaking. What can happen is a tiny stream of oil will flow down to the oil pan gasket and appear as a leak there.

 

OK.. Thanks..I have to double check that.