$200 (and counting) oil change… vent/rant

So I had this bright idea to change the oil in our ‘18 Sienna because I like knowing what type of oil goes in and not out of a 55 gallon drum.

First issue.. you gotta have a special tool to get the filter cap off. Shoulda known. I don’t have time to finish the job, so it’ll have to wait till tomorrow morning. Go to town, buy the tool.

Go to the barn this morning, and apparently in my frenzy I left the oil filter on the floor. The dogs ate the filter.

Back to town. New filter.

Finally.. get the oil changed. Start the van. Oil comes shooting out of the filter housing. Of course. Try to remove the filter cap.. it’s seized on there. I lubed the o-rings, torqued to proper specs.. everything by the book. Then I continue to break the filter socket I just bought.

Back to town. 6 qts oil, filter, new plug washer, new filter tool, and just in case… a new filter housing cap (luckily it’s cast metal. I assume that’s better than plastic).

Now the stock one is made of plastic, so of course I rip it to complete shreds.

Nothing will get this cap off. I tried heating up the filter housing.. vise grips.. piece of paper in the filter socket to add grip… everything.

I finally wave the white flag and call a shop to come tow it in. So here we are.. van-less and over $200 into an oil change.

We bought the van 3 months ago, went on vacation last week and hit a deer (repairs are scheduled for next week). Is it time to trade this thing in?!?!

 

DAMN, Sorry buddy

 

Wow.

I came in here to rail on someone because I thought they blindly said yes to whatever the Kwik Lube tech just sold him on.

But this story is a ride. Hate those days when I get a case of the "cant-get-right". Hope it goes better.

 

Coulda just used a 3/8s extension but yeah, that sucks.

 

I had to make sure it wasn’t me that posted this.
Sounds like you have the same luck I do.
It’s always the “simple” jobs that go wrong. So wrong that no one would believe me if I told them.

I “borrowed” my mother’s drive way to change my oil.
I left the plug in the oil drain pan and oil drained all in the driveway.
Then, in the hast of “getting it done” I unscrewed the oil filter and it drain down in to my skid plate.

I don’t care to admit it, I haven’t changed my own oil on MY truck since.
(Flame on, it doesn’t bother me)

 

Happens. I always watch a few videos on how to do something before actually doing. I spent like 30 mins looking at different videos of guys changing the batteries on their BMW motorcycles just so I would screw anything up lol

 

apparently the thermal cycling of the engine jacks up the filter and tightens it more. I tightened to the Toyota TQ spec ONCE, I couldn't believe it kept going. After that I did it up "to my liking", same with the drain plug. I get it, but DAMN.

After that- haven't had much issues. Obviously they're still tight but not like that.

 

You talking to get the filter cap off? Because at least on mine, you take a smaller cap off first with a 3/8” extension to drain the oil from the housing, then you use the special tool to get the actual filter out.

Damn.. that one hurts. Yeah this may very well be the last time I change my own oil. Problem is.. I also bought oil to change in my Tacoma too.. do I even attempt it???

Yeah I kinda felt the same way as I was torquing it.. it took a little longer to torque than I expected for 18ft lbs.

Definitely only going wrench-tight if I ever change it out myself again.


I probably could have gotten a little more aggressive with a pair of vise grips or something, but I figured as well as my luck was going I would tear up the threads or crack the oil case or something ridiculous.