qmanman

Can you please share what the torque is for a drain bolt? I've been doing oil changes for 45 years and have always just snugged it up by hand.

tolian21

29-30 lb/ft. You can do it by hand if you have a good feel for it, I trust more measurement devices than my hands.

tolian21

if you have good relationship with a dealer and have been exclusively going to them for everything, there is a chance they take care of it for free. Or they might say that its got bad due to its age, and good luck arguing with them if its true or not.
not everyone wants to DIY their oil, I get it. But if you can and willing, nobody else will do as good of a job as yourself. Its like that with many things in life.

chuyrobles

Yes, that particular drain bolt is designed with an o-ring there. See Smart-O drain plug (your brand may be different). It is not OEM, but it is a legit set up. I suspect whoever put that in is also responsible for cross-threading the threads.

qmanman

Well I'll be

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

Wow learned something new, interesting product.

Wilson2000

This "Smart-O" drain plug seems pretty dumb to me. It's a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. Is the presumption that users no longer need a drain plug gasket while using this product? I'll gladly replace a cheap gasket in exchange for not having to worry about the Smart-O f-ing up the threads in my oil pan. With a grove cut in the drain bolt threads to fit the o-ring, it gives the user two chances to cross-thread the bolt each time it's reinstalled!

It's like so much aftermarket innovative junk...if it was a good idea, it would have already been adopted by the auto manufacturers.

LeX2K

Will that O-ring style even work properly with the oil pan? The threads/bore of the drain is not that deep. I agree a solution to a problem that doesn't exist you can get a pack of 25 plug gaskets for $10.

chuyrobles

Yes, according to the literature, the o-ring expands upon exposure to engine oil.

Personally, I've been using the light blue nylon gaskets for the past 35 years. See Dorman 097-116 for M12 size. They last 3-4 oil changes; I replace at 2 years or 30K, whichever comes first.

tolian21

I’ve bought 20 toyota OEM drain washer gaskets 6-7 years ago that I am still using and have not had any issues, granted that I also use torque wrench.
There is really no need to use non OEM
drain plugs.

E46CT

hahaha if you only knew the dealer tech industry. it's also filled w/ little kids banging up your car, scratching your car, slamming your doors etc, not installing things correctly, not paying attention etc.

Always DIY if you can.

qmanman

I have a package of washers too but they're not OEM. Got a package of 20 off Amazon for $8.

Wilson2000

Agreed! My little brother got his first job at a Toyota dealer and worked his way up from lot-boy to the lube rack. He happens to be really good, but he was constantly harassed by his boss to take short cuts and even blatantly rip-off the customers! The horror stories are real!

tronimrich

I've mentioned it in here before but i'll say my piece again

It's not that techs at dealers DON'T **** up, but that they literally hold guarantees for their work. If you cna properly document your vehicle's maintenance history to point back to them as being the problem, you have recourse, whereas independent shops or yourself making mistakes leaves you out of luck

Wilson2000

The problem is that nine times out of ten, one cannot "point back to them being the problem" or be able to prove this in a court of law. And, why put yourself through the stress of dealing with the tangled web of the justice system? Dealers know what they can, and can not, get away with and act accordingly.

DIY is stressful too, not for the feint of heart, and not for those without skills, tools and experience. But, these things can be acquired. Those interested in learning can use sites likes this and YouTube to get up to speed.