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I attached PDF copy of the official Lexus notice regarding this issue.
Try calling Lexus corporate with your claim/complaint and you may get farther than with the dealer as all warranties are long expired.
I have doubts that they will reimburse you, but you never know...How much are we talking about? I guess it is under $500.
At the lexus drivers site below you can join, enter the VIN and hopefully find the date the vehicle was entered into service. This is important as explained below.
https://www.lexus.com/drivers
The oil cooler coverage is apparently as follows:
Fortunately for all owners, Toyota and Lexus will repair any abnormal seep or leak from the oil cooler lines until January 31st, 2016 with no limit on mileage – a great deal for high-mileage owners. After January 31st 2016, Toyota and Lexus will repair the failure up to 150,000 miles for the next 10 years from the date of first use (AKA the date the vehicle was first delivered to its first owner), whichever comes first.
See this too: http://carspecmn.com/toyota-sienna-h...oler-leakseep/
I just replaced oil cooler lines to the upgraded metal lines yesterday. Though some posts have referenced the Toyotanation.com DIY, I just wanted to condense them here for what was minimally necessary from my experience.
3/8 ratchet
3/8 6" extension wobble
3/8 universal joint
12mm deep socket
1/4 ratchet
1/4 2" or 4" extension
E8 socket
10mm socket
flat head screwdriver
needle nose pliers
anti-seize
brake cleaner spray
paper towels
Jack the front end up and place car on jack stands. I prefer under the frame rails and not the front pinch welds.
Remove front under body plastic panel with 10mm socket for bolts and use flat head screwdriver to assist removing plastic push rivets. Set aside hardware for re-installation.
* original pic courtesy of another CL member..edited for notes.
Unplug front o2 sensor located on bracket left of front catalytic converter on top of crossmember. Press out attached o2 sensor connector from bracket and unbolt the o2 sensor bracket with a 10mm socket. Tuck both the connectors aside for more work space.
loosen the nuts from the drivers side oil cooler line with the 3/8 ratchet, extension wobble and unversal joint and 12mm deep socket. Depending on how the rubber hoses are clamped, you may need to use the needle nose pliers to squeeze the clamp and rotate the clamp to seat and fit the 12mm deep socket on the nut closest to the oil pan. (I found the nut marked by a star in the picture was best reached by behind the crossmember)
Put a oil catch container under the car to catch oil. Loosen the nuts on the passenger side oil cooler line flange.
Now that all the nuts are loose, back out the nuts on the drivers side flange and tug the flange to break the seal and catch oil. Repeat on passenger side. *Note due to corrosion on the studs, the nuts may back out the studs completely. You can use either the 12mm deep socket or continue backing out the studs with the 1/4" ratchet and e8 socket.
remove the old rubber hose oil cooler line assembly.
remove the 2 studs on passenger side mount. Clean mount surfaces on both drivers/passenger side mounts with brake cleaner and a paper towel.
Clean and Re-install drivers side studs if they have backed out at this time. Bottom out the studs but do not over tighten with the e8 stocket. (I used a bench vice to clamp the stuck on nuts and used the e8 socket to break the corrosion bond. Spray with penetrant oil..ie liquid wrench, 50/50 acetone & atf, etc.. if necessary. Use anti-sieze on the studs once bond has been broken and tighten and loosen the nut on the stud till resistance is minimal.)
Time to install the new metal oil cooler line.
Note the raised crush rings on the factory gaskets. The raised side should be placed against the new cooler line flanges. The flat side against the block. Place the drivers side gasket on the studs, line up and place the new cooler line flange over the studs and loosely thread on the nuts to secure the cooler line from dropping.
Carefully slide the passenger side gasket between the flange and engine block . Thread the two remaining studs on the passenger side through the oil cooler line flange and gasket. Thread on remaining nuts and bolt and snug up. Snug up nuts on driver side flange.
Tighten all nuts and bolts on both flanges evenly for final torque to seal. Spec is reported to be 15 ft/lbs but it is impossible to get a torque wrench in the space and torque cannot be measured accurately with a universal joint in place.
Preferably start the car and inspect the flanges for oil leaks. The oil pressure will be enough to spot any leaks if the flanges have not been torqued enough. Shut the engine IMMEDIATELY if any leaks are noticed. The oil will come out very fast if noticeable. Top off the engine with approximately 1/2 quart that has been lost from the removal of the original oil cooler pipe.
If no leaks are observed, clean off any surfaces that may have dripped oil with brake cleaner.
Reinstall o2 sensor plug bracket, and reconect sensor. Re-install lower body panel.
The finished install should look much like this install on a Toyota Sienna but the a/c component located higher.
So unfortunately while I was in desperate need to replace these lines in a parking lot. Like a dummy I stripped out the mount on the lower passenger side. The aluminum actually broke where the stud is threaded. Is this part of the engine block and have I destroyed my engine? Please help
You need to tow it to a shop that can cut new threads in the hole so you can bolt that oil line on properly. Most experienced repair shops can handle this type of repair. It will slightly change the bolt or stud size and they may drill out the hole on the oil cooler piece to accomodate it. This is not something you should try to do in a parking lot. You need the correct tools and experience to do it properly. It mostly depends how badly the threads are damaged.
You need to tow it to a shop that can cut new threads in the hole so you can bolt that oil line on properly. Most experienced repair shops can handle this type of repair. It will slightly change the bolt or stud size and they may drill out the hole on the oil cooler piece to accomodate it. This is not something you should try to do in a parking lot. You need the correct tools and experience to do it properly. It mostly depends how badly the threads are damaged.
The actual threaded part on the upper oil pan literally broke. After a little research I think I'm going to have to have the upper oil pan replaced. A very costly mistake I made. I am mechanically inclined but I do believe I will need to take it to a shop to have this done. Thank you for the reply.
Good Luck and let us know the outcome and cost.
After posting that I thought of a cheap and quick way to fix it that would probably work but is best done a car you are about to trade in somewhere.
It was to clean out the hole and shove some JB Weld 5 minute steel epoxy putty in the hole and then sticking the stud or bolt in before it hardens.
I attached PDF copy of the official Lexus notice regarding this issue.
Try calling Lexus corporate with your claim/complaint and you may get farther than with the dealer as all warranties are long expired.
I have doubts that they will reimburse you, but you never know...How much are we talking about? I guess it is under $500.
At the lexus drivers site below you can join, enter the VIN and hopefully find the date the vehicle was entered into service. This is important as explained below.
https://www.lexus.com/drivers
The oil cooler coverage is apparently as follows:
Fortunately for all owners, Toyota and Lexus will repair any abnormal seep or leak from the oil cooler lines until January 31st, 2016 with no limit on mileage – a great deal for high-mileage owners. After January 31st 2016, Toyota and Lexus will repair the failure up to 150,000 miles for the next 10 years from the date of first use (AKA the date the vehicle was first delivered to its first owner), whichever comes first.
See this too: http://carspecmn.com/toyota-sienna-h...oler-leakseep/
Thanks for the Upgrade notice and the Carspec contact.
Had a consultation with Mr. Carspec manager. His perspective as an unbiased authority was well worth the call.
Of course, their opinion was the dealer had no obligation to inform me of the upgrade program or the potential failure
of the Oil Coller Line. So, I should not expect to be reimbursed.
I started with Toyota in a Corolla, and Corona, Cressida (I still regret giving up on it) 3 Camrys, 90, 2000, & now 2009.
The move up to the RX 350 was on the continuum. But the first from a New Car Dealership.
Oil cooler pipe studs, nuts and bolts part numbers?
Does anyone have the part numbers for oil cooler pipe studs, nuts and bolts?
Mine are so badly corroded, I can't get the nuts off the studs and can't get them tight enough by just tightening the stud.
Have you tried soaking them with PB Blaster several times over several days?
You should be able to find it at this or another online OEM Lexus parts source, or a Toyota parts source as it is the same on the Highlander with the 2GR-FE engine. https://www.lexuspartsnow.com/
Well I was down to tightening the last stud / nut on the passenger side of the oil cooler line and I over tightened. Yep, bam, the threaded casting broke apart. Ugh. I was so close. Is this just the upper oil pan that needs to be replaced? Any help is appreciated.
Can it be repaired? By your post it seems it cant be repaired. So the adjacent piece has to be installed. Check with Lexus parts and get the part number and or name. Salvage yard is your cheapest option.
Little late, but I never undertake any work without a torque wrench.
Can it be repaired? By your post it seems it cant be repaired. So the adjacent piece has to be installed. Check with Lexus parts and get the part number and or name. Salvage yard is your cheapest option.
Little late, but I never undertake any work without a torque wrench.
Salim
Yeah, it was a rookie mistake for sure. The passenger side machined surface that has the threaded holes where the studs screw into is the part that broke. The inboard stud hole on the passenger side broke in half. I can’t imagine it being repairable, as it looks like it’s a cast piece.
I stopped for today, and will probably pass it to a shop. It’s tough to do with the car on ramps. I’m just trying to figure out if the part with the machined surfaced on the passenger side that the oil cooler lines attach to is part of the upper oil pan. I’ve been looking at parts on line, and can’t get a good diagram view.
Don't feel bad as pros also make mistakes. I am by no means a pro but I have had many instances of collateral damage.
Can you point to a picture in the current thread or just doctor one up.
Toyota/Lexus typically have the oil pan bolted on to cast aluminum piece. That piece is further connected to a roughly 3" tall casting extension which is then bolted on to the block.
Is removing the studs necessary for the installation? I can't chance any downtime since my RX is my daily driver and don't want to accidentally break one of the studs since I live in the rust belt. I haven't checked to see the status of the studs, but I'd assume they're corroded since the RX has been in the northeast for its entire life; I'll spray it down with some PB blaster when I get the chance, but having the drill out and rethread would be the end of me.
I also just saw this video on YouTube posted two weeks ago for those who follow instructions better in video format. Skip to 2:42; the poster was rethreading two bolts he broke off of the plastic cover.
You need to remove the studs to remove and replace the oil lines. It will not come off or go back on without removing them.
As said before, spray them several times over several days to a week with PB Blaster which is available at any auto parts store. It will help loosen up any rust.
If that afraid of damaging things then take it to a professional. It is not a time consuming job and I think an independent shop would charge only and hour or 2 of labor to replace it. I would still do the PB Blaster treatment before giving it to them.
I watched that video and it is a lot easier to get at the bolts and studs if you move that wire out of the way by getting it out of the anchor connector and pushing it down.
10-31-22, 06:07 AM
