First Tundra DIY oil change, lessons learned

lol that makes sense. I use the motiv tools works great along with fumoto valve

 

Anyone know what the bolt next to the oil filter is? It looks like it’s leaking….

 

I second all this. And I use a 5 gallon bucket. Way easier and cleaner. In my option

 

Just noticed this on mine also..

 

Renewing an old post but I promised photos of my oil change setup. I changed the oil/filter yesterday (2/26) and here are photos before I slid underneath:

1) I set up a table with everything I need for the oil/filter change (new oil, filter, tools for the job, once used paper towels, etc.)



2) I put the paper towels (I dry my hands in the kitchen after washing and save the towels for just this type of use) and tools in separate shallow cardboard boxes (actually from cases of beer). Easy to slide around in positions for use.



3) Large piece of cardboard is used to rest skid plate on after removal and slide it back under the transmission out of the way. Five gallon yellow bucket slides under pan drain plug on a small piece of cardboard and captures all of the oil being drained without spilling a drop.



After pan is drained and drain plug replaced, I move everything over under the oil filter and drain it and remove housing. I then slide out and bring the oil filter housing to the table and replace the filter and O-ring after draining the last bit of oil out of the housing.

Then I'm back underneath to re-install the filter housing. I'm done underneath until I re-mount the skid plate after filling with new oil, starting and checking for leaks (there never is any).

So, that's it.

Dan

 

So I posted on this thread about ramps. Harbor freight has a pair of ramps that have a 6500 lbs. weight rating. I would think that this should be strong enough for just the front end of the tundra. Anyone out there disagree with me on that?

 

Those are the same ones that I use; they work fine

 

Good to know. I felt like they would be since the GVW is 7200 lbs. I believe, but also since I’m under it it’s nice to have some confirmation. Thanks for the info.

 

And BTW the idea of the trap door for the oil filter is huge. Next oil change I’ll be cutting a mud hole in my skid plate and attaching a trap door to it, to never remove it for an oil change again.

 

After doing our first DIY oil change nine months ago (~5,000 miles), my two sons and I got to work on Saturday to change the oil on my Tundra and a 2010 Lexus RX350. -- I reviewed the site here to refresh my memory on the steps needed, really appreciated the posts by @Bergmen with tool sizes and step-by-step for getting under the truck, back up to the table, etc.

Things went generally well, but on both the Tundra and the Lexus, the entire filter housing came unscrewed when I was trying to loosen the filter housing plug. (To take out the housing plug, I was using a 3/8" socket with a 4" extender, but the entire housing unit started to untwist. As a result, I unscrewed the housing unit, had all that oil draining messily into a bucket [didn't get on the floor, but was all over my hand and the housing unit].) After taking off the filter housing unit, I couldn't get the filter housing plug off to replace the O-ring. I just replaced the larger O-ring on the housing unit, replaced the filter, and reinstalled the housing unit.

Was I doing something wrong such that the entire filter housing unit comes loose when trying to unscrew the filter housing plug? (I couldn't figure out how to keep the housing unit firmly in place while twisting in the same direction on the housing unit plug.)

 

You did fine, it is just a little more messy. Once the housing was removed, you could find a way to loosen the filter housing plug while on the bench. Obviously, somebody did a gorrila tighten on it (not necessary). You might need to use a very large pair of channel lock pliers to hold the housing while loosening the plug.

Once the plug is seated, it needs very little torque to be secure. You will know this next time.

Dan

 

You did fine..Maybe next time after removing the filter housing, use large channel lock pliers or a band type filter wrench to hold the housing and remove the housing plug..

 

Dude thats why he uses the cardboard!!! Now lets do sequoia skid plates. Wtf over.

 

So I modified the two center mounting points as shown. I leave those two bolts in place, just loosened a little. Remove the other three (plus the three thread forming screws for the front bumper tabs), slide it forward and off. With the two center bolts in place, you can remove all of the rest of the fasteners without wrestling with the danged thing.

To re-install, slip the front edge of the skid plate under the three bumper tabs, move it forward a bit and up to align the slots with the loosened bolts. Slide rearward and the two bolts will hold the skid plate in place while you install the rest of the three bolts, then the three thread forming screws for the bumper tabs.