Noise after oil change - I stupid

So, I did my oil again today on the 5k interval as usual, started it up and I heard a low grinding or whirring noise and I thought, oh, my engine has finally decided to finish eating its bearings. But no such bad luck.

I need the truck on ramps so I can deal with the TRD skid, so when I am adding oil, I need one of those 3-step ladders to reach the funnel. In that awkward position whilst pouring in the first 5 qt jug, I knocked the oil fill cap down into the engine bay (dooohhh). Obviously, I shouldn't have left it there in the first place.

So, after finishing topping the oil then I got to R&R the skid a second time to retrieve the cap. LOL. Started, heard the noise. Shut her down. Then I started it up again with the hood open and found my Makita 18V light still crammed in there from when I had been trying to reach the cap from up top. It was just lightly rubbing on the pulley. No harm, no foul. LOL.

And, BTW, I have to say again how much I love, love, love that Fumoto valve. Saves a ton of time and mess.

 

Situational awareness my friend. That’s the aircraft mechanic in me.

 

From where I come from, we called it conduct of operations. I failed that one. But a small fail.

My dear departed dad was in the aircraft biz from the mid 1900s. The term then was "Zero Defects". Something Boeing needs to bring back.

 

Me too

 

First time I removed my Skid Plate on my 2010 was the last time. I cut a lockable door into it with room for filter access, then painted it up.

 

Problem on 3rd gens is you need two access ports, one for the drain plug and one for the filter and they are not near each other. And a port for the filter might still leave you with an awkward and difficult access. The TRD skid actually comes off pretty easily with my cordless 3/8" ratchet. But it's pretty heavy.

 

Aftermarket world has it right by putting a door in my default.

My skidplate on the 1794 is a fiber mesh nonsense. Replaced it with an RCI 1/4" Aluminium plate that has a door to get to the oil filter.
Couple that with a Fumuto valve and I can a full oil change without jacking up the truck in under 15 minutes.
Easy job

 

Do you have good enough access to the Fumoto to install one of their locking clips? How much room do you have and what kind of tools can you get on the filter? Yeah, I could change to that or a Talons skid with filter port. But I am too cheap, at least for now.

 

Might be time to sell my TRD skid plate and go with the RCI like you have! That TRD plate is a PITA when laying on the ground, first time changing my oil I had the truck on jack stands, next time I will try ramps as I think it will save a lot of time.

 

I use a set of Rhino ramps and they work great. The Tundra skid is heavy but I lay down flat with it on my chest, press it up to hook it onto the loose front bolts, then install one of the rear bolts. Then whew, take a break. But I miss the old days of doing my Tacoma without having to take off its skid. Both the RCI and Talons skid offering seem to have the same size filter access panel and it looks awful small. The Talons site actually shows the filter view with the panel removed. I'd like to see one in real life or youtube to see how hard it is to get the filter. I'd hate to get a new skid and find out that I might still need to remove it.

 

The RCI skid plate give me access to the filter. I connect a hose under the oil catch and loosen up the filter slowly to let the oil out and flow down the tube into the oil pan. If done right very little mess to no mess!

As far as the fumuto and draining oil? I also have the rci plate that covers the cats and under the transmission.
There are holes in the plate for draining from the valve or using a tube from the valve to the oil pan. (useful on windy days)
I do have the little plastic lock on the valve, lots of room down there.

 

My main question is what filter wrench setup works on the filter through the small opening? Looks like very little room to swing a ratchet or filter wrench handle.

 

I know you can access the oil filter through the door, you can also reach it from the side if you need to get a wrench in there.

I think you can also get to it from the top of the engine bay incase you need to get a lot of leverage on the wrench after someone puts it on way to tight. I know for a face the F-150's you can do this but I am not 100% sure on the Tundra as it has been awhile since I looked at it.

 

I don’t see how you could get an oil filter wrench in there. I use the type that goes on a ratchet. Also remember you would have to have your hose on the oil filter catch basin as well. Seems too crowded.

 

Yeah, from the photo on your web site I know you can "see" the filter. But whether you can do anything with it is another question. I'd have to see this setup in person... or maybe see a video of how to work the filter through that opening... before I'd consider swapping my TRD skid for one of these.

 

I used a oil cap and small ratchet. Works fine. Crowded? Show my what modern car isnt busy under the hood!

 

LOL, yes. I find it crowded to work on the filter with my big mitts even with the TRD skid removed so making it even tighter is not attractive to me. I think I'll just keep the TRD skid for now. I wonder why Talons made the door so small. Looks like they wanted avoid the logo. I would suggest that instead they make the door much bigger and cut the logo in the door. And I am not sure if the RCI door is bigger or better. Hard to tell from the available photos.

One of these years I may try to find a shop that can do an accurate cut and mill down the door edges a mm or so, then I could pop rivet some hinges on.

 

Build yourself a set of ramps from wood. I have and used the rhino ramps and didn't feel 100% safe so I'd use Jack stands as a backup just in case.
The wood ramps are much heavier but how often will you be lugging them around? I have built several for friends and family.

My brother built me these which are far better then the ones I build.

 

Rhino ramps are fine. And the truck still has its wheels and tires on. And even if one or even both ramps start to go they would still have some added thickness under the tires, so no one is getting squooshed.

 

After working on US Navy jets for a few years, I recognized the symptoms right up front. Inventory the tools before and after the job. I learned the hard way when the Maintenance Officer returned from his check flight (the jet had been in phased maintenance) and pulled out a MAF bag full of nuts, bolts, pencils, pens, and various other things. One of the items was a screw we used to mount the attitude direction indicator. My shop is the crew that would have R&R'ed the item in the cockpit.

We had to provide a body for the wash rack for a week over that one...

Inventory your tools before you button up things.

 

Bigger door= larger weak spot.

primarily purpose of the skids is to protect. Secondary is making it easier.

I originally left the door off as it was pretty easy to get to it from the side. We didn’t sell any. I added the door and boom they sold.

As far as larger door, we could make it larger, but it doesn’t matter how large we make it it will never be large enough. It’s 4 bolts to remove the door, but at that point it’s also 4 bolts to remove the front skid….

Hope that helps answer your question.

 

But, let's face it, most of us are not out bashing the rocks. In my case the skid came with the vehicle as did the OR package else I probably wouldn't have one. I DO like them for stopping at least some of the dirt, salt and other crap from getting all over the place. I would even be fine with a full size version of that little light duty plastic panel that comes on some trims... but with a large door, of course. Bottom line is that it sucks where Toyota put this filter.