Oil change gone wrong… Drain bolt spun on

Changing my oil in my truck today for the my first time at 15k miles. (Previously serviced at the dealer)

Drained the oil, changed the filter and then went to install my fumoto valve and to my extreme horror, at the last turn, things suddenly got free. The drain valve just spins, won’t come out, won’t tighten up. Doesn’t feel like the threads are stripped, it feels like the nut on the other side is spinning. I’ve literally done hundreds of oil changes and never had anything like this happen.

Any suggestions? I don’t want to take off a brand new oil pan, but it looks like I’m going to half to. Does the oil pan have a regular gasket or a liquid gasket? Any special steps for removal/replacement.

I’ll call the dealer in the morning and see what they can offer me but I doubt it will solve my problem… and more than likely they won’t even have a replacement pan in stock. Not to mention that they will blame the problem on me or the fumoto valve.

talk about crappy luck this weekend.

 

Man that sucks ... if the pan contains a threaded nut that is pinched welded on the inside that has in fact broken loose I do not see any way other than pulling the pan off

someone might see it differently, wish I could offer more

 

Man, Mike…that sucks! I’m not sure if that pan is a paper gasket or a sealant, but I’d for sure be pulling the pan and ordering a new one…or finding someone that can tack weld the nut back in the pan. Hope your luck gets better.

 

Thanks guys, I think I’m just going to pull it and see what happens.

 

Keep us posted!

 

Calling it quits for the night. What’s especially frustrating is that my truck doesn’t fit in the garage and now I can’t close the garage door. We live in a fairly safe neighborhood, but there is way too much wildlife to risk leaving the door open and unoccupied…. Guess who is sleeping in the garage tonight.

 

Mannnnn that really sucks... especially on something that new! Keep us updated on it. I believe the oil pan uses a grey sealant from Toyota

 

Put it in neutral and roll or push it back
Then close the garage

no need to crank it

 

As a peace of mind, push it back from the garage... Like you said, critters, valuables tools, my Harley, enough said...
Good luck.

 

Based on the picture posted by ColoradoJT, there is a threaded bung welded inside the pan. That's not what I expected, but that's how they do it. Anyway, if the threads are not stripped, then I don't know how that bung could come loose unless there was a manufacturing defect. Please keep us posted when you get the pan off and let us know what you find and what your dealer says when you show it to him.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if the dealer used an impact on it. I’ve seen them do it before. Too much work to turn a ratchet by hand.

 

I tried to replace my drain plug with a magnetic one once and while tightening it the same thing happened. It was getting tight then just started spinning. Turns out the plug broke in 2. I was able to get the head part out and then work out the broken part with small pliers and vice grips.

The fumoto is probably higher quality than what I was using, but like you and others said it should be pretty hard to break those welds unless it wasn’t done properly at the factory.

Have you tried to back it out?

 

The pan on my 08 looks like the one TJ posted. Mine was stripped when I bought my truck so I just put a new pan on. It is a pretty easy job. No paper gasket. It uses an FIP gasket. Bought the pan an a tube of gasket material at the dealer.

 

When you get a replacement pan, take it to a muffler shop and have them add a little more weld on it to prevent a future problem. Probably won't even charge you if you explain and talk nicely. Stuff like this gives them future business from word of mouth.

 

What is an "FIP" gasket?

 

Formed in place

 

Thanks for the advice all.

First I live in the mountains of SoCal, so my driveway has a pretty good pitch. I could’ve gotten the truck out. But it would have to had to rig up some craziness to get it back up in the garage. Normally I wouldn’t care too much but we’re supposed to get some rain today. Sleeping in the truck really wasn’t too bad.

Plan is to call the dealer in a few minutes and see what they say. I’m about 40 min from the dealer so I have a feeling it’s going to be a fight if I expect a tow. That said probably will have issues with them blaming it on me.

Probably will have to pull the pan myself and take it down to them. Hoping they have one in stock and will cover the cost. I’ll get pics when I do.

Counting my blessing as both myself and my wife have the day off.

 

Sorry this happened but next time just forget about that fumoto valve BS and use a sh!t load of news paper when changing your oil.

 

Yes and no. I put a fumoto on so this would never happen to me, once on it's on and no more chance of that happening again.
Plus its not really an added chance of happening when installing it, or the drain plug.
Just my opinion

 

That completely sucks. Not as bad, but when installing my front sway bar, the nut welded to the control arm broke free, no way of holding it to get the bolt off.
I managed to get the mig welder tip in enough to spot weld it. Good luck on your oil pan.

 

I agree. The drain plug was on pretty tight.

 

yes it’s free spinning right now, won’t tighten, won’t loosen

 

Considering this is an unheard of thing, it’s not worth me messing with that. Probably either a flawed pan or an ogre mechanic.

 

Love my fumoto… keeps things so clean and easy. Worth every penny to me.

 

I think I would spill my guts if that happened to me...

thats insane

 

Which fumoto do you guys use? There are quite a few on there. Good luck OP, hope it’s resolved quickly

 

8:30 am update
oil pan is on order, will be at the dealer at 3pm.
Dealer could tow it, but the way they presented it was that good chance that Toyota will deny the repair.
Asked if I could bring in the part to show them and he said Toyota would deny it because I could bring in any old part of any vehicle. They need the truck with part attached. If they deny it, I will take it to Toyota care.
Saga continues, I’ll take the pan off after breakfast and get some pictures.

 

Maybe see if you can rig up a tripod and video the whole thing. Video removal and then bring the pan right in front of the camera. Hard to deny video evidence