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Took the car in for the 314,000 mile oil change and was told I need to replace my oil pan. Looks like too many oil changes.
I'll go in further detail in performance and maintenance because I've never replaced an oil pan and need advice.
This is what the new work order said: "Oversized drain plug was installed, previous. We had to install a pan saver today to get the car back on the road. This is a temporary fix a new oil pan is needed" /end quote.
does any one know a fix for this without getting a new oil pan. And / or way to get to get a used or refurbished one. There are no dismantlers near me that have Lexus parts
I assume they're referring to the lower oil pan. I have had this happen before with my old NA 2JZ. One too many careless service technicians over-tightened the oil pan drain plug and stripped out the threads on the pan. A good shop I was by then taking my SC to informed me of this and installed a temporary generic threaded oil pan tap-plug. I used that until I finally pulled the engine out for my swap.
The reason I didn't replace the entire lower oil pan sooner was because on these cars at least with the JZ engines you have to either drop the front subframe slightly with the engine on a hoist-brace above or pull the engine in order to replace the oil pan.
When people restore and build these cars taking the engines out is fairly common to do and so a problem like this gets addressed when the entire engine is freshened up. But when you're not in that category of owner it can be an involved process to swap the lower oil pan.
The front lower SC/Soarer/MKIV subframe casting covers up one lip of the oil pan on a JZ engine. It may also on a UZ engine. The issue is that when you re-apply the FIPG gasket maker you don't want to smear it sideways when fitting the oil pan back on. You want it to seat down straight and uniformly as it compresses. Then you need to tighten down the bolts (very little torque on each btw) within the 5min or less that you have before the FIPG begins to set up. After you're done it is good to wait 24 hours before filling the engine with oil again so as to ensure the seal is good and fully cured before starting the engine and getting it hot.
The first thing I would o is to start looking for a new oil pan to have in advance. You can use the temporarily repaired pan for now.
Factory lower oil pan P/N's 12102-50030 and 12102-50080 for the 1992-1997 SC400 are discontinued in the U.S. Both part numbers still come up as available in Amayama's ordering system (they source brand new OEM parts from dealers or warehouses if those parts are not totally sold out and discontinued). Try ordering one and then the other independently and see if they can still get one for you.
Barring that you'll want to look for a good example off eBay.
I'm sorry you've encountered this. In city driving it wouldn't bother me much but with the long distances you drive in that car in the middle of nowhere I'd get on finding a solution for this ahead of any further complication.
Check under your car for signs of oil leaks and check your oil level regularly. Also carry 2-3 quarts of spare oil in a box or carrier in your trunk with some disposable blue shop towels and a filler funnel just in case.
You dont need a new oil pan. you could simple use a heli coil kit. find the thread size you need and buy the kit that matches easy job and permanent. If not the oil pan on Sc400 isnt hard to do. you just remove the bolts clean the mating services and put new gasket silicone put it back on hand tight give it hour then tighen it up a half turn it star pattern of your choice. if it was me i would do helicoil unless your pan is leaking.
If you will pay the shipping I will send you one. All you need is the lower pan which is a fairly straightforward change out. That’s if it really needs to be changed, which I would never do just for a stripped oil plug. There are many ways to fix in place without changing. But, if you want to do what they say it is not a huge job to swap it out.
A Big Yes!
They said."Oversized drain plug was installed, previous. We had to install a pan saver today"
They seem to be intimating that the oversized drain plug ruined the pan 🤷♂️
The shop says they will change the pan if I can find one but it's a 4 hour job. They've done a lot of work for me and been pretty straight
If you will pay the shipping I will send you one. All you need is the lower pan which is a fairly straightforward change out. That’s if it really needs to be changed, which I would never do just for a stripped oil plug. There are many ways to fix in place without changing. But, if you want to do what they say it is not a huge job to swap it out.
That's a very generous offer Rodger, I really appreciate that...We'll see how it goes
Again, Thanks Joe
Thanks All
took all your advice and went to get, you could probably call, a 2nd opinion. There's a little shop in the small town I live in that I go to for all my minor stuff for years now. In fact he did the oil change just prior to this last one, he knows my car. He said I don't have to do anything. I asked him if he noticed anything when he changed the oil, he said No, if he did he would have done something. He said he's had a temp in his truck for 15 yrs. No leaks under my car
Things are kinda different up here . Anyway 4 hour labor charge sounded pretty strange to me. I'll just carry some spare oil and keep on goin.
Been to Grand Canyon, North Rim, Zion Park, Now Arches Park and Dead Horse Point State Park all in the last 6 months. Thats a lot. Don't have anything planned for a while. Got well over 1000 pics. I'll be workin on these photos forever.
It's crazy, car got a lot of compliments even here in the Parks, usually when I would pulled into a parking area or hanging with the car. A voice would startle me, call out something like "Love your car". Never no what to say, specially when I'm startled like that
From last trip up around Moab Utah
Again thanks all for everything. I will definitely do the heli coil thing if I can find someone but thats a long shot, no one around here has ever even seen an SC400
Joe
05-10-24, 10:52 PM
told I need a new oil pan
. Anyway 4 hour labor charge sounded pretty strange to me. I'll just carry some spare oil and keep on goin.
