Hi,

I did my first DIY oil change on this particular vehicle (2000 RX300) last month. The day that I did the job, I researched a little to make sure there was nothing special about this job. I did find out that we're supposed to replace a "gasket" on the oil plug/bolt with Toyota/Lexus P/N 90430-12031. I didn't have any of those so I picked up a Dorman P/N 66301 Size M12 pack that has 3 blue nylon gaskets (ie. ribbed washers)(max torque 30ft# per Dorman). They fit perfectly with the gasket's little blue lift-off-assist tab against the underside of the bolt head.

Here's my dilemma: When I removed the plug/bolt and wiped off the pan/plug area, no gasket/washer fell off the pan or was left on the bolt. I'm on the ground under the vehicle, so it's not that easy to get a real clear picture, but I could see that there was a blueish looking washer(?) still attached to the pan. I tried to push that washer(?) off the pan with a screw driver, but it was firmly attached to there. So I put a new blue gasket on there and torqued to ~20ft#.

So . . . does anyone know if there's actually a raised surface on that pan that might look like a washer on there ? Or, did the garage glue it on there permanently (I don't see any RTV squeezed out around it) ?

I appreciate your help on this.

Regards,
Brcobrem


P.S. I have since ordered a pack of 10 of the Lexus gasket/washer which is Lexus/Toyota P/N 90430-12031. These 10 pieces were about $10 delivered, which is actually more reasonable than what I paid for the Dorman pack of three gaskets. The Lexus/Toyota washers are flat aluminum with a thin top and bottom covering of some kind of flat dark blueish-black material on there (feels slippery like nylon or waxed gasket paper). The spec for these is 33ft#. I'll be using these on future oil changes.

 

i dont recall the raise surface but when i get a chance i'll check. It could be a welded raised surface to provide extra threads to the pan.
Something you might consider is a fumoto f-103 valve. It makes oil changes a cinch and mess free instead of risking overtorquing the drain plug or dealing with crush washers.

 

Hi fastnoypi,

You said, "It could be a welded raised surface to provide extra threads to the pan." That makes good sense to me too. I've seen raised drain plug inserts sticking out of the exterior of other pans, and sometimes I've see that entirely welded to the inside of the pan.

Well, now that I have 12 gaskets, and only do about 2k miles a year, it will be some time until I'll get that cool "fumoto f-103" valve. Thanks for showing me that . Btw, I'm not exactly Charles Atlas, so my "palm-it" torque is only about 15ft#. So I palm it and give it another 1/8 turn.

Yes, I look forward to your findings when you get around to it.

Thanks!

 

the paper like lexus gaskets can almost disappear, so just scrape off the block, put new gasket on the oilplug and reinstall. I have a new fumoto valve,and it comes with the same paper gaskey as OE.

 

I seem to recall that the bottom of the oil pan is flat, but I do remember that the old gasket can be a devil to scrape off. My guess is that you were being careful (understandably!) and did not use enough force to scrape off the old gasket. I would leave it as is until the next oil change if you have minimal or no leakage, then use a little more force (and a very flat putty knife) to scrape the gasket off the next time.

 

I have two of these valves which I will sell cheap. The problem is, while it is a nice idea, I noticed that I can drain another 3/4 cup of oil if I removed the valve after the draining was supposedly done with the valve open.

 

That topic has come up in alot of other forums to those who are concerned. It does not concern me for that little of an amount especially when oil changes are within recommended intervals. You can never get 100% of the oil out anyway, because some will be lodged in oil galleys and other spots of the engine.

There are a few creative solutions to those who really want to drain out as much oil as using the oem regular plug.
from notching the fumoto valve by a few threads, shimming the valve with a few copper washers to limit threads from protruding above the thickness of the pan, to just conveniently using the valve as intended to minimize mess..then removing the valve as a drain plug.

pm me with a shipped price and model numbers..i may take them from you.

 

If you have an OEM pan, the surface is smooth. Some one used rtv as added insurance to prevent leak and there is a good chance that the crush washer was re-used.

Lightly oil both surfaces of the washer. If you dont then the washers tend to stick. I have observed with OEM crush washers that as you toque, you get to a point where the washer gives (gets crushed).

I am not a fan of spigots at the bottom of the vehicle. In any case filter is the most difficult thing.

Please invest in a torque wrench (or a set of 3, preferably of good quality).

Salim

 

If you can find Fiberglass washer, then that is lifetime washer. To me, I never need to replace washer unless it cracks; eventhough some manuals will tell you to replace washer on every oil change. Doing so you will have problem down the road with stripping the oil pan. The softer the washer the less torque you will apply to keep it perfectly sealed, as long as the bolt is not loose.