Previously I replaced my drain plug / drain bolt with a quality (made in Japan not China) drain valve. This was one of the smartest things I have done. I just connected a silicon tube (you can use rubber or any hose like tube as well ). One end connected to the valve and the other straight into the drain pan.
I recommend using a tube that fits snug with the drain valve. Also don’t use to long of a hose. You have to make sure the end of the hose just fits in the pan slightly but does not go all the way to the bottom of the pan or what ever your pouring the oil into. This is so you can quickly drain the pan.
Without a drain valve, you can easily spill out as it shoots out from oil pan. Also since the stream of oil constantly changes, you have to re-arrange the pan.
The oil drain valve allows you to drain the pan without using any tools. You steal need the filter wrench to remove the filter.
I used AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-20 Motor Oil with the AMSOIL Filter. The 5.7 Tundra Oil Change Interval is 10k Miles (requires synthetic oil). I usually try to change it at 10k but I was actually over 3k miles this time. I was not worried at all. I did an oil analysis before. I primarily drive at higher than normal RPM on the highway (my style of driving / same if if you have a ECU tunning / tow mode / pedal commander). The oil analysis I did at 10k miles for my style of driving said I should be good to keep the oil for up to 15k miles.
My next project is going to be to replace the sparks plugs / air filter / cabin filter. I will probably do this this month or next month.
The 5.7L V8 Toyota Tundra uses a cartridge oil filter. This is different than the spin on oil filter. Basically with the Tundra you spin off the oil filter cover then replace the oil filter element and put the cover back on. The spin-on oil filter that is common on smaller cars houses itself so you just throw the entire thing away. Anyways I was debating on replacing mine with a metal one. One problem with a metal filter cover is that you could potentially damage the threads a lot easier compared to the stock plastic cover. For the first time I did not spill a gallon of oil on my driveway and through everything was going to be good, but yesterday I broke two oil filter removal tools trying to unscrew my oil filter cover. My plastic filter cover basically seized in the engine most likely because I over-torqued it during the last oil change (I only used a torque wrench on the drain bolt).
I watched a YouTube video of some guy tapping the filter and surrounding area to unseize the filter. That did nothing in my case. I ended up having to cut off the plastic portion that was sticking out of the engine. Then I carefully cut two groves on the plastic portion that screws into the engine. I was then able to lightly pop out the plastic pieces. I made sure the threads were not damaged. I then went to the local automotive store and was surprised their was one metal cover in stock that fit my vehicle. I bought it and was able to continue my oil change. I looked at Toyota Brand replacement and it was actually more expensive than the metal one. I don’t think the metal tabs on this aftermarket filter will shear off like the stock plastic one.
A good thing that happened is that I was able to install a drain valve. This valve basically replaced the stock drain bolt in the pan. So the next time I need to change my oil I can just hook up a plastic tube in the valve and another one in a bottle. Doing this will prevent a large spill. The oil filter cover actually has a valve built in it as well. You screw off a small portion on the bottom and connect a fitting and you drain the oil from it (instead having oil spill from the filter cover when you remove it) .
I finally filled my project car will oil. I recently replaced the oil pan gasket. I decided to go with AMSOIL 20W 50. This oil has outstanding protection. One thing I like about it is that it is also designed to prevent corrosion for classic cars. The high Zinc levels help also help protect this engine. The Porsche 928 S4 is a 32 Valve V8. That is insane to think this engine was around in the 1980s.
oil for daily driving For a daily driver, I usually don’t recommend using racing oil unless you very frequently change your oil. For someone who may not be familiar with the mechanical workings of an engine, it sounds obvious. For someone who is a car enthusiast, this can seem questionable.
Racing oil like AMSOIL Dominator is designed to handle high heat levels. It provides an insane amount of wear protection under stress (both a great thing). Think about it, the RPMS during a race are very high. However, like most racing oil it was designed for racing and not daily driving. There is a saying, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”. Racing oils are not designed for extended drain intervals. They are designed to protect your engine for the extreme demands of racing. Race car engines are generally broken down and inspected after a season and some cases after a couple races.
I can use my Toyota Tundra and Porsche 928 S4 as an example. My Toyota Tundra is my daily driver. The recommended oil change from Toyota is 10,000 miles. I use AMSOIL Signature Series 0W 20 Oil. This oil can be used up to 25,000 miles (depending on the driving conditions and engine type). I usually will take this oil to 15k miles because I drive at a slightly higher RPM than the average driver. This oil has excellent wear protection, corrosion prevention and great detergents. Now my Porsche 928 S4 is my project car / toy. I use Z-ROD 20W 50. The Z-ROD oil has a high zinc level to prevent engine wear especially on flat tappet engines. The Z-ROD also has very high corrosion prevention properties. This is awesome for a car that does not run every day. The oil itself is good for at least 2 years. From 2018 to 2020, I was unable to change my oil in my Porsche 928 S4 due to my work in the Military. When I removed the oil pan not to long ago, I noticed there was zero rust on the internals. I was actually surprised on how clean it was.
Now if I had used any racing oil for my Tundra, the wear protection would not be there for that many miles. No racing oil is really designed to prevent corrosion for cars sitting for over 2 years like my Porsche 928 S4 was. I have had friends who used racing oil in their vehicles but changed out the oil every one to two months.
If a vehicle’s recommended oil change interval was 10,000 miles and you wanted to use a racing oil. You would not get the wear protection near the 10,000 mile point. One way you could find out when you should change your oil is to do an oil analysis. You basically send in an oil sample to the lab and they would tell you if your engine wear amount is normal, below average or above average. They can even give you a good predication on how many miles the oil can handle.
I double check the Maintenance Manuals on a vehicle, forums and technical bullets from the vehicle manufacture before I dive into any type of maintenance on a vehicle. For my 2017 Toyota Tundra with the 5.7L V8, I immediately changed to oil and filter to AMSOIL Signature Series 0W 20 Synthetic Oil and the AMSOIL Oil Filter.
The two components that cost the most to replace are usually the engine and transmission. With less than 300 miles put on the truck I changed the oil and filter with AMSOIL products. I did it because I want the best protection for my vehicle as possible. The Signature Series keeps your engine a lot cleaner, and prevents a lot of engine wear.
Before changing your oil check the oil level. If it is within normal ranges you can warm up the vehicle before you drain the oil. Warming up the engine helps circulate particles that could be stuck into oil lines. I ran my truck for 15 minutes to get the oil warm. Then I used a basic socket set to remove the drain plug and empty the oil into a drain pan. This being my first truck I was unaware you need a special tool to take the metal canister off that contains the filter element. Since I drained the oil out, I had to take an Uber to the parts store to buy the tool and Uber back home.
On the Tundra Canisters there is a bottom metal plate you can unscrew. You then screw in a plastic tube that comes with the filter kit to drain the oil out of the filter section. The filter kit comes with two O-rings you want to use. The first one goes around the metal plate you unscrewed the second one goes around the top of the canister by the threads. I recommend lightly coating the new O-rings with oil so they don’t stretch or tear when you install it. After you remove the canister you have to swap out the filter element. I filled the canister half way up with oil to presoak the filter element before installing. I then put a new crush ring on the drain pan bolt and torqued it. You have to be careful with this bolt. I recommend replacing it after a couple oil changes. This bolt gets easily stripped out. I then filled the vehicle with oil and checked for leaks. Then I started the truck and monitored for a few minutes for leaks.
Depending on the application, the AMSOIL Signature Series can last 25,000 miles or a year for normal driving and 15,000 miles for severe driving. I have sent my used oil to Blackstone Laboratories for analysis. Each time they told me there is little engine wear and I could actually drive further. I only change my oil once a year.
When you think about it paying a little bit more for AMSOIL and the filter is well worth it. The Signature Series has extended drain intervals. This basically means the oil last longer. What does this mean? Instead of changing conventional non-synthetic oil 3,000 miles, with AMSOIL Signature Series you can replace it up to 25,000 miles or 1 year. Due to only replacing your oil and filter less often you save money and time.
Saving time is very important, it’s one thing you can’t buy back. If you depend on your vehicle for your business or to drive you to work you can basically consider yourself loosing money every time you take your vehicle to a mechanic. You don’t just loose money for what the mechanic does you also don’t make money because you are waiting for your transportation to get repaired. Personally, I also don’t want to waste my time driving to a mechanic and waiting for service to get complete. I rather be doing something I like doing.
