20-30 ft.lbs.... so 'snug'.. at 250k it's prolly been beat on and over-tightened a bunch... threads are getting worked... re-tap new threads or install a Fumoto-valve using teflon-tape and Permatex Right-Stuff on the threads...

 

Got any piccies of the bolt?




According to my FSM, 49 INCH pounds or about 4 ft lbs. 20-30 ft lbs would strip that threaded hole right out.

Also, Permatex Right Stuff on the threads is a no no. You will end up freezing/galling the threads up when you remove it. A liquid thread sealant like Rectorseal Tru Blu would be a better choice provided you can git the oil off of the threads. You can find it at yer local Home Depot or Lowes hardware stores.
http://www.rectorseal.com/rectorseal-tru-blu/

 

Brakleen will remove the oil from the threads...
http://www.crcindustries.com/products/brakleen-174-brake-parts-cleaner-19-wt-oz-05089.html

Some close up piccies of the threads will give you a good idea of what condition the threads are. If push comes to shove, you might be better off gitting a new pan or having a new drain bung welded in.

 

teflon tape has worked for me on some vintage toyotas.

 

The last time I got a TIS subscription, I looked at the torque value and found it was 30 ft-lbs, so for the first time in almost 40 years of changing the oil in various cars, I started using my torque wrench. I've done that twice now with my wife's Sienna, and when I changed the oil on Saturday, I could tell the plug loosened up easier than previously. So that tells me my hand tightening (1/2" drive Craftsman ratchet and 14mm socket) was more than 30 ft-lbs, probably more like 40-45.

Talking about thread wear, I do notice that the plug in our Sienna (169k) does unscrew easier than the one in the Tacoma (55k). Maybe buy a new new drain plug, and at the next oil change, try it.

 

My FSM says 28 ft lbs for the drain plug, (38N m). With a new gasket on the drain plug each time.

Oil filter only gets 10 fl lbs.

 

The thread area is reinforced with a small plate inside, so unless Toyota went to a cheaper oil pan seemingly like one member with Scion experienced, it shouldn't strip so easily.

You can find thread repair plugs, Fumoto or even a $47 new pan. Keep an eye it doesn't come loose and cost you an engine.

 

I got a few free dealer oil changes when I bought my truck. It felt like they used an impact wrench to install the drain plug.

Needless to say, I now do all oil changes myself.

 

Impact Guns?



Good move. You can do your own faster anyway. By the time you drive to the place, wait to have it done, drive home, you're done at home in less time. And probably use better oil>

 

I saw the following on Bob the Oil Guy site and makes sense to me: "Most oil pan plugs don't use the thread for the seal ..they use the flat of the bolt head in conjunction (usually) with a washer/gasket. Sorta like a jar lid. The thread provides the preload on the sealing surface ..not the sealing surface itself." [sic]

If the threads are not maintaining the proper preload over time, you get the leak. To maintain the preload, you'll have to 'lock' the threads with a threadlocker - Loctite 243 and Permatex Threadlocker Blue are oil resistant AFTER they dry, which will take 24 hours to cure fully. But using a threadlocker on a bolt that needs to be removed periodically is not practical as you'll need to clean the threads each time you apply the threadlocker. This is where Blackness' idea for a Fumoto, I use the competing EZ Valve, should be considered. Once installed properly, you shouldn't have to remove it ever again.

I learned that Teflon tape is not a sealant, it's a lubricant that allows a threaded joint to be threaded tighter; it is the tighter threading that creates the seal, not the tape itself. If the oil plug has worn out threads, Teflon tape may not provide the proper seal. It could, but I think a threadlocker may be the better of the two in this case as it will 'lock' the threads in place, maintaining the preload on the bolt head necessary to prevent a leak.

Also, Teflon is not a thing; it is a brand, like Kleenex that makes tissue paper. I'm not trying to show off, it's something I learned tonight and thought to pass it on.