hello, i have an oil leak on my truck and im changing the drain plug, filter, etc...i noticed that the drain plug i removed didnt have a gasket on it. it also looks like the previous owner/shop who last changed the oil and plug may have overtightened it without a gasket causing possible cracks on the drain plug......ideas? thanks

 

Toyota dealer can sell you a new gasket and plug pretty inexpensively and Autozone etc. probably has them too. I take my 4Runner to a Quick Lube and they just replaced my plug because it was getting a little rough. It was $4.60 for the plug. They should be changing the gasket with every oil change.

 

i replaced the plug...drove it around, came back and dipstick is bonedry. i don't see any noticable leaks yet but maybe it has to sit for a few minutes. not sure what is wrong, perhaps the drain pan gasket but it only looks like it is leaking on the back of the pan, towards the diff and tranny....

 

If you changed your oil, put in oil and it was full then drove it and now it is not on the dipstick, you should see a huge oil slick behind you while driving, I don't think you put in enough oil to start with.

Sucker..........those quick lube places will tell you anything to get some extra cash outta ya, when I took my 63 Nova to one at one point because I was on my way out of town and didn't have time to change the oil, they brought out a dirty old square air filter and told me it was time to change it. I laughed and told them mine is round and is a brand new K&N, he said he was sorry and must have gotten the wrong person, my car was the only one there .

Another note about quick lube places is they are not really trained, they most likely have just as much or less experience with cars then you do yourself.

 

I don't think you need to be calling me a sucker. I go to the same joint becasue he (the owner) is a neighbor and I figure my time is worth more than the $30 he charges me. I'm aware that most of those places will upsell parts. My point to OP is that the drain plug is a commonly stocked, cheap replacement part. I saw the plug before and after he replaced it.

 

Make sure oil level is good and clean it off at a car wash... If it looks like from trans/back of pan area, it could be valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, etc...