Dealership Oil Change (RCI Skids)

[TacoFreak]

Do dealers also whine when you take you trucks with factory skid plates in for an oil change?

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[tkrum015]

Went in for 10K maintenance on Friday. Waited 3 hours. Went home, parked for about 15 hours, and then noticed a large oil puddle (10-12 inch diameter overnight). Got under the truck and found the skid plate flooded with oil, so much it was dripping out of multiple skid plate holes.

Went back to the dealer and told them to figure it out and clean it up. I waited another 3 hours for them to tell me that they did everything correctly and I’m supposed to bring them some kind of spigot because the access panel isn’t in the right spot on RCI skids. News to me. Anyone know a solution/product for this? Needs to be simple and easy enough for the lazy careless “techs” at the shop.

Also, my steering wheel is slightly cocked (had an alignment done by not Toyota after installing my lift)…Toyota says their machines are not calibrated for the 2024 Tacoma yet. Could that actually be true? They can’t fix alignment?

Try the Femco drain plug. Have one on my JL with skids and you screw a hose to the plug and don’t spill a drop.

 

[Mtnbikes]

Try the Femco drain plug. Have one on my JL with skids and you screw a hose to the plug and don’t spill a drop.

What part number fits the 2024 Toyota Tacoma? I see there are different sizes.

 

[tkrum015]

What part number fits the 2024 Toyota Tacoma? I see there are different sizes.

I email them here is what they said.
Hello Ted,



The Toyota Tacoma would take any of our plugs with an M12x1.25-T9 thread pitch. Residual oil is not an issue when utilizing a Femco drain plug. We recommend draining the oil at engine temperature to fully flush out all waste particulates. This is easier as Femco’s system prevents burns.



Best regards,

 

[Mtnbikes]

I email them here is what they said.
Hello Ted,



The Toyota Tacoma would take any of our plugs with an M12x1.25-T9 thread pitch. Residual oil is not an issue when utilizing a Femco drain plug. We recommend draining the oil at engine temperature to fully flush out all waste particulates. This is easier as Femco’s system prevents burns.



Best regards,

Do you think this is more user friendly than the Fumoto brand? I’m deciding between the two.

 

[tkrum015]

Yes I do like this better check out the web site and ask them your questions.

The plug screws into the pan and has a cap that screws on to it . They have a valve in the plug that is closed until the hose is screwed on to the plug. Very easy and clean to use. Used on my Jeep for many years, Jeep has skids with a hole and I screw the hose in and drain the oil right into an extra 5 qt bottle with no mess. Only have 1500 on the Tacoma but will be ordering one soon

 

[Adam]

So you are complaining regarding a dealer doing a free oil change and not wanting to hassle and deal with an aftermarket product that was poorly designed and now THEY have to spend the extra labor and effort. A dealer gets paid a fixed price for the free oil change. For them to have all sorts of added labor, plus run the risk of stripping out and damaging your aftermarket install is not THEIR issue. IMO this is a you problem and should probably do the oil changes yourself and deal with the extra hassle.

LOL just saw this. Thanks for your response, but not quite. Free oil change? Not really, I paid for it when I bought my truck. It's built into the "toyotacare" line item. I talked to the techs before the change and they assured me the skid plate (which they sell and install at that location) wouldn't be an issue. I would have removed it had they told me they couldn't work around it. And yes, I've changed oil a few times, I just would at least pretend to clean up if I dump 3 quarts of oil on my truck. Free or not its an integrity issue which left me asking for product recommendations to make it easier for them to make me happy next time - a win win.

 

[Adam]

Do dealers also whine when you take you trucks with factory skid plates in for an oil change?

Sounds like they will work around it, or take it partly/entirely off. But I did verify they WILL charge you extra for labor (i.e. the oil change is covered, but removing the skid plate to get to it is not covered by toyota care), just FYI. Maybe that's different on trims that come with skids.

 

[TacoFreak]

Thanks for that info @Adam. If they try to charge me to do my "free" oil change I will just skip it. I will be doing most of them myself anyway.

 

[tkrum015]

Do you think this is more user friendly than the Fumoto brand? I’m deciding between the two.

Yes I like this one cause the way the hose connects after the cap is screwed off the drain plug. The drain hose pushes a valve inside the drain plug to drain the oil. Have not used the other one but do not like the release handle to open the valve on the other.

 

[Mtnbikes]

Yes I like this one cause the way the hose connects after the cap is screwed off the drain plug. The drain hose pushes a valve inside the drain plug to drain the oil. Have not used the other one but do not like the release handle to open the valve on the other.

Yes! Exactly why I went the same route.

 

[tkrum015]

What bike are you running riding?

 

[Mtnbikes]

Yes! Exactly why I went the same route.

What bike are you running riding?

Mountain bike?

 

[Mtnbikes]

I ride a Scott Spark, full carbon, Scram e-tap, Reserve full carbon wheelset with I9 hubs.

 

[EVOTACO]

So you are complaining regarding a dealer doing a free oil change and not wanting to hassle and deal with an aftermarket product that was poorly designed and now THEY have to spend the extra labor and effort. A dealer gets paid a fixed price for the free oil change. For them to have all sorts of added labor, plus run the risk of stripping out and damaging your aftermarket install is not THEIR issue. IMO this is a you problem and should probably do the oil changes yourself and deal with the extra hassle.

I think at the same time, the dealership/tech could have raised any concerns they have with the non-factory parts and came up with a better solution than to just make do and cause a mess.

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