Oil change (and leak)

I changed the oil tonight, twice. I'll have to change it again tomorrow. What?

I changed the oil and filter. This engine holds a lot of oil.



But, soon after I finished filling the oil, I noticed it was leaking from the drain plug. As I poured the old oil into the empty containers, I noticed a crush washer in the bottom of the drain pan.

So I changed the oil again. Cleaned out my drain pan, drained all my new oil, replaced the crush washer, and filled the engine again. It still leaks. I don't want to overtighten it because stripping the drain plug threads can compromise an otherwise good oil pan. It's snug enough that it shouldn't be leaking.

Here's hoping that the Toyota dealer near work has a drain plug crush washer/gasket in stock for pickup tomorrow.

I got my plates yesterday. They're good until 2013!



I replaced the hood hinges. No more "thunk!" This is a huge step, because this fixes one of the few remaining "noises." Another noise bothering me is what sounds like a lifter(s) tap. It occurs more when the engine is warm, which also suggests lifters, I think. I'm sure I could use a valve adjustment, and I know it's running a little rich. Neither are emergencies. I'll attempt to tweak the fuel delivery a little more sometime soon, but I've heard stories about how complex these carburetors are. I'll take it really slowly.





I also noticed awhile back the the driver-side caliper pistons are not retracting all the way, so the brake is dragging 100% of the time. This is not good for gas mileage. I ordered and received a caliper rebuild kit from CCOT, but realized later that a rebuilt, loaded caliper is only $10 more than the rebuild kit, which is just a few rings and caliper seals/boots. I'll return the CCOT stuff for credit. I need a weekend to do the brakes, because I'll go ahead and replace all the fluid and the lines at the same time. The sticking pistons could also be a sign that the master cylinder is in need of replacement, right? Master cylinders are not worth the rebuild either, because to do it correctly you have to hone the cylinder. And it probably makes sense to replace both calipers if I'm going to replace one.

The 40 isn't looking so bad these days!