Oil Plug Torque

[jmatuska]

What is the recomended torque for the oil plug on my prius? I wouldn't think it should be too much, not too tight, but not too loose. However when I started changing my own oil (after my first two free from my dealer) I had to use a 2 foot breaker bar to get the oil plug loose, it was that tight. It was like the dealer used an air wrench to put it on. I'm pretty sure that it too tight. What is the official torque setting for the oil plug? Also what about the lug nuts?

[OverTork]

Oil pan drain plug 28 ft/lbs (38 N/m). Lug nuts for standard wheels, I don't know if the Touring wheels are different, 76 ft/lbs (103 N/m). This one is in the owners manual.

[dorf]

That's the correct torque according to Toyota.

But.....But .......It seemes way too much.

My original plug torque was way less.... really really easy to come off.

28 foot pounds is allot of torque.---That's 336 inch pounds. Must be a mistake in translation.

[jayman]

Originally Posted by jmatuska

What is the recomended torque for the oil plug on my prius?

I just go hand tight with a new plug gasket. Plenty tight enough.

For the lugnuts I use the torque wrench as I don't want to take a chance and warp a rotor. Ironically, my FJ Cruiser not only has the same 76 ft lbs lug torque, it even takes the same size and thread lugnut

That made it very handy to get conical seat lugnuts for the steel winter wheels. I actually did try one from my Prius, it couldn't hurt and I was pleasantly surprised it worked

[lefat1]

Originally Posted by jayman

I just go hand tight with a new plug gasket. Plenty tight enough.

i think youre referring to the filter

[lefat1]

Originally Posted by dorf

That's the correct torque according to Toyota.

But.....But .......It seemes way too much.

My original plug torque was way less.... really really easy to come off.

28 foot pounds is allot of torque.---That's 336 inch pounds. Must be a mistake in translation.

as a reference, 21 ft/lbs is normal for spark plugs, so 28 for this application seems about right

[okiebutnotfrommuskogee]

[quote=jayman;547073]I just go hand tight with a new plug gasket. Plenty tight enough.

For the lugnuts I use the torque wrench as I don't want to take a chance and warp a rotor. Ironically, my FJ Cruiser not only has the same 76 ft lbs lug torque, it even takes the same size and thread lugnut



76 ft lbs is probably pretty standard for Toyota aluminium wheels. My Avalon uses 76 ft lbs too.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by lefat1

as a reference, 21 ft/lbs is normal for spark plugs, so 28 for this application seems about right

I think he means hand tight with a spanner.

A normal ring spanner is the right length to tighten a fastener to roughly the right torque.

If the wheel studs on 2 different cars are the same size they will have the same torque spec. You will find the pitch circle diameter of the Cruiser is a lot bigger than the Prius which makes it a much stronger attachment.

[jayman]

Originally Posted by patsparks

I think he means hand tight with a spanner. A normal ring spanner is the right length to tighten a fastener to roughly the right torque.

That's right. The ratchet is about 25 cm long, from ratchet head to end of handle.

Originally Posted by patsparks

You will find the pitch circle diameter of the Cruiser is a lot bigger than the Prius which makes it a much stronger attachment.

Yes, in addition the Prius has 5 lugnuts holding the wheel down, my FJ Cruiser has 6 lugnuts holding the wheel down

The wheel on the FJ is a lot heavier too, as it's a much larger tire. The standard tire on the FJ is P265 70 17 on a factory alloy wheel.

For winter I'm running a studless snow/ice tire in P265 75 16, as it has the same outside diameter. Am running a cheap steel wheel due to the road salt used here, saving the alloy's for when there is no salt on the roads. The 16 inch tire on steel wheels is actually heavier than the factory alloy with 17 inch tires

For those contemplating running a steel wheel in winter, remember you must get the proper conical seat or "acorn" lugnuts. The factory alloys use a shank style lugnut that will dangerously loosen up on an aftermarket steel wheel

[N3FOL]

Originally Posted by jmatuska

What is the recomended torque for the oil plug on my prius? I wouldn't think it should be too much, not too tight, but not too loose. However when I started changing my own oil (after my first two free from my dealer) I had to use a 2 foot breaker bar to get the oil plug loose, it was that tight. It was like the dealer used an air wrench to put it on. I'm pretty sure that it too tight. What is the official torque setting for the oil plug? Also what about the lug nuts?

I've done over 250 oil changes throughout my lifetime. Believe it or not, I never use a torque wrench just to tighten that oil drain pan bolt. Simply tighten it snuggly (but not loose) and that should do it. I've heard of people stripping their oil pan thread, because they over torqued the bolt using a torque wrench.