Did you look at the link I provided for the oil filter cover?
There’s a square hole where a 3/8 drive tool can be used.
There’s also a torque spec on the oil filter cover.
Tester
The Toyota filter has a torque spec and there is a reason for that. Actually two specs, one for the drain plug and one for the housing. That is so you can remove the drain plug without loosing the housing, then remove the housing.
To keith, thanks for the info. I think I’ll just have another shop remove the oil filter housing even if it means destroying it, and then have them put on a new one, and while doing so put on a new oil filter as well. I think, it’s best to get it replaced because it could have been damaged in some way that cannot be seen with eyes.
Many shops have a ride to work service so you can just leave the vehicle with them or find a co-worker that will pick you up and take you back to the shop after work. That way you don’t use a day off.
Like Mr. Asemaster said, this simple problem has become too complicated.
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The filter is not a spin on type. Like many late model Toyotas that engine uses a large plastic housing with a ~3" threaded hub at the top that mounts into the crankcase.
https://www.autozone.com/collision-body-parts-and-hardware/oil-filter-cover/dorman-oil-filter-cover/548513_0_0?cmpid=PS:3:3:1&s_kwcid=AL!5142!3!193257880690!!!g!307040151098!&ef_id=VsudJgAAAajHUKxr:20171116031525:s
With the proper wrench the filter should come out and be replaced with an OE plastic part or an after market cast aluminum part. And over torquing is totally uncalled for since the housing seal is an O-ring.
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Nice catch.
You’re right. I was unaware that this is the new cartridge oil filter design. My opinion of this design is not good, but it is what it is.
Mea culpa.
Just curious, what are those two cylindrical shaped gadgets that look like miniature pasta strainers?
oh oh, getting hungry … lol …
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It is common to find these over-tighten by the aftermarket shops. I use a 640 cap-wrench and a ratchet with a 30" handle to loosen over tightened Toyota filter housings. The cap wrench tends to slip on the plastic housings, it can take some effort to hold it in place. I have never had to replace an over-tightened oil filter housing, this should be a 15 minute service if you take it to someone experienced.
I have to wonder if changing the oil twice as often as necessary by people who can’t properly tighten the oil filter housing or can’t loosen the housing an send you away with an oil leak will extend the life of the engine.
Last time I checked you could replace the plastic Camry and Rav4 filter cap with the aluminum cap from the Venza. It costs less than the plastic one from my dealer. I have a 64 mm aluminum cap wrench that fits very tightly over the cap. I have to take it down to my workbench and vise to get the wrench off. I have a 65 mm cap wrench to put it back on. Even though I tighten it very lightly. it spins down easily an then stops dead like ie is bottoming out.
The next oil change it is still difficult to get off. My cap wrench has a 3/8 square hole for a ratchet in a 19 mm raised boss. I use a 19 mm socket om a 1/2 " breaker bar. I am afraid if I used the 3/8 breaker bar in the hole, the force required to remove the cap would split my wrench.
Lousy oil filter design.
The filter housing fits several engines with varying length filters. The proper ‘pasta strainer’ must be inserted into the housing where it stops collapsing filters from being forced into the engine oil galleries.A similar ‘strainer’ is in cartridge filters.
I recall posting a complaint here on the Toyota filters some months ago. It seems that the paper element for those cars is more expensive than the entire cartridge that has been in common use for 50 years. Could the new design be an effort to discourage DIY oil changes?
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The same filter is used on my wifes 07 Lexus ES350, and my 14 Highlander. Changing the oil filter is just a tad more complicated. You have to replace a couple of gaskets (that come with the new paper element). Personally I like it…less garbage for the landfill. And the paper element is as expensive as the canister filters. And you can find a video on YouTube that shows how the filter is made. It’s the exact same process as the canister except they don’t do the last few steps of attaching the filter element to the canister.
That is exactly how an o-ring seal is supposed to work. The contact of the mating parts insures the o-ring is properly compressed without over stressing it. The groove is designed to contain the o-ring allow it to deform just enough to make the seal.
I’m curious, are you lubricating the o-ring?
I haven’t had to mess with one of these yet but I have lots of analogous stuff with o-ring seals and if they are not lubricated, they take a set to the mating surfaces and can be nearly impossible to break loose.
I disliked the old style filter cartridge in canister system. I was happy when the spin on filters became common. Discouraging DIY oil changes is the only reason I can see for regressing to the old technology.
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I think the price issue is two fold-
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They are simply not in the same volume as the spin-on filter yet but rapidly increasing as more and more cars use the “new” designs.
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Some of these are not apples-apples. They use more expensive media to account for longer drain intervals and that translates to higher cost.
Interesting reading-
My understanding is that this switch was intended to reduce solid waste. But I’ve not seen anything official from manufacturers.
I hate the new filters. But unless they affect sales, and I doubt if they will, they’re probably here to stay. In truth, the percentage of car owners who change their own oil is very tiny. Not enough to have any impact on this sort of thing.
For me this is just one more reason to keep my current ride forever and ever.
I can’t really think of any disadvantages to the design, other than the DIYer having to buy an oil filter wrench, which he should have to do anyway. I’ve seen plenty of overtightened, stuck, cross-threaded, double gasketed, and leaking screw on filters over the years.
As a shop, we have to pay to dispose of used oil filters, right? The company that takes our waste oil leaves us a 55 gal drum to fill with used filters. I can fit a lot more paper elements in that drum than screw-on filters.
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I slipped out the back door before filter disposal became an expensive proposition. And with only one car to maintain with the new/old filter I bought an extra housing and have it cleaned and loaded and ready to install when the old filter is removed. I like to keep things simple and convenient.
This morning, I got the oil filter housing removed and replaced at another shop. Another shop was able to remove it without destroying it. The threading on the old OEM oil filter housing looked deep enough, and I don’t think it would have fallen off easy. From my non-professional inspection, it didn’t look like it had cracks or fractures, but it’s gone and replaced. However, when I came back home, I again noticed a slight coin size wet oily stain on my garage floor on about same spot under the engine after having parked the car about 30 min. I guess I’ll wait to see if that stain on my garage floor gets any bigger into this evening, but what now? How possible is it to have caused a slight damage of some sort on the engine casing when exerting to remove a stuck oil filter housing?
A few drops soon after an oil change is not unusual but if you see continued dripping have it checked.
Check the drain plug, it may not have been tightened.