Learn From My Mistake - Replace Plastic Oil Filter Housing With Metal

TIFU by trying to change my own oil. I've changed my own oil on all my cars growing up, so after the free oil changes ran out on my shiny new truck, it was time to change my own oil again.

I purchased a toyota-shaped oil housing wrench from O'Reilly Auto Parts and it seemed to fit very snugly. First I tried to remove the housing with a regular ratchet with zero luck. Next I used a breaker bar to get some leverage on this bad boy, but still didn't have luck (are you kidding me?). I thought the housing was metal, so I decided to try and use my impact drill...

Oil started coming out of the housing, so I initially thought everything was OK. After further inspection, one of the tabs broke off of the plastic-ass oil filter housing, exposing the inside of the housing to the world.

So I've concluded any number of the following:

1.) The dealership put the housing on way too tight.
2.) The plastic housing is a piece of garbage.
3.) I'm a stupid idiot for not being patient and sticking with the breaker bar (c'mon I didn't want to bust my knuckles open!)

Bottom line... order

$19 Toyota Oil Filter Cap - 15620-31060

one of these metal housings made by Toyota and live worry-free for the life of the truck. I have one being sent via 1 day shipping.

 

Yes I also had mine on real tight to. I had to use a lot to get it off. People keep saying there is a tab that holds it on, but I do not have a tab on mine. It just was super tight.

 

Dealership must have way overtightened it. The torque spec is stamped right into the Housing and its only like 18 Ft Lbs.

 

Is that metal or plastic? I can't find the material on the site.

 

Is the filter housing a direct fit? I'm just making sure because I remember reading some people had to fabricate them to make it fit. But that was a long time ago, so I just wanted to see if this is a direct replacement.

 

I've been doing cartridge oil filter changes on Toyota engines since 2004. I've never damaged any plastic housing.

First...make sure you're using the

$22 Toy640 Assenmacher Specialty Tools TOY 640 Oil Filter Socket Wrench for Toyota/Lexus

Toy640 housing wrench. Regular filter cap wrenches that almost fit aren't good. You risk damaging the housing.

Secondly....and very importantly....the housing is sealed via an o-ring not a gasket. Therefore there is NO NEED TO TORQUE THE HOUSING DOWN TIGHTLY. A light snug is all it needs.

 

Yes. 18ft-lb / 25N-m.

This tool fit mine perfectly:

Oil Filter Wrench for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion 2.5 To 5.7 Liter Engines with 64mm Cartridge Style Oil Filter System - Perfect for Camry, RAV4, Tacoma, Highlander, Sienna, Tundra, and More

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XF45NF/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

That is the same one I use too.

 

Bought it many years ago. It fits all Toyota/Lexus cartridge filter housings

 

Guys, its plastic and has an o-ring. Hot, cold, hot, cold, hot, cold. That plastic and the O-ring will most likely be tight even with oil on it and the canister. I have filters at work that are almost impossible to get off and I only tighten them by hand. It happens and probably not because of over torque.

 

If you're a DIY'er you need to buy one. Except for the old 1NZ engine still found in the current Yaris....all other Toyota/Lexus in North America use cartridge filters. Not sure about the Mazda produced Yaris iA though. Don't know if it's a spin-on or a cartridge

All GR, AR, 2ZR and UR engines use a cartridge filter. That accounts for about everything you can buy in N. America these days.

 

How many ugga-duggas is that? 19 year old Toyota service techs working the oil change line need to know.

 

Well I won’t have to worry about over-tightening, because I’ll be performing all of the oil changes moving forward. Unfortunately, the dealership over tightened the housing on my last oil change, so I had to deal with this problem.

Thanks for the advice!

 

That's common, I swear Hercules tightened the housing on my wife's corolla, I needed to use a breaker bar and hammer to remove it.

 

Those idiots couldn't put access door on skid and oil change together. Actually started removing my skid. Then because I didn't trust them and was watching told them to open the access door.

They just said 'oh ok thanks'

I then went to the service rep and requested a certified tech inspects because they couldn't even figure out the access door. Same thing the pro has lol.

 

Just had the same issue with mine. Previous oil changes were done at the dealer and the filter was on so tight I couldn't get it to come loose or the drain cap. I'm pretty sure they just stuck a 3/8" into the drain cap and tightened the whole thing on. It was WAY beyond the 20 ft/lbs for the filter and 10 ft/lbs for the cap.

Mine is now replaced with a metal one and not going back to a dealership.

 

I’ve always tightened it as much as I could by hand and that’s it. It’s gonna snug itself up more from thermocycling.

 

I dont think ill even use the free oil changes from the dealer. I dont have much faith in them. I enjoy doin my own oil and what ever else i can do on my stuff.

 

This man understands.

 

This just dropped to $17.02!! Yesterday it was about $30 or so! Free shipping!!! Mine is on the way.