oil change makes huge mess

i have a 2010 reg cab 4x4 with a 4 cyl. yesterday i did my first oil change. the filter is located in an awful spot above a skid plate so when you take it off oil drips all over the top pf the skid plate. have any of you come up with a less messy way to remove the filter?

 

Most people, including toyota technicians remove the oil pan to prevent this. It comes off with 4 easy bolts.

 

Get a piece of 5/16 vinyl tubing from the hardware store and stick it on the barb fitting on the bottom of the oil filter mount housing. No need to spill a drop.

 

You can also put an empty water bottle right underneath the fitting and all the excess oil will drip into it. Just did it a few weeks ago and I would say it was the easiest oil change I have done. Not a drop spilled.

Look or feel under where the filter screws in for the barbed fitting. There should be a rubber plug. Pull the plug, insert tube or bottle, then take filter off. The oil will flow out of the barb. No mess!

 

Funny, I have an 05 4cyl 2.7l and have both the oem and TRD skids. The oil filter is behind both of them and drips into pan on floor when removing the filter. It doesn't even get on the side of the motor. How do you make it drip on the top of the skids? I have a prerunner, are the skids longer for 4wd? Nevermind, I guess the little drain thingy is what drips on the skid? I don't use that, I just unscrew the filter enough for the little bit of oil that comes out to run off the filter into the pan on the ground. Then when it's done dripping, I remove the filter and dump rest of oil in it into pan. Wipe hand, wipe filter area & screw on new filter filled with new oil. Less mess and time spent fiddling with an extra hose and that drain thing.

 

Seems Toyota screwed up when they engineered the oil filter location, my 3.4 is a pain and rather than change the orientation of the filter they put in a catch basin with another drain plug. What would have been wrong with a small extension housing that holds the filter upright like the one on an old small block chevy engine, easy to change and you can fill the filter up with oil before you install it. Someone builds an adapter that does that and I will buy it.

 

He has a 4-cyl. Filter is not on the top of the engine.

 

i think i can get a small pan of some kind on top of the skid plate ...once the weather warms up some ill give it a longer look. the 6 cyl ones look alot easier......maybe ill trade....lol thanks for all your ideas and thoughts

 

Props for paying attention

 

I think the filter location on the 2.7 is great...very easy to change.

 

It does not work very well but it's better then nothing - using a plastic bag around the filter when you unscrew it helps a bit. Push the bag up higher around the filter mount as you unscrew. The oil makes this tougher as you go but it should get there. Roll up the sleeves and expect some to run down the arm.

 

Already have that but this does not solve the issue of the filter spilling everywhere for us 4 bangers.

Time to over think/engineer this:
I'm thinking of making something simple like a 2 liter bottle cut in half and a rubber band across diameter that pinches and grabs filter after you loosen it. It would be nice as it could catch all the oil and just open the cap on bottom to drain the rest into a container. I don't care much about getting dirty its getting it all over the driveway and truck that pisses me off.

I suppose you could do even less and just hold a large milk jug or 2 liter cut in half under it as you unscrew it. It may be too tight to make it work without a band holding and turning the filter. Oil change is coming up so I will give this a shot.

 

Yes that would be easier, just have to find a tapered container of proper size for filter. I should get pretty interesting looks at supermarket with a tape measure.......

 

Not really prepared for an answer so thanks for the prep.

 

On my 4cyl I just use a 2 liter soda bottle or 1/2 gallon milk jug, cut the top off and put it around the filter. Break the filter loose and put the jug around the filter and let the filter and oil all fall into the jug. Just hold it there for a minute or so after you drop the filter and wipe up what little oil drips afterward.

 

You would not happen to know the size of the oil pan bolts M6 M8 ? also, how long are they? I know it's suppose to be 18 of them.

 

believe they remove the skid plate, not the oil pan. Dunno for sure as don’t have a 4 banger 2nd gen.

 

Crack it, let it drip slowly into one spot, then remove filter carefully. Clean up.