Reminder of why I don't trust shops to work on my vehicles

We purchased two 2024 Toyotas last year and I prefer to change the oil every 3-4k miles instead of the recommended 10k miles. I've been changing the oil our Camry every 3.3k miles and I brought it to dealership in November to let the dealership change it at their recommended 10k mile point.

I completed the 1k mile break-in oil change on my 2024 Tacoma today and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was. I removed the front air dam shortly after purchase, so all I had to do was remove the 4 bolts holding the bottom engine cover and I had quick and easy access to the oil filter and drain plug. I will say that I was surprised at the size and how tight those 4 bolts were on the light fiber cover though. You would have thought they were holding a structural member in place.

Once I finished up with the Tacoma, I proceeded to start on my wife's 2024 Camry for her 13.3k interval. When I got to the oil filter, it was too tight to remove. I have to assume at this point that the tech over tightened the filter during the change in November. It was so tight, that my oil filter "socket" would spin on the end of the filter. I grabbed a strap wrench and it started to dent the filter, so I stopped there. I have an appointment with the dealership tomorrow. Hopefully they have better tools to get the filter off and they will take ownership of the issue.

I normally do my own oil changes and any other work within my ability or tooling. I figured I would let Toyota do some since they are the dealership and it's included for the first 4 years. Once I get this issue resolved, I will probably perform the remaining oil changes in the future. It costs me less than $50 to change it will OEM filter and Mobil 1 synthetic and I can change it in about the same amount of time it takes to drive to, wait and return back from the dealer anyways.

Sorry for the long post for such a simple message.

 

Don't worry about denting the old filter it's not getting re-used! I've had to use BIG channel locks to get stuck filters off before. I've had times where I had to hammer a big phillips screwdriver through a filter in order to get enough leverage to crack them off of vehicles.

 

Last time I changed the oil in my quad I just put the filter on with my hand. I tried to take it off recently and it ain't happening. I'm going to have to do the screwdriver method. Not the first time I've done that. Sometimes they just tighten up. It wasn't necessarily the fault of the dealer.

 

This is only the second time I've had a problem with an oil filter. The first being about 35 years ago when a Kmart auto tech installed a new filter over an old gasket and the car dumped oil in the parking lot. Luckily, I caught it immediately and they pulled it back in and corrected the situation. I was extremely lucky. Otherwise, I haven't encountered any issues with oil filter removal. I could probably resolve this myself, but I was afraid it may turn into a real disaster and I don't have channel locks that large. I understand things can happen and hopefully the dealership will work with me tomorrow.

 

I worked dealerships for a period of my life. Beleive me when i say the lube guy generally can't tie their own shoes. The kmart "oil filter double gasket" is their theme song usually played very loud.

On the other hand (the one with six fingers), and if your a risk taker, they often offer cheap oil changes to get you in for an upsale.

 

When I took automotive service technician apprenticeship after high school, I was the lube buy at Ford, Nissan and Good year dealers.

I was a complete bafoon back in those days and came to work extremely hung over and couldn't care less about what I was doing.

Moral of the story: I do all the maintenance on my vehicles. Always

 

Well, the issue has been resolved. In the end, they agreed to treat today's service as the 20k service (in advance), which will be our last free service. They said they would emphasize to the mechanic not to over tighten the new filter. They also changed the air filter and rotated the tires. I will be passing on the future free maintenance on my Tacoma.

The maintenance guy who handled our vehicle also told us that they recommend an alignment every 15k miles because they have noticed that they have a tendency to go out of alignment within that time frame and it would save us money in the long run. I declined. I forgot to ask if it was free or not. Even if they didn't charge us, they may be able to charge it to Toyota as a warranty service. I assume Toyota isn't building Toyota Camry's that require an alignment every 15k miles.........or at least I hope so.

 

this is the way

 

I took the 4runner to the dealer on Friday for the 35K service. Service writer asked if I wanted an oil change. I said yeah whatever Toyota wants to pay for. Well all they did was inspect the floor mats (which I had removed prior to service) and rotate the tires.

Even when I used to do my own oil changes (and only tightened hand tight), it seemed like the oil filter would just tighten over time. One time I had to poke a screw driver through the oil filter to get it off.

 

lol. I've never needed one before this incident. Hopefully I won't in the future, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

Something I've noticed with oil filters that at first don't want to budge... Under continued pressure, they will infact very slowly turn. With enough patience you should be able to get it off unless it was truly cranked on there gorilla-style from the beginning (and this includes both normal spin-on filters, as well as the filter cartridge housing thingamabob on 3rd-gen).

 

I like and hate the alignment suggestion.

1). It is unusual for a new vehicle to lose alignment if no trauma has occured to the suspension. It's a total cash grab and bullshit

2). The cam bolt on just about all Toyota vehicles will eventually seize. If in the future you actually need to have an alignment, you can't. The bolts will have to be cut out. Think about loosening those cam bolts and antisieze them and reassemble.

My observation, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

The Lisle 63600 is what I use when the oil filter wont come off. It fits in tight spaces - need a 3/8 ratchet, however.

$13 Lisle 63600 Oil Filter Tool,U.S.,2-1/2 - 3-1/8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SR4Q8

 

lisle makes a ton of quality magic tools. their entire catalog is worth going through for anyone that does anything with vehicles. far cheaper than the core matco/snapon/etc brands, but imo, just as good.

 

Dealer oil changes are like going to jiffy lube lol

 

An too-tight oil filter? I once had a short mechnic use my rims as step stools, shiny sides up. "They were already like that (scratched/heavily scuffed,)" the service manager said.

 

Don't forget to put some oil on the new filter seal before installing. Will help with removal during the next change.

 

It's the horror stories in threads like these that kept me away from the free oil changes when I first bought my 4Runner. I went to a trusted independent old school mechanic. I used to take my old 2000 4Runner and now take my 2021 4Runner to him. The last oil change I did myself and I have one due at 25k. I've always done them (and a lot of the maintenance/repairs on my 2004 BMW 330i) myself. With my BMW, I use a fluid extractor and since the filter is on top of the engine, I don't even have to crawl under the engine! NICE!

 

First off.......I never have trusted any of those places that say they have speedy oil change service.....or the dealership oil change services.....etc....NEVER TRUST THEM!

That being stated...I just changed the oil on my 2008 Toyota Tacoma (295,511 miles). One of the easiest and fastest oil changes to do on a vehicle.

All of us 2nd Gen owners know the oil filter is located at an angle on top front end of the engine with easy access to install and remove, etc.

(this is the new oil filter installed.....should have taken a picture of the old beat up oil filter but didn't)

BUT!..........I had a rare and rude encounter with removing the oil filter this time. In all my life I had never encountered this situation on my Tacoma truck nor on my wife's 2016 Toyota 4Runner.

Yes the oil filter was really STUCK on and would not easily come loose for removal.

While first trying to remove the oil filter with a oil filter removal tool, along with a ratchet and extension (used various lengths of extensions) well when trying to force the oil filter loose this suddenly and unexpectedly happened!




So while tryin different technic's, etc. on trying to remove the oil filter, it kept getting damaged in the process by getting banged up, dented, etc.

Finally, my last hope and solution....I had to use the dreaded "jaws of life" to slowly remove the oil filter. At first it would not budge and just kept getting dented, etc. but I kept at it and well it slowly started to come loose.....finally was able to remove it completely.


When installing an oil plug or oil filter I always make it a point to just install to the point where it is just snug.....never over tighten, etc.
For a new oil filter....right before I install it....I always lubricate the oil filters gasket, area where it threads, etc. so to prevent such a thing from happening that I encountered.

I always change the oil on our vehicles and NEVER had this problem dealing with an oil filter removal process.....but like everything in life there's always a first time for everything....right.

Still I am stumped as to why the oil filter was stuck...I mean really stuck on like glue?!.......it's anyone's guess but I suspect that since the weather down here in South Central Texas has been getting so damn hot....along with the engine heating up...could have caused the oil filter to expand a bit and then contract (due to the temperate coming down over night?) causing it to just completely get stuck on and sealed to it's base?

After all the drama and shit combined..….I decided to upgrade and finally buy a good quality oil filter removal tool and purchased this one!
As for the cheap oil filter removal tools from Autozone, O'Reilly's, etc.....
I'M DONE!!!!!