Oil Change from Hell

I haven't taking the filter drain off for 10+ years, just crack the filter housing open a turn or two, let it drain till the flow stops(~30 seconds), then take the whole thing off. At lease you can wrap a paper towel around the filter housing so the oil will run down following the paper towel.

Always replace the filter first so you have an empty pan to catch everything without splashing oil.

 

It was kinda hilarious. I do all of my oil changes and never had an issue with it before. I must have eaten my wheaties the last time I took it off and on.. Even with my full skid plate removal I can be done and buttoned up in under 30 minutes.

 

That's the way I have been doing oil changes for years and years and years - well not the filter first but basically how I take the filter off - kind of - I use an old sock or rag or nothing . . . . . but that is not cool any more - I got the tube thing and a special kind of wrench and even a cooler filter housing for my next oil change. I'm going high tech baby not the old fashioned Grandpa oil change any more for me.

 

Getting the oil filter drain cap off has been my issue since I changed my oil at 15,000 miles after the first Toyota care oil change at 10K. When I did it at 5k miles everything was so smooth and easy. After that I'd try to remove it and the entire cap would turn. I could never get it loose of the truck being all oiled up. last oil change I went with the aluminum filter cap and a new drain cover so I should be good to go and make less mess. I have a stone driveway and I always lay down old cardboard to work on so that catches any mess that missed the drain pan.

 

I used all this stuff and did my last oil change the way the cool guys do it even using the aluminum housing. I still got some oil on my hand . . . . OK the tube thing works better and less messy the filter wrench is works better. Still there was nothing wrong with the old fashioned way - I know, I know, change is hard for old guys like me.

 

Congrats!

Admitting "change can be better," takes guts...at least, it's challenging to say so.

I did one oil change without Fumoto and MotivX Kit...only happened once.

I've become more proficient at oil changes now that I have a routine.

 

When I got my truck nearly 5 years ago now. I got the older style motiveX filter wrench for my first oil change and nothing else. I did Okay with it at 5,000 before the Gorillas at the dealership did a Toyota care service and over torqued everything it was easy. I didn't know what pepole were talking about "hard to change the oil" after Toyota Care... Understood.
I got the new version with full kit now too. It is very nice to use.

 

In all seriousness I think "routine" is the key - we (or at least I) tend to become creatures of habit.
I had done oil changes the same way literally for 30+ years - it worked, a little messy so why change.

 

Very much so as far as routine goes.

I've adapted to the canister type housing with its winglets...and the over-torqued unit.

Previous oil filters damage would be forcing the filter wrench on an over-torqued old-style filter and possibly piercing it.

Luckily, that did not happen to me but I came close!

Canister Housing is a different design that I wasn't familiar with but...once I got the process/steps to success, the confidence grew.