Conversion of Oil housings

It is much easier (and yes, probably cheaper) to make complex parts from plastic than aluminum which is why almost everyone went to plastic intakes.

 

The way I read this post your tongue was firmly planted in your cheek (i.e. sarcasm), apparently other folks are taking you seriously.

 

The aluminum housing would not be subject to differential expansion & contraction- I think it screws into an aluminum thread, so the thread clearances would match when heated. It would seem the overtightening of the plastic unit would distort and damage the threads.

 

So don’t over tighten my guy and the plastic will last the life of the truck. If it’s not broken don’t fix it.

 

More likely they switched to plastic because aluminum-on-aluminum results in galling. Be sure to thoroughly douse the threads in engine oil when you reinstall the aluminum cap.

 

1st car with plastic engine parts? There are no long term issues.

 

see post #32 and watch.

 

It's difficult to understand materials if you have no idea of their strengths and weaknesses. Composites are far superior to cheap ass die cast aluminum.

Funny how you completely dismiss MS and Phd engineers...but whole heartedly respect the opinion of an $18/hr Service Writer. What did you think he would do? Admit they fucked it up?

 

Well, I know it's just anecdotal but my plastic one shattered at about 20k, at 80k the aluminum one is still going. I must be nuts. Have a nice day.

 

I've owned plenty of vehicles with plenty of plastic parts under the hoods. Those that I've had the most problems with are the ones that get extreme hot and cold cycled - radiator tanks, thermostat housings, random plumbing fixtures, and even one expansion tank that all failed from age and getting brittle from being cycled like that. I also observed the same problems as an equipment mechanic for years. That's why I'll replace any plastic ones I can with metal, if available. YMMV.

 

Its funny, so many posts about how the plastic one gets stuck on and broken, not a single complaint about the aluminum one despite the engineers saying the plastic one is far better. Strang the way that works.

 

Probably because almost nobody has an aluminum one.

 

I asked my dealer's service writer about changing over during my free Toyota Care service. He asked, "why, there's absolutely no reason to change the plastic housing if it is REMOVED PROPERLY?" His 2 cents!

 

The plastic housing on my T4R works just fine, never any issue with removing or installing it. But I also use the correct oil filter wrench, so maybe that’s the disconnect with the people that have issues.

 

That's my concern regarding the plastic one...I had to use a breaker bar to loosen my oil filter housing unit in August when I did my first oil change--how many times can the plastic one take being over-tightened before it becomes a problem?

The internal center unit is slightly taller...it is twisted off without breaking or bending the catch inside the housing unit.

 

Or lithium grease. I think they say to do that with the plastic housing too.

When I first got mine the plastic housing scared me but it works fine.

 

Nope, lots of aluminum housings on other Toyota vehicles. I spend some time on rav4 forums as well they have a few models with aluminum housings and a few with plastics ones, guess which one people complain about? That's right the plastic one.

 

Toyota tech "There is nothing wrong with the plastic housing if its installed correctly" puts fresh battery in 1/2 inch impact gun " Let me uhh.. torque this to spec."

 

Well, I have always been skeptical of this master tech, but beyond the "some of his stuff doesn't pass the smell test" feeling I had there wasn't anything to it. Until now, this is a pic of my aluminum housing off my rav4 (2gr-fe the one from the video) and my plastic housing off my 2gr-fks. The internals are the same. He is definitely lying about them having different internals, notice in the video he DOESN'T pull the stand pipes out and do a real side be side comparison. This is because they are the same. Not sure why he would lie about this but he is. Don't think there is much chance he doesn't know they are the same, but hey maybe he that incompetent. Either way his opinions shouldn't be worth much.

 

Of course I can’t find it to post , but one of the Toyota master techs I follow had posted a video last week of a ‘22 ‘something’ in the shop for its 5k service and was showing Toyota had gone back to the using the aluminum housing on this model from factory after years of the composite.

He stated it was due to the fact that the housings get so tight for whatever reason, there is practically no way of removing without destroying them.

Ill keep looking for his post, otherwise I know its heresay.