Is there a trick to the 2.7 oil filter? Its messy!

I "modified" a funnel for the oil filter when I owned a '98 Tacoma with the 3.4 V6. It works well on the 2.7 I4. Place it under the filter, against the block after you loosen the filter.

 

When you start getting more age on you this will change. My grandfather used to be the same way. I use to crawl under the grease rack and watch him service his truck and car. Then he got older and started taking it to the dealership. Just lucky we have good service departments around where I live.

 

Knock on wood, I've never had to take a vehicle to a service department/dealer in 16 years of auto ownership. Was just joking about the oil filter.

 

The only time I ever had a "mess free" 2.7 change on my 2.7 was with the plastic bag method. That was only once. It seems that with a 4X4 and the skid plate in the way it's hard to reach up in there and keep the oil from turning the bag into a slippery element itself which precludes spinnng the filter off the rest of the way. Lifted (even only an inch or two which mine is) doesn't help unless your arms are 6 ft' long. I'm due for another change this weekend after 7500 miles and I have my skids off for the usual summer cleaning. I'll see what happens.

 

I use a plastic big gulp cup with paper towel in the bottom, then put the lid on.

 

Not really. Just wipe the piss out of the area when you get it out. Least it's not a Jetta

 

I just do if on dirt with gloves and an a pan underneath. Minimal spills and I just clean it up with a dirty rag... I like the plastic bag idea though. Think I'll try that next time.

 

I tried the plastic bag idea. Must have done something wrong. It was still messy. I used a gallon size ziplok type bag. Maybe something smaller and more flexible?

 

I used a quart sized ziploc, and maybe had a teaspoon worth of oil that escaped. Couple drops hit my arm, the rest hit the flattened cardboard box I was laying on. Beats the alternative, that's for sure. I slid the bag over the filter, then used an oil filter wrench (see first image) on top of that to remove the filter. Worked quite nicely, think I'll stick with that method for now.

One note - first image shows the bag outside of that heat shield bit, however it quickly became apparent it wanted to rotate to the inside of it, so definitely start with it on the inside of that.

 

drain the oil from the pan....

move your oil bin so it is under the filter.

loosen the filter and let it drain into your oil bin...

use a plastic bag to remove it and tip it over into the bin to finish draining.

not really that messy to do

 

That would work unless you have a 4X4 with skids like I do. I guess from now on I'm just going to remove the skids to change the oil. I can just poke a hole in the bottom of the filter like I did on the last car I had and let it drain into the pan then use the plastic bag method which I have found is a PIA with oil all over the sides of the filter. Even if I wipe it off the residual is still pretty slippery.

 

Plastic gallon milk jug. Cut bottom out in shape of a scoop. Loosen filter. Wedge longer end up behind filter and unscrew and let it fall into jug

 

I had my skids removed this time. Just changed it. I put the pan under the filter which is about 2 feet below or more and loosened the filter and let it drain into the pan before fully removing it. Much cleaner removal than with the skids but still messy since the oil has to drop so far before it hits the pan. It splashed everywhere. Not too bad though.