DIY Oil Change reminder: Make sure old oil filter gasket isn't stuck on your engine

akswun wrote: ↑ Just a little reminder to you DIY wrenchers out there. Make sure the old oil filter gasket isn't stuck before you put on your new oil filter.

Did my oil change yesterday as I was due and the weather has been amazing the past week here in the GTA. My RX300's oil filter is a PITA to remove and get on due to the location. I spent about a half an hour trying to get it off as usual. After finally getting it off, putting the new one on, filling the oil and starting my car... oil was dripping...
At first I was like WTF?!!!... Then I go and check the old filter and realized the gasket wasn't on it.

Luckily I didn't tighten the new oil filter so damn hard and got it off easily without losing too much oil, probably 250ml. Hard lesson learned... now I'm off to get some stuff to soak up the oil stains on my driveway.

What? Oil filter location is not bad on RX300/ES300/ES330. The only thing to watch out is getting burnt by the hot exhaust manifold...which can be solved by wearing a long glove. Takes me 5 seconds!!
And I only tighten the oil filter by hand...and only slightly hand tight. When the engine gets warm/hot, the gasket expands and it will be much harder to remove in the next oil change.

Changed my oil Sunday too with this great weather. Always remember to oil the gasket first with fresh oil and hand tighten only, dont use any tools.

akswun wrote: ↑ Just a little reminder to you DIY wrenchers out there. Make sure the old oil filter gasket isn't stuck before you put on your new oil filter.

Did my oil change yesterday as I was due and the weather has been amazing the past week here in the GTA. My RX300's oil filter is a PITA to remove and get on due to the location. I spent about a half an hour trying to get it off as usual. After finally getting it off, putting the new one on, filling the oil and starting my car... oil was dripping...
At first I was like WTF?!!!... Then I go and check the old filter and realized the gasket wasn't on it.

Luckily I didn't tighten the new oil filter so damn hard and got it off easily without losing too much oil, probably 250ml. Hard lesson learned... now I'm off to get some stuff to soak up the oil stains on my driveway.

I install filters on similar 1MZ-FE engine for about 8 years now and the 2 things I find that help a lot are:

1. Get Fram Ultra or Toughguard as they have the rubber grip texture on the top part, which helps a lot when you need grip to remove the filter.
2. Tighten filter by fingers, once you can't turn the filter by your fingers(not palm) anymore. It's already tight enough and will only get tighter as time goes.

Did it this way every time and only need a palm grip to unscrew the filter on the next oil change.

If your gasket is stuck, it might mean that you tightened the filter way past what it should be.

Another friendly reminder:
Changed the oil on my bike yesterday. Spilled some on the hot header. Grabbed some brake cleaner and wiped it off so i would smell burnt oil the next few weeks. After a few minutes I couldnt stand the smell and opened the garage door. Proceeded on filling the bike and starting it up. Front pipes were smoking but i figured it was just the oil and brake cleaner.

So the PSA folks:
Dont use chlorinated brake cleaner on hot services. It will create chlorine gas. I spiked a fever of 39 within a few minutes and was sick to my stomach. Luckily ibuprofen kept me out of the hospital.

I left an oil filter gasket on a friends engine once and had Exxon Valdez on my driveway. Learned my lesson - now i always check the filter and the gasket surface on the engine to make sure it's clear.

BDSL wrote: ↑ What? Oil filter location is not bad on RX300/ES300/ES330. The only thing to watch out is getting burnt by the hot exhaust manifold...which can be solved by wearing a long glove. Takes me 5 seconds!!
And I only tighten the oil filter by hand...and only slightly hand tight. When the engine gets warm/hot, the gasket expands and it will be much harder to remove in the next oil change.

You must have some small forearms. Because my right forearm is sore and usually is every time I remove the oil filter(LOL). Even trying to hand tighten the filter is a PITA. I know all about the 'long sleeve' trick not to burn yourself. But compared to my other beater (01 Malibu) where the filter is accessible from top and bottom with out having to risk burning myself my (02) RX300 is a real bitch. When I use the oil filter clamp I have about 1/2" of movement.

And to everyone commenting about only hand tightening... I get it... but I have to literally twist my arm just to get under the exhaust manifold to access the filter. I try to do a little (1/8th) turn after hand tightening because I don't have that much of a grip on it.

wing0 wrote: ↑ I install filters on similar 1MZ-FE engine for about 8 years now and the 2 things I find that help a lot are:

1. Get Fram Ultra or Toughguard as they have the rubber grip texture on the top part, which helps a lot when you need grip to remove the filter.
2. Tighten filter by fingers, once you can't turn the filter by your fingers(not palm) anymore. It's already tight enough and will only get tighter as time goes.

Did it this way every time and only need a palm grip to unscrew the filter on the next oil change.

If your gasket is stuck, it might mean that you tightened the filter way past what it should be.

I agree... a few RX owners even suggest getting K&N filters because of the wrench nub on it. But I aint spending that much on an oil filter for my 16yr old car. I get OEM oil filters for $5. I was buying tough guard Frams but after finding the $5 filters I'm good.

akswun wrote: ↑ I agree... a few RX owners even suggest getting K&N filters because of the wrench nub on it. But I aint spending that much on an oil filter for my 16yr old car. I get OEM oil filters for $5. I was buying tough guard Frams but after finding the $5 filters I'm good.

Why not get Fram Ultra and leave it in for 2 OCI, then it average out to like $7 per OCI. It filters better than the Denso from Toyota that's made in Thailand.

wing0 wrote: ↑ Why not get Fram Ultra and leave it in for 2 OCI, then it average out to like $7 per OCI. It filters better than the Denso from Toyota that's made in Thailand.

I change my filter halfway through my 10k OCI

wing0 wrote: ↑ Why not get Fram Ultra and leave it in for 2 OCI, then it average out to like $7 per OCI. It filters better than the Denso from Toyota that's made in Thailand.

I know the Ultras are rated for 20k+ km but I cant live with my filter on for 2 OCI Pennzoil Ultra + Fram Ultra every OCI for me which I hope is not too wasteful/overkill.

akswun wrote: ↑ You must have some small forearms. Because my right forearm is sore and usually is every time I remove the oil filter(LOL). Even trying to hand tighten the filter is a PITA. I know all about the 'long sleeve' trick not to burn yourself. But compared to my other beater (01 Malibu) where the filter is accessible from top and bottom with out having to risk burning myself my (02) RX300 is a real bitch. When I use the oil filter clamp I have about 1/2" of movement.

And to everyone commenting about only hand tightening... I get it... but I have to literally twist my arm just to get under the exhaust manifold to access the filter. I try to do a little (1/8th) turn after hand tightening because I don't have that much of a grip on it.

I have medium wrists and forearms. Don't over tighten and you will have no problem.

RSXPrem wrote: ↑ I know the Ultras are rated for 20k+ km but I cant live with my filter on for 2 OCI Pennzoil Ultra + Fram Ultra every OCI for me which I hope is not too wasteful/overkill.

I put Pennzoil Platinum in the 1MZ-FE for 8k OCI and leave the Ultra filter in for 3 OCI(originally rated for 24k, now up to 32k)
Did that for 48k now.

Never cheap out on filters and use them for an extended OCI....my two cents!

Why are there oil stains on your driveway? Don't you start it and check for leaks before pulling away the drain pan? And don't people put down a sheet of cardboard under everything?

wing0 wrote: ↑ I put Pennzoil Platinum in the 1MZ-FE for 8k OCI and leave the Ultra filter in for 3 OCI(originally rated for 24k, now up to 32k)
Did that for 48k now.

+1. Fram Ultra will easily handle +30k km in any intervals you want. I've cut open at least couple dozens of these and they are solid without issues. Literally the best spin on filter on the market.

wing0 wrote: ↑ I put Pennzoil Platinum in the 1MZ-FE for 8k OCI and leave the Ultra filter in for 3 OCI(originally rated for 24k, now up to 32k)
Did that for 48k now.

I don't understand... you'd spend the money for synthetic oil to only run it for 8k., yet you'd save a few bucks by leaving the filter there for 3 OCI?..... why????

er34er34 wrote: ↑ I don't understand... you'd spend the money for synthetic oil to only run it for 8k., yet you'd save a few bucks by leaving the filter there for 3 OCI?..... why????

Well the 1MZ-FE engine is not that easy on oil. Many people have done oil analysis on it and the standard weight of 5W30 get sheared down to 5W20 on the viscosity scale(cSt) in 5-8k of driving.
I find that the engine starts to consume a bit of oil(half a litre) after 6-7k(I check around 3k and 6k mark) and my assumption is it's due to the shearing, the oil is getting a bit too thin, hence I change it at 8k.
The synthetic is there for faster flow as my parents aren't exactly easy on the car upon starting it up, they just drive off like it's all warmed up.

Leaving the filter in for 3 OCI is also because it is still a hassle to take out the bottom plastic trim off to get to the filter.
I don't need to lift the car up to get to the drain bolt so the oil change takes 15 mins in the garage when it's not time to change the filter.

Man, I feel bad for you guys without top mounted drop in filters. On my BMW I suck the oil out of the dipstick and swap the filter all on top. No crawling on the ground and no mess.

engineered wrote: ↑ Man, I feel bad for you guys without top mounted drop in filters. On my BMW I suck the oil out of the dipstick and swap the filter all on top. No crawling on the ground and no mess.

Newer Bmw dont have dipsticks which sucks.