Oil Filter Housing -- Over Tightened.

toffee_pie · July 21, 2015

Guys,

My brother was doing an oil change and noticed the housing was way too tight. He said it looked like it was never removed or else the guy never lubed up the o ring last time it was done. I had oil/filter done last september by my local mechanic in Southampton. My brother was worried about cracking the aluminium block, even his oil wrench removal nut was stuck onto the housing, he could not get it off.

He is trying to get onto a mechanic here who has a garage and a ramp, hope I can get it sorted before my ferry back Saturday night (on vacation in Ireland now)

really surprised about this, what did that mechanic do last year to this?

Cheers.

steve2006 · July 21, 2015

I always do my own oil and filter changes using a genuine Toyota filter. Even when I oil up the seal and hand tighten the new filter it can still be a struggle to remove it on the next change resorting eventually to the hammered through long handled screwdriver removal technique so these things do tend to become very tight even if the correct installation proceedures are adhered to.

is200 Newbie · July 21, 2015

There is a post on here from someone who had this exact problem - I am pretty sure he bought a new housing just in case it cracked - cant remember the exact topic. Will have a look.

I do my oil changes on a 6 month basis (or thereabouts) and put the cap on just over hand tight as the first time I changed the oil on the car I needed to get it on a ramp with a lot of force to get it loose ... the last service on the car for the oil change before I bought it was by Lexus.

toffee_pie · July 21, 2015

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/93286-oil-filter-to-tight/

I seen this, so you guys reckon this can come off on a ramp? Looks way too tight as my brother would normally do this in a minute. I was holding a crow bar against the block to counteract his force in trying to get it off, to protect the block. It was not moving at all.

what an idiot, the thing about this is the guy who dont it last year will say it was fine or something along those lines.

is200 Newbie · July 21, 2015

I needed the ramp to get under the car to get good leverage as I could not remove it while it was sat on the ground. It worked on mine. My local garage put it on his ramp but he let me take it off, I guess that was in case he broke it.

A bit of heat carefully applied may help (I stress a bit of heat as its a cast aluminium housing) but you will need to take off a few plastic panels under the car to do that. The housing flap hole is not really that big to get a lot of tools into.

johnatg · July 21, 2015

The filter housing should be done up with a torque wrench to 18ftlbs - that's not very tight at all - most people should be able to more or less reach that by hand (maybe not in the confines of working through the little hatch).

But these housings do seem to tighten with time - it is why you absolutely must use the correct filter removal tool - a substantial cup wrench with cut outs to match the tabs on the filter housing. And it should be used with a torque wrench to do the housing up with the new filter installed.

Don't really understand the post about wodging a screwdriver through the filter. That's a common technique with disposable canister type filters - but you ain't gonna get a screwdriver through a Lexus housing - and there'll be a lot of expense if you did manage it!

toffee_pie · July 21, 2015

my brother has all the correct sockets for the housing, it was not playing ball.

I hope under a ramp it can be more easily done, out of interest that filter, is it part of the main engine block? I am pretty sure if it crakced the engine is fubared. Just curious question as it looks pretty precarious dangling out there.

johnatg · July 22, 2015

The base of the oil filter is ultimately part of the sump (oil pan). The chap referred to in a previous post said he'd removed part of the assembly to a bench and got the filter housing off there (having bought some new parts) (as I recall).

But I don't know if you can easily separate the base of the filter housing from the oil pan - it doesn't look like it on the assembly drawings.Maybe he took the whole oil pan off. I hate to think how much a new one of those costs - multiple hundreds at least.

With the correct tools (the proper cup wrench rather than a universal cup wrench or other generic tools) the filter housing should come off with a long enough breaker bar. I don't think heat would help much because you're not trying to break a rust weld - just tight threads.

You mention that your brother's cup wrench was stuck on the housing - makes me think he was using a tin one (which may distort) - even if it's the right size (64.5mm) it is not really adequate - the proper ones are made of alloy and because of the tabs they won't get stuck

C Mclean · July 22, 2015

The best oil filter tool I've ever used was a Snap-On one. It used a 12" fabric strap similar to a piece of seat belt which was fed thru a self tightening buckle which you turned with a ratchet etc. The harder you turned it, the tighter it gripped the filter body. I've even used it on hydraulic rams. Snap-On don't seem to make it any more, but you can easily make something similar by getting a bolt, 5-6" long it probably needs to be around 1/2 or 5/8 diameter. Using two blades in a hacksaw, cut from the end of the bolt towards the hex head to enable an old piece of seat belt to be slotted in to make a loop. Double hacksaw blades will give you a wide enough slot to take the two thicknesses of belt. Put the loop round the filter, hold the fabric belt and turn the bolt so the belt tightens and you can loosen the filter.

johnatg · July 22, 2015

Or there's a proper one (Laser 4880) for £15.14 on amazon UK. There's a cheaper one on eBay but it doesn't look very substantial.

D-I-Y is fine in it's place and I am all for it. But for this job I have a Laser 4880!

milleplod · July 22, 2015

My housing was also ultra-tight - a friend used a bar and brute strength to get it undone, I really thought it wasn't going to come off.

As an alternative to the Laser one, the Sealey VS7112 is also on amazon at £9.28 including delivery - or is that the not very substantial one?! Its cast aluminium anyway, and it did the job!

Pete

toffee_pie · July 22, 2015

cheers guys, hopefully will get this off tomorrow.!

jackcramerr · July 22, 2015

Can anyone confirm that tye correct tool like johnatg

mentioned also fails to open it ? Want to make and buy list of tools before my oil change. Thanks.

is200 Newbie · July 22, 2015

eBay item number 291062390949 is the specific one to use to remove the housing cover to gain access to the filter.

jackcramerr · July 22, 2015

yes I have ordered one of those things.

Right tool for the right job is all I want.

johnatg · July 22, 2015

The eBay item referenced by Noobie looks like the Laser 4880 and £22.95 is the usual price (rrp) for that. The amazon offer I saw for it is good value! (But you'll need to buy something else to get to £20 for free delivery if you don't have Prime). Other brands (eg Sealey) are available!

Re Jack's question: No guarantees! But it gives the best chance.

There do seem to be some Toyota filter tools on eBay which mention they are for 4 cyl engines and they are much cheaper. They are the correct diameter (64.5mm) and number of flutes (14) and I think they have 3 cutouts on opposite sides. The 6 cyl engine ones have 3 cutouts on one side and 1 opposite. But they could work OK - I don't know if the cutout spacing is the same. The extra ones won't matter. Anyone confirm that they are OK? Or not?

Meanwhile better to be safe than sorry!

madasahatter · July 23, 2015

I bought the sealey not had a chance to use it yet sounds like they can be difficult to do if no oil on gasket.

johnatg · July 23, 2015

I don't think oil on the gasket makes much difference. There will be some there anyway unless the threads on the housing, and the seating, have been thoroughly wiped. Even then, it can't really apply much glueing!

But you should of course oil the gasket (rubber sealing ring) when reassembling.

The Sealey wrench referenced (VS7112) (and the Draper 22490) are the ones described as being for the 4 cyl engines - I am pretty sure they fit the IS250 housings - they just have extra slots.

It's just a matter of applying enough torque - use a long breaker bar if a short one or a ratchet drive won't cut it.

madasahatter · July 23, 2015

I will be standing in a pit when the time comes so that will be another bonus also.

milleplod · July 23, 2015

As per my post no. 11....the Sealey VS7112 definitely fits, is priced very keenly, and is man enough for the job.

Pete

jackcramerr · July 23, 2015

by long breaker bar you mean how long ? I have to check what they have in local b&q but I think will have some medium length.

johnatg · July 23, 2015

I have 2 - one about 9" and one about 18". And a short (18") length of scaffold pole for rare emergencies - comes in handy for semi-de-staked hub nuts etc.!

toffee_pie · July 23, 2015

crisis averted! Guy up the road here got it off on his ramp, he used the toyota removal tool with 3 notches, aluminium one. Guess the one my brother had was not sufficent ,plus working from the ground not enough go on it.

thanks for the tips here.