Oil Filter To Tight.

[Horace Zontal]

Hi all, new here but have gained much information from this site since I purchased an IS220D SE for the daughter six months ago. However I wonder if anyone has any idea of my next move regarding an over tightened oil filter cap. I am a retired diesel engineer and have tried everything I know to shift it but no way is this moving. Car was purchased 6 months ago and dealers (not Lexus) did an oil and filter change when collected. Some dope must have tighten the cap well over the needed torque.

I have the correct tool and I have tried warming the housing above its normal temp no joy, tried freezing the cap with nitrogen, no joy. My main concern is that I tear the whole filter housing off from the block. I am trying to locate another complete housing so I can remove the one on the car and see if I can budge it, Then if it does fracture at least I will have a replacement.

So here we go any suggestions regarding shifting it, and the joint between the block and the housing would anybody know if it is a gasket or O rings.

Thanks.

[steve2006]

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

I can't find any reference to the filter housing in the parts list so this may not be available as a separate part.

Sounds like the garage as you say over torqued it or cross threaded it.

Sorry I cannot offer any advice on how to remove it without risk of damage.

This is all I found on the parts list.

[Horace Zontal]

Thanks I have sourced a possible secondhand cap and filter housing maybe as you say its not listed as a separate part on a parts list. The part not numbered on your image is held onto the block by 4 bolts.

I think the only option will be getting the second hand unit and fitting that, hopefully I can get a gasket or seal, or make a gasket or source a seal. I have worked on some pretty big stuff in my time and come across some stubborn filters but this takes the biscuit.

I would like to have a word with whoever put it on and maybe tighten his/her nuts!

[Horace Zontal]

Found an image of the housing and a part number,

[Shepherd]

I had same problem with my is220d. The garage that tried to take off the housing ended up putting a hole in housing but they got it off. They got it aluminium welded for me as I couldn't find a replacement for it in an urgent basis.

For my IS250 I have purchased a filter removal tool something like http://ebay.eu/Zdy0Nb

but have not needed to use it yet. But when I get oil changed I always tell the garage to not over tighten it.

[PhilipK]

Isn't standard procedure with an overtight oil filter to hammer a long screwdriver through the side of the filter and use that to remove it?

Failing that, is there enough room to cut the filter away (possibly "nibbling" at it with a Dremel or similar small tool)?

[is200 Newbie]

Had the same on mine - when I first came to change the oil last year I could not get the filter cap off - I could not get sufficiently under the car enough to get any pressure on it. I ended up taking it to a garage who put it on the ramp and that way gave a lot more room to apply a bit more pressure on it to get it off. I found it easier, a lot easier, actually standing under the car taking it off.

Its a paper filter on these cars - not the aluminium can type - so you need to remove the filter cap first with the special tool you have

Can you get your to a ramp where you can get under the car to remove it?

[Horace Zontal]

I managed to pick a secondhand housing and cap up today I will pick up a new seal tomorrow and change the housing over. I have had it on a ramp so plenty of access, actually I used a torque wrench to see how much pressure I was putting on the cap. Kept an eye on the gauge got it too 190Nm before chickening out after watching the fixed section starting to twist. Interestingly on the new cap it has stamped tighten too 40Nm +/- 8Nm so maximum 48Nm. Think I will be going for the lower region.

PhilipK I wish it was a canister element so I could mutilate it but unfortunately not, its an insert.

Looking at the number of times I have seen the same situation on the interweb it seems a common problem. In fact when I pick the new one up earlier the man asked if mine was too tight.

Once I get the old one off I will endeavour to get it apart, hopefully without it breaking then someone else can make use of it.

[Horace Zontal]

Job done new housing cap and filter fitted. Once old housing was removed and on the bench and in the vice I eventually got the cap off, winding the torque wrench up I got it to 240Nm before it gave way. So 5 times its top torque of 48Nm.

I can see why they may get over tightened there is no feeling of bolt stretch or bottoming out it just stops when it comes face to face.

Anyway I now have a spare housing if I need one or if anybody else gets into trouble I can help them out.

[normski2]

Blimey what a pain in the arse that was for you.

Well done on getting it done though and sharing some useful info.