Getting ready for my first oil change on this Gen 3 - I have questions

The auto stores, amazone, ebay, all have the proper oil filter tool.
DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN the cap!

You can purchase a converter kit, it's over $100.00.

OEM filters are always the best option.
I was looking at the toyota filter on walfarts web page earlier.
They cost less at Toyota.
If you're a veteran, they give you a 10% discount.

 

I picked up one of these to handle the plastic cover, and so far it's worked perfectly.

Performance Tool Canister Type Filter Wrench: Fits Toyota Oil Filters W54120 - Advance Auto Parts

I've been using Mobile 1 filters, along with Mobile 1 synthetic oil. I'd have no problems putting on one of the OEM filters either. I wouldn't put on one of the auto parts store brand filters, or a budget brand.

My other Prii have the spin-on type oil filter, and I can understand the desire to use the good old standard oil filter type. It also bugs me that the cartridge costs as much as the full spin on filter when the are clearly less materials and labor that goes into making one. I think that part is a ripoff.

That being said (and I know that I'm going against the grain of everyone who's converted their cars to spin-on filters - it's my car and I'll do the repairs the way I do, It's your car and you do you too. I'm not saying I'm right all the time, but I do have a different point of view) there is one advantage to the cartridge oil filters that nobody seems to talk about. When I got my new to me 2019 Prime, the first thing I did when I got it home was to change the oil. Even though it looked like the oil had recently been changed, I wanted to get a known oil type into the system. I tried to dissect the oil filter to see what, if any debris I could see in the filter, but by the time I got the filter out of the metal case, I'd generated some metal debris on my own. With a cartridge-type filter, you can inspect what it's been filtering out when you change your oil.

Hope this helps. It's up to you to figure out what you want to do, it's your car.

 

Underscoring not to over-tighten the plastic cap. I cracked mine.

 

Toyota sells them in a 10 pack. And you KNOW the are real filters.
When you buy them from ebay or amazon, you are likely getting the cheap chinese copy.

How long does it take to drive 5000 miles? 6 months? A year? So figure how often you will
be changing the oil.

 

For your questions:

1 and 2. Not sure if it's "best", but I bought my oil filter socket around 1990, for changing filter on a Honda motorcycle. At the time Honda was using a larger oil filter for their cars, but have since adopted that motorcycle filter size. It's heavy stamped steel, a perfect fit, and apparently indistructable. Honda dealership parts departments can (obviously) order it in, and it looks to be available on Amazon as well. I believe the current part no is 07AAA-PLCA100. It works on either the stock filter housing, or the spin-on, if you do the conversion (they're the same size).

See the oil change link in my signature (if on a phone turn it landscape to see signatures); it has info on the oil filter conversion as well as oil change tips.

3. All I've ever used is the Toyota filter, seems fine. Good for "paper trail" too, to buy through a dealership parts department.

Other suggestions/ideas:

1. Maybe OCD, but I take the full engine bay under panel off, at each oil change. In my case it's necessity, since installing low-mounted oil catch cans (most practical access is from under the car), but that's all I've ever done. Well, apart from the first oil change, when I followed YouTube guidance to just bend back the flap. The near total lack of give in the flap's "hinge" was alarming, so from then on I took the whole thing off.

Other'n that yeah read that oil change link, lots of tips.

 

Two automotive items I NEVER buy on-line....spark plugs and "Toyota" oil filters. They are almost, always cheap knockoffs made in China. (They even copy the Toyota logo to make them look legit but are junk.) I, also, buy filters at Walmart when they have them! (I keep a stash so when it's oil change day I can get right at it.)
Great job taking care of your Toyota! I did convert my wife's 2017 Prius 2 from the cartridge to the spin-in oil filter and haven't had any leaks or issues. I got all the parts on Amayama for about $60 American so had to wait about a month to get them in. (My shipment was from the Middle East.) You do have to get the car on jacks and remove the right/front wheel in order to get in there good.

 

That is a 1/2 inch breaker bar version, you can find the 3/8 inch breaker bar one.
Check autozone..... Napa.... Or buy the little adapter.
You'll likely only need the 1/2 inchbreaker bar to loosen it because the last person
probably over tightened it. Like the dealer or independent shops.

 

I'll get hate for this, but I felt fine stretching my Gen 3 oil changes by double or triple the interval.
Full synthetic, and the gas engine was only running part of the time anyway. At any rate, I saw no detrimental effects from doing so.

 

I also like that I'm just plain throwing less stuff away every time.

I haven't been that worried about the cap on mine, given that (except for the first time getting it loose—that was a bear), I know the last person to tighten it was me.

 

You're right there, There's also the equivalent of a hex nut on the back too, so you could probably use the socket. I've always used the 3/8 to 1/2 adapter - which gets the ratchet with just the right amount of extension.

I've also got one of these, but I haven't tried it on the Gen 3 Prius.

Lisle Oil Filter Wrench 3/8 Inch Drive 63600 | O'Reilly Auto Parts

Come to think of it, I've also had to use it to tighten the cover too. The O ring needs just a little more to get compressed into place than I've got laying on my back with my arm up the oil-change door. (With the spin-on filters, my rule has always been tool to loosen, hand-tighten only. The Lisle wrench would probably work fine to remove it, but since it only grips when you loosen the oil filter, it wouldn't be much help to get it put back in place.

 

I have one of those also. Used it many times! And it works great!
But I've only used the correct tool for the one on the Prius.
I had to use my 1/2 inch 2 foot long breaker bar, and bounce it with my foot and hoped
the car didn't fall off the jack stand!!!
I had to do it several times to get it loose enough to ratchet off.
Now I use a 6inch 3/8 ratched and just snug it up. And that clip just fits to keep it from
backing off. It's still hard to unscrew it, but I can use my 3/8 breaker bar to loosen it and
then use the 6 inch ratchet.