Oil filter

Unscrew the cap, swap out the paper element and o-ring, screw back on. That's not very hard. Two more steps than using a metal canister filter.

 

Speaking of the canister filter, I just bought one from Toyota today and I don't remember seeing these nice illustrations before. Especially not the one showing the position of the o-ring.

 

I suspect they now include those directions since a frequent error by DIY oil changers on this type of filter is to put the o-ring in the wrong place and then it leaks a lot. With the canisters that have been more widely used, the gasket was fixed in place. On that style, the common error was not getting the old gasket off the block and ending up with two gaskets and a a leak.

Where did you get your cap removal tool? Toyota, third party or something you already had for a different filter?

 

Oh, I'm sure of that. Lots of horror stories about that stuff.

Found it on Amazon. It's worked perfectly so far.

 

But is it really that much less waste? A sponge-like oil soaked piece of paper in the landfill isn't really saving the environment IMHO.

 

There are recyclers that put oil filters in some sort of centrifuge, and use steam also, manage to extract virtually all the oil.

Taking the paper-only element, cutting along one of the spines, uncurling it, folding it like a compressed accordion and then putting it into a suitable vice, I think you could come close, have nothing but slightly oily paper as the outcome. Maybe need a vice mounted sideways, or upside down, so as not to drip all over the vice?

Here's one commercial level machine, still in development I think:

 

Tried that; it doesn't work. There's a bead of plastic material around the inside diameter, very brittle/rigid. It's impossible to cut along one spine, unfold the thing for compression in a vice.

BTW, I have components for spin-on conversion waiting in-the-wings, will swap with my spring oil change.

 

LOL... BTW, What people usually do with used filter (either element or spin-on) after DIY oil change? I know some shops will take old oil in a jug, but do they also take filters?

 

Here Mr Lube (for one) takes used oil and filters. They have a big tank for used oil, and "tolerate" me pouring it out myself (I retain my used oil container).

 

I have to remember to ask my local shops about oil filter recycle. I admit the last DIY oil change, I did trash the filter in the garbage. The jag of used oil is still in my shed. We have once a year municipal chemical (including used oil or oil based paint) disposal.

 

Dealerships might take it too. They will maybe take other items, like old brake fluid, anti freeze, and batteries (if you didn't purchase with a core charge).

 

The last time I bought a 12V battery from a local shop, they charged me extra for the core exchange. I did not have the battery out of the car at the time, so I asked if I can bring it back later. They said they will take it any time and give me back the exchange cost of $18. I ended up keeping the old battery out from HCH for my apiary to be used for an oxalic acid vaporizer. I guess, when it truly dead, I will take it back to the shop to get my $18 back.

 

Don't lose the paperwork.

 

If a local store sells the items, they usually take the old ones back (for recycling) - tires, batteries, oil, etc.

 

Not for oil and filters though.

One thing, our local Mr Lube collection centre is an ecological disaster zone, so much spillage. And they come in with a pressure washer every so often, spray the whole area with hot, detergent-laced high pressure spray, and it all washes down to the nearby stream.

 

My local store AutoZone took both old oil and filter, and I didn't even buy from them!

 

I have a 2020 Prius Prime XLE. Received it in September of 2019. I do my own maintenance. The under body is enclosed in plastic panels. You must drop down a little door to access the filer, which on my car was a spin on type filter. Yes, some 800 lb monkey torqued the filter on. I have a Blue Point (snapon) filter tool with mechanical fingers that crushed the can end. Put a new Fram filter on hand tight like it is suppose to be. Also that same ape must of put the lug nuts/bolts on. They were not 76 ft lbs.

 

Sigh! Isn’t that always the case?


Unsupervised!

 

@Kirk Hilton : was there dealership service department involvement, or were you the first working on it since it left the factory?

 

When I did an oil change 4 months after I received my 2018 Prime, the factory installed oil filter was on so tight that I had to use a breaker bar to loosen it up. The small 6 inch ratchet I had did not have enough leverage to loosen the oil filter which surprised me.

Definitely not to spec IMO.