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Just lost all the oil in the engine

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by kenmorem, Feb 10, 2021.

  1. wheezyglider

    wheezyglider Active Member

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    I had seen a guy use the conversion as an opportunity to add a sandwich plate adapter (something like this one). That gives you ports to install oil temperature and pressure gauges. C'mon Mendel, you know you want to.
     
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    For me it’s a design flaw, if you have to fastidiously oil the o-ring till it’s dripping, then start screwing it in while praying it didn’t jump the groove. It’s happened to me btw: next time I backed it out the o-ring was pushed up to the flange. Minor miracle, it didn’t leak anyway.

    What do you mean by over-torque? I torque to Toyota spec fwiw, and never a problem with subsequent removal. With the permanent canister that’s 18 ft/lbs btw*. I use a 3/8” drive torque wrench that I’ve checked, with a heavy gauge Honda oil filter socket, same size as Toyota.

    *Spin-on filter torque spec: 13 ft/lbs.
     
  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Actually, you are supposed to oil the o-ring before putting it on the housing and then oil it again before threading it into the engine.
    I have never had a problem with this.

    IMG_1031.jpg
     
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Too finicky? OP drew the short straw, and so much riding on it.
     
  5. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    same here. If it was a design flaw, I would have botched it myself, maybe 5 times (n)
     
  6. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Maybe you can just word it differently.

    There are flawed designs, poor designs, ok designs, good designs and great designs.

    personally, I believe in 'keep it simple' and a basic "thread on" oil filter is hard to beat in the 'semi' idiot proof category (because someone always proves nothing is idiot proof). It certainly falls in the good design area.

    To me, a multiple piece, removable oring, etc design probably falls in the area somewhere lower than 'ok designs'. Does it work? Sure. Does it take significantly more attention to detail? Absolutely. Attention to detail is one thing that's very often missing.

    I try to keep in mind who will be performing the majority of the oil changes. Is it the guy who never checks his oil between 10k mile OCIs? Is it the wrench monkey down at Walmart or quicky lube place that has a hard time torqueing a drain plug or lug nuts, and really doesn't care a lick?

    For the average or above car enthusiast? No big deal, but one mistake is all it takes. As always, individual results will vary greatly
     
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  7. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Just because YOU think it's a design flaw, doesn't make it one.
    NO manufacture wants you to work on your own car or buy parts from anyone else.
    THAT is why they design them in a certain way. So it's such a pain you will pay them to do it.
    It's really not that hard to do. If you clean it all up well and the housing, oil it correctly, put it in the correct groove,
    I've done it about 10-15 times on my Prius, but also on other Toyota's through the years, it was never a problem
    I'm sorry you have a hard time with it.
    I did not say YOU over torqued it. I was refering dealerships or other shops...

    I believe it's a stupid way of doing it. I like the way BMW does it, a cartridge at the top.
    Simple, and easy to get to get too.

     
    #27 ASRDogman, Feb 11, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2021
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  8. Montgomery

    Montgomery Senior Member

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    It was around the same for me. Worth it. So much easier to change.
     
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  9. Montgomery

    Montgomery Senior Member

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    Whatever works for the individual. For me, the conversion kit ended the dreaded "locked" plastic cap, due to the constant heat exchange. The original never screwed in the same each time after removal. Sometimes it screwed in easy, other times hard and I would have to unscrew it re-install till I felt it was in correctly and would not leak. With the old fashioned spin on oil filter, it always goes on the same and it doesn't leak. And boy is it easier to remove.
     
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  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Toyota’s gone back to spin-on for the Prius btw, commencing sometime in model year 2017 IIRC.
     
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  11. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    It may not be a "design flaw" but it's MOST assuredly a suboptimal design....sorta like revolving doors on public buildings.....

    It SEEMED like a good idea at the time....... :eek:

    Perhaps the best argument against cartridge filters.....even ones with properly designed housings.....is that there are not very many OEMs using them AFTER they tried them out.
     
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