Oil filter change

That's the attitude. I picked up my first torque wrench 35~40 years back, micrometer style. There's nothing to it: you just loosen the lock, dial in what you want. Have your reading glasses handy to read the increments. When torqueing, try to do the final tighten in a single stroke, and when it clicks you've got the torque right. After use, lower the value down to around 10 lb/ft.

You can pick up a torque wrench at Harbour Freight or whatever, cheap is good enough. A couple are handy: a 1/2" drive will do for most anything, including wheel lug nuts. But it's kinda nice to have lighter duty 3/8" drive one too, for finer adjustments. A 3" and 6" extension is handy. And a 1/2" to 3/8" step-down adapter, especially if you only get a 1/2" drive.

Next step, open the Owner's Manual and uh: there doesn't seem to be an oil change instruction. Toyota doesn't make this easy. No problem, off to Helminc.com, get the shop manual, and...: it's FOUR volumes Toyota's asking WHAT, for each one! The larcenous @$!! censored, censored.....

Ok anyway: the filter on 3rd gen Prius is a bit different, but not the end of the world. It's a bare paper filter element that's replaced; the housing is permanent. There's also an o-ring on the housing barrel, a new one is supplied with each filter. Read the instructions on positioning the o-ring carefully. Or even easier, just look at the existing one.

For the removal/install of the oil filter you should get a decent quality oil filter socket, 64 mm inside face-to-face, 14 faces. Toyota has one, there's tons of 3rd party options on EBay and Amazon. It's the Honda standard size as well, and that worked for me.

Torque values are 27 lb/ft for the oil pan drain bolt, and 18 for the filter housing.

The "to the top mark on dipstick" oil fill amount is 4.2 liters or 4.5 US quarts, with filter change. North American recommended oil grade is 0W-20. I would suggest just put that amount in, don't put too much credence in the dipstick right after, leave it a few days to settle down and colour. It'll still be hard to read, but slightly easier. And it should be good.

There's a plastic underpanel that covers the oil pan and filter area. You'll either need to remove to fasteners locally at the oil pan and flex the panel out of the way there, OR remove the whole panel. I'd emphatically recommend the latter, if you want to preserve the integrity of the panel: the plastic grade is thin/brittle, and it doesn't take kindly to bending. Actually, with a used car, that flap'll likely be broken in (or broken) by now. Check it out.

I've been attempting to attach an excerpt from the Toyota Repair Manual, and service bulletin on the underpanel, but doesn't seem to be working this morning. I'll try again later.

 

With someone else having done oil changes, you MAY be in for a fight the first time you try to remove the oil filter. There's been a few owners that hit the wall trying to get severally over-torqued filter housings (or drain bolts) loose. It depends on who's been doing it. If it's torqued correctly it'll just take a moderate oomph to get it started. The big o-ring on the housing is really what seals. It's along the length of the barrel, not at the end. The torque value is really just to ensure the the thing is bottomed out and not going to come loose.

Again, don't cheap out on oil filter socket. Toyota will sell you one, I believe it has extra depth with slots that fit to the stiffener ribs on the filter housing. And there's some alternatives, maybe someone else will chime in. I'm using a Honda filter, that's a perfect fit, the standard Honda automotive oil filter size as well. It's heavy stamped steel, works good.

 

There's been a few horror stories with dealerships, but hopefully good. Dealerships can run the gamut, some knowledgeable/responsible, some little better than quicky-lube. Someone here suggested to purchase an extra oil filter housing, to have it on hand just in case you end up breaking the housing while attempting to remove it, if it's been overtorqued. But if you're remotely close to a dealership, have a second vehicle, I'd cross that bridge if and when it shows up. I've always done my own, torqued to the 18 lb/ft value, and it's never that hard to remove.

 

If you decide to do your own oil change be sure to invest in one of these. Don't try to remove the filter housing cap with anything else or you'll damage it.

 

Technical problem with photo:
Forget it

 

Can't upload a pic? I was trying to upload something from the Repair Manual earlier, no luck either.

fwiw, I've never had a problem using the Honda oil filter socket. It doesn't have slots that go over the stiffener ribs, but it's close tolerance, and very heavy gauge, never any sign of slippage or rounding the flutes. I've used it about 10 times now.

I think where you do run into trouble is dealing with a severely over-torqued canister. Then maybe the toyo socket style will save your bacon, not sure. In my case the only other person to put on the filter housing was at the factory in Japan, and they did it right.

 

My point was to illustrate that the proper socket has slots/lands to fit the housing. In other words, it's the correct tool. I shudder to think that there are people out there that will attempt to remove the filter cap housing with a set of Channel Lock pliers. They are the ones that have to make the emergency trip to the auto parts store to buy a new housing... If they are lucky enough to find one.

 

I don't use a torque wrench. I just tighten snugly. I realize that's a subjective amount of force, but it is more than hand tight. You will need a proper oil filter wrench, such as this one "ABN Toyota / Lexus Compatible 4 Cylinder Oil Filter Wrench" at Amazon. The shop where I do the work has large size metric sockets for the outer fitting. I think it takes 24mm. I don't use the smaller 3/8 inch hole.

 

I also don't bother with a torque wrench. The filter housing I just turn it on till it contacts the bottom of the "thread well". I don't see any need to torque it. It's not going to work loose, and the "O" ring seal is on the outside of it. Torque has no effect on the seal.
The oil drain plug I tighten to what I think is a good "snugness". If you aren't familiar with working on cars a torque wrench is probably a good idea, otherwise there is nothing special about getting the oil drain plug tightened properly.

Do note you can't do the oil change "on the ground". First, you can't get under there. Second, you need about 12" to open the oil filter change door. It opens forward, blocking your access from the front of the car somewhat. I like "elbow room" so I built a nice set of ramps using 2x lumber. It's about 5 feet long and lifts the front of the car about 18".

If you plan on doing it yourself DO buy the socket to remove the housing for the filter. I ordered it well before my first oil change, but Canada Post or Customs decided they needed that box on their shelves for a while. So when I did the change I used an old "band type" filter removal tool. I got it to work, but had to use rubber selfsealing tape on the housing to get the band to stop slipping. It's much easier with the socket.

After three or four changes and checking with the "good" local dealer, I think letting them do it is better. They don't charge much and are quite professional. Hindsight IS 20/20. I'm getting too old to be crawling around under cars.

 

For you guys that don't use a torque wrench with the oil filter: is it because you don't have one, do all your wrenching "commando"? Or just the oil filter?

I keep my receipts in a duo tang, and on the inside cover I jot down torque values for quick reference. It's a burgeoning list; I can't see just winging it. And decent torque wrenches can be picked up for ~$30.

 

Count me in with the "just snug it up" bunch. I have a torque wrench and used it the first couple of changes, but now I just do it by feel. I've never had a problem with leaks. The housing is as dry as I left it the last time.

 

I put a witness mark (White-Out) on the housing so I know exactly where cap has been torqued. Each time I change the filter I just angle tighten the cap to that location. Seems to work fine.

 

Tightening torque values are critical on a few automotive fasteners (head bolts, connecting-rod bolts ... ). On most others, there's a wide lattitude between so loose the thing falls apart or leaks, and so tight it breaks or strips. Manufacturers specify a value somewhere safely in the middle of that range. In the case of the oil filter housing, common-sense judgement should easily get you well within the range between so loose it leaks and so tight you can't get it off the next time. That said, I admit I have no experience with that specific part, because I haven't had occasion to change the filter on my Prius yet. (Plenty with conventional spin-on filters, though ... )

 

The oil filter housing won't leak even if unscrewed several turns. As I posted above, the "O" ring seal is on the outside of it and it fully seals several turns before the housing touches the bottom of the thread well. Torquing it just makes sure you will have trouble getting it loose next time.

Oh, and I do not have "a torque wrench", I have four. I use one for wheel nuts, and have used another for a Subaru rear wheel bearing seal replacement. I also pulled the head off my Land Cruiser several times to repair damage from the previous owner operating it incorrectly. A long time ago in a place fairly far away. Then there were the head bolts on my two stroke motorcycles (remove head, decarbon, retorque head). etc. Don't use any of them when they aren't necessary.