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Yellow paint marks on oil filter cap

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by ArtCFartC, May 31, 2021.

  1. ArtCFartC

    ArtCFartC New Member

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    Please tell me the yellow paint mark on my oil filter cap isn't from the factory. Still trying to get the little SOB off. Looking for the specialty tool nearby right now. This Prius has 80k miles on it, so I really hope this isn't the first filter change.
     
  2. ArtCFartC

    ArtCFartC New Member

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    Finally found the wrench attachment. It still won't budge. Can't get it off the ground high enough to use a cheater bar. I'm going to have to forgo the filter change for now and just put new oil in. I'll have to find a lift next time and just hope that it's been changed in the last few years. Really hoping it's been changed at some point.
     
  3. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    @privilege youre opinion is needed here.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Any idea what knuckleheads were changing the oil? Spec is 18 ft/lb, for the gen 3 permanent oil filter housing.
     
  5. Paul E. Highway

    Paul E. Highway Active Member

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    When I got my 2010 from original owner with 115K miles, tried to remove filter with car on ramps with breaker bar and proper tool, it would not budge. Felt like I was lifting car in the air! Had car at Toyota dealer for a couple recall items and as a favor they loosened filter cap and retorqued to 18 ft-lbs. Had to replace filter cap due to some broken/chipped fins, but eventually did the spin on filter conversion. Original owner had been to Jiffy Lube every 4-5K miles for oil changes, I blame their chimpanzees for using air gun on the filter!
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah I did the same; tired of dealing with the finicky permanent housing filter; had the o-ring (apparently) jump the groove one time, that was enough.
     
  7. privilege

    privilege Active Member

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    don't know if you're joking or serious !

    apparently every knucklehead that works as an oil tech loves to put fifteen thousand uggaduggas on fasteners, no matter how plain it is to see that they don't need it or want it.

    personally I would go to Toyota and buy a new filter cap, filter, and break the old one off with a cheater pole or chisel. I bet the last person that did the oil change put the o ring on dry and used an impact on it, because YouTube_said_so.
     
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  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    serious. Using the same filter again, ouch is what you said.
     
  9. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    In the illustration, the left side shows the proper installation location of the o-ring. You’ll notice that the o-ring does not compress from the torque of the cap. It simply seals against the side of the smooth aluminum face inside the housing. I believe all the problems stems from the plastic cap flange seating against the aluminum housing. That is a huge amount of surface area where the actual torque is applied. I have found that a liberal application of moly lube on that surface can minimize the struggle of removing that plastic cap.
     

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  10. ArtCFartC

    ArtCFartC New Member

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    Previous owner had the oil changed a little before we got the car. I think there's a window sticker so I can see who the culprit might have been. I would imagine that most quick lube style oil change places would ignore the filter if they couldn't get it off easily. My main concern is that it might have been taken to those type of places its whole life. I had a VW TDI back long before diesel-gate, and found out at one point that it had been years without a filter change due to the filter being out of sight and out of mind. I had been taking it to crappy oil change places for a few years. Lost my trust in oil change places after that and have been doing my own oil changes ever since. The VW TDI had one of the earlier insert style filters similar to the one on the Prius, but it was hidden on top under the engine cover.
     
  11. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    never knew that trick. Applying moly lube onto the surface end of the filter right before unwrenching the cap.
     
  12. ArtCFartC

    ArtCFartC New Member

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    Had no other choice. Just be assured that this is temporary, so my fiancé can use her car until I find a lift I can use or rent. Hate that I'll have to buy another $30 worth of synthetic oil after only using this oil for a few miles.
     
  13. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    that’s no way to save the earth and landfill.
     
  14. ArtCFartC

    ArtCFartC New Member

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    Noted. Perhaps I can catch it in a clean container and reuse. I'll at least give that a shot, but will have new oil available in case it gets contaminated while draining.

    Oops. Guess you weren't talking to me, but I will try to save the oil if I can get to a vehicle lift soon.
     
  15. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    if you can’t take off the filter, it forces you to go back to them. Returning customers is what they get, very clever business.
     
  16. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Who has a link to the filter conversion?
     
  17. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    I don’t think it’s intentional. Even at the spec. of 18ft/lb that thing is a major hassle to loosen. It’s more of an over engineered design flaw.
     
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  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I’ve done all the changes on our 2010 (over 20 now), always torqued to spec, never any problem with subsequent removal.


    Permanent housing style: 18 ft/lb
    Spin-on style: 13 ft/lb
    Gangnam style: ah woops

    Spin on oil filter | PriusChat

    The 2016+ Toyota 2zr Engine oil filter conversion - Armstrong Family Blog
     
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  19. Mdv55

    Mdv55 Active Member

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    I've learned to just barely snug the cap. Once it makes contact, a final tiny tug and I'm good. It tightens up with use and still needs lots of pressure to remove later.
     
  20. ArtCFartC

    ArtCFartC New Member

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    I'm still wondering about the yellow paint line on the filter cover that lined up perfectly with the edge of the outer filter canister. I wish I had taken a picture before I knocked it off in my attempts to remove the filter cap. Could this mean that no one has ever changed the filter? Does Toyota mark the filter this way from the factory? Otherwise, it would seem that the person who overtightened the filter cover was super proud of the job they did, or perhaps a little too paranoid that it would come loose.