Oil Change, Stuck Filter Drain Plug, Solution?

[RidgeRunnin]

Hello All, I was hoping someone wouldn't mind being a guinea pig for a little tool i mocked up last night.

My Oil filter housing drain plug (Red Arrow) was stuck on at my last oil change and out of fear of cracking the plastic housing in a vice, i just left it on without changing the gasket under it(this time).

With that said, i made a model of a filter wrench with a through hole so in theory you should be able to hold the filter housing steady and crack loose the metal plug.

If someone is bored and has an oil change coming up i would appreciate and feedback on the design so that i works at my next change:wink2:

When i do find the time to drop the skid plate and fit check the tool i'll update.

Link to both the .stl and .stp are below.

Free CAD Designs, Files & 3D Models | The GrabCAD Community Library

 

[ads2539]

Looks like a great solution!

I have a 4th gen, with the “old fashioned” oil filter, so I can’t be your guinea pig.

 

[jrandom]

This exactly why I love being able to do cost effective rapid prototyping! Twenty years ago it would have cost you over a thousand bucks and three weeks of waiting to make that.

Great idea. thankfully, I haven’t run into the issue. regardless, this is a perfect solution for it. :thumb:

 

[Charlievee]

Or you can use the vise grip style oil filter pliers. Just saying.

 

[FordF150]

I change my 4runner's oil every 5000 miles right in my driveway. Definitely don't want that drain bolt locked on so you can't get it off - or you strip something.

The filter should be hand tight and 1/4 turn further.:guitar3:

 

[00Sebby]

I change my 4runner's oil every 5000 miles right in my driveway. Definitely don't want that drain bolt locked on so you can't get it off - or you strip something.

The filter should be hand tight and 1/4 turn further.:guitar3:

What you said is true for standard one-piece spin-on filters since the gasket has to be compressed enough to seal the oil in and not overly compressed that the gasket squishes out and leaks.

However, these cartridge filters have to be turned until they bottom out against the mating part... like a dead stop. Hand or wrench doesn't matter, but you turn to fully-bottomed condition vs. turning to the subjective tightness of a spin-on filters. The only reason I am pointing this out is with "hand tight + 1/4 turn" someone could think it's tight enough without it being fully rotated in and it could leak later.

And even though it's a simple concept, every dealer and quick change place will still over-torque these housings and make it almost impossible to take off without damaging or breaking them.

 

[jrandom]

Or you can use the vise grip style oil filter pliers. Just saying.

Or you could use an impact wrench, or you could use a strap wrench, or you could use 64.5(?) mm socket, or... :bounce:

 

[MeefZah]

I respect your ingenuity.

That said, you don't have to drop the filter drain bolt. It's an extra step that maybe makes the job like 10% less messy.

I just unscrew the filter housing, leaving the drain bolt in place. Turn the filter housing upside down to let it drain.

 

[Ezlife45]

I second the impact comment but suggest a butterfly impact.

:thumb3:

 

[ElectroBoy]

What [MENTION=134890]00Sebby[/MENTION] said.
And if you have the metal replacement housing it will be even more apparent that you will tighten until it bottoms out and it will not turn any more. The plastic ones will accept a little torque after being fully seated but not the metal ones.

I can almost remove my metal one by hand.
To make sure it stays in place when undoing the oil filter drain I hold the housing in place with big channel lock pliers.

Sometimes I do the [MENTION=132734]MeefZah[/MENTION] method, it’s just a little more messy. But I bet that’s how the dealer oil changers do it, it’s faster.

 

[Axix23]

Mine was stuck too. When I turned to get the nut loose, it loosen the the entire filter. Lol

 

[Saker]

...........Sometimes I do the [MENTION=132734]MeefZah[/MENTION] method, it’s just a little more messy. But I bet that’s how the dealer oil changers do it, it’s faster.

Yep, that's how my Tech at the dealership does it. They don't mess around with the center plug.

 

[RichinRidgewood]

Thats a great idea for a tool. Nice work.

I just put a wrench on the filter drain nut and hit it sharply with my hand and it broke free. If I tried to turn it the whole thing moved. This was from the factory on the first oil change.

First Oil Change on My 2020 SR5 Premium Before a Trip for Fluid Film

 

[3kushn]

Easylife45 I second the impact comment but suggest a butterfly impact.


Why Butterfly?

 

[firebirdguy]

I change my 4runner's oil every 5000 miles right in my driveway. Definitely don't want that drain bolt locked on so you can't get it off - or you strip something.

The filter should be hand tight and 1/4 turn further.:guitar3:

this is the 5th gen section captnsolo, they dont use canister type spin on filters like a 4th gen.... & the spin on filters are usually 3/4-1 full turn, not 1/4 turn.

 

[HanginInUtah]

My Oil filter housing drain plug (Red Arrow) was stuck on at my last oil change and out of fear of cracking the plastic housing in a vice, i just left it on without changing the gasket under it(this time).

It's like you could hear my frustration on Saturday, when I was changing the oil on my SIL's '15. That o-ring does it's job very well, but makes undoing the plug difficult without getting the housing to move.

Yes, you can just undo the housing, but I like to keep my garage floor clean and I bought the little tool from MotivX that screws into the drain and relieves the oil nicely.

 

[Jlongoriaz5]

I tried printing the tool. When I opened the file, no dimensions were included. In other words, if I print it as is, the tool will be tiny. Any advice? Can you post or send the file with the proper dimensions?

 

[Jlongoriaz5]

Hello All, I was hoping someone wouldn't mind being a guinea pig for a little tool i mocked up last night.

My Oil filter housing drain plug (Red Arrow) was stuck on at my last oil change and out of fear of cracking the plastic housing in a vice, i just left it on without changing the gasket under it(this time).

With that said, i made a model of a filter wrench with a through hole so in theory you should be able to hold the filter housing steady and crack loose the metal plug.

If someone is bored and has an oil change coming up i would appreciate and feedback on the design so that i works at my next change:wink2:

When i do find the time to drop the skid plate and fit check the tool i'll update.

Link to both the .stl and .stp are below.

Free CAD Designs, Files & 3D Models | The GrabCAD Community Library

I tried printing the tool. When I open the file, there are no proper dimensions. In other words, if I hit print as is. The tool would come out very tiny. Can you include the proper dimensions?

 

[Ezlife45]

Easylife45 I second the impact comment but suggest a butterfly impact.


Why Butterfly?

I know this is an old thread but my butterfly impact is 75 ft lbs max where my 1/2" impact is over 700, less chance to really tear something up.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

I respect your ingenuity.

That said, you don't have to drop the filter drain bolt. It's an extra step that maybe makes the job like 10% less messy.

I just unscrew the filter housing, leaving the drain bolt in place. Turn the filter housing upside down to let it drain.

342K miles and I’ve never removed the metal center plug. Why would you? The filter housing has to come out anyway.