Oil Filter Issue

[MStudt]

I went to change my oil tonight before I headed out of town in the morning. The issue is that I can't remove the filter. The reason is that the oil filter is pressed against the engine mount. Not sure how this happened or what caused it. You can't even squeeze and oil filter wrench around it. The engine mount is still in place, and doesn't seem bent at all.

Anybody ever seen anything like this? I have the get some pictures in the morning when it's light out.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I have to ask what filter is it? I used a K&N 2009 once and I had at most a 1/2" wiggle room to get the thing out. I don't have King Kong sized hands so that helps.

The pics should be intriguing.

Did you somehow move something when removing/installing the new tranny?

 

[MStudt]

I have to ask what filter is it? I used a K&N 2009 once and I had at most a 1/2" wiggle room to get the thing out. I don't have King Kong sized hands so that helps.

The pics should be intriguing.

Did you somehow move something when removing/installing the new tranny?

First thing I though was something transmission related. I can't think of anything that I could have done. The transmission bolted back in with no issues. I'll check on the filter that's on it, and hopefully that's the issue.

 

[MStudt]

Here are some pictures of the filter. The oil filter is a standard size, and nothing oversized. It's a little under 3" in diameter.

You can see in this picture the filter pressed against the engine mount. Could it be a broken engine mount?

 

[habanero]

That's the second time I've seen the mount touching a stock size oil filter on a 3.4, but the guy never said if he found the cause and what it was.

Mebbe start with looking into the mount as the culprit and would love to hear what you find out. I can't remember if degraded rubber can allow that part of the mount shift over or not.

 

[MStudt]

That's the second time I've seen the mount touching a stock size oil filter on a 3.4, but the guy never said if he found the cause and what it was.

Mebbe start with looking into the mount as the culprit and would love to hear what you find out. I can't remember if degraded rubber can allow that part of the mount shift over or not.

I'm thinking the motor mount. It looks collapsed, and shifted. Maybe swapping the transmission caused it to brake. We'll fine out in the morning what's going on.

 

[nissanh]

Did you mess with the transmission, transmission support bar or its mounts? May be you want to loosen the trans mounting bolts and the cross support bar a bit and then I hope the engine will jump forward.

 

[Gadgetguy]

motor mount is all it could be really unless you are missing some important bolts back on the trans mount but I think you'd have much larger issues if that was the case.

 

[LittleCaesar]

You may have just been too rough with the installation and the mount broke, though as Habenero stated it is rather rare. Is your 4runner from a rust prone state (not MO)?

Post up what ya find.

 

[MStudt]

Did you mess with the transmission, transmission support bar or its mounts? May be you want to loosen the trans mounting bolts and the cross support bar a bit and then I hope the engine will jump forward.

Did a transmission swap a couple weeks ago. Everything lines up perfectly at the time.

motor mount is all it could be really unless you are missing some important bolts back on the trans mount but I think you'd have much larger issues if that was the case.

No left over bolts. Everything that came off went back on.

You may have just been too rough with the installation and the mount broke, though as Habenero stated it is rather rare. Is your 4runner from a rust prone state (not MO)?

Post up what ya find.

The 4runner was from Ohio/Michigan, and it has some rust. The mount isn't centered anymore either. I'm about to start looking into it.

 

[MStudt]

Figured it out! It's not a broken motor mount, but it is a bend motor mount. I was able to put a 20 ton jack on it, and bend it back enough to give the oil filter room to come off. Then my wife comes out to see me looking under the car at all the rust. Her comment was "maybe we should look into getting a new one". So I think I might be upgrading to a 5th Gen in the near future.

 

[JBurt]

Just fly out to southern California or Arizona and get a rust free 3rd gen. Cheaper and you get a nice trip out of it.

 

[Jhelms]

Just fly out to southern California or Arizona and get a rust free 3rd gen. Cheaper and you get a nice trip out of it.

Hush, we shall hoard all the rust free gunners to ourselves and in 20 more years, will charge insane prices to the people of the salt lands.

 

[T4R2014]

So I think I might be upgrading to a 5th Gen in the near future.

Boooo

 

[habanero]

Figured it out! It's not a broken motor mount, but it is a bend motor mount. I was able to put a 20 ton jack on it, and bend it back enough to give the oil filter room to come off. Then my wife comes out to see me looking under the car at all the rust. Her comment was "maybe we should look into getting a new one". So I think I might be upgrading to a 5th Gen in the near future.

Don't like bent motor mount, that sucks, but definitely like that you've updated! Was it weakened from the rust or ???

5th gen, bah! Less rusty new 3rd gen, YES! Not that I'm partial...

 

[3bears]

Just fly out to southern California or Arizona and get a rust free 3rd gen. Cheaper and you get a nice trip out of it.

Oregon too
crap, shouldn't have told anyone that we have rust free cars here too.

 

[JBurt]

Yeah but then you're paying PNW prices.

 

[ajonesnv]

Figured it out! It's not a broken motor mount, but it is a bend motor mount. I was able to put a 20 ton jack on it, and bend it back enough to give the oil filter room to come off. Then my wife comes out to see me looking under the car at all the rust. Her comment was "maybe we should look into getting a new one". So I think I might be upgrading to a 5th Gen in the near future.

Will you be planning on replacing it? Im sure if it was bent twice its likely to bend again.

 

[StreetCreeper]

Figured it out! It's not a broken motor mount, but it is a bend motor mount. I was able to put a 20 ton jack on it, and bend it back enough to give the oil filter room to come off. Then my wife comes out to see me looking under the car at all the rust. Her comment was "maybe we should look into getting a new one". So I think I might be upgrading to a 5th Gen in the near future.

What kind of damage was done to the filter? While the chances of this happening to me as well are remote, it still concerns me a little since I run the longer YZZD3 filter. I assume a longer filter like mine would take even more damage in this situation.

 

[MStudt]

Just fly out to southern California or Arizona and get a rust free 3rd gen. Cheaper and you get a nice trip out of it.

I'm going to keep mine, and put in some extra work this fall. I don't think I'll get a 5th for about 3 more years. Most likely just before our next big trip.

Don't like bent motor mount, that sucks, but definitely like that you've updated! Was it weakened from the rust or ???

5th gen, bah! Less rusty new 3rd gen, YES! Not that I'm partial...

I don't think it was from rust honestly. Surprisingly I don't have that much rust up front. I think this was from a wheeling trip or something, and I think I didn't notice it before.

Will you be planning on replacing it? Im sure if it was bent twice its likely to bend again.

I'll get to it this fall, or when my in-laws get a 4 post lift next month!

What kind of damage was done to the filter? While the chances of this happening to me as well are remote, it still concerns me a little since I run the longer YZZD3 filter. I assume a longer filter like mine would take even more damage in this situation.

No damage to this filter at all.