V6 oil change tip - plastic Coke bottle

[Gecko123]

I find the best way to catch the dripping oil from the oil filter guard is to deform a plastic Coke bottle and stick it underneath the drain hole. It's simple and i can re-use the Coke bottle for the next oil change.

 

[TechWrench]

I have been using a regular 1 quart plastic oil bottle for catching the excess oil from this area for years. It fits with out any trouble, I save the cap, and keep it on shelf with new oil.

 

[DocMT]

Don't you guys have a little rubber cap on the end of the drain? I have one on my 4Runner, so the oil doesn't drip down because I don't remove the cap.

 

[TechWrench]

Don't you guys have a little rubber cap on the end of the drain? I have one on my 4Runner, so the oil doesn't drip down because I don't remove the cap.

That little cap fell off years ago. And, it is a lot easier, IMHO, to catch the small amount of waste oil in the bottle instead of trying to mop it all up and deal with an oil soaked rag. I am pretty sure that is why they designed that small nipple in the first place, to allow the oil that spill out of the old filter when you remove it, to be funneled to a collection point.

 

[galactic_04]

I think that's actually designed to put a rubber hose onto so you can redirect the oil to your pan, but I like the coke bottle idea - more people have those laying around.

 

[scottm]

Last time I tried leaving the rubber cap on, what a mess. I saved a plastic salad dressing bottle from the trash soon after, will try that. I have plenty of clear, rubber tubing around, but I really don't want to clean it or store it dirty. Still looking for the perfect method, this one looks good. My used oil can't get contaminated, as I take it to a mechanic who burns it for heat. His burners get messed up by contaminants.

 

[TechWrench]

Last time I tried leaving the rubber cap on, what a mess. I saved a plastic salad dressing bottle from the trash soon after, will try that. I have plenty of clear, rubber tubing around, but I really don't want to clean it or store it dirty. Still looking for the perfect method, this one looks good. My used oil can't get contaminated, as I take it to a mechanic who burns it for heat. His burners get messed up by contaminants.

I suppose you could try the hose method, but it seems like a lot of work for so little oil. Just thinking about routing a hose from that point to the collection pan under the vehicle makes me wince. Then you have an oily hose you have to deal with, not for me. The collection bottle is simple, you can store the bottle and use it each time you change the filter, and when needed empty it into main collection jug for recycling or how ever you chose to dispose of it.

I change my filter every 2,500 miles (oil every 5k), so I want the process as simple as possible.

 

[DocMT]

I leave my cap in place and just wipe up the leftover oil with a single paper towel. It's only a few ounces of oil that spills when I take off the oil filter.

Are some of you guys getting a lot of oil spilling when you take off the filter?

 

[scottm]

Mine will overflow that cup if I'm not fast. Definitely more than a few blue paper towels to clean it out.

 

[TechWrench]

:iagree:

It all depends on how quick you are with uprighting the filter once the threads release. If all goes well, just a bit, but things have been known to not always go as planned. Much easier to know any excess spillage will wind up in the catch bottle and not have to worry. Besides, the less waste oil that winds up in the trash (on the paper towels) the better I feel.

But, to each their own.

 

[DocMT]

This is strange. What type of filters are you guys using? I use OEM Toyota filters and the internal valve will not allow a lot of oil to drain out of the filter after I remove it. I can hold it upside down and only a small amount oil leaks out, even if I keep holding it there. Most of the oil stays trapped in the filter. If you guys are getting a lot of oil draining out, you might want to question whether or not you're using a quality oil filter. When you have filters that are mounted upside down like we do, it's good to use a filter that has a decent anti-drainback valve to avoid low oil pressure/circulation upon a cold start.

 

[camdz]

I use anything that fits under there. Usually an empty 1 qt bottle of oil or a water bottle. These v6 4runners are definitely the easiest oil change I have ever done.

 

[TechWrench]

This is strange. What type of filters are you guys using? I use OEM Toyota filters and the internal valve will not allow a lot of oil to drain out of the filter after I remove it. I can hold it upside down and only a small amount oil leaks out, even if I keep holding it there. Most of the oil stays trapped in the filter. If you guys are getting a lot of oil draining out, you might want to question whether or not you're using a quality oil filter. When you have filters that are mounted upside down like we do, it's good to use a filter that has a decent anti-drainback valve to avoid low oil pressure/circulation upon a cold start.

I always use oem Toyota filters, and once removed, they will just about completely drain in time. The anti-drainback valve is designed to work when installed, but it does not prevent the oil in filter from draining out once it is removed. I always leave my used filters sitting in a funnel to drain into my waste oil container, and after half an hour or so, they are empty except for a small amount held by the filter material inside.

 

[Gecko123]

This is strange. What type of filters are you guys using? I use OEM Toyota filters and the internal valve will not allow a lot of oil to drain out of the filter after I remove it. I can hold it upside down and only a small amount oil leaks out, even if I keep holding it there. Most of the oil stays trapped in the filter. If you guys are getting a lot of oil draining out, you might want to question whether or not you're using a quality oil filter. When you have filters that are mounted upside down like we do, it's good to use a filter that has a decent anti-drainback valve to avoid low oil pressure/circulation upon a cold start.

I always use Toyota filters. I have only changed the oil once as I have only had my 4runner for 6 months, but I don't recall a lot of oil coming out. I dont let it drain all the way thru to the Coke bottle. I take the filter out almost immediately and then let the remainder drain in a drain pan.

 

[bpatten0416]

Its designed so that a quart plastic oil bottle fits rightnunder it, takenthe rubber plug off and letbthe spill-over from the oil filter removal drain right in. That was how it was designed with this in mind.

 

[DocMT]

I always use oem Toyota filters, and once removed, they will just about completely drain in time. The anti-drainback valve is designed to work when installed, but it does not prevent the oil in filter from draining out once it is removed. I always leave my used filters sitting in a funnel to drain into my waste oil container, and after half an hour or so, they are empty except for a small amount held by the filter material inside.

Say what? The oil filter's anti-drainback valve doesn't know whether or not the filter is installed. So it will perform exactly the same if the filter is installed on the engine or sitting on your kitchen counter.

That said, I have to admit that I've never held my filter upside down for more than a minute when it was filled with oil. But at the same time, I don't see much oil draining from my filter in the time it takes me to unscrew it and lift it off the engine. I've never had more than a few ounces of oil come out of my filter while removing it.

 

[DocMT]

I have only changed the oil once as I have only had my 4runner for 6 months, but I don't recall a lot of oil coming out.

Yup, same here. I'm not sure what some of these guys are doing if they are losing a lot of oil out of their filter upon removal.

 

[GMZ]

When I had my V6 I used a 5/32" vacuum line to drain it down to the oil pan while I continued doing other things.

 

[Catfish]

I usually use an empty (short neck) beer bottle...fits in there perfectly and it's a good excuse to have a beer.

 

[Gecko123]

When I had my V6 I used a 5/32" vacuum line to drain it down to the oil pan while I continued doing other things.

yeah, i think that is "proper" way or the original intention, but I find it is too much work. Afterwards, you need to drain/clean out the vacuum line.