Weird question - what should a barely used oil filter look like/

[keph13]

Weird question - what should a barely used oil filter look like?

I went and got an oil change last week at a local shop, and loitered outside in the sunshine to keep an eye on things. Thing is, I never saw the skid plate get dropped, so I'm assuming they didn't change the filter.

I decided this was as good an excuse as any to learn to do it myself, so I did that today. Here's the old filter I pulled out:



Does this look "bad" enough that I can just go back to the shop and get my money back? For what it's worth, the oil that came out looked pretty dark too, but it was hard to see underneath the truck.

 

[4RnR Grl]

I'd say they were probably too lazy to drop the skid. My stock skid was covered in oil when I put aftermarket skids on. Also the same time I stopped getting my oil changed at the dealer.... for free.

 

[1000MPH]

If you don't complain about them putting the filter housing on way too tight then they definitely didn't change it. That filter looks like it has done miles on it. Can you read the part number? It's in one of the folds.

 

[keph13]

Haha well somebody definitely overtightened it. I very nearly took the whole filter casing off when I tried to losen the bottom drain thing. Managed to avoid spilling oil all over the driveway, though, so I'm calling it a success.

 

[craigster59]

I think them causing you enough concern to do it yourself was money well spent. You want it done right, DIY.
No question it was done right and you've earned yourself some beers. Win-win.

 

[SATSTRAIL]

Haha well somebody definitely overtightened it. I very nearly took the whole filter casing off when I tried to losen the bottom drain thing. Managed to avoid spilling oil all over the driveway, though, so I'm calling it a success.

Do it yourself for sure if you have the means. How many miles were on that filter after the alleged oil change? Regarding how tight the filter housing is I just changed the oil on my new 16 trail after approximately 1200 miles so it was definitely the first oil change ever done. That being said when I went to loosen the drain cap on the housing the entire housing came loose rather than the cap.

Edit- I just noticed that you said you changed it a week later. Couldn't have gone too many miles in that time...

 

[Beaumont67]

I don't used a Dealership or a Quick Lub place, because I can't control the quality / of the job, I'm getting.

Instead, I've found a small garage, only run by the senior owner and his young skilled Tech.
- I supply the synthetic oil & filter / Pennzoil Ultra Platinum & WIX XP Platinum

I book oil change schedule, for 8 o'clock shop opening & drive up on the hoist.
- shoot the breeze with good apprentice (builder of 4x4's Mud trucks), stand in the shop area, watch it all get done correctly
- Labor Cost = $15

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

Considering that you drive a 2010, your oil will be dark after a short amount of time. That simply means its doing it's job. The color of it has no meaning, and should never be used as a measure of it's effectiveness. The filter will be the same way, and color alone tells you nothing. Honestly that filter looks like it has had dark colored oil run through it, but anything else is speculation. If you do not feel like the shop you went to did the oil change correctly, simply never go back.

 

[ToyoDriver]

I have had the dealer not change my filter nor rotate my tires under Toyota Care. I was able to tell because I marked the tires and the oil filter housing prior to going in.

I even removed the TRD skid plate for them.

I mean holy shit. With a lift it's like a 10 minute job at that point. Absolutely incredible that this still goes on.

I also love the "Your passenger rear tire was a little low. We gave it some air and now all four are reading at 32 PSI" the service advisor told me that time as well.

Because my tires are set at 40PSI - because... they are C Rated K02s...

 

[<<<<]

I went and got an oil change last week at a local shop, and loitered outside in the sunshine to keep an eye on things. Thing is, I never saw the skid plate get dropped, so I'm assuming they didn't change the filter.

I decided this was as good an excuse as any to learn to do it myself, so I did that today. Here's the old filter I pulled out:

View attachment 250714

Does this look "bad" enough that I can just go back to the shop and get my money back? For what it's worth, the oil that came out looked pretty dark too, but it was hard to see underneath the truck.

That filter was not changed. You should get your money back and never have to use that shop again. GL

 

[1000MPH]

This is my Rav4 but...
8,000 looks like this.
New oiled filter for reference.

 

[keph13]

Thanks for the advice all! I'll swing by and give it a shot, but probably won't fight too hard if they push back and chalk it up to live and learn. For those who asked, it went ~70 miles between the shop change and mine.

 

[jrandom]

Not matter how long you let it sit and drain, depending on the engine there can be up to a quart or more of old oil still on there. As soon as you start it you are going to see it discolored. If you waste ten to twenty quarts of new oil you might be able to flush the system clean.

 

[EddieV4runnin]

I don't used a Dealership or a Quick Lub place, because I can't control the quality / of the job, I'm getting.

Instead, I've found a small garage, only run by the senior owner and his young skilled Tech.
- I supply the synthetic oil & filter / Pennzoil Ultra Platinum & WIX XP Platinum

I book oil change schedule, for 8 o'clock shop opening & drive up on the hoist.
- shoot the breeze with good apprentice (builder of 4x4's Mud trucks), stand in the shop area, watch it all get done correctly
- Labor Cost = $15

No offense, but if you were standing there watching me work on your car I would tell you to piss off. I know I'm not the only technician that would be annoyed by it. This is coming from someone that torques all their bolts down to spec and makes sure his work is properly cleaned. Oh and thank the technician once in a while for his work.

 

[EddieV4runnin]

I went and got an oil change last week at a local shop, and loitered outside in the sunshine to keep an eye on things. Thing is, I never saw the skid plate get dropped, so I'm assuming they didn't change the filter.

I decided this was as good an excuse as any to learn to do it myself, so I did that today. Here's the old filter I pulled out:

View attachment 250714

Does this look "bad" enough that I can just go back to the shop and get my money back? For what it's worth, the oil that came out looked pretty dark too, but it was hard to see underneath the truck.

Doesn't look like they did, or they didn't have the oil filter housing tool to remove and install a new one. They said "F**k it." Just do it yourself that way it's not overfilled, nothing is torqued by someone yanking on a 1/2 ratchet, threads don't get damaged. I've had to fix to much of that from Jiffy Lube, and Walmart. :violin:

 

[NorthwoodsRunner]

I went and got an oil change last week at a local shop, and loitered outside in the sunshine to keep an eye on things. Thing is, I never saw the skid plate get dropped, so I'm assuming they didn't change the filter.

I decided this was as good an excuse as any to learn to do it myself, so I did that today. Here's the old filter I pulled out:

View attachment 250714

Does this look "bad" enough that I can just go back to the shop and get my money back? For what it's worth, the oil that came out looked pretty dark too, but it was hard to see underneath the truck.

That oil filter was not changed. My filter at 1000 miles was fairly clean.

 

[FishSanderson]

Filter used for 5k and one barely used.

 

[ToyoDriver]

No offense, but if you were standing there watching me work on your car I would tell you to piss off. I know I'm not the only technician that would be annoyed by it. This is coming from someone that torques all their bolts down to spec and makes sure his work is properly cleaned. Oh and thank the technician once in a while for his work.

No offense, but if you told me to piss off I would take my business elsewhere.

Enough customers do that and you won't be torquing any bolts to spec because no one will be in your shop.

 

[FishSanderson]

No offense, but if you were standing there watching me work on your car I would tell you to piss off. I know I'm not the only technician that would be annoyed by it. This is coming from someone that torques all their bolts down to spec and makes sure his work is properly cleaned. Oh and thank the technician once in a while for his work.

If you want to whine to anyone about CUSTOMERS watching you work on THEIR vehicle, then whine to the shady mechanics who were the catalysts for this.
You obviously aren't very confident in your work if you are so bothered by someone watching.

 

[jrandom]

No offense, but if you were standing there watching me work on your car I would tell you to piss off. I know I'm not the only technician that would be annoyed by it. This is coming from someone that torques all their bolts down to spec and makes sure his work is properly cleaned. Oh and thank the technician once in a while for his work.

LOL I'll pile on that too.

No offense but the thing is you may be the best mechanic in the world BUT there are so many shitty ones that aren't, that makes you the minority. If people trusted most mechanics/techs/lube monkeys this shit wouldn't happen in the first place. People watching someone work on their property is certainly a symptom of the disease that is greedy, untrustworthy, uneducated, unqualified, laziness that is taking over large swaths of the service industry.

Would you let the plumber into your house to work while you're not there?

You need to relax, check your ego, know that you are good at what you do and not let it bother you that someone is watching you work, maybe they are just curious or just want to learn.

That said, if some jackass is literally standing over your shoulder, getting in the way, hampering the work, or causing a safety issue, go right ahead and tell them to piss off.