2.2L Camry Oil Filter Angle Question

[shooter250]

I have a 97 Toyota Camry with the 2.2L 4 cylinder engine. The oil filter is mounted on the front of the engine and is angled so the threads are facing down ( maybe a 45 degree angle?).

I haven't been prefilling the oil filter since it will just pour out when I try to screw it on. Do anyone have any thoughts on this? Will most of the air work is way out?

Also, when I unscrew the filter, the oil pours out on the engine. Last time I did an oil change, I took and flat head screw driver and hammer and "gently" poked a hole in the top of the oil filter. I then pulled the oil drain plug and let it sit for several minutes. When I unscrewed the oil filter, nearly all of the oil had drained out of the filter and it was a lot less messy. Is this a safe plan? Are there any problems this can cause?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[JHZR2]

Just put a little in and spin the filter around. It will wet the media but if you just put a little in and keep moving it, it will all be absorbed. Beats being dry.

Doesnt seem like not filling it has done bad things for you given that you have 191k.

 

[musicmanbass]

Yes, all the air gets pushed out of an empty filter pretty quickly. I like to prefill a filter if it's convenient, as in my wife's MKX which is nearly vertical. On my LS, it's nearly horizontal. I don't prefill that one, and it doesn't bother me one bit.

I punch a hole in the base of some filters to let oil drain out and keep from making such a mess too, especially in some Ford pickups where otherwise you're making a mess all over some suspension bits.

 

[HTSS_TR]

My 260+k miles '94 LS400 has horizontal mounted filter, never pre-filled filter. The idea of fill the filter little and spin it around to wet the media is a good idea, I may do it the next oil change for LS400 and S2000.

 

[shooter250]

This is my wife's car. It had 145k miles when she bought it. I have only started doing my own maintanence in the past year, so I can only take credit for about 18k miles. I've been doing 3k OCI since I've read the engine is prone to sludge.

 

[musicmanbass]

Originally Posted By: shooter250
This is my wife's car. It had 145k miles when she bought it. I have only started doing my own maintanence in the past year, so I can only take credit for about 18k miles. I've been doing 3k OCI since I've read the engine is prone to sludge.


... and do you think the previous owner did a little prefill/swish routine during every oil change? Ever seen a quick-lube jockey prefill a filter?

I'm not knocking the practice... heck, I admit I do it myself sometimes... but I'm pretty sure it makes little to no difference in engine life, etc. Pretty sure we BITOGERS only do it because we're anal retentive about stupid things like prefilling oil filters as part of our hobby. It definitely doesn't hurt anything, so I think it's just another thing we do to entertain ourselves.

 

[EricF]

I prelube the filter by just filling it with oil one time and let the media absorb it, so when the motor starts there's not "shock" to the filter media.
Yes, old school, not necessary, but I just have to.

 

[ComfyShorts]

Quote:

Pretty sure we BITOGERS only do it because we're anal retentive about stupid things like prefilling oil filters as part of our hobby. It definitely doesn't hurt anything, so I think it's just another thing we do to entertain ourselves.

Best thing i've read on this forum yet.

 

[JamesBond]

Had a 95 Camry. To remove the filter wad up paper towels and stuff them below the filter mount then loosen the filter 1/8 to 1/4 turn and wait a minute or two. Continue to loosen filter a little (if oil starts to seep out you turned too much or didn't wait long enough) every few of minutes until it is un-seated from the mount. I would pop the hood and start this process while I brought tools from the garage out to the car, drained oil, opened oil bottles etc. It sounds tedious but when you flip that filter over without spilling any oil its worth it. Post up if it works for you.