cartridge filter? why?

[milwaukee]

I just got finished with the first oil change in my new sienna. The cartridge filter is a major PIA.

Why make something that is easy more difficult? It is not hard but it at least tripled the time spent doing the oil change for no logical reason.

I will be doing long oci's on this vehicle.

 

[wavinwayne]

I love cartridge filters. What's so bad about the one in your Sienna?

 

[bubbatime]

Why? Toyota sells millions of cars. Thats millions of steel oil filters times 20-40 oil filters during the lifetime of the car. That all equates to a BUNCH of steel going into land fills. They are trying to portray a "green" environmental car company now.

 

[PandaBear]

Why not? I always feel guilty wasting steel by changing oil filter too frequently, but don't want to keep it in for too long. The problem is they aren't design well enough. If they are, you wouldn't be making a mess.

Usually I stick a few screw/nail into the anti drain back valve to drain more oil out of the filter after removal. Having an open type filter really help drain out all the dirty oil.

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Why? Toyota sells millions of cars. Thats millions of steel oil filters times 20-40 oil filters during the lifetime of the car. That all equates to a BUNCH of steel going into land fills. They are trying to portray a "green" environmental car company now.


Yeah, but other car companies are going to these dumb cartridge filters also. I have heard others say "environment" but I think it's to make it a PITA so you'll bring it to the dealer.

John

 

[Mr Nice]

The cartridge filter is not a bad idea, but why did they design some engines that you have to get under the car to swap out the filter.

I wish all cars had a simply BMW style cartridge / canister oil filter setup.

 

[tom slick]

Toyota is catering to the bitogers of the world by simplifying the filter inspection process

I like them. Just changed the cartridge filter in a Mazda 6, it was easier then either of my two spin-on filtered cars. It had a nice drain plug so it made no mess.

Side note: STP filters for the Mazda 6 2.3l are re-boxed MANN filters and come with both o-rings for less then $6.

 

[BGK]

My Saturn L series V6 uses a cartridge filter; the engine was used on many Vauxhall/Opel products in Europe. Not only does it eliminate throwing away a steel canister each time you change the filter, it makes checking the used filter element easy to see if there are any abnormal wear particles from the engine. All engines should go to the cartridge design, imo.

 

[OVERKILL]

Cartridge filters used to be quite popular in the past. Ford Y-blocks from the 50's had them. We had them on our 312 Interceptors.

They then, for whatever reason, fell out of vogue. They are now popular again?

 

[JTK]

Yes, the top loading cartrides like GM uses on the Ecotecs are awesome. Simple, mess free and super easy. The bottom loaders like Yota and Ford use are just plane stupid from a PM standpoint. As far as spin-ons go, all that steel is recycleable and is recycled from shops as far as I know.

Joel

 

[Jimmy9190]

I have never seen a cartridge filter. I guess it would help keep steel out of landfills or improperly disposed of in some other place and leaking oil out into the ground for who knows how long.

Personally, I store all my old filters in an old drain pan and when it's full I take them to a Tires Plus shop here in town and dump them in their filter recycling collection can. I'm pretty sure U.S. Filter gets them from there. My used oil goes in the oil recycling container at the local AAP down the street.

 

[dwendt44]

1957 was the first year for spin on filters. Ford IIRC.
GM and Chrysler followed a year or two later.
Early 50s, oil filter was a option; hung on the side of the motor and tapped into the oil galley.
Bypass filtering.
Major mess to change as I recall.

 

[milwaukee]

The design on the toyota is moronic. Draining an oil filter before removal? That is just stupid.

If it was serviceable from the top it would be 10x's better.

I really hate it. It takes extra time with no benefits IMO.

Filter selection really sucks also.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Why? Toyota sells millions of cars. Thats millions of steel oil filters times 20-40 oil filters during the lifetime of the car. That all equates to a BUNCH of steel going into land fills. They are trying to portray a "green" environmental car company now.
That is like peeing on a forest fire if you consider the process from the raw or recycled steel through the delivered product to the dealer.

 

[kelpie]

I like the Ecotech design also. Makes for a super easy oil change.

 

[Eddie]

My Mazda uses a cartridge and it not a bad job, once you do it a time or two. The cartridge saves steel and is eco friendly. A cartridge is much cheaper(no steel, no stell forming,6 fewer parts) to produce than a spin-on. Why am I needing to pay more for the cartridge-answer=greed.

 

[JTK]

milwaukee, if there is a bright side, at least you can get a look at the media and what's in it without the hassle of cutting open a spin on.

Joel

 

[Mr Nice]

Or an oil filter setup like the old Corvette ZR-1 (1990-1995). It uses a normal spin-on filter, but you can access it from the top of the engine.

 

[zulu]

The real advantage of a cartridge is ease and simplicty, but I've only ever dealt with my Ecotec. A cartridge that is difficult to get to doesn't have any more value than a regular spin-on filter.

 

[Kestas]

Ease of service depends on design. The manufacturer can make it easy or hard with either type of filter.

I like the cartridge filter on Mercedes E320. Just loosen the cap and let the oil drain down to the crankcase before removing.

I'd buy into the 'reducing waste' idea if the filters were cheaper than spin-on filters. As Eddie asked, why are they more expensive if they are (or should be) easier to manufacture?