First change on a 04 Highlander 3.3 VVT-I

Pennzoil motor oil
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dblshock

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what a pia..had time so let it drain 90 min, with the filter right under the manifold it's alot cooler that way too. The last OC person went nuts tightening the filter so after a half hour of getting no where I removed the heat shield in doing so dropped my 1/4" snap-on down in by the alternator 20 min. to fish that out..

Filter still on and not budging I poked a pry bar through but only twisted the metal with that so my son who hates to deal with OCI's on this engine had a filter pliers he was able to get on the mangled can and remove it..as stated earlier the person who installed this prior was a vandal.

Now I have oil leaking all over the crossmembers, brackets and such..dripping.

All buttoned up I go to fill the crankcase and there's a baffle in the oil fill throat and if you go too fast it overflows..not a big issue but with these 5qt jugs and greasy hands it actually is a problem..like to pour and get it over with before I drop the stupid jug.

Just gets me wonderinng why they engineer these to be a pia and insist you go through the process 50 times.

I know next time it will go much smoother but I'm extending fron rec 5,000 to 7,500 and I'm tempted to do 15,000 on the filters like my Honda
 
The best way I've found to replace the oil filter is to use cap style tool with a 3/8 ratchet. Once you get used to it, it's a piece of cake.
 
this fill was Quaker State Ultimate Durability and a supertec filter but I have alot of NEXTGEN in stock.
 
Originally Posted By: hypervish
The best way I've found to replace the oil filter is to use cap style tool with a 3/8 ratchet. Once you get used to it, it's a piece of cake.


can you control the dripping?
 
I ran this last fill (unknown) from the dealer 7,500 and it was not even close to black in color.
 
Color of the oil is not a good indicator of anything. Oil darkens with use anyways, it's totally normal.

I've run fluorescent green oil (Motul 300V), generic "gold" oil (Liqui-Moly Voll Synthese), and "amber" colored oil (Renewable Lube BioSyn).

All of them came out black in the end.
 
Originally Posted By: dblshock
Originally Posted By: hypervish
The best way I've found to replace the oil filter is to use cap style tool with a 3/8 ratchet. Once you get used to it, it's a piece of cake.


can you control the dripping?


To an extent. I normally take a rag and put in all the crevices and then remove the filter, that way I can minimize the dripping.
 
On a highlander with the 3mz-fe, this is what you want :
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accesso...ier=965002_0_0_
Make sure it has the nubs inside the band to bite into the old filter. Alternatively you can also use this style of filter wrench: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accesso...ier=297190_0_0_

Drop the splash shield and remove the filter from underneath. It's only 10, 10mm bolts, and 1 clip. then let the shield hang. Then you will have all the access you need to change the oil filter.
Take it from me, I was a tech at Toyota for a few years, and I've done my share of oil changes on these. Be fortunate that you don't have a V6 Camry. You do those from the top,and it's MUCH tighter. I can't tell you how many times the exhaust manifold has kissed my wrist. On those cars I used the second filter wrench listed with a short extension, and my long flexi craftsman ratchet.
 
If that 3.3 is the same as the one in my (now traded) RX400h, does it not have the little 'bathtub' thing under the oil filter that catches the oil and drains it out of a hole in the bottom of the 'bathtub'?

Regardless, if you don't care about changing hot or cold, change it after it's been sitting overnight - when I did it that way, not one drop of oil spilled out of the filter.
 
another thing I noticed on the 7,500 OCI although minimal it burned more oil in the last 1,000 miles than in the first 6,500, which was very close to nothing. aprox .5 qt total
 
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Originally Posted By: JustinC25
On a highlander with the 3mz-fe, this is what you want :
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accesso...ier=965002_0_0_
Make sure it has the nubs inside the band to bite into the old filter. Alternatively you can also use this style of filter wrench: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accesso...ier=297190_0_0_

Drop the splash shield and remove the filter from underneath. It's only 10, 10mm bolts, and 1 clip. then let the shield hang. Then you will have all the access you need to change the oil filter.
Take it from me, I was a tech at Toyota for a few years, and I've done my share of oil changes on these. Be fortunate that you don't have a V6 Camry. You do those from the top,and it's MUCH tighter. I can't tell you how many times the exhaust manifold has kissed my wrist. On those cars I used the second filter wrench listed with a short extension, and my long flexi craftsman ratchet.


Thanks, I was doing this with a gloved hand..lol
 
Originally Posted By: dblshock
another thing I noticed on the 7,500 OCI although minimal it burned more oil in the last 1,000 miles than in the first 6,500, which was very close to nothing. aprox .5 qt total


This would be typical of older oil. You should consider a used oil analysis to confirm the oil's condition in writing.

Feel, smell, color, taste, etc., are all poor evaluators of an oils true condition.
 
I can relate to this motor because it`s what I have in my RX. Why they have that stupid baffle where you pour the oil is way beyond my comprehension. I have actually thought about removing it. What purpose could it possibly have? Not to mention I could actually see in there If I did remove it.
 
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Depending on the oil filter used, its harder or easier to get off I've found. I was swearing pretty bad after my first use of the walmart purolator classic the other day. Hand tight like I've done for many years but it was stuck on like iron.

Its been really hot recently, I always burn more in the Camry during extremely hot weather.

Respect the Toyota oil filler baffle. Don't go dangling your oil spout on it and load it down with oil. Can snap off and end up some place bad like the timing chain. Best pour is straight from the jug or bottle. Get new washers from the dealer next time your there, they give them away.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Depending on the oil filter used, its harder or easier to get off I've found. I was swearing pretty bad after my first use of the walmart purolator classic the other day. Hand tight like I've done for many years but it was stuck on like iron.

Its been really hot recently, I always burn more in the Camry during extremely hot weather.

Respect the Toyota oil filler baffle. Don't go dangling your oil spout on it and load it down with oil. Can snap off and end up some place bad like the timing chain. Best pour is straight from the jug or bottle. Get new washers from the dealer next time your there, they give them away.



But does this thing really serve any purpose?
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Depending on the oil filter used, its harder or easier to get off I've found. I was swearing pretty bad after my first use of the walmart purolator classic the other day. Hand tight like I've done for many years but it was stuck on like iron.

Its been really hot recently, I always burn more in the Camry during extremely hot weather.

Respect the Toyota oil filler baffle. Don't go dangling your oil spout on it and load it down with oil. Can snap off and end up some place bad like the timing chain. Best pour is straight from the jug or bottle. Get new washers from the dealer next time your there, they give them away.



But does this thing really serve any purpose?

Keeps splashing oil out of your PCV system. Whats over the filler keeps splashing oil out of your eyes. Can you cut the part covering the filler off? Yeah, but just a small amount, not a big chunk that will let oil get behind it and out your PCV valve. I would just leave it alone..
 
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but the filler neck can't even hold a funnel spout..all added up they've spoiled the fun in changing oil.
 
Originally Posted By: dblshock
but the filler neck can't even hold a funnel spout..all added up they've spoiled the fun in changing oil.



Yeah, they did.
frown.gif
 
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