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The cartridge style oil filter makes the oil change much more of a hassle, messier and longer time-wise...
Step 1. Loosen filter assembly drain cap.
Step 2. Insert plastic drain furnished in OE cartridge box and allow oil to drain out of filter.
Step 3. Remove drain cap.
Step 4. Remove cartridge housing.
Step 5. Remove cartridge.
Step 6. Insert new O ring onto cartridge housing.
Step 7. Insert new O ring into drain cap.
Step 8. Re-install cartridge housing.
Step 9. Re-install housing drain cap.
Step 10. Clean up the mess.
Another thought: There is no way to pre-fill the filter housing (as many do with canisters) to minimize lack of oil pressure during initial start-up.
Only cartridge filter I have dealt with is my mom's Saturn Vue, and my experience is much better than yours. It sits right at the front top of the engine.
- Remove cap on cartridge housing
- Remove cartridge
- Insert new cartridge
- Put cap back on
No mess to clean up. Don't have to get under vehicle. OEM cap o-ring is good for multiple changes. New filter cartridge comes with o-ring already on filter body. I could change it in less than a minute if I tried.
I agree though on the no way to pre-fill it, but not a huge deal breaker for me. If it bothered me enough, I would pour some oil in the housing
Only thing I did not like about it is I needed to get a special socket to get the cap off, but after that $7 expense, not an issue.
Wife's Scion:
- Jack up car
- Crawl under car
- Remove air deflector
- Move drain pan under filter
- Loosen filter and let it drain into pan
- Remove filter completely (checking for o-ring on mount)
- Wipe off mount
- Pre-fill oil filter
- Lube the gasket
- Install filter
- Install air deflector
- Remove jackstands and jack
For my truck:
- Crawl under truck
- Move drain pan under filter
- Become a contortionist and loosen filter and let it drain into pan (and all over the crossmember)
- Remove filter completely (checking for o-ring on mount)
- Wipe off mount
- Spend 10 minutes cleaning the mess that removing the oil filter made
- Lube the gasket (filter mounts sideways, can't pre-fill)
- Install filter
But I do agree, cartridge filters are very common today. As said, most manufacturers are going to them, but I guess the initial startup cost for them has not been recouped so they will stay high. Maybe they actually have to use quality material since the filter is easy to inspect compared to a canister filter?
I know for my mom's Vue, it will be getting the ST oil filter from Walmart for less than $3. Pretty much same as the
NAPA Proselect that I pulled out of her Vue a while back and looked excellent.