fireteacher

well once again i took the oil filter off to put my synthetic stuff in. i can never ever not spill the oil onto the skid plate. i reach through the fender-well to take the filter off and no mater how fast i try to tilt the filter to an upright position, i spill oil all over the skid and lower half of compartment.
other than a relocation kit, which i am not doing, what tricks do you guys have up your sleeves? I wont be changing it until 8-10,000 so i want to prepare for then!

AH64ID

Let it sit overnight....that usually helps on my 22RE...

garrett1478

yeah its not possible.

Elton

i just placed a big towle below the oil filter didint make that big of a mess

fireteacher

i guess thats what ill have to do then, put a few rags there. just wanted to fell it out and hope there was a way!!! maybe the'll make the next gen of engines to have an oil filter at least at a 90 degree angle to the block...if possible

hupptoy

Actually, the next gen (4.0) in the new stuff has the oil filter upside down on the top right front corner of the engine! You can kind of see it just below the engine cover next to the battery.





There is a spot to connect a tube during changes to direct the oil where you want it. Pretty slick.

hupptoy

Jake94

Punch a hole in the top of the filter with a long skinny screwdriver before you take it off, it will let most of the oil drain out of the filter and back into the oil pan. Very little mess. Can't believe no-one does this, the trick is as old as the hills.

Tacoma Dude

Well it's not that anyone doesn't know... I think it's just more of an inconvenience than the alternatives. I spread out a plastic bag - I'm not sure if I could really get the leverage to poke the filter anyway.

fireteacher

true, so tight there sticking your hand through the wheel-well. like the idea and will try it out next time

MTL_4runner

A few people don't like the mess enough to do this:
http://4runners.org/articles/permacool/

I just remove the skid plate and clean up the mess with paper towels.
I have heard a diaper under the filter works well too.

habanero

I always pull the skid off. One of these days I'm gonna figure out some sort of flexible plastic funnel. Used to have a round tuit, but I lost it.

Jiffy Lube says they get the skid wet first and the mess slides off. 'Course, they don't have to worry about all that on their driveway, either. I have my doubts about their madness.

To clarify-I do my own oil changes. I do NOT go to Jiffy. I was talking to one of the guys when I brought some used oil up to dispose of.
There. Carry on.

2000t4r

I don't trust Jiffy Lube as far as I could throw then. They are useless when it comes to cars or trucks.

Tanto

Try wrapping a thick towel around the edge where the filter meets the block so when you start twisting it off (faster is better) you can sorta slide the excess towel into the gap before you can turn the filter upright.

gpcollen1

I just do it very quickly and use pads designed for oil spill cleanup - so they are very absorbent. I think you can buy them in various places but I have used newpig in the past when I didnt have any freebies from friends in the business. I think the diaper idea may be promising.

If you poke the hole in the filter - dont you run the risk of all the particles concentrated in the filter ending up back in the pan - as they wont all make it out the drain hole? That is the only thing stopping me.

GSGALLANT

I have a medium size round plastic funnel with a piece (approx 14-16 inches I guess) of clear tubing connected to it. I place the funnel directly below the filter right against the engine and run the tubing to my drain pan. Unscrew the filter - oil goes into the funnel and to the drain pan. If you do it right, no oil will spill.

fireteacher

awesome idea. thats the most practical one yet!

FORANA

What I do is turn my 4runner on its side so the oil filter stands up right. Then there's no problem. Haha Ok I'm stoopiddd

DrBeau

I think he actually took that off. Maybe he'll chime in here and tell us why.

midiwall

Yeah but he said up top that he don't wanna do a relo:

A buddy says that a guy he works with has gotten very masterful with a simple piece of cardboard and a catch pan. Tweak the cardboard into a "V", aim it at the drain pan, twist and pull.

rugerm44

I just remove skid plates and put a drain pan under it.Then take the filter off and hose off with carb cleaner.Takes 20 minutes to do an oil change.I use synth oil so I dont have to do it very often.Its not that big a deal.