2007 Sienne oil change

[IHateMyJob2004]

EDIT: I have learned what I am describing below is known as an element filter or cartridge style filter

I have to say I might never buy a Toyota again. How the hell do I change the oil filter on a 2007 Toyota Sienna?

Specifically, where do I buy the tool to attach to their "filter mechanism" to remove it?

For those that do not know what I am talking about, when you buy a filter you normally get a filter and a metal casing for it that has a rubber gasket that you hand tighten onto the engine block. Wit ha 2007 Sienna, the paper filter is all that you replace. The metal casing most of you know of is now part of the engine block (for sake of discussion) that is not replaced and the paper filter goes in it. I now need to remove the engine block "part". So, I need an attachment for a wrench to remove it along with a a torque wrench now that goes up to 200 ft-pounds.

If I knew about this when I was shopping, I would have gotten the Honda Odyssey instead.

RANT:
Seriously, when it comes time to buy a new car (7 years from now) I will NOT buy a Toyota again if they have this totally fubar oil filter changing mechanism.

 

[BassBomb]

paper oil filter wut?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I said paper. It's not paper. It's the filter mechanism. I said it because most people would understand what I am talking about.

Found a thread discussing the matter:
http://www.siennaclub.org/foru...ex.php?showtopic=16419

This guy pretty much sums up my opinion:

I am greatly dismayed at the switch to the element oil filter. Toyota has utterly dropped the ball on this politically correct maneuver. I suppose Toyota has to give in to the Global Warming religion to save face with a certain demographic. Well, I hope they made a gain in *that* demographic because they just lost people like me - the common family man.

The element filter change is more than "a little more" messy than I read about in other posts. Toyota lost touch with the customer, and this is the first indicator of a crack in the dam for ANY large corporation. I think Toyota just got too large.

We have a young family,and the Sienna was an easy choice for us, as compared to the loud road noise of the Odyssey. But this user unfriendly move just tilted the scales over the Honda as the better minivan. Toyota just lost two sales (Dad and Brother) on account of this move to the element oil filter. I am not going to waste time explaining the mess involved in changing an element filter. You can read about the mess in other posts. Let me just say that the MBA with an emphasis in marketing who decided this would boost Toyota's image with the eco-beetnicks needs to be fired.

The increase in global warming involved in changing this element filter as opposed to the screw-on type is the steam coming off my head! Well, I have to go throw my clothes away as they are oil-drenched, and get something to clean off my driveway. And one other thing - out of ten wrenches used, only one works, and not so great at that.

This is a disaster for Toyota at it's core - for the certain consumers that take so much pride in their Toyota that they do not want a meathead so much as changing their motor oil. Disaster - Toyota will feel the pain on this move to the element oil filter.

 

[Black88GTA]

I love the element filter on my car. Basically, you unscrew a plastic cap under the hood, pull out old filter, drop in new one, done. Takes all of 30 seconds. Yes, you can change the filter without draining the oil.

Yours sounds like a nightmare...

 

[woodie1]

LOL You won't buy another Toyota because they use a paper cartridge oil filter on your current car. Now I have heard everything. Have you any idea how many other cars use this type of filter. Probably not.

 

[LTC8K6]

Pretty common, and in use for many years by several mfgs.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

It's enough to piss me off. The style I am used to was quick and easy. Now I have to buy a damned adapter and torque wrench. It's just stupidity.

 

[dawp]

My Triumph TR7 has a simular setup, remove bolt, remove cover, replace filter element, and replace cover and bolt. only hassle is having to jack up the car. and locating a filter for a '76 triumph: Doh!

 

[Vette73]

As a former auto tech I much rather have the casing part of the engine and just replace the filter part it self.
If every car just used a element instead of a can I actually might tell people to use Fram. But right now its too easy for lower quality makers like Fram to put a fancy name on a POS filter and sell it as you can;t see inside without cutting it.

 

[aleckz]

Saturns had this too, the spot was located on the top portion of the engine though so it wasn't that difficult.

 

[fstime]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
EDIT: I have learned what I am describing below is known as an element filter or cartridge style filter

I have to say I might never buy a Toyota again. How the hell do I change the oil filter on a 2007 Toyota Sienna?

Specifically, where do I buy the tool to attach to their "filter mechanism" to remove it?

For those that do not know what I am talking about, when you buy a filter you normally get a filter and a metal casing for it that has a rubber gasket that you hand tighten onto the engine block. Wit ha 2007 Sienna, the paper filter is all that you replace. The metal casing most of you know of is now part of the engine block (for sake of discussion) that is not replaced and the paper filter goes in it. I now need to remove the engine block "part". So, I need an attachment for a wrench to remove it along with a a torque wrench now that goes up to 200 ft-pounds.

If I knew about this when I was shopping, I would have gotten the Honda Odyssey instead.

RANT:
Seriously, when it comes time to buy a new car (7 years from now) I will NOT buy a Toyota again if they have this totally fubar oil filter changing mechanism.

Cartridge type oil filters are a superior design to the screw on type.

They are much more enviromentally friendly because there is no metal casing and you are just changing the filter element it self. The filters tend to be better to, no paper or BS used here, Mercedes and BMW have used this system forever with fleece filters that can go 10,000 miles without a problem.

I know on BMW/MB, you access the filter from the top of the engine by just screwing the filter cartridge holder from the top of the engine with your hand, an 8 year old with down syndrome could probably do it.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Man, reading the description this sounds ridiculous. Did they mount the housing horizontally instead of vertically? WTF!

Once the housing plug is removed, a valve is supposed to hold in the oil until you shove in the hose adapter. The valve does NOT hold in all the oil. (Messy). The oil leaks around the TOP of the hose adapter. (Messy). Removing the housing leaks oil all around the top of the housing. (Messy). Removing the filter element means dealing with live warm motor oil. (Messy). Soaking the large O ring in oil means dealing with warm motor oil. (Messy). Soaking the small O ring in oil means dealing with warm motor oil. (Messy). cleaning off the filter housing, inside ( (Messy) and outside (Messy) is quite fun. Then placing the large O ring, which is now lubed with oil is messy (Messy). Then placing the small O ring, which is now lubed with oil is messy (Messy). Twisting on the housing with a oil filter wrench (and I have bought and tried SIX of them, and none works well is fun. Oh, and that wrench, as well as all my other tools now are soaked in motor oil (see above) (Messy). And finally, I now need to store a hose adapter designed by an American (don't get me wrong, I love the USA, but there is a reason I bought a Japanese car!) that is oily. Please note that all oil filter kits do NOT come with the adapter, so always keep one on hand.

Like aleckz, my first and only encounter with filter oil cartridges was on a Saturn (2001 L200). The only hassle was I expected a spin-on filter and then didn't have a freakin 22 or 24mm socket to remove the plastic top cover. But the filter housing itself was vertical and on the front, top edge of the motor so I got to it just fine. Zero mess and hassle once I made 2 trips to Adv Auto get the right sized socket.

 

[radioouman]

i find that the cartridge type filter on our 2002 Saturn L100 is the easiest and cleanest oil change of any of the cars in our fleet. s

 

[tfinch2]

My fiancee has a 2000 Saturn SC1. What a pain in the ass and a mega mess to change.

 

[StageLeft]

Never heard of such a thing, but reinforces the idea that before buying a car it's good to hit up current owners for annoyances, because all cars have them and this sounds like a big one.

 

[CRXican]

How about taking it to the dealer for the oil changes? It's under warranty and all seeing as it's a 2007 right?

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: CRXican
How about taking it to the dealer for the oil changes? It's under warranty and all seeing as it's a 2007 right?

He doesn't have a BMW that has free maintenance for a year.

EDIT: Or three years, I forget.

 

[LTC8K6]

Changing the oil yourself does not affect the warranty. You just need to document that you did the changes with the proper oil and filter according to the maintenance schedule.

 

[Elstupido]

I am confused, where is this filter located, and what is it's mounting position on that Toyota, vertical or horizontal?
The filter on my BMW is an element type and is right there in the engine compartment mounted vertically. Easiest oil filter I have ever changed.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
EDIT: I have learned what I am describing below is known as an element filter or cartridge style filter

I have to say I might never buy a Toyota again. How the hell do I change the oil filter on a 2007 Toyota Sienna?

Specifically, where do I buy the tool to attach to their "filter mechanism" to remove it?

For those that do not know what I am talking about, when you buy a filter you normally get a filter and a metal casing for it that has a rubber gasket that you hand tighten onto the engine block. Wit ha 2007 Sienna, the paper filter is all that you replace. The metal casing most of you know of is now part of the engine block (for sake of discussion) that is not replaced and the paper filter goes in it. I now need to remove the engine block "part". So, I need an attachment for a wrench to remove it along with a a torque wrench now that goes up to 200 ft-pounds.

If I knew about this when I was shopping, I would have gotten the Honda Odyssey instead.

RANT:
Seriously, when it comes time to buy a new car (7 years from now) I will NOT buy a Toyota again if they have this totally fubar oil filter changing mechanism.

I think my benz had the same thing - all you need is a $4 oil wrench attachment from autozone. Super easy actually, since you can do it from the top and ends up being virtually mess-free.

 

[KentState]

I say just take it to the dealer and pay them to do the work if it's that big of a pain.

 

[LTC8K6]

Yeah, these are normally mounted so the element drops in from the top. No mess, no fuss.

Are you saying the Sienna has it going in from below?

 

[JDub02]

My brother has that same type of filter on his VW Jetta. I've never experienced something as difficult as changing the oil on his Jetta. No obvious jack points. His GLI lip spoiler makes it too low to drive up a ramp. The nut on the end of the filter element casing is huge so he had to buy a socket for it because a wrench wouldn't fit in there.

I :heart: my Mazda6. Easiest oil change I've ever done, except for my truck which doesn't require being jacked up.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

The location on the Sienna is fine. I bought the part to attach to the torque wrench today.

The bad news is that the torque wrench I have goes to 150 foot pounds when the instructions state 200 ft pounds. 150 foot pounds it is!

 

[Zorba]

200 foot-punds is a ton of torque. I haven't seen ANYTHING on my car requiring anywhere near that. Are you sure it isn't 200 INCH pounds?