I found the Oil Filter.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by FireEngineer, Jan 15, 2009.

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  1. FireEngineer

    FireEngineer Active Member

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    Trying to find the oil filter and oil pan drain on the cut-away model was kind of guess work. On the car the oil pan is in about the same position, but with the drain plug at the opposite end, so it is toward the center of the engine. But the oil filter was elusive, no obvious filter noticed and the cut-away had only this showing. 100_0766.jpg


    Well being at the NAIAS I noticed a cap on the Ford Fusion Hybrid engine that was the same. Turns out the oil filter is a cartridge type. On the Prius cut-away we saw the cap was painted silver instead of the natural black it is on the car. 100_0749.jpg


    So to change the oil filter you must remove the bottom plastic panel, raise up the car (because the filter is behind the engine block), use a special wrench to remove the plastic oil filter cap, which from the cut-away picture is on its side pointed toward the center of the car. Make mess, clean up, replace cartridge, carefully replace cartridge cap, replace bottom panel, ask why!?!

    Wayne
     
    #1 FireEngineer, Jan 15, 2009
  2. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    When we left, I wondered if anyone checked for Wayne. Poor guy. He must have been under the Prius all this time still looking for the darn filter. Glad he found it!

    I'm thankful my first change, which obviously will involve lots of photo taking, will be during the summer.
    .
     
    #2 john1701a, Jan 15, 2009
  3. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    I often wonder if the complexity of this is intended to entice a dealer change.

    Those who (ick) use Jiffy Lube or some oil place joint will surely surprise the hell out of the techs the first time they see one of these.
     
    #3 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 15, 2009
  4. Texas911

    Texas911 Member

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    The cartridge type filter is more environmental though. Less waste. I don't see why Toyota doesn't engineer the filter to be on top, like on the German cars.
     
    #4 Texas911, Jan 15, 2009
  5. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Probably gravity and overall length of oil plumbing. When it's cold, I want the shortest distance possible to fill/pressurize my oil system at startup.
     
    #5 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 15, 2009
  6. snead_c

    snead_c Jam Ma's Car

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    Oh brother, I traded a 2000 VW Jetta with cartridge oil filter...cartridge filters were more than double cost of standard ones and less available. Since you have to remove the element and replace one in the cartridge the mess factor increases greatly. It's a good thing Prius filters need less frequent changes :(
     
    #6 snead_c, Jan 15, 2009
  7. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    We don't know that for sure. Let's hope the 5000 mile interval was retained, or something even better. Did anyone catch the MAINT REQD light this time around?

    Easiest way to check is to verify that other vehicles using this engine type have the same type of filter.

    Last time I had to deal w/ a cartridge type filter was on my 1976 Mercedez 240D, and I ended up getting one slightly too large and blew an oil line due to the increased pressure. The pre-filter was great though for catching any large metal, and having the cartridge present makes filter analysis much easier.
     
    #7 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 15, 2009
  8. Texas911

    Texas911 Member

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    The oil for start up comes from the pan, not the filter.
     
    #8 Texas911, Jan 15, 2009
  9. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Right, but unless the bypass valve is closer to the pump than the filter, there's still a benefit of having the filter near or on the pump, as it is w/ the Prius.
     
    #9 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 15, 2009
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Good observation. I had noticed the oil filter location on Monday night but had not realized that it was a cartridge type. That makes sense since Toyota is moving to cartridge filters for all its new engine designs.

    Since the oil filter is mounted on its side, the oil can drain out when the car is parked overnight. Hence as a DIYer if you want to minimize mess when draining oil, use EV mode to position the car where you want it. Then drain the oil and remove the filter. Hopefully, relatively little oil will leak out as you remove the filter cap. I found this to be the case when replacing the oil filter on my HiHy; zero oil came out as I removed the sideways mounted filter since I did not allow the engine to start while moving the SUV to the driveway.

    If the cartridge container cap is indeed plastic, that would seem less durable than aluminum.
     
    #10 Patrick Wong, Jan 15, 2009
  11. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    I can only imagine the swearing that will happen if someone uses a cap wrench to remove a plastic cap, only to crack or cross-thread it in the process.
     
    #11 HTMLSpinnr, Jan 15, 2009
  12. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ahh, DH was thinking the same thing. good call, Wayne!
     
    #12 galaxee, Jan 15, 2009
  13. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    TRD to the rescue! :cheer2:

    I wonder how much it will cost in aluminum... :eek:

    Note: this is speculation :p
     
    #13 Rokeby, Jan 15, 2009
  14. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    I have a feeling that this is government recycle regulation issue. An ordinary oil filter cartridge cannot drain all the oil out, and requires to cut the cartridge up to drain.
    This will cause the recycle center extra money.

    I have more suspicion with more than one manufacturer going to same design.

    The paper cartridge will be much easier and cost less to recycle.
     
    #14 bedrock8x, Jan 15, 2009
  15. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    That is very unfortunate. I was hoping (though I really didn't think you would make such a mistake) the photo was 90 degrees off and the filter was vertical. Of course, since it is a cartridge you take out of a housing, it will be messy in any position, shy of having the cap on the top and the ability to lift the filter element out.

    I do not trust my local dealer to change my oil (they've screwed up every time I let them). Making the job messier and harder given the 'hard to get to' location of the filter is not very owner friendly. So much for a few pumps on the floor jack to change the oil and filter just by reaching under the bumper. And since the filter is on the back of the block, I suspect getting a wrench in there will be a tad difficult.

    At the very least, they should include a oil monitoring system so you don't have to change the oil until it starts to break down. 5K miles or 6 months is wasting a lot of oil, at least for all the oil analysis posts I've seen on PriusChat.
     
    #15 bruceha_2000, Jan 15, 2009
  16. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    Anyone notice the elbow pipe right in front of the filter cap. Oh MAN, that is going to suck trying to get that filter out...

    So, did you find the EBH hole too?
     
    #16 Bob64, Jan 15, 2009
  17. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    FireEngineer did, indeed, install an EBH in the cutaway Prius...
    the DNA Distribution Tour has been extended! :p
     
    #17 Rae Vynn, Jan 15, 2009
  18. brick

    brick Active Member

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    Nice work, Wayne! That's really too bad about the location, as I rather enjoy being able to do a change without jacking up the car at all.
     
    #18 brick, Jan 15, 2009
  19. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I believe that pipe is in place just for the display model, as a way to support the engine mockup. Hopefully it will not be present in the real car - because if it is, I agree that it would not be possible to remove the filter element without first removing the pipe.

    Yes, however if you jack up the car then you can take the opportunity to inspect the front tires, suspension, driveshafts, etc. which would be difficult to do when the car is not raised up.

    I don't know how you replace the engine oil filter in the current Prius without first raising up the car. I like seeing what I'm doing...
     
    #19 Patrick Wong, Jan 15, 2009
  20. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    #20 patsparks, Jan 15, 2009
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