As I mentioned in another thread, I began this morning with better tools that I rounded up for a second day of trying to loosen the Highlander V6 oil cartridge housing . . . all to no avail. Wouldn't budge no matter what I tried even with a better steel removal cap that didn't slip off or get damaged.
I ended up taking the car to a local shop to get their opinion. Only with two men and a *5-FOOT BREAKER BAR* would the housing loosen after several attempts. I think it's now reached a new level of insanity for a simple oil change. I had the new oil and filter already, so I let the mechanics finish the oil change and was HAPPY to pay them $34.00 for their effort!
I don't think the last technician intentionally tightened the the filter housing that tight. You'd have to go out of your way to do so. I think there's something about this design that creates suction or additional tightness if the driver goes the full 10,000 OCI that Toyota recommends. I don't know that I'll ever be able to change the oil on this vehicle.
Once the mechanics got the housing loose after some tense minutes, the filter itself didn't look too bad and the o-ring was in the right position on the housing.
I ended up taking the car to a local shop to get their opinion. Only with two men and a *5-FOOT BREAKER BAR* would the housing loosen after several attempts. I think it's now reached a new level of insanity for a simple oil change. I had the new oil and filter already, so I let the mechanics finish the oil change and was HAPPY to pay them $34.00 for their effort!
I don't think the last technician intentionally tightened the the filter housing that tight. You'd have to go out of your way to do so. I think there's something about this design that creates suction or additional tightness if the driver goes the full 10,000 OCI that Toyota recommends. I don't know that I'll ever be able to change the oil on this vehicle.
Once the mechanics got the housing loose after some tense minutes, the filter itself didn't look too bad and the o-ring was in the right position on the housing.
