No more steel canister filters huh?

[Alex_V]

It's not a new thing - Jeeps and tractors, and I'm sure most others, from the 40's and prior used cartridge filters. But it's coming back around for a different reason. (For the record, I believe auto makers and owners could save more resources in different ways - but that's not conducive to corporate efficiency and customer luxury.)

I prefer spin-ons, but it's not a big deal to me unless it's mounted somewhere silly.

 

[AZjeff]

My daughter had a 2001 Saturn, cartridge filter top side front stupid easy to change. The '14 RAV4 cartridge not so much...don't mind the cartridge but the rest is too fussy & messy under the car.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

My 67 Toyota Corona used a cartridge filter/kit available only from dealer. Oblong housing had a drain plug to prevent making a mess when center bolt was removed.Following directions on the box assured a leak free installation.

 

[jongies3]

Think Toyota is mainly pushing it the hardest. Other auto manufacturers have a few here and there but Toyota seems to be dedicated to switching the entire lineup over. Honda and Nissan still use spin ons exclusively, however. Ford, the only one I know of that uses a cartridge is the 2.7 EcoBoost, the rest all still use spin on. GM uses cartridge on the Eco-Techs and Dodge uses them on the Pentastars. I think the only Toyota engine left that has a spin on is the 2.7 four cylinder in the Tacoma. Worst Toyotas to change oil on are the Tundras, not only is the filter a PITA, but, you got a 60lb skid plate to take off and wrestle back on to get to the filter. Stupid! I love Toyota, but, they put filters in some of the worst locations known to man!

 

[jongies3]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
Spin-on or cartridges I care not.

Access - I do care about.

Remember the GM cars in the late 80's with the oil filter inside the oil pan?!?!?

I try not to, those things were an nightmare to change.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: jongies3
Think Toyota is mainly pushing it the hardest. Other auto manufacturers have a few here and there but Toyota seems to be dedicated to switching the entire lineup over. ... Worst Toyotas to change oil on are the Tundras, not only is the filter a PITA, but, you got a 60lb skid plate to take off and wrestle back on to get to the filter. Stupid! I love Toyota, but, they put filters in some of the worst locations known to man!
The Germans are apparently fond of cartridges, too. Or are they required now in Europe?

I believe Toyota's bottom-mount strategy is designed to drive oil-change business away from DIY and to dealers. The trap door under the Prius oil filter isn't heavy, but it's certainly awkward.

I once changed the oil in a circa 2000(?) Sentra that had its spin-on in a ridiculous location, inaccessible from above and barely accessible from below.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: jongies3
Worst Toyotas to change oil on are the Tundras, not only is the filter a PITA, but, you got a 60lb skid plate to take off and wrestle back on to get to the filter. Stupid! I love Toyota, but, they put filters in some of the worst locations known to man!


My 2005 Tacoma with the 4.0L V6 has the spin-on mounted vertically right on top of the engine. Super easy to change. Just need to punch a hole in the dome end to let it drain before removing so it doesn't make a mess.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: tc1446
I've been told that you loosen the cap, or take it off, before dropping the drain plug so that excess oil in the canister will drain down. At least that's what the service guy does when he changes the GM 1.4T, and before that a GM 2.4L.

For cartridge on top of engine (vertical) applications, generally that is the preferred procedure. And for the reason your "service guy" mentions. Hyun/Kia another example. No need to rush to get down and remove the drain plug/bolt. Can pull the cartridge, replace it in cap and change the cap o-ring before opening the plug.

So from that advice your man seems knowledgeable on the procedure and one to stick with.

 

[jongies3]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: jongies3
Worst Toyotas to change oil on are the Tundras, not only is the filter a PITA, but, you got a 60lb skid plate to take off and wrestle back on to get to the filter. Stupid! I love Toyota, but, they put filters in some of the worst locations known to man!


My 2005 Tacoma with the 4.0L V6 has the spin-on mounted vertically right on top of the engine. Super easy to change. Just need to punch a hole in the dome end to let it drain before removing so it doesn't make a mess.

Those were probably the only Toyota engine easy to change oil on! Lol, that design was too cool though, and the newer 4.0's in the 4Runners and the 3.5 Tacoma all use cartridge now.

 

[bunnspecial]

BMC used cartridges on MG engines until something like '68 or '69.

You'll find that a significant majority of them have been converted to spin-on, probably aided by the fact that the later spin-on attachment is a bolt-on replacement for the cartridge.

The only ones I routinely see with cartridge filters still are the 6-cylinder MGC engines. I haven't researched it, but would guess it's because no one has made a spin-on adapter.

The cartridges are widely regarded as a pain in the rear. Inverted spin-ons on these engines always make a mess when you pull them, but apparently inverted cartridges make an even bigger mess and leak like a sieve if everything isn't perfect.

 

[goodtimes]

Service bays have the car on a lift, probably faster to have the cartridge on the bottom where the oil drains. Not faster in a driveway. I prefer the filter dome end down regardless if cartridge or spin on. Oil stays in the can.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Now? This is old school tech. My early 1980s Mercedes cars use this and it's the best design ever - fully accessible from the top with just 13mm wrenches. Why other manufacturers have to invert them and require giant funky sockets is beyond me.

It's not all rosy in the Mercedes world - the W107 V8s had the oil filter cartridge on the lower right hand side of the engine bay, you had to get to it from the bottom of the car and it was a tight squeeze. The older W124/W201 cars used a spin-on that was buried.

 

[andyd]

I changed the oil and filter on an '06 Corolla for 150K and on 528es for 22 yrs. Reach in and un do a filter. Easy peasy The set up on the '16 is a PITN. Off the bat, you need a special socket. An oil change pit should come with every new Camry

 

[Cgates]

I have a 2010 toyota fj cruiser with a canister filter. Its the first vehicle ive had with this setup. Its mounted vertically and must be accessed from the bottom after removal of the skid plate.

I dont find it any more messy than a spin on. Biggest downside is that one cannot easily upgrade to a larger filter. I finally found a larger housing from a shop that was going out of business.

The 2009 model had a topside mounted spin on. Some people have put larger filters but have reported the oil light stays on longer at startup because the larger filter takes awhile to fill up. The downside to having an inverted topside filter i suppose.