heyitsme

Just curious if there was anything that could be done to get the oil out of the filter before actually unscrewing it - having oil run onto the engine.

SouthernBoy

If you have a 3G TL, here's what I do.

o Have a 1 gallon ZipLock bag handy.
o Loosen the filter just enough so that you can finish removing it by hand.
o Slip the ZipLock bag up over the filter, completely enclosing the filter and the pick up arm.
o Now finish removing the filter by hand on the outside of the bag, being careful to keep the bag up over the filter. When the filter comes free, ease it to the bag's bottom and hold the bag in place for maybe a minute for drips.

Then just pour off the residual oil in the bag, seal it up, and you're good to go. No muss, no fuss. Makes the job one heck of a lot cleaner.

SouthernBoy

Oops.. I just noticed that you had titled your thread about upturned filters, so you don't have a 3G TL after all.

Slimey

Obviously which car you're talking about will matter for the answer...but the most common methods are the above baggie method or poking the bottom of the filter with a nail to let the oil drip out in a controlled stream before unscrewing.

I actually use both methods to keep things controlled and as clean as possible -- first pre-drain with nail method then unscrew within baggie.

Don't forget to open the oil filler cap or remove the dipstick beforehand.

heyitsme

By upturned, I meant the filter was on a 45 degree angle on top of the engine block, sort like in this pic.


Thought about drilling it but think that would just end up being more of a mess.

Slimey

You're screwed.

wrap a shop towel around the base of the filter before removing.

demolition_x

wouldn't the oil kinda drain out?


you could poke a hole with a nail or something on the angled side and get rid of almost all the oil

S A CHO

Get an old towel/rag, roll it into a long cylinder, (like a large cigarette) and wrap that around the rim of the filter. as you unscrew the filter, get somebody to apply hard pressure to the towel, and try to dry up leaks as they happen... Thats the best I can think of...

DownUnder

What kind of car is it BTW?

heyitsme

I'll take a pic tomorrow, it seems like everytime I hit it, its on the rag.

PenancE

just nail a hole on the side of the filter....lol...it aint all that complicated.

heyitsme

The nail on the filter aint complicated, collecting the oil on a filter attached to an engine block that is next to the manifolds, radiator, braces, etc. is not something easily controled for a liquid.

FISHYTL

shouldnt it all come out when you drain the oil since the filter is facing down?

dark inspire

ibaskMichaelWan

SodaLuvr

With the drain plug unscrewed, punch two or three good sized holes on the top of the oil filter can (dome end), then give it a few minutes to drain. Most of the oil should be released from the filter, and exited through the drain plug.

No guarantee that this will work, but it worked for me when I changed the filter in an older Mazda rotary, which had the same setup.

SodaLuvr

Southernboy- gallon ziplock bags are way too expensive for that purpose. Plastic grocery bags are a better option...