Simple service questions

[bathtub tom]

My Yaris is coming up to its fifth birthday and I'm going to start servicing it myself. I guess I'll have to buy the special tool to remove the threepenny bit shaped oil filter holder.

1. Can anyone tell me please the purpose of the square hole in the bottom of the oil filter container?

2. Is there a sealing ring on the sump plug and what form does it take, rubber, copper?

[mrpj]

1. That's to accomodate a 3/8" square driveto remove the filter housing drain plug. There should be a plastic "tube" with the new filter (it takes quite a push to insert it)that pushes into the hole and in turn opens some sort of valve. Don't forget a container to collect the oil that runs out of the tube. Not necessary if you don't mind a bit of spill when removing the housing. There's an o ring seal, for the plug, which should also be in the filter kit.

2. Yes. It's some kind of fibre. 14mm socket for the plug. Careful tightening because it's into aluminium, theads easily stripped. Just a "nip" should be enough.

Make sure that the large o ring for the housing is fitted into the same groove as the original. There are pretty pictures on the genuine filter box to show all this.

[Tvoburner]

I don't bother with the plastic tube & the square drain plug thingy as I just undo the main filter housing over a container using the correct special tool (purchased from ebay) as either method is a bit messy. Dont forget torque setting stamped on housing.

Hope this helps.

 

[bathtub tom]

Thanks for the replies, exactly what I wanted to know.

[thescrapyard]

I bought a cheap eBay tool assuming it would be fine just like other oil filter tools I've used in the past, what a pile of crap. Its basically just a metal cup and slips off the oil filter housing as its damn tight. Regardless of their description that it fits. yes, it does fit but can't take the force needed without slipping

 

I then bought the 'correct' tool which isn't cheap but basically a lump of steel or aluminium with 6 cut-outs that lock into the oil filter housing correctly and allows much more force. Came off with a bit of effort but worked first time