lastplace

Tried doing my my own oil change yesterday. Oil went ok, then came the filter, what a pain in the ***. I would to shoot the bastard who came up with that design. Got the old filter off, finally. Installed a Mann filter, tighten to snug + a little, maybe 1/4 turn. Drove it a couple miles last night, small oil mark 3" x 3," under the filter this morning.

What have I done wrong? To lose or to tight?

salimshah

I assume you made sure the old "oring" came off.

I typically do a spin to face and then 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

So just try to tighten more with a rag and of needed 1/8 turn with the tool.

Salim

artbuc

Could be nothing but residual oil collecting. No matter how careful you are, oil will run down the block, etc and you will get a few drips...should clear up in a few days.

PS with the proper wrench, getting the old filter off is super easy. You can get one from Pep Boys for a few bucks. I like the strap type which works in either direction.

carguy07

Unless you see it leaking right at the filter I would agree it is just old oil dripping off the block and out of the chassis. I hose mine off after I'm finished and it still seems to drip out of the frame for a few days afterward.

Lexmex

After I finish doing mine, I usually use some car cleaner and spray the front of the engine block and then spray some water in there.

ColdLexus

Ummm, sorry to be a noob here in RX land, but why would oil be coming off the engine after an oil change? I haven't changed the oil for an RX, but have done hundreds of oil changes on Camry, Accord, other Honda's, Chevy's, etc.
When I have pulled the plug, drained the oil, pulled the filter, let that drain, usually a quick wipe with a shop rag cleans up any "splatter" or residual oil. After replacing the filter and drain plug (checking to make sure any old gaskets & o-rings are removed), a last quick wipe of the drain pan & surounding engine area is all I do.
In all those changes I have yet to have any oil drips after running the vehicle, or letting it sit overnight.
I would assume not removing the o-ring or a gasket, or not a tight enough turn on either the filter or drain plug is causing the oil leak.
A final option would be if you spilled some oil when you were refilling the oil. If you didn't clean that up, it would "slowly" ooze down the engine and result in your small puddle.

Lexmex

It usually winds up just some excess oil that drained out when pulling off the oil filter. I am able to take off my oil filter from just opening up the hood and grabbing it (no need to go underneath) and that is even with a larger K&N HP-2009 oil filter, but still there will inevitably be a bit of a mess here.

Now here is an old picture with an OEM-sized K&N HP-1002 oil filter. You will notice it's still a bit dark below from oil crud. It still bakes on a bit even if I carb clean it and wash it, but ideally I'd have to get in there with a brush.

You will also note just to the right is front coolant drain plug and to the left is the active engine mount.

ColdLexus

Thanks Lexmex, the picture tells all.
I can now understand how some oil will end up on the engine under normal oil change circumstances.

AlexusAnja

There are plenty of vehicles where the oil filter has a upward pitch, the RX and my '92 Integra also. So, when you unscrew the filter, the oil left in filter will drip out, but there will always be flow down the block.

With any leakage right after the filter change, if it's a few drops, it's probably cast off. If you still see it after a few trips, then I'd worry that perhaps something is wrong and do a once over again. Perhaps you over-tightened the filter and the ring warped, or maybe it's coming from the plug not tightened properly.

Whitestrok

Buy the wrench they sell at the dealership. It's less then $10. iT FITS ON END OF FILTER AND LOOSENS WITH A 3/8 DRIVE EXTENSION. easy to remove from above no need to crawl under RX.

code58

And that picture is from below. I always change my DIL's from above and you can't hardly see the filter from above, much less get past the manifold and fan's to get to it and get a grip on it. If you saw it from above you'd understand why so many guys complain about it. I like a challenge but i don't particularly like that one. LOL

Lexmex

This is a top view with the longer, oversized K&N HP-2009 filter that I now use, but I remember using the OEM size and you could barely see it from the top.

Lexmex

This is an older shot with the OEM-sized K&N HP-1002.

AlexusAnja

Plus, OEM is brown, so makes it even harder to see in the dark, but if you look through the manifold you'll be able to see the filter with the white text.

lexus114

This vehicle is a prime candidate for an oil filter relocation kit!!