Brevity isn't my long suit but I'll try. I had my ISF first service performed at a local dealership and found that they overfilled the crankcase a bit over 1/2 quart. Probably not a major deal but, since it bothered me, I decided to do another oil/filter change prior to taking a long road trip to avoid any potential problems. When attempting to change the filter I found that it would not budge. I think Hercules must have installed it. I just R and R'd the oil adjusting for not being able to remove the filter. Contacted the dealer and politely expressed my concer.n They were great... spoke w/three people regarding the incident and they couldn't do enough for me to make me happy. All that for the question...

Spoke with the service manager. He said the ISF filer was/housing was different than the 350 and needed a special tool to remove it and there was a two step process to properly reinstall and torque to spec the housing when replacing it. I looked at the thing and tugged on it with all I had before giving up. Fact is, the housing didn't look different from the 350. Have any of you seasoned ISF oil changers heard this one. I've managed to get by with one of my spin on "cap" wrenches with the 350's but did order up the recommended, hopefully correct tool today.

Still curious about this two step process to reinstall the filter. The dealership's owner invited me back for a free oil change that I could participate in and get some tips from their tech since I like to do them myself. Going to take him up on that offer in a few thousand miles.

I guess the simple question would be... other than a sh!$load of more oil is there any difference in an IS350/ISF oil change? Worth noting... I've had three "first oil changes" at dealerships and every time the car's came back overfilled... a quart and a half in my 350. (Dealer , not the one that did the ISF, told me I wasn't checking the oil properly and would be happy to send a tech to my house in the AM to show me how to do it.) I don't trade there any more.

Sorry about the non-brevity thing.

 

He's full of it. The OD and the flute pattern are the same on all Lexus Oil filters, and also on a lot of newer Toyota's. I use the same filter wrench on my wife's ES as I use on my F. However my filter is longer and is mounted horizontally, while her's is mounted vertically. The vertical mounting on her's allows me to remove a fitting on the end of the filter and allow the oil in the filter housing to drip out, before I remove the filter. Since the F is mounted vertically, there is no such fitting on the end of the filter.

However, be sure the filter wrench is designed for a Lexus, and not a universal one. Look at the PDF I have attached for the proper size. I use the A254 wrench.

Lou

 

Agreed. There's nothing special about the filter on the F other than it being quite a bit larger than the 350. Same tool for almost all Toyotas works on the 350 and the F - 64mm with 14 flats. I use the same tool on the wife's Scion tC. There's nothing in the factory service manual about a two step process.

 

^^^Yep. I have changed the oil on mine a couple times. As long as you have the right tool to get the filter cover off, the rest is cake...it just takes forever for all the oil to drain out. I went to the Lexus dealer for the first few oil changes, but then decided that I would save some money and do everything myself except the major service intervals.

 

Thanks for the response(s)... at least I got a call from the dealer and actually embraced the idea of going by their shop for next oil change and "free tutorial" but you all know what I thought to be true... it's a friggin' oil and filter change... remove the plug, the oil comes out... screw off the filter housing, remove the element, clean housing, replace it the way it came off... my BS detector was starting to go off but hell, things change, two step process... sure, I'll bite. (I'm the guy PT Barnum was talking about)

Proper filter wrench ordered yesterday... I'll run the Dino for another 3,000 or so and switch to Amsoil and most likely skip my invite to oil change school. Like I've been doing these things for 30 plus years...

Hey, bonus points if anyone can advise what to torque the oil filter housing cap to when I reinstall it. Got the number for the 350 written down somewhere. Wondering if it would be the same?

NOTE TO GYMKATA... sighhhhh... you have an S2k... traded mine to get the F car and miss it every day. They are great rides.

Thanks again for reading my rambling rant.

 

My wife's OEM ES350 filter calls out 19 lb. ft. ± 4 lb. ft. My F filter, says the proper number is etched onto the filter housing. Next time I change oil, I'll look. However, I have been changing my own oil for over 50 years now, and have never used a torque wrench for the procedure. I always hand tighten the filter. I only use a tool to remove it.

Lou

 

Thanks Lou... I think you are right on the money... I don't see a great deal of difference between the ISF housing and the one on my previous 350's... Two step process... I'm so friggin' easy to be sucked in...

Link to IS350 oil change... http://www.lexustech.org/Oil.htm

 

Yes, the S2K is fun...I'll gut it and turn it into a track only car at some point in time, but for right now it is used only for hard driving through the back road twisties.