How to Change a Rav4 Oil Filter
by Russell Wood
Changing the oil in your Toyota Rav4 is a little bit different from a traditional oil change. That's because the oil filter isn't a traditional style. It's an oil filter cartridge, which needs to be removed from a housing, then installed on the engine. It's a bit trickier to remove and does take some special tools, but it can still be done at home. In this case, the project vehicle is a 2006 Toyota Rav4 with the V6 engine.
Step 1
Raise the front of the vehicle using the jack and set it on the jack stands. Make sure that the vehicle is solidly on the stands before crawling underneath it. Set the drain pan underneath the oil filter.
Step 2
Unbolt the oil filter housing drain bolt from the filter housing using the 3/8-inch ratchet, extension and sockets, then place the drain pipe included with the oil filter kit into the hole. Allow the oil to drain out of the filter and into the drain pan, then remove the drain pipe by tilting it to the side.
Step 3
Attach the oil filter wrench to the 3/8-inch ratchet and extension, then unbolt the oil filter housing from the engine. Slide the oil filter cartridge off of the engine, then slide the replacement in place using your hands. Slide the o-ring around the filter housing off of the housing, then install the replacement model from the kit.
Step 4
Reinstall the oil filter housing onto the engine using the oil filter wrench and the ratchet. Then install the o-ring from the kit for the drain bolt onto the housing and reinstall the drain bolt using the ratchet.
Step 5
Open the hood, pull out the oil dipstick and check the gauge at the bottom to determine how much oil you approximately need. Open the oil cap and pour in 1/4 of a quart of the engine oil weight specified by your vehicle owner's manual into the engine.
Step 6
Recheck the dipstick after 5 minutes to allow the oil to settle. If you need to add more oil, repeat the last step.
References
Tips
- Used oil can be recycled at your local parts store, or a automotive fluid recycling center, for free. Do not dump the old oil out into a street drain or pour it into the ground, as this is illegal and bad for the environment.
Things You'll Need
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Replacement oil filter cartridge kit
- Drain pan
- 65mm oil filter wrench
- 3/8-inch ratchet, extension and socket set
- 1 quart motor oil
Writer Bio
Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. He has been building custom cars and trucks since 1994, including several cover vehicles. In 2000 Wood started a career as a writer, and since then he has dedicated his business to writing and photographing cars and trucks, as well as helping people learn more about how vehicles work.
