2005 Gx 470-oil Filter

[clickart]

where is this oil filter located at?

[strindl]

where is this oil filter located at?

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I just had my oil and filter changed, and the guy said he had to remove one of the skid plates under the engine to get at the filter. He said there is an access door to get at the oil drain, but the skid plate has to come off to get at the filter.

[bliksem]

The skid plates on the engine are made up of a front and rear skid plate. The front skid plate needs to be removed by undoing 4 bolts that hold it. Once the front skid plate is off you can clearly see the oil filter at the front of the engine by the driver side.

The second skid plate sitting slightly further under the engine, has an oval plastic cap in it (or if it fell off there will be an oval hole in the skid plate). Remove this plastic cap and you will see the oilpan drain bolt.

Be careful as some guys mistake the transmission drain bolt for the engine drain bolt. It is easy to spot as the transmission has no skid plate under it, and also the one exhaust pipe runs underneath the transmission oilpan.

[dchan865]

The skid plates on the engine are made up of a front and rear skid plate. The front skid plate needs to be removed by undoing 4 bolts that hold it. Once the front skid plate is off you can clearly see the oil filter at the front of the engine by the driver side.

The second skid plate sitting slightly further under the engine, has an oval plastic cap in it (or if it fell off there will be an oval hole in the skid plate). Remove this plastic cap and you will see the oilpan drain bolt.

Be careful as some guys mistake the transmission drain bolt for the engine drain bolt. It is easy to spot as the transmission has no skid plate under it, and also the one exhaust pipe runs underneath the transmission oilpan.

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Great tip, Bliksem! ;) Its been many years since I DIY on my own cars. I am getting ready to get to know my car better and doing it myself in the next few weeks.

Does anyone know if its necessary to change the gasket on the drain nut? I imagine it will depend on the condition of the gasket. I sense I don't have to do it since my rig only has one oil change so far.

[dchan865]

One more question I forgot to ask. Is the oil filter hard to remove once the covers are removed? Any special tools needed beside an oil filter wrench?

Thanks, folks!

[bliksem]

It is best to change the crush washer with every oil change on the drain bolt. That said I have done it without changing the washer and no issues.

An oil filter wrench will be fine. I normally just do it by hand to loosens and fasten the oil filter. Only tighten by hand though. I have a strap tool I use as backup to loosen the filter.

[monarch]

A cap type of oil filter wrench is recommended by the factory manual and make filter removal idiotproof. http://www.saber.net/~monarch/oilwrench.jpg

The washer on the oil drain plug can be reused for several times before it wears out..

[e71260]

How do you remove the front skid plate? I only see the 2 front screws. Where are the other 2 rear screws located at? thanks in advance for the help.

[dchan865]

How do you remove the front skid plate? I only see the 2 front screws. Where are the other 2 rear screws located at? thanks in advance for the help.

The othe 2 screws are located in the back and its hidden. Try a flash light to get a better look.

You can't miss it.

[BobsGX470]

There are 2 of the same size bolts as the 2 front ones and they are recessed in about 2". That skid plate is a little tricky to remove to get it out of the way. The 2 hooks at the front hold on pretty well.

Edited December 24, 2005 by BobsGX470

[kurtman]

Mine also had a plastic plug in front of the skid plate between the 2 front bolts. I also had to jack up the front a few inches to remove the skid plate because of the shape of the hooks.

Took me over an hour to find the oil filter initially!

[BobsGX470]

You can get to the oil filter by removing the 4 bolts on the skid plate and just letting the skid plate hang there, but I wanted to see what the heck I was doing the first time. I placed the front of the GX on jack stands to make it easier to access the drian plug and oil filter, plus this angle drains the oil pan better.

[kurtman]

You can get to the oil filter by removing the 4 bolts on the skid plate and just letting the skid plate hang there, but I wanted to see what the heck I was doing the first time. I placed the front of the GX on jack stands to make it easier to access the drian plug and oil filter, plus this angle drains the oil pan better.

I like that little plate that they welded on with the lip...makes the oil drain neatly into the pan without spilling all over the block. Unlike my Explorer and other cars that I've owned.

[BobsGX470]

You can get to the oil filter by removing the 4 bolts on the skid plate and just letting the skid plate hang there, but I wanted to see what the heck I was doing the first time. I placed the front of the GX on jack stands to make it easier to access the drian plug and oil filter, plus this angle drains the oil pan better.

I like that little plate that they welded on with the lip...makes the oil drain neatly into the pan without spilling all over the block. Unlike my Explorer and other cars that I've owned.

Yes, that is a nice touch that only Toyota would think of. When I change the oil filter on my V8 Grand Cherokee, the oil drips all over the left tie rod link and makes a mess. But then, its only a Jeep, but I also like it.

[clickart]

can you guy tell me what kind of tools needed to remove the drain plug? it looks like you need a really long extension bar with you socket to get to the plug because of the access door from the skid plate underneath it.

[kurtman]

can you guy tell me what kind of tools needed to remove the drain plug? it looks like you need a really long extension bar with you socket to get to the plug because of the access door from the skid plate underneath it.

Just a socket wrench with a 4-6" extension. I think it was 13 or 14 mm. I think the front skid plate had 4 x 12mm bolts plus the plastic plug in the middle.