chief472

Thought I would try to post on how to make a very basic oil change on a LS460 and add some pictures along the way. This site would only let upload 5 pictures, so... I'll try to imporvise.

First, you will need some ramps of some kind. I have so old ramps which are too high, so I made some intermideate ramps as indicated in the picture.
Attachment 277288

There is a small plastic access door in the under body shroud which needs to be opened. It is about 8 inches square, it is off center of the car about 12 inches, (driver's side), in line with the front of the front tires.
Attachment 277289

To open it use a 10mm socket or #2 phillips screwdriver. Upon opening the access door you will be able to see the oil filter housing and drain plate.
Attachment 277290

Notice the square hole in the metal drain plate. This is a 3/8" square hole, into which a standard 3/8" rachet extension will fit perfectly. Supposedly, you can unscrew this plate, then screw in a plastic drain (which comes with the new oil filter) and drain the oil out , then remove the filter housing and change the filter. Depending on the moods of the car Gods when you decide to change your oil, the disc may come off as intended, the entire disc and filter housing may come off, or depending on how tight and how correctly it was installed, it may not come off at all.

Now, there is a tool one can buy which holds the filter housing while you unscrew the metal drain plate. It would probably be good to have, I don't have one. The last time I changed the oil (after having it changed at the Lexus Dealer) the drain plate and filter housing all came out as one unit, making a big mess. Just be prepared. No big deal, just messier. Here is a picture of the filter houseing after haveing been taking out.
Attachment 277295

If the metal drain plate does come out then simply insert your oil drain connector (comes with new oil filter) attach a hose to it if you want and drain the oil out. After the oil is drained out, remove the connector and put a oil filter cup onto your 3/8" rachet extension and remove the filter housing, turning counter clockwise. The filer cup I have (no better, no worse than any other) is a Fram # F1105.
Attachment 277299

Inset the cup onto the bottom of the filter housing and unscrew the housing (turning counter clockwise). I have heard bad stories of the housing not coming off because of two reasons. Either they were previously installed with too much torque, or the larger o-ring was install in the wrong location. I can't upload anymore pictures but the large o-ring does NOT go all the way to the bottom of the housing. Just look where it is when you take it off and make sure you put the new one in that location. After the filter housing is out, remove the old filter, drop in the new one, insert the two new o-rings. One goes on the outside of the housing below the threads, and the smaller one goes inside on the botton of the housing behind the metal disc. After the new filter, and o-rings are installed, reinset the entire filter housing back onto the motor.

The filter housing is supposed to be torqued to 30 ft-lbs. I doubt that anyone torques it to that number, its not very much. If you torque it to 100 ft-lbs or to gorilla strength level, you living dangerous. Personally, I put it on until it is SNUG and then turn 1/2 to 3/4 turn. Close the plastic access door and re-tighting the 10mm bolt.

To drain the oil out of the engine, you will look 14-16 inches behind the filter housing, on the ceterline of the car, you will see a 14 mm bolt head. With a 14mm closed head wrench or socket unscrew this bolt one or two turns. Make sure you have your oil pan ready below to catch the oil, (adjusting for the wind, if its a windy day.) Turn the bolt head (counter clockwise) with your fingers the rest of the way out, trying to keep pressure against the threads to keep the oil from weeping out. When you feel the drain bolt, snaping past the last thread on the oil pan, you know its all the way out. You can now jerk the bolt out releasing the oil, and hopefully not getting any on your fingers. Good luck.

After the oil has finished draining into your collector pan, insert the oil pan bolt back into the oil pan and tighten the bolt to SNUG and then turn 1/3 turn more. No gorilla strength needed here. Before adding new oil, MAKE SURE the oil pan drain bolt, and the filter housing and drain plate are installed!! Kind of embarassing when new oil goes all over your driveway and the wife is murmuring "what an idiot."

With the hard part disposed of, open the access door to your oil fill spout on top of you engine. Get the all time best funnel ready, which is a milk jug with the bottom cut off. Pour in 9.1 quarts of the slick juice which will be the focal point of World War III. Replace the oil fill cap, start engine and let the engine reach operating temperature.

Where you have dripped oil on you driveway, you can buy an economical can of carburetor cleaner from the autozone or orileys, spray it on the oil dropping and wipe it up with a shop rag.

Happy Trails.

williakz

Be sure to check out the procedure documented here as well.

213374U

Have a question and don't want to create another thread:

Bought the car back in January, did my first oil change in March and couldn't change the filter because I didn't have the tool and decided to let it ride to the next change. Fast forward to this weekend doing my second oil change, I now have the tool, but could not for the life of me get the filter housing off. Now I'm worried about when exactly the filter was last changed

Question: If I'm able to get the filter housing off, am I going to lose a bunch of oil or just what's sitting in the housing after opening the drain on it?

Reading above this seems to be the case, but I just want to make sure I'm prepared to catch it if it's going to be more than a few drips.

TIA

213374U

Disregard, I just dove in and answered my own question

I cracked open the bottom of the filter housing and used the provided adapter with hose to drain the housing. Then using a tip I found on YouTube, I doubled over a paper towel, wrapped it around the filter housing, pressed on the filter wrench I had, and tried to break it loose again. The paper towel ate up every bit of play between the tool and the housing and made it a heck of a lot easier to break free. Got the filter swapped, cleaned everything up and made sure fluids looked good.

Boosting my OCI to 10K, will send for analysis around the 7.5K mark. Peace of mind knowing it's done though.

RussLS460

Anyone know of a more recent link without expired pictures?