Aluminum oil filter housing downsides?

It seems that the community's consensus is that it's worth replacing the composite oil filter housing with the Toyota aluminum one. I'm curious to know if anyone is aware of any downsides to doing so. Was this just a cost cutting measure on the side of Toyota, or does the composite solve some problem that the aluminum one had?

 

Only downside is Toyota didn't put them on from the factory.

 

As long as you put the o-rings in the right groove your golden.

 

I wouldn't say the community consensus votes for going with the aluminum, although there are a handful who vote for it. The largest downside I would imagine is the potential to damage threads if over tightened. With the composite housing, if overtightening occurred, the composite threads would be first to go, not the engine block.

 

Aluminum on Aluminum galling would ruin a day. My best guess is the filter housing is cast out of A380 which is common for automotive parts. I've had experience with A380 galling in other applications even with cutting fluid residue still present on the threads. It only takes one little spot on a thread to cause it to snow-ball. If threading aluminum against steel, I wouldn't sweat it.

When I was young and dumb, I managed to gall up about $600 worth of stainless steel pipe fittings doing a dry-fit without a thread lube in the engineering lab. The boss snickered, asked that I not make the same mistake twice and to order another set of parts. He's long gone now, but a lesson well learned and was a fair man.

 

I have been looking at the Baxter oil filter relocation kit. All in all I think that is better, its just pricy.

 

Hundreds of thousands of Tacomas on the road getting their oil changes done with no issues with the composite canister. Sometimes this forum amplifies issues into sky is falling scenarios when the sky is just fine. Sure a few botched installs and mishaps from the dealerships, but there are plenty of members having no issues with the factory part.

If the shop tech/truck owner is going to screw up the composite canister install they will probably do the same with the aluminum. I'd rather have the more forgiving composite threads than metal on metal.

Use the right tools and don't over tighten the canister and the composite is fine.

 

I like it as well. But my only concern is the warranty side of things.

 

Best answer, I like this guy!

 

Its a solution looking for a problem.

 

Keep in mind that the aluminum housing is OEM on certain Lexus models with aluminum engine blocks.

I’ve had the plastic ears break on me once on a Camry. Now the Camry and Tacoma have aluminum housings.

 

There's 50 people max on here swearing at the plastic housing and swearing by the aluminum one.... There's 100's of thousands of Toyotas out there with plastic housings and no issues.....

Personally, I changed the oil on my 2011 FJ (plastic housing) every 5K for 140,000 miles + one change at 2k to get the break in crap out. The gousing never leaked, never broke and looked like new when I traded the FJ (dumbest car decision I've ever made) for the Tacoma.

 

I have a spare aluminum one in my tool box and still didnt swap it.

The plastic ones are cooler to the touch when draining so I prefer them.

 

What is wrong with the composite one from factory?

The downside to either of these products is user error. If people follow the manufacturer torque specs, these housings will last a long time. Unfortunately, people take their vehicles to shops that don't follow those specs and then get into trouble on the next oil change, then blame the housing... if you want a job done right, then do it yourself.

I will only replace my composite housing when and if it fails. And since I use a quality torque wrench that gets tested regularly, I am confident it will last the life of the truck.

 

I bought into the metal housing hype back in 2016 with the Wife's Rav4.
After a couple oil changes I just started swapping the canisters. Makes it nice only having to have one type of filter elements for both vehicles. Now with the Tacoma and Rav4 I just swap out which ever version is on the shelf. When I change the oil in either I just put the canister in a plastic bag and on the shelf, ready to go for the next one. On the next change, while the oil is draining I put in the filter and rings and swap the canisters.
I would have to go look to see which version is on the shelf now. Either one could give you problems if you over tighten or cross thread....
And I would venture a guess that there are Millions of either version being used around the world on several different Toyota and Lexus brands.
Don't over think it.

 

I'm not sure the people who say overtightening and damaging the threads can be a potential problem are entirely aware of how the parts mate together. Shoot not even sure I am. But it seems the oil filter housings have a lip that sits flush against where it threads to the oil filter assembly of the engine, which would prevent any overtightening but I've been wrong once or twice maybe three times.

 

I have an aluminum cover in my parts cabinet for when the plastic one fails. Time will tell

 

I'm not sure what this fixes, the stock part works fine and I beat the shit out of it.

 

This lip technically is what causes the damage to occur from overtightening. When the lip and the main body meet, the filter housing stops moving inward as a whole unit. Continuing to tightening it now causes the threads to distort. With enough twisting the threads can shear off or the housing can crack, where every a weak spot is, this is where it will break.

This same thing can happen to the aluminum one... aluminum has higher malleablity which means it will distort even easier than the composite before shearing.

Over torqueing is the problem... not the part.