Oil Control Valve Filter

So I just found out today we have an oil control valve filter in our 4.0.

Anyone ever change theirs?


https://youtu.be/j2gmE_zidjQ?si=ffLW4YGFey0DwtHX

 

Saw that video the other night! Not sure of the timeframe on changing these out!

 

Nowhere in any maintenance manual is there mention of these, nor have I ever even heard of them. I have to think that Toyota doesn't consider them an item that needs to be on a regular maintenance schedule. Having said that, at 185K with no problems, I'm going to change them out at the 190K oil change. Can't hurt.

 

It’s not a maintenance item just like the PCV isn’t. My Taco made it to just over 150K miles with both originals before being totaled and a buddy is over 250K miles with both originals. If you keep up regular oil changes then the VVT filter will have nothing in it.

 

99.9% of owners didn’t know what it was until the video came out just like the PCV valve. Also these screens have been used in VTEC engines since the 90s and it’s still never been a maintenance item. Even if free, it isn’t a needed change. Your engine is fine for your lifetime.

 

Follow Murphy's Law - do not touch it

 

Not a maintenance item. Even at over 180k, I am not touching it.
I do occasionally follow his videos for some of the other things like steering fluid, timing gasket cover etc I had to do though.

 

no idea we had those

 

I appreciate all the info I’ve gathered here, other forums, YouTube, etc…
But like some have said:
“Didn’t even know…don’t touch it…not really maintenance…”

It may be easy enough, affordable VS future problems, smart to do “while your at it”

But then what isn’t?

I’m not doubting the importance/validity of this specific situation/project
IT IS MAINTENANCE

Now this is where I’ll get destroyed but a lot of posts, me included-totally guilty-bout “just got it, can’t wait to mod it out”

most vehicles are good to drive off the lot n you see things like this, plus ALL ALL ALL the other info on this site alone n rush to fix what’s not broken

It is going in my “they say” bag
(Thanks mom…)
She says that all the time, n I remember her once mentioning how this type of Colgate toothpaste is cancerous, or how an apple a day has turned into rubbish…
Yeah if all you eat is toothpaste covered apples 24/7 your gonna get sick

I dunno I’ll probably research it for over a year n do it

side note:
I have a photo somewhere from when I lived in CA n the portapottie at the bottom of I think Whiting Ranch MTB trail had signs beware of snakes, bobcats, bears n cancerous toilet paper soooo who knows

 

I have these on both my Ducati Air-Cooled engines. It is a pre-oil filter screen. The manual for the Sport Classic line says to check it every other oil change. They are very easy to access, so I always pull it out and clean it when doing an oil change. The only cost is about $1.25 for the washers and 5 minutes of my time. Easier to change on my bike than on the 4Runner.

I would think it would be better to clean these earlier rather than later due to break-in particles getting attached to them at the very beginning when the car is new. When I cleaned them early on on my Ducati, there were some particles attached. The second time I found nothing on them.

 

Due to your post, everyone will do it now because Ducati air cooled engines are exactly like the water cooled 1GR.

 

Good thinking! The 900cc Ducati VTwin is practically interchangeable with our 4.0lt V6.

 

I was more poking fun of the people that think these engines are at the verge of self destructing themselves at any moment unless they change non maintenance items they learned about from a self proclaimed tech with YT videos.

 

I highly doubt everyone will change these. But let me know how yours goes.

Regardless of whether it's air-cooled or water-cooled, a V6 or an L-twin like the Ducati, the filters do the same thing.

I may change mine just to take a look at it.

 

Well, now we know why there are so many premature engine failures.

 

Just change the engine every 5K miles. It's the only way to make sure nothing is clogged.

 

It appears the right/passenger side is the less difficult filter to replace. So perhaps just remove/replace that, one and then judge whether its condition warrants the effort to replace the more difficult driver-side filter. This whole issue might be most important if you buy used 4Runner that shows signs of oil-change neglect.

 

Wife has 2018 4runner 4x4 with 104,000 plus miles. after the last oil change, they noticed oil leaks but did not know where it is coming from. So after cleaning up the engine bay and coming back after a week, they determined the oil pan and valve cover gasket needed to be replaced along with some end links. Long story short on the day of delivery they gave us some bad news and told us they are waiting for the oil control valve filter. It took them over 7 days to get the part. They felt the oil valve filter needed replacement even though it was not on the list of items for a valve gasket cover replacement or maintenance. something you learn everyday.

still pissed the gaskets went bad on 2018 4runner. I currently have 2003 Tacoma never needed any gasket replacement.

 

Neither did the mechanic shop we took the 4runner for a valve cover gasket replacement.

 

I am not sure you can describe him as a “self proclaimed” tech as he does work at a Toyota dealership as a tech. Wouldn’t that make him an actual tech?

 

Valvoline Restore and Protect to the rescue!

j/k

 

People claim to be a lot of things online. It’s a non maintenance item you will be fine.

 

So you still think he is not a real tech?

 

I think he is making a video for likes, comments, subscribes, super thanks, follows, patreon subscribers and thumbs up.

 

OK. So I'm bumping this thread because I did as I said and changed them out. There is ABSOLUTELY ZERO reason to change these out if you've been maintaining your 4R with regular oil changes. The 13 year old 190K filters looked no different than the brand new ones. Viking Garage can do as he wants to do, but this is a waste of time and money to change these out.

 

Honda has had similar screen since 89 on their VTEC solenoids and never recommended changing them. I truly believe these videos are made for profit because a lot of people panic when they see it in a video but don’t really know much about it so they like and subscribe or take it in for the unnecessary service. Take PCV replacements for example.

One guy mentioned it’s regular service on his Ducatti but a Runner is not a Ducatti and there is no wet clutch in a Runner.

 

100% agree. I could see looking into this if I bought used and I suspected questionable maintenance. Viking Garage is advising to change these at 100K. It's just wrong and advising of unnecessary non-issues. Thankfully I do my own maintenance and it was fairly easy to do, but I could see someone getting raked over the coals for hundreds of dollars asking a dealership to do this. I might call him out on this...TBD.