Where is the oil filter in a 96 Toyota Avalon?

Open the hood, stand slightly to the left (passenger side) of the center of the car and look down. It will be on the side of the engine block facing the front of the car, to the left of where the exhaust manifold joins the exhaust pipe. Genuine Toyota oil filters are black so they don't catch your eye like some orange-colored ones do.

Some Toyota dealers will toss in a free drain plug gasket with each OEM filter you purchase, or at least the one near my house does. I do not change the drain plug gasket each time I change the oil because the gasket does not deteriorate that quickly and I forget most of the time.

On the other hand, the gasket on some oil filters will stick to the engine block when you remove it, and if you install an oil filter on top of the old gasket, you can lose massive amounts of oil and seize the engine. Always make sure the surface of the block where the oil filter mates is clean and with no old gaskets stuck.

Ahhh. I think I see it. Yes it is black and doesn't catch your eye. If I'm correct, it is in the front of the engine compartment (kind of near the hood latch) and partially hidden by something above it. That's why it was hard to see. You have to look down and under...

It LOOKs like an oil filter and has the 'ribbed' top like an oil filter. You said it is on the SIDE of the engine block but I might be misunderstanding the terminology.

Thanks for the quick reply and advice.

Do you know if there is any way to catch the oil running out of the old filter when it is removed since it's almost horizontal. Looks like it will make a small mess in there.

Thanks again!

Ted

Yeah, those V6 oil filters always make a mess. Grab a can of brake cleaner from the auto store, put a pan under the car to catch the oil from the old filter. Take off the old one, make a big mess down the side of the engine, put the new one on, and spray down the area with the brake cleaner. You may also want to spray under the car on the exhaust pipe (make sure it isn't too hot). Sometimes oil will collect there from the old filter and start to burn off when you drive. Oh, and when Ray was correct when he refered to the "side" of the engine. The classic setup for an engine is a rear-wheel drive configuration, where the belts face forward and the transmission toward the rear. In your front drive Camry the engine is turned sideways, so now the "front" of the engine points toward the passenger fender, and the "side" faces the bumper. And kudos for doing your own maintenance.

That's it!

As qslm mentioned, the engine is turned sideways so the front of the engine is facing the passenger side fender and the left side is facing the front of the car.

Again, follow qslm's advice. Unfortunately, it's a mess and there is no easy way around it.

Thanks for the additional info. I did notice the belts were on the passenger side but didn't realize that means you say the "front" of the engine is the "side".

Do you have to wash/wipe off the brake cleaner or does it evaporate?

And thanks, I try to do what I am capable of doing. Unfortunately, in cars that means only changing batteries, (some) light bulbs, air filters and oil/filters. Except for the darn 2001 VW Passat. I didn't know when we bought it that there is a giant plastic shield that needs to be removed to access the oil pan. Tough to do without a lift.

Ted

Brake cleaner evaporates without leaving a film. Some of it might pool in the nooks and crannies under the oil filter so you can stick a paper towel in there to sop it up.

Brake cleaner is also useful for getting grease and oil stains out of clothes (take the clothes off before spraying because it turns your skin white and is probably not too healthy).

The Lexus also has an under-engine shield - it's there to lower the coefficient of drag on the car.