Oil Filter Frustration

[TMAC]

Well, after taking up most of my time on Sunday and Monday replacing out a passenger side front drive axle and CV joints on my wife's 1997 escort..... which gave me frustration in itself.... I finally found the little time needed to change the oil on my tractor before going to work this afternoon. At least I thought it would be a quick change.

Well, 100 hours ago I had the fifty hour service done at 67 hours by the dealership. Free first service they offered for buying the tractor. I don't know if they tightened the oil filter to tight but, hopefully that's not the case here.

This morning I fired up the tractor and simply took the trash out to the end of the driveway to give the engine oil time to warm up a little before changing it at 170 hours. Once back to the garage I drained the oil. After putting the plugs back in I went to take the filter off and to my surprise I was having difficulty. I have a good oil filter wrench(not the end cap kind) that's more than capably of taking off a filter. After repositioning several times to get a better grip I was getting frustrated. I started to damage the filter so I decided to stop before I did any more damage.

I'm hoping the problem is that I warmed the engine up before changing the oil and therefore the filter seal is a little swollen due to the warm oil. Hence making the filter tighter. I figured I'd give it a chance to cool down and wait until I came home from work tonight around midnight then try again. Hopefully I'm hoping correctly.

What do you all think. Any tips or tricks other than driving the ole screw driver through it if it still will not come loose tonight? Such a long post for such a simple task.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[DieselMonk]

I've done better that that on a old MF165. I tried so hard, that I broke off my oil filter tool. After that the filter looked like a twisted can of pop. Had no other choice and took a big screw driver, poked that think right through the filter and got it off that way. The filter was totalled in 2 parts after I was done, but that was it. I think what happened there is that the mechanic overtightened the filter a bit. Sorry no pics on that, but I am sure that would of been an interesting one!

 

[TMAC]

I've done better that that on a old MF165.

By the sounds of it I'd say your right. I just put a little dent in this one for now but, thought it would be smart to let it cool down first before going AWall on it. Tonight though if it don't come off I may get the screw driver out. I just hope if it comes to using the screw driver method I get it off before opening it up like a can of bean. That will tic me off. Thanks for relating to my frustation. It helps.

 

[thatguy]

Not to insult your intelligence.. But are you sure you are turning it the correct direction? On my Dodge Ram (w/ cummins) I have to take the filter off from the top, and it never fails that I have to rethink the way I start to turn it because its the wrong way..

For what ever reason I have no problem realizing "righty tighty, lefty loosy" when im on the ground looking up at the filter.. But when Im looking at the filter from the top (it holds a qt of oil so it mounts from the bottom) i get turned around.

good luck

Brian

 

[MrJimi]

Looking at your filter closer? the wrinkles go to the right? as if you have been tightening it, does anyone else see what I see?
Jim

 

[Inspector507]

Looking at your filter closer? the wrinkles go to the right? as if you have been tightening it, does anyone else see what I see?
Jim

It's hard to tell which direction the wrinkles were made, but try putting the filter wrench down closer to the end where the factory dimples are. The wrench will get a better bite there.

 

[TMAC]

I was turning it to the right/correct way or the left way which ever seems fit to say. Lefty loosy righty tighty is the method I use as well. The dents are from the filter wrench where the revits attach to the handle mechanism/assembly. It's not the result from the filter starting to twist otherwise I'd probably have a twist/dents around the circumference of the filter. It wouldn't hurt if I had a little smaller filter wrench however this one is suppose to be a one for all. Thanks for all the posts.

 

[MrJimi]

Sears makes a real good strap wrench, I think they come in a set of 2. They adjust to any size very easely and have you tried to put a rag or a piece of rubber to take up the slack? I have to do that on my Chevy S-10 filter and it works good. strap wrench below
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?pid=00945571000&vertical=Sears&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes


Jim

 

[TMAC]

I do have almost that exact strap wrench except mine is all plastic. My father has it at his house at this time. I was actually looking for that wrench thinking I might be able to use it but, after looking at the situation I don't know how much good it will do me because of the angle of clearance. Here's a wrench similar to what I'm using except it has the rubber on the inside for better grip. Wrench

I have been known to use a leather belt if nothing else. I did try that but, I couldn't get as good of grip as I could with the wrench.

 

[chanceu]

I had the same problem at my 50 hour. I assume the filter was put on at the factory so I have no idea why it would be so tight. I had no problem with the hydraulic or HST filter, but the engine oil filter was a booger.

I couldn't get a regular filter wrench to tighten on it enough so I bought a set of the aforementioned strap wrenches at Lowe's. I almost broke the strap wrench, but I finally got it off and I was turning it the right way.

 

[Bedlam]

Looking at the filter head on it would be counter clock wise to remove it. At least you can get to it easily.Not sure if you have an of those big channel locks(water pump) pliers or not, but thats what Id use , close to the engine side.Ive had some come off in pieces too. I have never had any problem with it breaking loose finally.
Gosh looking at the pic, I want to just grab it and make it come off.Hard to believe how people can put them on so tight.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Allan

 

[TMAC]

I couldn't get a regular filter wrench to tighten on it enough so I bought a set of the aforementioned strap wrenches at Lowe's. I almost broke the strap wrench, but I finally got it off and I was turning it the right way.

I might have to stop by and pick mine up from Pop's house on the way home tonight. For what good it'll do I could at least try it. Hopefully it'll come right off. In reality it seems like if you ever become stuck with a problem it always seems to work when you take a break and come back later. Why is that? I'm hoping that reality works later on tonight.

Hard to believe how people can put them on so tight.

Yeah with my luck the dealership mechanics probably felt like doing it for a good laugh. Boys can be boys sometimes. Who knows there could be LOCtight on the seal. Now that would be a dirty joke. I know I only hand tighten my vehicle's oil filters and usually give them a slight fraction of a turn after that with the wrench. For laughs I'll post back my results later tonight. I feel stupid for discussing my oil filter issues but, haven't had nothing personal to discuss on here about my tractor for awhile so I figured I was due.

 

[Bedlam]

Well don't mean to bash dealers. IT can happen anywhere..
But I just bought a brand new car. with 8 miles on it.The dealer put a sticker on it. Thats fine. The a couple of days later I hear a clicking in the rear wheel. I thought a stone in the hub cap. I finally removed the wheel cover, and found the dust cap for the axle nut flopping around. The I noticed that they failed to "pean" the lock nut that hold the whole wheel on. Apparently they actually inspected the brakes for inspection. HMM 8 miles. Well thats OK. but to leave the nut like that. Id rather they didn't inspect it at all.But things happen. Hasty probably. I'm thinking who know the mechanic could have left one a bit too loose and caught heck for it. Or is afraid that it will loosen when its returned to the owner. I usually tighten them tight, and wipe them off, and recheck for drips days later.
yes, its funny, if you get frustrated , go, take a break, and return it seems to go better.I know it works for me.
I think you just need to get some kind of a good "bite' on it and use brute force. It has to come off.
My filter on my BH was so tight from the dealer it got all bent up. I got nervous, but finally went to it and gave it as much as I could and it spun off.
Good luck...
Al

 

[TMAC]

I finally removed the wheel cover, and found the dust cap for the axle nut flopping around. The I noticed that they failed to "pean" the lock nut that hold the whole wheel on.

yes, its funny, if you get frustrated , go, take a break, and return it seems to go better.I know it works for me.

I think you just need to get some kind of a good "bite' on it and use brute force. It has to come off.

I can certainly relate to you on the axle nut after replacing an axle this past weekend. Manufacture staked that nut so bad that it took me quite a few different punches in order to pry or knock it out. Then I used a 5' x 2" aluminum post, that was laying around, for leverage on the ratchet to break the nut loose. Impact wrench wouldn't budge it before that.

Speaking of the oil fillter.....I've put some force on her trying not to twist it apart but, looks like I don't have much choice left other than to make-it or break-it.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I have a good oil filter wrench(not the end cap kind) that's more than capably of taking off a filter. After repositioning several times to get a better grip I was getting frustrated. I started to damage the filter so I decided to stop before I did any more damage.
Greg

I have a fabric strap oil filter wrench (3 inches wide) and I would use a very wide strap wrench.
Bob

 

[390GT]

I had the same problem with the filter. What finally worked for me was a tool called Oil Filter Pliers. Bought them at a auto parts store. $10-$12. About the size of a medium pair of channel locks. They have three big teeth that bite in and an offset head. With those, mine spun right off. Greg

 

[TMAC]

I had the same problem with the filter. What finally worked for me was a tool called Oil Filter Pliers. Bought them at a auto parts store. $10-$12. About the size of a medium pair of channel locks. They have three big teeth that bite in and an offset head. With those, mine spun right off. Greg

Greg I've seen those before but, hadn't heard any talk out of them so my first impression was they'd shread the filter to pieces. I might have to pick me up a pair sometime and try them out. Thanks for the recommendation.

Greg

 

[PineRidge]

I think they put these filters on and tighten them down without smearing a bit of oil on the rubber filter gasket, hence the problem when it's time to take them off.

 

[TMAC]

I'd say that's another good point that's probably true Mike.

 

[TMAC]

Good morning. Well, I finally got home tonight around 12:40 am and my oil filter struggle is now over.

I stopped by my old man's house as I said I would and picked up that craftsman strap wrench of mine in case I wanted to give that a try. However, the first thing I tried was the original swivel wrench I started with. On the second try with a good grip and more torq it moved and broke loose. Anyhow it's off and my oil is changed. Wippity do da right? That's how I feel about broadcasting this over TBN? Kind of humorous.

So here are a few pics of the final results. (Far left)The wrench I used the whole time, (middle) the strap wrench, and (far right) another swivel wrench without the rubber grip inside that I didn't try either. The other pics are of minimal damage done to the filter and a pic of the oil filter mounting area shortly after it was off.

For those of you who don't know and are new to TBN..... I bet you didn't think TBN could be so thorough and over doing in discussing little/simple troublesome issues but, hey..... I'm sure there's someone out there that might find this useful or helpful in relating too. Good night, THE END!