How To Deal With That Stuck Oil Filter

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About Jim How to deal with that stuck oil filter
It can be a demoralizing experience. You have drained the oil and the oil
filter is hanging on like a leach. It won’t come off.
The best way to fix this is not to have it happen in the first place. You can
remember to put oil on the gasket and hand tighten the spin on filter just
enough to seal it. It might be best to use silicoln grease instead of oil on
the gasket, but now that doesn’t matter because the dam thing is stuck.
One method is to drive a large screw driver through the side of the filter and
lever it around. This will work, but it leaves a huge mess and often totally
destroys the filter leaving only the base attached. Then you stick the screw
driver in the small holes around the threaded center hole and with a hammer
drive off the base of the filter.
Meanwhile your arms, clothes, the ground are covered with old motor oil.
Here are a few things to try before you resort to the screw driver method.
Remember that the filter is not stuck on the threads. It is stuck on the
compressed gasket between the filter and the block. If you can break that bond
the filter will spin free easily. So take a single edge razor blade and work it
between the gasket and the block and slide it all the way around the gasket.
You might need to use a thin screw driver instead, but be careful. You don’t
want to scar up the machined surface that the oil filter gasket presses against.
There are also many fine tools for wrenching off a spin on oil filter. One
tried and true tool is the band wrench. Some are made with a wide metal band
that tightens against the filter’s canister as force is applied. You might have
to put some sandpaper in between the band and the filter can to get enough
friction. When using band wrenches be sure to have them as close to the base of
the filter as you can because there is less risk of crushing the canister there.
Another kind of band wrench uses something other than metal, sometimes a
sythetic fabric or rubber-like material. These may give you a better grip than
the metal band wrenches, but often they are awkward in tight spaces.
Another very effective tool looks like a big pliers with a round jaw. This give
a great grip and should also be used at the base of the filter. Its drawback is
that there may not be clearance in some engines.
My favorite is the K&N oil filter that has a “nut” on the base of the filter for
a 25mm (or 1 inch) wrench. It is a high quality filter that is easy to remove.
When you install a spin on oil filter be sure to lubricate the gasket surface
and don’t over tighten. It doesn’t take much to seal the gasket and the
pressures are not so great that they will blow the seal (although in cold
weather with a high pressure oil pump I’ve seen it happen).
There is always the screw driver method.
——————————————————
If you read down the long list of comments that people have added over time -
look for the one where Tom had a tough time with the screw on filter that was
stuck on the engine of his 3000 GT. Here are photos of the mess and the tool he
used to get himself out of the mess.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Engine Oil Service
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006 at 11:21 am and is filed
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125 Responses to “How to deal with that stuck oil filter”
lotsofish Says:
September 12, 2006 at 6:49 pm | Reply
I’ve used the screwdriver method several times.
Adi Says:
October 14, 2009 at 10:40 pm | Reply
Thank You all very much!
This forum has helped me fix my nightmare. On my Sentra and since I’ve been
doing oil changes (approx 3 years) this was the first stuck oil filter. I
have bought a filter grip that goes on the end of the filter and onto which
you could use a ratchet but due to the awkward position it is located, every
time I would try, it would slip. I then read this forum an a bunch of you
mentioned tape and sand paper, having neither I used the Blue Mechanic Paper
towel, I hammered the oil grip onto filter with the paper in between and
then i was able to use the ratchet, that did the trick. 2 Days, for
something that normally takes me 15 minutes. thanks for the ideas.
Tim Says:
February 18, 2007 at 8:24 pm | Reply
I used the srewdriver method and it did not work. The filter ring stayed on,
but I crushed the filter. I could not get the rest of the filter off and I
ended up breaking the whole thing off of the motor. So, what do you suggest
for this problem?
Jim Says:
Tim -
I gather that you finally did get it off. If you did not then hopefully there
is enough room to use a hammer and screw driver or drift and – using the drain
back holes – drive the threaded flange off.
In the future you can try coating the gasket with synthetic grease also known
as spark plug boot release. The part that really gets stuck is not the threads
so much as the flat rubber gasket. Try the K&N oil filter as it has a nice nut
on the bottom that REALLY makes it easy to remove the filter. If you cannot
find a K&N, and the filter is stuck again, try to get a single edge razor
blade between the gasket and the engine block. that should break the seal.
Also be careful how tight you get the filter when you put on a new one. Snug
should be fine. You can start up the engine and check to be sure it is not
leaking, but often it is easy to over tighten the spin on filter.
Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
Jim
DVB Says:
Jim – Thanks for the advice of the razor! I tried two filter pliers and bent
a screw driver before reading your advice. My 1989 Saab 900 hadn’t had an
oil change in awhile but will from now on! Thanks!
Mark Says:
March 4, 2007 at 11:15 pm | Reply
Had this happen to me this weekend on a 2006 Accord that has never had the
filter changed.
Used wonder bar to chisel away the oil filter near the base. Crude, but it
cuts very efficiently.
I tried using a screwdriver on the small holes around the base. But it just
kept slipping off and deforming the hole.
Instead, a cheap ~24″ bar clamp worked very well. (Sanded off the rivets so
that the moveable clamp came off. The remaining arm was a great handhold while
hammering the filter off. It took some heavy bloes to get it off.)
Before this i tried a chain wrench, the red handed pliers shown above, and
sticking a screwdriver through it. No luck with any of these.
Mike Says:
I just finished my first oil change on my recent purchase of a F-250, 7.3
PowerStroke. I first tried to use a chain wrench near the base but this only
punctured a hole in the filter without budging it a bit. I purchased a nylon
strap type tool from Advance Auto Parts. This is nothing more than a wide
nylon strap attached to a square tube that accepts a half-inch ratchet. I used
this in conjunction with a 24″ pipe as a breaker bar. This finally broke the
filter free. Only drawback is you have to hold the tube before you ratchet
back for another stroke. A happy ending to a very frustrating job.
Allan Says:
March 26, 2007 at 8:24 am | Reply
And when all else fails — use an air hammer. I tried the wrench, a special
tool, the screw drive, and then the air hammer. What is left of the oil filter
is now a collector’s item.
Stephen Says:
Then there’s always the dealership’s $29.95 oil-change special… let someone
else fight with the darn thing in the first place.
Tim Supples Says:
Screwdriver has always worked for me. The only time I didn’t use that when it
was stuck, is on the first oil change of my Goat. I really didn’t want to
drive a screwdriver through my aluminum oil pan, so I went and got a band-type
filter wrench. But I always lubricate the gasket and hand-tighten, stupid
factory filters must be tightened to a few hundred ft-lbs or something.
Allan Says:
April 7, 2007 at 1:27 pm | Reply
Stephen: I had two expert mechanics working with me from my motorcycle club.
The estimated cost if it had been taken to a motorcycle shop was about $150
for the time the mechanic would have taken. Besides, the look on my wife’s
face at the state of the garage was almost priceless. I had to talk her out of
call the Environmental Protection Agency.
Should I Use Synthetic Motor Oil Says:
Great post! I’ll probably blog something similar later. Should I Use Synthetic
Motor Oil
brandon Says:
November 11, 2007 at 3:18 pm | Reply
i have never had any trouble until this weekend. i have a 2000 dodge ram 1500.
i have tried the screw driver and the razor blade but nothing seems to work.
jimsgarage Says:
Well Brandon, if you have had to resort to the screw driver then you may just
have to resort to the messy method. That being that the screw driver will rip
apart the case so that you can then drive off the bottom part of the oil
filter using the drain back holes.
Jim Swindle Says:
December 18, 2007 at 4:53 pm | Reply
The filter was stuck tight on my new car. I finally succeeded by doing all of
the following:
1. Jack it up to get a better grip.
2. Clean the filter with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.
3. Put double-stick carpet tape around the filter.
4. Take a band-style oil filter wrench.
5. Wrap some strips of shelf-lining around some of the wrench’s band. (The
shelf lining is the sort that is some sort of mesh dipped in a colored foam
plastic.)
6. Use the band wrench to remove the filter.
(I’d tried most all of these steps individually without success. Adding the
double-stick tape did the trick for me.)
jimsgarage Says:
Nice job. That was quite a solution!
Jim
Bob Says:
February 4, 2008 at 8:27 am | Reply
I’ve been changing my oil on my Jeep for years and yesterday was the first
time I got a stuck filter. I was using the big pliers type removal tool which
eventually destroyed the filter. I then removed the chewed up filter body with
some cutters and was left with just the base. I then used needle nose pliers
as a spanner wrench (the filter base has a bunch of holes in a circle) I put
the tips of the jaws in opposing holes spanning the center and then put a big
screwdriver between the jaws for leverage. That did the trick. If this happens
again I think I’ll try the razor blade idea first.
Arlos Says:
Yesterday was the second time in my life changing an oil filter that was
STUCK, both times on a vehicle I’d purchased, so someone else changed it
previous. I searched for something new but resorted to the screw driver &
chisel method. Because of the position of the filter base I could not get it
off with a chisel. My new solution:
After letting this sit for a day, I was directly under the filter looking up,
measuring where I needed to position some pins in a spanner socket type of
tool I was going to fabricate, when I noticed that the standpipe the filter
screws onto had an allen inside it. This was on a 4.3 vortec, but I’m sure
there are other engines that use this also. I unscrewed it, tapped the filter
base, unscrewed the standpipe from the base, and; screwed it back into the
block.
I hope this helps someone else
jimsgarage Says:
Nice job Arlos. This is a great tip if you’ve had to break the filter apart.
David Says:
I could only razor about a third of the rubber gasket because of the stupid
layout of the 2008 Sable. The oil filter comes straight downwards at the
bottom of the engine, and is surrounded by parts. Gluing coarse sandpaper
inside my strap wrench was helpful, but not enough. Driving an awl diagonally
upwards into the bottommost part of the side wall of the filter let me use the
awl handle to rotate it about a quarter turn. It was still tight, but at that
point, the strap wrench could just rotate the filter one turn more. Then,
blessedly, I could finally unscrew it by hand-over six hours after I first
tried!
Thank you for the tips that ultimately ended my ordeal.
Patrick Says:
I had a filter that was stuck on my 87 Electra Glide… I used the screw driver
method. It will tear the filter but was slowly moving it. Eventually you have
to stab a new hole and keep working it! Finally I got it off.
Sean Horan Says:
Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for the razor blade method–I think that
combination of stripping away some of the rubber and a stronger friend was
what finally ended a good 2 hours of struggling with it and the available
knickknacks in these spartan living quarters …
I have a 2002 Tacoma with the 3.4L V6 (5VZ-FE). The oil filter is not at all
easy to get to. It’s installed drain hole side up behind the alternator and
then there’s about 2mm of clearance between it and some other part of the
engine. The available space and leverage makes it much easier to screw on than
off.
I tried using a rubber strap wrench a couple changes ago and found that my
biggest issue was fitting the handle in there. Similarly, the heads of a
couple oil wrenches I’ve seen at Checker seem a bit too big. The razor blade
method certainly works but in the future I was curious if maybe one of you
could recommend a specific something to get the filter off in exceptionally
claustrophobic situations?
jimsgarage Says:
Sean -
I still highly recommend the K&N filters with their unique “bolt head” on the
end of the filter. A 1″ (25mm) wrench and its off.
Jim
LEO Says:
J.C. Whitney has a filter wrench, that is adjustable to any filter. It comes
in two types of sizes. Cost is around $12.00. You can use a socket wrench on
it and it has gotten me out of several filter problems!
Peter Says:
You may also want to try tapping the filter using a long piece of wood and a
hammer. This helped me out with my truck which has zero clearance to use any
of the above mentioned tools or techniques.
Jim Says:
Ok, I am going to try the razer blade trick. I have been changing oil an
filters in my vehicles for 50 years and have never had one as stuck as this
one on my 800 cc m/c. I have tried every wrench that I could find in the parts
store. The last one was a strap wrench that I had to add tape to the inside to
get to get tight enough to not slip. I then hooked up a ratchet tie down strap
to the end of the filter wrench and started ratcheting. I stopped when I
thought the front wheel of the the m/c was going to come off the ground. I am
going to try the ratchet again and leave it tight while I use the razer blade
knife. If it still doesn’t move I will try whacking it with something while I
still have the pressure on it. If that doesnt work I might try epoxy glueing
on one of the filter end wrenchs to the filter and taking the front wheel off
and using a impact wrench. Any other ideas?
blog.fogel.ca » Don’t Overtighten Your Oil Filter Says:
[...] the aftermath of the screwdriver method. The screwdriver [...]
michael t Says:
Here is one idea: superglue
That’s right, use it liberally on your socket type oil filter wrench (the
solid metal/plastic piece that fits on the end of the filter), wait a few
minutes and whammo!!!
That piece is on solid. You should not need an air wrench, hammering, razors
or other potentialy dangerous ideas. Watch your hand when it frees however,
the metal around the filter is always a bashing hazard.
Metal filter sockets are best cause I’m sure the weak link here is the part
where the socket wrench goes in.
Thank you and good luck
Dan Czarniak Says:
May 10, 2008 at 8:56 pm | Reply
I gave up on the big screwdriver a few hours ago. I was leaning on it (so to
speak) so hard that I thought it might break. I also have a big coolant hose
right next the filter. The idea of punching more holes in the filter, in
addition to possibly ending up with rough edged metal gave me the creeps.
The solution: Big metal C-clamp.
I found one that fit in the space available – all you need is enough room to
turn the filter a little bit. I barely had room for 1/8 of a turn. I just kept
tightening the C-clamp until there was no way that it was going to come loose.
The beauty of it:
1. the metal on the clamp effectively bites into the filter. It’s not going to
slip.
2. a big clamp will go onto the filter and still have a good length of threads
left over – ‘outside’ of the clamp.
There’s your leverage.
Terry Says:
Thanks for the C-clamp tip – worked like a charm! After clamping, I
protected the screw threads with a piece of rubber, then was able to loosen
it with a hammer. Many thanks.
Peter Says:
May 29, 2008 at 9:23 pm | Reply
I just tried the big C clamp method and it worked for me after hammer and
razor blade did nothing. I had to go about 1/30 of a turn at a time for half a
turn but it worked out. I’m glad I didnt go straight from the screw driver
method to tearing it apart. I’m never going by Jiffy Lube again, the one time
I go for the convenience…
Ken Says:
June 10, 2008 at 4:12 pm | Reply
I’m going to do my first oil change on my motorhome. Ford V10 6.8L engine. I’m
a bit worried about getting the filter off with a metal band wrench.
What’s the worst that might happen if I can’t get it off and leave it on?
Besides slightly contaminating the new old with a little old oil?
jimsgarage Says:
Ken -
It depends upon how many miles are on the current filter. Typically a motor
home engine has to deal with a lot of heat and stress. This may or may not
mean more contamination. That depends upon the type of oil used (synthetic?)
and how much time it spends sitting. Non-synthetic oil tends to get acidic
when it is left sitting in the engine often due to condensation of water in
the block itself.
The best thing is to get it off and put a new one on, but you know that all
ready. See if you can take it off and put a replacement on – it wil have to be
done sometime.
Jim
Adam Says:
Exactly like my oil filter, I AM STUCK.
I have read over your bit on how to deal with a stuck oil filter and
everyone’s comments and I think it’s safe to say that I am stuck. I don’t know
where to go from here. Please help, I am very frustrated.
Adam Says:
Ok, allow me to let you in on what I’ve done so far.
First, I tried every kind of filter wrench from the strap to the chain to the
cup. I then tried a pair of channel locks. After none of that worked, I tried
the razor blade method. Nothing. I then tried the screwdriver method. Nothing.
Now that I had a big hole through the filter and oil everywhere, I decided to
just cut the whole bottom half of the can off. I had the bottom of the can cut
off and I found a threaded piece in the center surrounded by 6 little holes.
Because of the angle I had, I used a mirror and a flashlight to look up in the
center threaded piece for a 3/8 opening or a spot for an allen wrench. There
was nothing in there. So then I took a screw driver and a hammer to one of the
6 holes to try and unscrew it that way. Nothing.
I am very stuck and very frustrated because time is running short and I have
to go back to work on Friday. This was supposed to be a very routine oil
change! Please help!!!
jimsgarage Says:
Adam -
I think you are close. You should be able to use the holes that are in the
mounting surface of what’s left of the oil filter just as you described. Be
sure you are turning it in the left or counter clockwise direction.
Jim
Dano Says:
Thanks for your help. I had the filter stuck on a Suzuki 400 Eiger ATV. Note
much room to get your hand in there and turn the filter wrench. So I took a
little bit of everyones advise and it worked. First I tried the razor,
couldn’t get my hand in there to cut. Next I sprayed Wd-40 penitrating oil on
the outside of the gasket. You guys kept saying to put oil or grease on the
gasket when you install the new one, so I thought if I can get a little in
there maybe it will come loose. I then took a piece of wood and hammer and
tapped the filter around trying to creat space for the penitrating oil to get
in. Next I took paint thinner and put it on a rag and wipped off the excess
wd-40 on the outside the filter. I then wrapped sandpaper around the filter,
put the strap wrench back on, gave it a good hard push and it came loose.
Thanks everyone. I’ve been working on it for 2.5 hrs. Took a break to get some
ideas and it worked. Thanks again!!
Note, the filter actually said when putting on the filter, once the filter
gasket is seated, turn the filter tight 2 more turns using a filter wrench.
This was my friends 4-wheeler that I borrowed last weekend. No wonder I
couldn’t get the filter off. I will only hand tighten this time.
Keith Says:
I just had to do the screwdriver method on my 98 Nissan Altima and I’ve got to
tell you – use a philips screwdriver. Put a small hole, let the filter drain.
No mess .
And surprisingly, the new filter actually doesn’t leak when hand-tightened. I
figured it would. So I’m going to do that from now on.
Thanks guys!
jimsgarage Says:
Nice going Keith!
kc Says:
July 30, 2008 at 9:47 pm | Reply
Okay I have a huge problem. It was supposed to be a simple oil change and
turned into a disaster. I tried unscrewing the filter by hand for a while,
using a rag , sandpaper n that didn’t work. I tried 3 different kinds of
filter wrenches, none worked. Then I sprayed wd40 which did nothing, then
tried the razor and then resorted to the screwdriver. This just made my
problem 10 times worse. It just ripped a huge whole thru the filter, so I had
to tear the rest of the filter from the top part. There’s only about a inch
left of the filter that is still screwed on. I’ve tried to chizzle away but
there’s really not enough room to hammer. I have no idea what to do, I see the
holes that were mentioned before, on the inside of the filter, but don’t know
what to do, is there any hope? I have to get to work the rest of next week and
I am driving back to PA from NC next Friday… HELP PLEASE
jimsgarage Says:
July 31, 2008 at 6:21 am | Reply
I understand your frustration, but do your best to relax and examine your
situation. Get a pair of Vice-Grip pliers and clamp on to what’s left of the
filter housing as close to the base as possible. Use it for leverage and try
to spin the base off. Remember to go counter-clockwise (to the left). You may
be able to stick some needle nose pliers in the holes that are in the screw on
base and then put another wrench on the handles to spin off the base.
Good luck and let us know what solves this for you.
jimsgarage Says:
July 31, 2008 at 6:24 am | Reply
Folks -
DON’T EVER USE A FILTER WRENCH TO INSTALL A NEW SCREW-ON OIL FILTER!
Always hand tighten and it doesn’t take much to tighten. A half turn after the
gasket has contacted the surface is a LOT.
Jim
Dan Says:
August 28, 2008 at 7:10 pm | Reply
Visegrip actually makes a tool which is perfect for removing oil filters. It’s
very similar to the red-handled picture shown above (which by the way, work
well), but of course locks like a Visegrip. Once you’ve got a good grasp on it
(possibly crushing it a little), you can always put a pipe on the end. Trust
me, it will come off.
I personally am very hesitant to use a screw driver. If the oil filter is
stuck on, and intact, the vehicle is still operational, if stuck on with a
hole through it, your vehicle isn’t moving under its own power until fixed.
jimsgarage Says:
August 28, 2008 at 9:06 pm | Reply
I could not agree more Dan. Thanks again for your comments.
Jim
matt Says:
September 30, 2008 at 5:06 am | Reply
Help! I have a stuck oil filter that has been completely ruined. I am down to
the base with the eight drain holes and I still can’t get it to budge. Can I
remove the bolt from the engine block with a hex or allen wrench type tool? If
so, could this cause a problem with it coming off in future oil changes? Any
ideas on what to use in the drain holes in the base (already tried screwdriver
and hammer with no luck)? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
jimsgarage Says:
Matt -
Not sure what car and engine we are talking about here, but you have to take
your time with this. Remember – you don’t have to turn the filter base a
quarter turn in order to loosen it, just moving it a quarter of an inch will
be progress. Depending upon your access try to drive the base around by the
holes again. Use something shorter to hold against the holes – it will give
you a better angle to drive at.If you are under the car it is easy to lose
your orientation and drive it in the wrong direction. Make sure you are going
counter clockwise with the base. On some engines the hollow center bolt can be
removed with an allen wrench, but not all. Remove it as a last resort since
you will likely damage it if you have to use Vice-Grips to turn it.
Noel Says:
Time for some desperate measures. Is the filter mounted directly to the engine
block or on some type of mounting flange? If it’s a flange can you remove the
flange? Then work on it on a bench? Or just replace the flange and put on a
new filter.
If you decide to remove the hollow bolt, check to see how it’s held on. Is it
just screwed into the block or mounting flange or retained with an allen
screw?. The screw-in ones are usually pretty tight, but I’ve had two cars, a
VW and an Exploder, on which they would often come off with the filter. Go
figure.
If it’s the screwed on type, you might be able to get a couple of nuts to go
on the hollow bolt. Put one on a few turns, then the other. The second one
would stop against the first one. Then use two wrenches to tighten them
against each other, then use a wrench on the first nut (the innermost one) to
turn it against the second (outer) one, which wouldn’t move. This approach
doesn’t always work, but you may get lucky. The amount of clearance you have
will partly determine if this approach is possible.
Next level of aggression is a monkey wrench, which will more effective for
removing the bolt than vice grips. A monkey wrench grips tighter the more
pressure you put on it and is longer so has more leverage than ViseGrips. But
it will totally bugger the threads on the bolt and will deform the bolt.
Next (and MUCH more desperately) is a cold chisel on the remaining lip of the
filter. This is last because you don’t want to gouge the edge of the mounting
surface for the filter when the chisel slips (note I said when, not if.) Hit
this from underneath the filter at an angle. Consider a heavier hammer. I use
a brass-headed one that weighs about 2 pounds and delivers a nice solid blow
to anything that refuses to move. BEFORE you do this, look to see whether the
filter mounts directly to the engine block or to a steel or aluminum flange
that bolts to the engine. The impact can damage the mounting flange, so as I
noted above, if the filter mounts to some other removable part it may be
better just to replace that part and be done with this.
And like Jim says, be sure you are turning counter-clockwise. Good luck.
jerry Says:
Had a tough time getting my new Subaru’s filter the first time. Ended up using
a small length of bicycle chain looped around the filter and held tight with
vice grips. ( I measured the amount of loop on the new filter and then sliped
it over the stuck one and twisted the vice grip with another wrench. It
worked. Hope this helps.
Jim s Sister Says:
October 8, 2008 at 7:55 am | Reply
I find it astounding that an item on a car which has to be changed on a
regular basis would be so poorly designed that one would have to take vice
grips and a bicycle chain to it in order to take it off. Forget better milage,
more leg room or a sexy, sleek exterior, somebody is going to make millions
coming up with a better system than this!
Noel Says:
Nah, it’s no biggie. Oil filters are very seldom stuck on, in my experience.
But then I change all my own oil, and I always lube the gasket and don’t over
tighten the filter.
This is like wheels getting stuck to the hub due to corrosion, which is not
uncommon in northern states. A little prevention is all it takes to avoid the
issue.
Jon Says:
December 30, 2008 at 12:39 am | Reply
Just a quick question. When I finished changing my oil, I cleaning up when I
noticed that the old filter was gasket-less. Apparently, the gasket was still
on when I put the new filter on. (Since I have to do this mostly by feel, I
didn’t notice it.) Do you have a suggestion on how to get the old gasket off
without damaging where it sits?
jimsgarage Says:
Jon -
It should not be a big deal to get the old gasket off the oil filter flange.
You should thank your lucky stars that you noticed that the old one didn’t
come off with the filter. Too many times this has happened to people and when
they installed the new filter they ended up with stacked gaskets. When they
started up their car and tried to drive the gaskets blew out and oil pumped
everywhere.
It should not take much to remove the old gasket, just a little help from a
small screw driver should do it. The flange is not usually made of metal that
is so soft that it will be damaged. The new gasket will conform to any small
variations in the surface of the flange.
Instead of coating the new oil filter gasket with oil I’ve had very good luck
using a light coating of dialectric grease, the kind you would coat spark plug
boots with.
Thanks for the question.
Jim
Jon Says:
Jim,
Thanks for the quick reply to my question! Two quick follow-ups — I noticed
that the gasket was stuck prior to starting the car. As long as I don’t start
it, what are my chances that that the filter I just put is still void of any
oil.
Also, I assume that I shouldn’t try and reuse the new filter that I just put
on, and spring for another new one…correct?
Thanks again!
jimsgarage Says:
Jon -
Since you haven’t started the engine, just unscrew the filter, remove the old
gasket, make sure the gasket on the new filter is OK, and reinstall. Re-using
the new filter should not be a problem.
If your filter is mounted facing with the hole up, or close to it, you can
fill the new filter with oil prior to installing it. That allows you to prime
the system instead of having a filter’s worth of air being pumped around the
first time you start.
Hope that helps.
Jim
Rachel Says:
January 6, 2009 at 5:36 am | Reply
Problem: Shredded oil filter that won’t budge.
I ended up removing what was left of the shredded metal with pliers. I then
put a screw driver in one of the six holes and tried hammering on it, but
still it wouldn’t budge. The razor blade sounded like a good idea but my
filter is at too awkward of an angle.
Finally the solution: I used a drill to make a hole where the gasket is and
finally relived the pressure on the seal. Then I used the screw driver and the
hammer method again and it finally started turning.
Yvette Says:
January 10, 2009 at 10:14 pm | Reply
had to deal with a few stuck oil filters from jiffy lube and dealerships
yesterday. it was a mess and tedious – i am wondering if you know of any tools
to remove an oil filter mess free?
jimsgarage Says:
Yvette -
Well Harbor Freight (www.harborfrieght.com) has a set of fluted cups that will
fit the bottom of many oil filters and then all it takes is a 3/8 drive socket
wrench to remove them.
For particularly stubborn ones I have found the oil filter pliers (in the
photo above) to work very well. The only restriction is how and where the oil
filter is mounted. If you can choose the filter in the first place I would
recommend the K&N oil filters as they come with a 1″ hex on the bottom that
makes it very easy to remove.
Hope that helps.
Jim
louis Says:
Well today i was doing a routine oil change on my wife’s jeep Cherokee 2001,
for the first time i had a filter stuck on me, apparently she took it to
walmart when i was out of town to get an oil change, first the sockets oil
socket had “glued sealant on it” which took me a wapping 30 mins to remove,
then my favorite, the oil filter, it did not budge, for almost 4 hours of
wrestling it would not move, broke 3 tools, and finally resorted to the
screwdriver method, guess what?! that method didn’t work either, so now i am
stuck with only the filter shell, and the base around it, with it being empty
any ideas on what i should do next?
if you need me to take picture ill be more than happy to.. i am wonder if i
use pliers and remove the scraps and then use needle pliers to grab the base
and move it? but i am not sure… HELP!
thank you for any kind of help.
jimsgarage Says:
Louis you have my sympathy. I sounds like someonw really tightened the oil
filterhard when they put it on. The thing has compressed against the gasket
and the pressure won’t allow it to unscrew. If there is any room for you to
get something between the gasket and the filter that will allow you to pull
out some of the gasket material that will help a lot. In any case you now need
to use the holes in what is left of the base to drive what is left off. Some
times a hammer and a screw driver can be used to turn the filter base enough.
It only has to move about 1/4 a turn to be free, but the angle you have to
work from could make that a long 1/4 turn. Your idea of needle nose pliers is
a good one. The trick will be to get enough grip on the pliers. I bet that
filter is really on there. That is why I would try to find a way to remove the
gasket from under the base if you can. Otherwise carefully use a hammer and a
drift or screw driver to get that to move and unscrew. Just be certain you are
going counter clockwise. It is easy to get that mixed if you are working
upside down.
Also read some comments of people above – you are not alone.
Jim
louis Says:
Jim,
Thank you for the info, today i did move it a little bit maybe 1/4 of an inch
still not budging, but its better than nothing, ill keep on trying with the
screw driver and hammer method, it looks like there is light at the end of the
tunnel, hopefully i will have good new tomorrow.
Thank you for the fast response, ill keep everyone posted:)
Cami Says:
Thanx Jim for the handy tips…the screw driver trick loosened the filter right
up. It was funny though because my boyfriend was out in the garage trying to
get the filter loose for at least an hour. Then I told him to try the screw
driver and hammer method and it came right undone. He was slow to admit he
should have let me help sooner. Lol! Thank you.
carpet cover Says:
I faced this today…thanks for all the tips. What I ended up doing was removing
an extra underpanel so I could get a better angle and more leverage on a
simple strap wrench that I was using. After some persuasion, I finally got it
off.
FWIW, I’ve tried the screwdriver approach before and absolutely mangled a
filter. When they don’t want to come off, they really don’t want to come off
and the only way I’ve managed is to get something around the filter at its
base that I can really lean on. Otherwise you just shred the cannister.
louis Says:
YAY! after 16 hours plus i finally destroyed that filter… all pure man power!!
i actually ended up grabbing the base of the filter and bending it and
breaking it in half,
guess none of the methods worked till mine..
THANK YOU ALL!!!
Nathan Says:
Did you just grab it with visegrips to bend it and snap it off because I’m
in the same boat you were in two months ago without access to many tools and
can’t afford to take it into the shop. The filter has been torn away to the
base with one side pried up 1/4 inch. I even took a torch to it and still
nothing?
jimsgarage Says:
Louis -
Fantastic news. We are all delighted at your achievement. Now, have you given
any thought to preventing this in the future?
I now put spark plug boot release grease on my oil filter gaskets and am
careful not to over tighten.
Best of luck in the future.
Jim
louis Says:
yes in the future i wont be lazy and actually do my wife’s oil change on time,
but i will try to do the spark park grease as well, thanks
Alex Says:
HELP!!!! My husband has been trying for 6 hours to get the oil filter off of
my 06 Dodge Ram 1500. He’s tried all the methods above to try and get the
little bit of filter that is attached to the screw and it won’t budge… any
suggestions will help. He tried the screwdriver, which left a million pieces
shreaded on the ground, then the razor nothing is working.
Solomon Says:
I spent the last 5 hours trying to remove the oil filter from my Aprilia
Atlantic 500…guess what? the filter won (for today anyway!). I am left with
the base of the filter – the rest doesnt exist anymore….my problem is that due
to the stupid layout of the engine block, I cannot use a razor. I will try a
needle nosed plier at the holes around the centre of the filter
base…everything has to be a mission with this scooter…
jimsgarage Says:
Alex –
You should be able to grab what is left of the filter with a large Channel
Lock type of pliers. All of those engines have the filter at about a 40 degree
angle toward the front of the block and there should be plenty of the filter
base to grab on to.
Otherwise you may have to try to grab on to the hollow threaded piece that the
filter screws on to. You have to be careful because it will likely be ruined
if you damage the threads.
Good luck,
Jim
Solomon Says:
here I am again, the oil filter (or what is left of it) is still winning
this…Jim I need your HELP!!!
This is a scooter oil filter, facing the ground and surrounded by the engine
block so I cannot get to the gasket and try the razor trick. In the whole
process I am now left with the base of the filter.
I tried the needle pliers and used a large screwdriver for leverage. Result?
bent screwdrive. I then used a hammer instead of the screwdriver. Result?
broke needle pliers…I also tried hammering the holes (anti-clockwise) with a
screwdriver, but again no success….after a total of 8 hours, I honestly dont
know what to do anymore…it has not moved a single bit..looks like they hired
King Kong to put the filter on!
Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Sol
jimsgarage Says:
Soloman -
I am probably close to being as frustrated as you are at this point. I have
been racking my brain to think of something that will allow you some type of
success. As a last resort I would use a butane torch to burn away the gasket
under what is left of the filter base. BUT BE VERY CAREFUL!!!! Have a fire
extinguisher by your side when you do this and DON”T get the flame ANTWHERE
near fuel lines or oil lines.
Remember, this is a last resort approach. If you see ANY possibility of
starting a fire or melting the body work DON’T use this method and instead
take the scooter to a local mechanic.
Let us know…
Jim
Nathan Says:
I tried the torch until the filter stopped smoking assuming all the gasket
had burned away but still nothing. There must still be gasket pieces left
somehow but I had the propane torch on it for a good 20 minutes. This whole
process has super frustrating. Always so close to success but yet never
achieving it.
Nathan Says:
April 11, 2010 at 2:02 am
Finally got it. I had to peel the whole filter back with vice grips and a
screwdriver. I almost couldn’t believe it when the filter actually started
to turn. Never Again!
Alex Says:
OMG
What a good thread – excellent.
I started off with the screwdriver method. I have very little room for
leverage. i have put approx 3 holes in it and made maybe 1.5turns. the last
hole i put in the filter was so deep that i actually got no turn. I can barely
get a hold on the filter, i’m not that far from it being loose so that i can
turn with my hand but a lack of manouvrability had hindered me so far.
Any idea’s?
Thanks Jim
jimsgarage Says:
Alex -
Sounds like you are almost there. Just take a break and relax a bit then give
it another try. It shouldn’t give any more problem as you are very close to
having loosened it.
Jim
Paul from Canada Says:
Just got done doing an oil change on my new Dodge Ram 2009 — Couldnt get the
Oil filter off to save mylife.. But after about an hour I decided to use a and
awl and puncture the filter it would turn about a 1/4 turn. Made several Awl
punctures and eventually was able to get the filter off.
Just my thoughts and hopefully it will help someone else.
Cheers.
Matt Says:
I have a 1995 Aerostar, and I’m trying to change the oil. From what I
understand, the oil hasn’t been changed in many years. I got the oil out of
the oil pan, but my filter is completely stuck. I tried using a screw driver
and I just got oil all over my hands and face. I tried putting WD40 around the
top of the filter, and it still didn’t work. I can’t really drive it to a
mechanic now, since the filter is busted, and I can’t unscrew this damn thing.
It’ so stuck on there that the car moves when I try to turn it!! I have an oil
filter tool, but it just gets in the way and makes it all worse. I don’t have
a lot of tools, and I’m not too familiar with fixing cars, as I’m only 16. My
dad is too afraid to get under the car and help me, so I’m completely screwed.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
jimsgarage Says:
Matt -
I hope you have it up on jack stands. No fooling.
This is going to be a test of your stamina and patience. In other words this
will not be easy and will take time, BUT it can be done.
The base of the oil filter has small holes in it that you can use a screw
driver and a hammer to spin it off with. You may have to remove more of the
metal casing to get to them.
It will take a while to get the base to turn off the big hollow screw. Just
make certain you are spinning it in the right direction, counter clockwise.
If there is any way you can get a single edge razor blade under the gasket to
free it from the engine it sometimes helps, too.
Good luck,
Jim
geoff Says:
June 29, 2009 at 6:26 am | Reply
tried the chain wrench .no good kept slipping off. then tried the new halfords
pliers type tool. no good. reverted to the good old screw driver , a bit messy
but it worked
domingo Says:
July 18, 2009 at 12:17 am | Reply
Thanks for this post, I’ve been studying it for days. I have a stuck filter
that is down to the rim (gasket on and still screwed on). I have tried all the
methods here and am prepared to use a drill or Dremel to cut the rim between
the flowback holes to separate the threaded section from the gasket section. I
figure this will allow me to determine whether the gasket is sealed or it is
threaded too tight.
Is this a dangerous thing to do? I understand there will be sparks from either
procedure but feel that it would be safe. The vehicle is a diesel.
Thanks, D
jimsgarage Says:
July 18, 2009 at 3:18 pm | Reply
D -
The dangerous part is all the metal shavings that you will create that might
get into the engine. Try to get a single edge razor blade under the gasket to
break the seal, if you can. otherwise find one of those large oil filter
pliers (like in photo above) and get the thing to turn.
Always make sure you are going in the right direction since you may be at an
odd angle when trying to undo this filter.
Let us know…
Jim
JP2000Audi Says:
August 28, 2009 at 9:26 am | Reply
Wow, I am glad to see that this has happen to so many other people. After
years of changing my own oil I took it to a shop, now wanting to changing it
myself again it seems that have tightened it too much. I have tried everything
except cutting it off. Is this my only solution. The filter is quite mangled
and I see no other way to get it off. I have been able to turn it several
times with a wrench, but it doesn’t seem to be coming off at all. Any
suggestions?
Oil filter breakdown Says:
For the first time in over 30 years of changing my own oil, I experienced an
oil filter breakdown. My doctor expects a full recovery, provided I stay in
bed, on my tranquilizers, and away from cars.
Thanks for all the great suggestions posted here. They saved me from having to
kill my truck.
91 Chevy 1500 5.7/4WD- the filter felt like it had been welded on. After
trying different oil wrenches, vice grips, channel locks, sandpaper, carpet
tape, super glue, razor blades with W-D 40, and, of course- the beloved
screwdriver, Beer was also involved. I finaly got it off. Beer was also
involved.
Oil filter breakdown Says:
I forgot to mention that after eight hours of being cramped under it, I put
the front end up on jack stands. The extra room really helped.
I also drilled a hole for a 1/4″ x 4 1/2″ bolt with 1″ washers on on each
side. This minimized crushing the canister, and gave solid points for
gripping.
Robert Says:
*Modified swivel oil filter wrench*…After waiting 3000 miles out the
dealership to perform oil change on my wife’s 08′ Dodge Caliber I was unable
to take it off by hand, so I decided to buy oil filter swivel wrench@
Autozone. Well it started to crush the filter, here’s how I got creative: Cut
several strips of Duct Tape rougly 6″ long each, and wraped 3 strips each on 3
sides of clamp & about 2 strips in between each. This really helped give it a
tight, grip, firm all around the AC Adelco filter (clamped it on bottom ridges
of filter)…finally came off, but not easily still needed to pull hard on lever
but with no messiness as I really didn’t want to cut or drive screwdriver into
it. I checked online for ideas when I was getting no where, and did not find
this method posted, so hopefully this will find someone to be helpfull.
Jason Says:
The large c-clamp did the trick for me.
Niagra Says:
Thank You ‘Jim’s Garage’!! I had the car jacked up, oil drained, and couldn’t
get that dang filter off. The band wrench I had didn’t close tight enough
around the filter and closing the gap with a shop towel didn’t work. Space was
limited so I really couldn’t (nor did I want to) do the screwdriver trick. I
had never heard about the razor blade trick before. Thank You for that little
tid bit, it worked like a charm.
Jason#2 Says:
Thanks Jim’s Garage.
2001 Tacoma, oil filter just would not budge. Wasted 2 hours trying to get it
removed from a very tight spot.
I used the razor method & finally got the filter removed. Tacoma owners should
approach from the right front side wheel well instead of approaching from
below. This site saved me some neck soreness & dizzyness. Total time for
removal was 15 minutes slowly working razor around filter base.
Thanks again
Very Fustrated Says:
I have a 98 Saturn SC2 and my husband was changing the oil on it, and he got
to the oil filter part and it is not budging. He riped it apart to nothing but
the very base of the filter. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING possiable the hammer and
screw driver the razor blade we have tried everything mentioned on this thread
it just will not move or anything! Is there anything else we can possiably
try? I have a friend coming into town in a couple days and without my car we
are stuck here… Please Help
Kevin Says:
Well I’ve got the filter removed…or at least most of it! The important part is
still attached though. After fighting with this thing for at least 2 hours, I
had to take a break or I was going to start throwing tools. Tomorrow, I will
try the needle nose pliers in the holes idea. Wish me luck…
Kevin Says:
Nothing mentioned here worked. We ended up making a tool from a one inch, 1/2″
drive socket…we welded some studs on to the top of it that fit into the holes
in the base of the oil filter, and still couldn’t get enough leverage on
it….used a 2 foot long piece of pipe to finally get it loose. Unbelievable. I
cannot figure out how somebody could put a filter on so tight without knowing
that they did so.
Can t get oil filter off? - NewBeetle.org Forums Says:
November 2, 2009 at 1:26 am | Reply
[...] [...]
wyojeff Says:
I am beyond stuck. I have been at this for around 5 hours, and have 2 trips to
the hardware store under my belt. I have tried the metal band wrench (to no
avail) the wrench that snaps into the socket wrench, and I have poked a hole
through the filter with a screwdriver, and i have also take a razor blade
around approximately 80% of the edge (i cant get into the other portion
because my hand is too big). I am nearing the point where im just going to cut
the bottom portion of the filter off, but I have one problem. Due to the
location of my oil filter, and the ease to which I can get to the engine drain
plug, i did not put the car up on ramps. If i cut the bottom of the filter
off, I most likely will not be able to see the top. I have gotten a large 14″
pipe wrench as well, and that has not worked either.
Any suggestions?
jimsgarage Says:
Jeff -
This sounds like a nightmare. What engine and vehicle is this on?
You might be able to get a hacksaw blade under the bottom of the filter and
cut away the gasket that way. Just be careful and work it around slowly. The
idea is not to saw through the middle, just remove the black rubber gasket.
Let us know how this turns out and anything you learn.
Jim
tom Says:
i am beyond frustrated with this problem i have a 92 Mitsubishi gt and after
trying everything to get me oil filter off i have it down to the base only i
have used chisels punches screwdrivers everything i can think of ,I’m afraid i
have probably damaged something under the filter metal base cut with chisel in
several places but i still cant get it off . i was going to try to buy a
special tool tomorrow but not sure if that will even work i hammered on the
base with that chisel for an hour and it didn’t budge at all please help
jimsgarage Says:
Probably the hardest thing to do at this point is to NOT let your frustrations
get the best of the situation. With what you have described it might be your
best alternative to have the car towed to a professional. There is no point in
doing it yourself if your only alternative is to damage the filter mount.
tom Says:
well i have good news i got it off without damaging the mount and withoput
torches and other dangerous items . the only bad part is with all the
hammering chiseling ets i did ewnd up with a gash on my nose from the filter
wrench flying off and sa gash in my cheek from the chisel i was using . i
drive for UPS and onn my route theres a valvoline instant oil change the
manager pretty nice guy i showed him pics of what i was dealing with and even
though he said i probably damaged the mount with my chisel he let me borrow a
tool that worked perfectly it is a spring loaded tool that grabs ahold of the
ring at the top of where filtwer used to be and you put a 3/8 drive ratchet in
it and when you pull the ratchet it tightend against the ring and after a few
pretty strong pulls it loosened up a tiny bit and i about screamed hooray . i
was getting worried i would have to do something drastic and this car is not
your avarage car its 1 92 3000gt custom built with single turbo thanksa for
all the suggestions from everyone and esspecuially you jim for this great
venue for us stuck mechanics lol i wish you could post piocs on here because
this tool was vwer helpful and i have pics of it tom
Mark Says:
Do you know where I can find this tool?
Thanks,
Mark
jimsgarage Says:
Fantastic Tom!
rob Says:
I just wanted to give you guys a huge thumbs-up and hearty “thank you” from
the guy who spent 7 hours doing an oil-change today.
I started at 11am and it’s now 6pm.
My stories sounds much like the rest of yours… With multiple (3 different)
oil-filter wrenches, which didn’t work worth a damn and just ended up crushing
the filter, then I tried hammering a screwdriver through the filter in an
attemp to twist it off.
No go.
I was left with a gaping hole in the filter and nothing seemed to work. I
tried a pipe-wrench (which had worked successfully on my motorcycle) and that
just crushed the filter even more.
I tried chains, wraps, and plain old brute force and I was almost in tears. By
far the most frustating experience of this mans life.
I came across this website and got a couple of great ideas! The razorblade
idea was absolutely impossible to impliment in my situation, so I decided to
take a pair of tin-snips to the oil filter and completely rip it to pieces –
that didn’t work so well either.
In the end, I used a crowbar to literally mangle the oil filter into pieces on
the shop floor, and then I used a piece of reebar (sharpened to a fine point)
jammed into the oil return holes and a sledgehammer with about 12 swings to
sucessfully remove my oil filter.
It sounds gruesome. And it was. But the car (and I) thank you very much for
your advice! It’s running great! There was no damage done to the mounting
surface and valves are now quiet and enjoying the fresh oil.
The old filter must have been screwed on by He-Man and it was leaking oil
because the o-ring had bunched up. It’s nice to have a job done right!
Thanks again.
wyojeff Says:
Jim,
Thanks for the reply. The change was a nightmare on my 1984 saab, but I have
the following advice:
Make sure you’re turning the right way — I read the manual and turned the
filter in the direction specified. Only problem is the manual was assuming I
was under the car, and I was not. So, before I got it loosened, I tightened it
some.
I tried the following things – the expandable metal wrench that tightens
around as you turn. It did not work at first, then I got one of the oil filter
wrenches that go on a 3/8th drive — That didnt work either. (at this point, i
would have been alot of money ahead going to jiffylube)
I finally tried the screw driver trick, and that didnt work. So, once I had
mangled the filter with the screw driver, I tried to get a pair of channel
lock pliers around it, but I couldnt get enough of a grip on the filter. I
decided it was pipe wrench time, and used that, to no avail. I gave up for the
day, returned in the morning with some new ideas.
I tried the razor blade trick, and it seemed to get some stuff out, so I went
online and looked for more tricks, and found what ended up being the ace in
the hole – WD40.
I sprayed a bit of it on the seal between the filter and the mount, and worked
around with the razor blade. Finally I went back to my original metal
expanding wrench, put some sand paper (fine grained, the coarse grained did
not seem to work as well) on the side of the filter, extended my leverage with
a 2′ pvc pipe, and finally got some movement!
After a few more of those, It was off and I was feeling good.
I hope this will help the next person that comes looking for a solution to
this problem.
Les Says:
look i try everything to get oil filter off it wouldn’t come off should i take
the rest of the
the filter off and leave the base of the filter
on and what can i do to get off
rob wilson Says:
Cutting out the seal between filter and engine worked a treat. I cut what I
could just by shovong a pen knife around the seal then with a bit of man power
forced it off by hand.
Suggestion appreciated – What a feeling when it comes off!!!
Max Says:
Purolator oil filters have a sandy surface and a nut fitting on the end. They
are apparently top-notch filters with the best reviews I could find. I got
them on Amazon.com at a darn good price with free shipping since I bought more
than $30 worth of stuff. Can’t beat that, and no more stuck filters. I can’t
see why filters aren’t all made with the nut fitting worked into their mold
design. I guess it makes them less sexy-looking? I’ll use those Purolators or
K&N from now on. If I plan ahead and buy those in clusters, it’s not much more
expensive than FRAM filters or cheapos.
Max Says:
also Kudos to the poster who tried WD-40. Penetrating lubricant… duh! of
course…
Mihai Says:
My first oil change… too bad it had to be with a stuck filter and oil plug. I
bought a used motorcycle and every single screw on it is a pain to deal with,
probably some corrosion related issue. Some advice others might find helpful.
For the oil plug, if it doesn’t come off easily don’t go for the pliers/grips,
you risk damaging it and then you’ve got a bigger problem on your hands. What
worked for me, a 6 side socket wrench and a three foot pipe for leverage. Came
off very easily, tried WD40 and liquid wrench before with no result.
For the filter, don’t go straight through or you might damage the hollow screw
threads. If it is hard to get to the filter is helps to put the motorcycle on
the side.
Thanks for all suggestions on this website.
Ray Says:
Punched a hole in the filter with a screwdriver. Then used needlenose vise
grips to turn the filter.
Alex Says:
I got my 2002 Ford Explorer about 2 months ago and am doing the first oil
change on it. Well I drained the oil and found out that the stupid dealership
screwed on the filter way to tight. Well I went to Pep-Boys and bought a
“spider-type” oil filter wrench. they said it would fit on most of the oil
filters. Well one problem. Ford put the oil filter in the most retarded place
a cmpany can put it. It is between 2 big metal parts and over a metal pole. So
my tools cant even get close to it. Well I put the old oil back in and called
the dealership and they said they will get it off so they have to deal with
the damn thing.
Toby Says:
Another data point:
FYI: this oil filter was attached courtesy of the dealership I bought the
(used) car from, giving me a service to remember them by. Bastards. (They also
tightened the spark plugs so hard I broke nearly every one of them to get them
out, necessitating sucking the pieces of porcelain out with a straw. But
that’s another story.)
I managed to get my oil filter loose after about 8-10 hours (over 2 days). I
tried gripping really hard with my hands first. I had bought one of those oil
filter sockets that use seat belt material in combination with a half inch
ratchet. Since I didn’t have a half inch ratchet, I tried the screwdriver
method. Screwdriver bent. Tried a small crowbar. Didn’t budge, except made the
hole bigger and got oil all over me (face and hair). Sprayed lots of locktite
type stuff, that didn’t work. Sprayed some wd-40 as per this thread. Left it.
The next day, I bought the proper ratchet, determined to try and use what was
remaining of the oil filter before giving up and going to town and try and cut
the thing off.
I broke the end off a box-cutters to use in lieu of a razor. I cut at the
gasket where I could get access.
I used ethanol based hand cleaner to remove the oil. I used the new filter to
measure some non-slip matting, cut to the circumference. I attached it to the
old filter with the aid of duct tape. I then used the ratchet and oil filter
socket.
Still no go. Was gripping, but not turning. I went out and bought a bit of
pipe to give the ratchet more leverage. Finally it started twisting, and I got
it off. Hooray! Hope this helps someone. Good luck, and curses to all
mechanics who overtighten things that they don’t need to.
Alex Says:
I finally got mine off after 3 days of trying. What i did was get extensions
for the socket wrench and used the spider like wrench and i hit the socket
wrench with a hammer and it loosened it enough for me to finally twist it off.
David Says:
Finally got the filter off of a 2000 Ducati 996. Took 3 days and trips to 5
different stores and bike shops. The Original filter was on bike for 10years
and was seized on solid. After breaking the first wrench we started looking on
the web for some tips and found this site!!! Thanks for all the good advice.
We used pretty much all of it. I’ll tell you what my friend and I did to get
this stubborn filter off.
The Filter was only showing about 1/3 out of the bottom of the bike so it was
difficult to get anything other than a band type wrench around it. I tried 4
different cup styles and non seemed to fit the filter right even though the
Ducati dealer sold us a nice metal one that was suppose to fit. Also the plier
type wrench started to deform the filter and we got scared that we were going
to punch through it. There was no way we wanted to use the screw-driver method
as it probably would have made it even worse.
The key was after breaking two band wrenches was “Liquid Wrench Penetrating
Fluid” Sold in a small spray can for 4 bucks…this was sprayed on and left sit
for a few hours and then reapplied. I think that this got in under the seal
between the seal and the filter itself as there is enough of a ledge for the
fluid to sit on and soak in. Anyways once the filter did come off the gasket
seal was left on the bike and had come off the filter.
What many of you probably know is the main trick is to get that old rubber
seal to slide on the surface of the block. Its the traction of the rubber that
is holding the filter from rotating. Cutting with a razor wasnt possible for
us as we could only see the bottom 1/3 of the filter.
The other thing that we were going to have to do is buy the best quality band
wrench money can buy. After breaking 2 of them I can tell you that they are
not all made equal. The 3rd one we tried was another cheapie from Walmart
which we used as we couldnt find a quality one. It was only the penetrating
fluid that kept this one from snapping…it was a close call.
Recommendations: Top quality tools and Penetrating fluid. And lots of
patients. We were told twice by bike dealers to just punch a screw driver into
the filter. I’m sure now that that would have totally screwed us. Good luck to
everyone with this frustrating problem and thanks for the great help…
richard Says:
my situation is similar to all those above. started a simple oil change,
drained the oil no problem. then the nightmare started. the hint was in the
oil cap above….it took heman strength to loosen it…..that was the hint that
the oil filter was on way to tight as well. tried oil filter pliers, but the
oil filter was slippery and ended up crushing it. since it was crushed, but
not punctured, i punctured it with a screwdriver and hammer and drained the
oil. then tried to lodge the screwdriver all the way thru horizontally for
leverage. then i tried to turn the filter. all that did was the shred the
filter. so then i used plier cutters to remove all of the filter except for
the base. thried drilling a larger hole in the base to get a screwdriver in
and use a hammer. but given angle i was hitting it like a girl…..did not work.
gave up at 8 hours and went to bed. i am going to try the razor blade method,
wd40, and the plier in holes method. then if successful, i know who changed my
oil last and give him a verbal thrashing, and also cant these filter makers
make a product that is easy to change? is it that hard in this day and age?
ss Says:
What would cause an oil filter to build up enough pressure to blow off?
jimsgarage Says:
The short answer is nothing normal. The longer answer is a screw-on filter
won’t “blow off” as much as it would separate at the weakest part which is
likely the seam where the can is crimped on to the screw-on part. Some filter
manufactureres list the burst pressure on their box and believe me you would
have to have something terribly wrong to blow a modern spin-on filter casing.
Even more likely is that a loose filer would blow past the gasket. In some
cases I have seen where an old filter is taken off and the old gasket stays
stuck to the engine. When the new filter is screwed on the now doubled gasket
is going to fail under normal oil pressure.
Jim
Steve Says:
I tried everything on my jeep GC… I have aftermarket headers, and because of
that its nearly impossible to fit any tools in there to help with this
process.. after mangling the filter completely, and failing to get it off with
wither a filter cup tool or a strap… I decided to follow someone’s advice on
here and use the drill on the gasket.
Worked like a charm and didn’t mar the mating surface.
This is my first oil change since putting on the long tube headers, and I
suspect they are contributing to the problem – they hug the block and sit
pretty close to the filter. I never had this issue before, and always use
lithium grease instead of oil on the gasket.. and it was still baked on
terribly.. I may have to place some heat shielding in the appropriate areas.
jimsgarage Says:
Steve -
Sounds like you really had a struggle. I think you are right on the money as
regards heat shielding. I would also use dialectric grease instead of
lithium.
Good job with the filter.
Jim
Matt Shaw Says:
This advice is great! I had a ford van, and I just stuck a screw driver in it
and it twisted right off! Now I have an older camry, and it has the oil filter
right under the hood. Comes right off every time!
Mike Says:
After starting to cave in my old filter with my filter wrench and about 15
minutes of effort, I hit the ol’ google machine and stumbled across this page.
The C-clamp worked great for me! Had it off in about 2 minutes(had to
reposition the clamp as I ran out of clearance). The filter was demolished,
obviously, but no big mess like using the screw driver(which I have done
before). Thanks!
Charlie Says:
Man this save me life. got a oil filter stuck on a 1990 s-10. tried the
screwdriver idea and just tore the crap outa it. So we ripped off enough of
the filer to get to the holes in the top as several people mentioned, and used
a pair of 8″ needle nose pliers and a long handed screw driver run through the
handle of the plies to break it loose.
Jim s sister Says:
Somebody ought to send this page to the auto manufacturers!
joel Says:
Hello Everyone.
I just become a astronaut for the weekend removing a stuck oil filter. I now
know how it feel working out in space. all the facts are all ready in front of
you. no need to blame yourself. First the Oring of the filter was binded on
the seals. what you need to do is break it with a flat screw driver. This Ring
on top of the filter had sealed it. this is the cause of tighness. Then use a
corner chisel to drive the top part of the filter. use a ballpin hammer.
slowly drive with chisel. Reverse direction. I got this at a harbor
frieght.keep on take some time until you twist the remaining parts.
Jose Says:
thank you for your help!! Problem on 91′ Nissan Maxima V6……
Kevin Says:
I had my first stuck oil filter recently. Because of its location, band
wrenches and pliers were out, and the cap wrench just kept slipping and
sliding. Putting rubber grippy matting inside the cap wrench didn’t help. The
screwdriver just tore a gash in the casing without budging the filter. Finally
I used epoxy putty to fill in the dents, gouges, and holes in the filter, and
smeared quick-set epoxy inside the cap wrench before hammering it on as
tightly as possible.
That worked.
If the cap wrench had been plastic, it might have been stuck on the filter
forever, but since it was metal, once the filter was off the engine, it only
took a few minutes to break it loose from the filter and pry out the epoxy.
Doug Says:
I removed oil filter with a piece of grip-it shelf liner between filter and
wrench. It broke seal rather easy.
paul Says:
For “bottom facing filters” that haven’t distorted/crushed too badly:
1. Drill 6 holes, large enough for a sheet metal screw to fit through, equally
spaced about 3/8″ inward of the edge of a “socket type” filter remover that
fits on the end/bottom of the filter.
2. Place the filter remover on the filter. (Optional to increase grip: place a
strip of folded sand paper between the perimeter of the filter remover edges
and the filter sides (you may need to tap the filter remover onto the filter);
and/or, place epoxy glue on the bottom of the filter before placing the filter
remover).
3. Poke an awl through the drilled holes to start a small hole into the
filter. Quickly insert a sheet metal screw into the hole to minimize oil
leakage.
4. Firmly tighten a sheet metal screw in each hole, be carefull not to
overtighten or strip the filter metal. Spray WD-40 on the filter gasket…let it
penetrate for a few minutes. If used, leave time for the epoxy to set/harden
before taking next step.
5. Use your 3/8″ socket wrench to remove the filter.
6. Keep your crushed oil filter as a reminder never to tighten one with a
filter wrench.
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