What makes a good tool kit?

[Turfman]

THose look great. I have never seen one before. I just tried one I bought that looks like a short cup and is supposed to fit over the base of the filter. I found there is enough variation in the filter size that many times they just slip in the grooves at the bottom of the filter. Very frustrating.

Bird, thanks for the information and I really like your signature line.

Kevin

 

[Bird]

Kevin, I'm old enough that I was working in my dad's service station when the first "spin on" oil filters hit the market. We sold a lot of "adapter kits", especially for V-8 Fords to change from the cannister to spin on filters. So at one time or another I think I've tried just about everything invented to remove filters. I've driven screwdrivers through them, I've used big channel lock pliers, lots of flexible band types, rigid band types, cup types, etc. I still have 4 of the cups (work great if you have exactly the right size and you only need about 15 of them to have all the sizes), and I've still got a couple of the band types that I haven't thrown in the trash can yet, but I never use them anymore. Of course, the three legged (or Spider) wrench can crush a filter if the filter is tight enough, but it crushes in from all three points instead of one side, so (knock on wood) so far I've never encountered a filter than my three legged wrench wouldn't take off, but that's not to say it couldn't happen some day.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...so far I've never encountered a filter than my three legged wrench wouldn't take off...</font color=blue>

Bird,

Will it do a 6 1/2" diameter filter? I tried a couple "band" type that slipped and just didn't work... and everything else was too small.

I had to borrow my buddy's Snap-on/Blue Point metal band with a 1/2" ratchet drive... it worked the nuts... but the Snap-on price ... YOW! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

John, I assume you looked at the link I posted. Those two fit filters of 2 3/8" to 4 3/4". No way those, or mine, will work on that 6.5" filter./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I only have that size and it fits everything I own, but when my brother was running the Matco Tool truck, I know he stocked another larger size also, but don't remember what size it was, and I gave away my catalog. And yep, with Snap-on, you buy the tool, then you pay'em that much again for the name on it./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

This is what I used, but the largest I found on their website was only 5 1/2"... my hydraulic filter is 6 1/2"... even NAPA and a couple HD truck parts stores didn't carry anything that big. These are about $40...

 

[Bird]

John, I just now discovered that Matco finally has their catalog on the Internet (knew they were working on it a long time ago) and their name for the kind of filter wrench I was talking about is "3 Jaw Oil Filter Wrench" on this page and the kind of wrench you posted from Snap-on is on this page. But I haven't found one specifically for your 6.5" filter./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...I bought a set of the large sockets (I think 3/4 to maybe 2 1/2 inches) for about $50. Yep made in China but snap on for that I guess would be a couple hundred bucks...</font color=blue>

Ummmm, guess again... slightly higher in price...

Snap-on ¾” Socket Set – 35 piece kit:
Product Specifications
Stock Number 434HDB
Name Set, General Service, 12-Point (35 pcs.)
Price** $2,328.00

 

[DFB]

<font color=blue>I've never encountered a filter than my three legged wrench wouldn't take off, but that's not to say it couldn't happen some day.</font color=blue>

Bird, I tried to remove the filter on my 4100 with one of those types. Jaw capacity 2 1/2 - 3 7/8 or 63-99 mm.
Couldn't do it. Would not tighten up enough on the filter to turn it. Just kept slipping.

Went and got a nice cup style. 65-67mm 14 flute. Works every time. The one you say you have has an 1/8 " difference on the low end. Don't know if it would be enough to make the difference or not.

DFB

 

[DFB]

Hey! The one from MATCO looks like the one I have./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

DFB

 

[bgott]

Something to keep in mind...Oil filters get stuck because people don't oil the gasket before installing. I try to pre- fill oil filters before I install them and I just slop a little oil on the gasket and run it around with my finger. Even on the filters that install horizonally I dump a half a quart of oil in and roll it around. I got in this habit after servicing the old Bosch high pressure fuel injection systems that would blow the inside of the filter apart and fill the system with trash if you didn't pre- wet the paper in the filter with gas. That made me wonder how hard it was to shove cold oil through the paper element. Better safe than sorry!