Broke 2 Oil filter wrenches

[mapper]

My theory is they all employ a team of gorillas to put the filters on at the factory.
I used a pair of channel lock filter pliers on mine, looked like it had been in war after it came off!

 

[dodge man]

The filters guy at the factory‘s name is Ivan, his arms are the size of most guys thighs, and they give him a 4 foot breaker bar to put the filters on.

Had a buddy who drove a screwdriver through the filter, it didn’t work, the filter just shredded. He also ended up using a chisel to get it started turning and got it off.

The second post by Indyjay is probably the best filter wrench I have but you can’t always get it in places. I’ve also got a very large set of channel locks that work if there’s room. Like everyone else I’ve had a few I used some very foul language on. It must always work because the eventually came off.

 

[newbury]

I know the feeling....sounds like we all do. I've got a drawer full of oil filter wrenches now. Including a set of cannister sockets, a gearwrench, and a 3 jaw. Back when I was doing mechanics for a living I only had on a strap wrench. What changed? I have no idea.
<snip>

I don't know how long it's been since you were a mechanic but things that have changed:
Small cars have engine compartments that pack a lot more stuff in. And often the manufacturers design for the home market.
My meathooks can't even get to some replaceable parts of my vehicles (like headlight bulbs) , whereas my 5' tall wife can easily access the item.
I had a '79 VW Rabbit that to change the oil filter I could kneel down in front of it, reach up behind the radiator with a 3-Jaw Oil Filter Wrench and undo the filter. EZPZ. The filter was pointed down with easy access.
On the 2019 Ford Escape the filter for the 2.0 liter Ecoboost is oriented about the same. The smaller engines have it mounted horizontal amongst a bunch of hoses, and looks like a royal pain o service.

 

[5030]

Screwdriver works great as well.

One with a long handle for leverage. I believe every new tractor owner has that to deal with on the first filter change. Seems to be common practice (painting the engine and transmission after the filters have been installed( and the enamel dries and locks the filters onto the filter bases. Had that issue with fuel filters as well.

Actually, my SOP on a filter change anytime on a tractor is the poke a hole in it and lever it off (so long as the space is adequate to do it), I'm changing it anyway and have the drain pan (or in my case a partial aluminum fuel tank under there anyway) Both my tractors hold almost 15 gallons of fluid in the gearbox and rear end assemblies, substantially more than an ordinary drain pan can hold. I'll use a conventional drain pan for the engine oil, but that's it.

Always get a kick out of pulling the gearbox drain plug(s) and observing the fluid coming out. Reminds me of an oil well. Least with me, disposal isn't an issue as I have a Kleen Burn waste oil furnace in the shop. In fact I can run out of waste oil to burn in the winter so I hit up the local discount auto parts stores for their 'collected' waste oil if I need it.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I don't know how long it's been since you were a mechanic but things that have changed:
Small cars have engine compartments that pack a lot more stuff in. And often the manufacturers design for the home market.
My meathooks can't even get to some replaceable parts of my vehicles (like headlight bulbs) , whereas my 5' tall wife can easily access the item.
I had a '79 VW Rabbit that to change the oil filter I could kneel down in front of it, reach up behind the radiator with a 3-Jaw Oil Filter Wrench and undo the filter. EZPZ. The filter was pointed down with easy access.
On the 2019 Ford Escape the filter for the 2.0 liter Ecoboost is oriented about the same. The smaller engines have it mounted horizontal amongst a bunch of hoses, and looks like a royal pain o service.

Before the 1970s or so, cars were designed to be serviced by the owner. My ‘49 Ford, every thing was easy to get to. Some cars today, you have to unbolt the engine mounts to change the spark plugs.

 

[PILOON]

My CUT filter is in very close quarters.
After rejected my collection of filter tools I resorted to a DIY method.
I use a short length of seat belt material and a pair of vice grips.
Wrap the seat belt around the filter can and grip the belt close and lever with vice grips using the fat side to lever tighten the belt as I rotate.
Works great.
LOL, then catch the mess.

The belt barely clears as I slip it onto the can as the clearance is that tight.

 

[California]

‘49 Ford, every thing was easy to get to. Some cars today, you have to unbolt the engine mounts to change the spark plugs.

Oil filter? None at all on the '55 Chev 265ci, the first SBC. An external one like in the Ford photo was optional.

The external ones were an awful mess to take out the element, wipe remaining oil out of the cannister, dispose of the filter element. Dad's '49 Chev aftermarket filter used a roll of toilet paper as its element. Messy!

Cars were simpler then.

 

[oosik]

My first oil change on the Kubota - both engine & hydraulic. Long, thin bladed kitchen knife. Cut the "paint bond" between the filter and the tractor. Removal was much easier. They all came off easily with a band wrench.

 

[Raul-02]

hammer on with a chisel.

may try that. I ordered a new strap for my 100 year old strap wrench. Yah its a hunnert years old and a beast. Had to drill out the pin to disassemble it coz it was siezed

 

[Raul-02]

Some cars today, you have to unbolt the engine mounts to change the spark plugs.

My idiot ex wife wanted a Saab. She thought they looked cool. It drove all right, could go like a bat out of hell.
I had to do the water pump.
To access the water pump, required I drop the tranny and lift the engine. Yah, for the water pump.
It would only accept one model of Continental tires ( the most expensive model).

I got rid of that car with the witch.

 

[California]

Broke a new strap wrench, a different on slipped. Finally went and got a pair of Channellock filter pliers and that was that.
View attachment 739146

I discovered those were the only thing that could reach in past the rats-nest of loader hoses to loosen the fuel filter bowl ring on my Yanmar.

 

[ericm979]

Oil filter? None at all on the '55 Chev 265ci, the first SBC. An external one like in the Ford photo was optional.

The external ones were an awful mess to take out the element, wipe remaining oil out of the cannister, dispose of the filter element. Dad's '49 Chev aftermarket filter used a roll of toilet paper as its element. Messy!

Cars were simpler then.

I don't know about the original SBC but a lot of "filterless" engines actually had centrifugal "filters". On Triumph twin motorcycles it was in the crankshaft. Gunk would be centrifugaly separated out and end up in a sludge trap. You needed to tear the engine down every 10k miles to clean out that sludge trap. If it filled up, the engine would starve of oil.

Some modern cars have oil filter elements instead of metal shell cannister filters like on our tractors. One of our VWs has that, but it's right on top of the engine where it's super easy to get to. It's a little messier than a cannister but it's not bad, and you don't need to cut the can apart to inspect the filter for debris.

 

[IndyJay]

My idiot ex wife wanted a Saab. She thought they looked cool. It drove all right, could go like a bat out of hell.
I had to do the water pump.
To access the water pump, required I drop the tranny and lift the engine. Yah, for the water pump.
It would only accept one model of Continental tires ( the most expensive model).

I got rid of that car with the witch.

...and the little dog too?

 

[BnRidge]

My theory is they all employ a team of gorillas to put the filters on at the factory.
I used a pair of channel lock filter pliers on mine, looked like it had been in war after it came off!

I changed the oil on my first car way back when, and made sure to put the new filter back on, nice and clean and dry. Next time, I had to rip it off pc by pc, and finally chisel the base plate of the filter loose. It wasn't on tight, but was just dry and wouldn't turn. Rub some oil on the gasket and 100% success from that point on. Some lessons really are learned the hard way. Why on earth do they continue marching forward with a known problem.

 

[PILOON]

Some modern cars have oil filter elements instead of metal shell cannister filters like on our tractors. One of our VWs has that, but it's right on top of the engine where it's super easy to get to. It's a little messier than a cannister but it's not bad, and you don't need to cut the can apart to inspect the filter for debris.

My KIA Serento has a top filter element like that.
Good idea.

 

[LHF2019]

Another problem is that manufacturers don't put oil or lube on the filter gasket during assembly. First filter change is always the worst.

I’m assuming you know that for a fact because you work on the assembly floor? I have worked at a major engine manufacturing and they do put oil on filter and use a torque wrench set at so many in/lbs. and you had better follow procedures.

 

[IndyJay]

I’m assuming you know that for a fact because you work on the assembly floor? I have worked at a major engine manufacturing and they do put oil on filter and use a torque wrench set at so many in/lbs. and you had better follow procedures.

Thanks, I corrected the post. Always good to have fact checkers.

edit:
"Another problem is that *some* manufacturers don't put oil or lube on the filter gasket during assembly. First filter change is always the worst."

I've taken off enough oem installed filters to know that they (the ones that I personally changed) had not been lubed. No doubt there are some that do. I just haven't been fortunate to have come across them.

 

[Raul-02]

.and the little dog too?

I kept my horse

 

[dodge man]

I have changed the oil for the first time on 4 Chrysler or Dodges with the 5.7 Hemi. They were all a *****. On our latest, a 2019, I thought it was going to be the same way but it spun right off. I wonder if like LHF2019 said, they started using some procedures to allow them to come off easier.

 

[thomass38]

Just put a folded up piece of sandpaper between the strap and the filter, it has always worked for me