oil filter won't come off HPX 4x4 diesel:help

iowaken · Oct 24, 2010

Help: I can't get the oil filter off my HPX 4x4 Diesel. Won't budge or even wiggle? Anyone know any tricks? Tries from above and below.

donn12 · Oct 24, 2010

are you using a filter wrench? If not get one. If you are hammer a screwdriver into the side and twist.

doall · Oct 24, 2010

I've had to drive a screw driver through the side of a filter on a Ranger to get it off. Don't know why they put them on that tight.

Baby Grand · Oct 25, 2010

Sometimes a rubber strap wrench works real well for stubborn filters. Only problem I've had is sometimes I didn't have enough room to swing it. I like the strap wrench for it's versatility - a filter wrench is really only useful for filters, but a strap wrench is great for anything you want to put a death grip on, round or not. It's also great for putting said death grip on something that you don't want to damage in the process. I used mine yeaterday to remove a stubborn plastic coolant reservoir cap.
-Jim

Dmace · Oct 25, 2010

I've had a few factory tightened oil filters that wouldn't budge with a filter wrench so I resorted to the screwdriver trick.

Get the largest phillips screw driver you can fit in the area and hammer it through the side of the filter at the END of the filter so you don't hit the "bolt" on the filter housing that the filter screws into. Twist and off it comes, there will be oil dripping out of where ever the screw driver goes in and out so have some rags ready.

zman007007 · Oct 25, 2010

you could hammer a nail into the bottom of the filter , and let it drain, before driving the screwdriver thru and save yourself a mess possibly. zman

JESSE1 · Oct 25, 2010

Get the metal cup-style filter socket that fits over the end of the filter. You'll need to tap it on the filter and use a 3/8 rachet to turn it. Not a lot of room to work. It'll be hard to remove the first time. I've actually used a short pry bar to keep it tight on the filter. Just be sure to lube the gasket on the new filter and don't over tighten.

timswi · Oct 25, 2010

JESSE1 said:
Get the metal cup-style filter socket that fits over the end of the filter. You'll need to tap it on the filter and use a 3/8 rachet to turn it. Not a lot of room to work. It'll be hard to remove the first time. I've actually used a short pry bar to keep it tight on the filter. Just be sure to lube the gasket on the new filter and don't over tighten.

I always warm up the motor prior to removing the filter. This makes it much easier. Also, as others said, lube the new filter gasket prior to installation.

If you poked a hole in the filter, none of this helps though.

Snap-on has a racheting filter wrench that removes almost any stubborn filter (BluePoint: apx $35).

iowaken · Oct 26, 2010

Thanks to you all! we finally got it off with our neighbor's chain wrench. Screwdriver trick didn't do it at all. We made sure the new filter was hand tightened and the gasket oiled.